After the review and analysis of a 6000 km (3750 miles) pipeline system’s failure cases, we asked a theoretical question: what would this data show if we didn’t implement any in-line inspection or the consequential repairs and interventions? The amount of data considered is large enough to analyse how we could effect the undesirable changes.

The results clearly indicate that ILI and its associated interventions can measurably reduce the number of failures on a pipeline system. However, the extent of reduction is somewhat dependant on the vintage of the pipeline system.

If such interventions repair near critical defects only, the number of future failures decrease, but the trend remain unchanged. However, if the intervention is comprehensive, the failure trend will also decrease, indicatings, that in-line inspection of pipelines is a profitable investment.

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