Mechanistic studies and modelling of corrosion,structural degradation,and associated soil subsidence during long-term decommissioning of oil pipelines

许多石油和天然气管道已经服役超过50年或更长时间，现在它们的设计寿命即将结束。随着这一基础设施的不断老化，越来越多的管道将永久停止使用，并可能留在原地。退役管道由于内部和外部的腐蚀，长期处于劣化状态。腐蚀引起的过度退化降低了管道的承载能力，并可能导致结构完整性的丧失和随后的坍塌，随着时间的推移，可能会导致地面下沉。到目前为止，人们对退役管道的退化过程及其后果的了解还很有限。拟议研究的总体目标是建立一个强大的科学知识基础，以促进我们对与管道退役相关的腐蚀、结构完整性和土壤沉降的理解，并进一步通过力学模拟来定量预测管道在土壤中长期退役后的潜在影响和风险。研究成果包括新知识和新模型，所有这些都将使管道运营商和利益相关者，如监管机构和土地所有者，能够了解、预测和管理管道退役的短期和长期过程和后果。目前还无法充分了解管道退役的机制和后果。这项研究将填补这一空白，结果将是原创性和创新性的，有助于在管道退役方面建立强大的科学知识基础。同时，这项研究将使管道行业和加拿大公众受益，因为它能够实现可靠的预测和改进管理，从而使陈旧的管道基础设施安全退役。

Many of oil and gas pipelines have been in service for over 50 years or longer, and are now coming to the end of their lifespan for which they were designed. As this infrastructure continues to age, a growing number of pipelines will permanently be taken out of service and potentially left in place. Decommissioned pipelines are subject to long-term degradation due to internal and external corrosion. Excessive degradation due to corrosion reduces the load bearing capacity of the pipeline, and may lead to loss of structural integrity and to subsequent collapse over time, possibly leading to ground subsidence. To date, there is limited understanding of the degradation processes and their consequences on decommissioned pipelines.The overall objective of the proposed research is to develop a strong scientific knowledge base to advance our understanding of corrosion, structural integrity, and soil subsidence associated with pipeline decommissioning, and further, to quantitatively predict by mechanistic modelling the potential effects and risks after long-term decommissioning of the pipelines in soils. The research outcomes include new knowledge and new models, all of which will enable pipeline operators and stakeholders such as regulators and landowners to understand, predict and manage the short-term and long-term processes and consequences of pipeline decommissioning.The benefits from this research will be multi-fold and tremendous. A full understanding of the mechanisms and consequences of decommissioned pipelines is presently not available. The research will fill this gap, and the outcome will be original and innovative, contributing to a strong scientific knowledge base in pipeline decommissioning. At the same time, the research will benefit the pipeline industry and the Canadian public by enabling reliable prediction and improved management, and thus safe decommissioning of aged pipeline infrastructure.