pipeline corrosion in Alaska ? ? 5

[EdStainless]

As I read the problem, it isn't lack of knowlage. The issues of water injection, increasing water cut, bacterial activity, sludge and everthing else have been well known and handled for decades.
The problem is inertia., company's unwillness to change teh way that they do things. In other parts of the field BP was doing all of the correct stuff.
How often have we all sat in meetings and heard senior managers tell us that they won't spend the money until 'it becomes a real problem'. Short sighted planning and managment styles will not allow prevention to be seen as an investment, only as a cost.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Rust never sleeps
Neither should your protection

http://www.trent-tube.com/contact/Tech_Assist.cfm

 

[zdas04]

I retired from BP a few years ago and they are one of my larger clients today. With over 100,000 employees the inertia is staggering, but I've never seen a company work harder to change the culture than BP is currently working on Integrity Management. They're throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at the problem and have created thousands of new permanant positions in IM across the world. After more than 100 years of reacting to risks with a very short-term view, they are starting to lengthen the view and address the problems of the next year and the next decade.

I don't think we've heard the last major leak from the Oil & Gas industry and maybe not the last from BP, but I see IM as an increasing priority across the industry and you will definately see fewer than you would have without the changes in thinking.



David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering

http://www.muleshoe-eng.com

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

The harder I work, the luckier I seem