Development of a GIS Database of Corrosion Hazards for Use in Pipeline Integrity Assessments

Geologic hazards pose a significant threat to pipeline integrity. As an existing pipeline system ages, targeted analysis and positioning of maintenance resources become increasingly important to remediating problem pipeline sections and to ensure timely response to system failures. A geographic information system (GIS) now is commonly used to model pipeline systems. Significant geologic hazards can be mapped and effectively managed in a GIS database as a way to assess risk and to target pipeline remediation resources. In particular, the potential for soil corrosion is a significant threat to pipelines. In the U.S., digital soil maps from the United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) have been compiled into the Soil Survey Geographic (SSURGO) database. Numerous soil attributes are stored in the database allowing for a detailed examination of soil characteristics. SSURGO data is largely consistent in quality and geographic extent across the U.S. and is the best available database for a national assessment of soil corrosion potential. We describe the development of a national database for the collection of locations of known corrosion from pipeline system managers. This database can be compared to soil conditions, as noted in SSURGO or other supporting soil data, for the development of a model of soil parameters that may indicate the future potential for buried pipeline corrosion. This paper outlines the need for such a database, significant design considerations and the proposed process for model development.