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使用了50多年或更长时间，现在正在接近其设计寿命的终点。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腐蚀而长期退化。由于腐蚀而导致的过度降解降低了管道的承载能力，并且可能导致结构完整性的损失以及随时间推移而随后的坍塌，可能导致地面沉降。到目前为止，对退化过程及其对退役管道的影响的了解有限。拟议研究的总体目标是建立一个强大的科学知识库，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，通过机械建模定量预测土壤中管道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）能够理解，预测和管理管道退役的短期和长期过程和后果。这项研究的好处将是多方面的，巨大的。目前还不能充分了解退役管道的机制和后果。该研究将填补这一空白，其结果将是原创性和创新性的，为管道退役提供强大的科学知识基础。与此同时，这项研究将有利于管道行业和加拿大公众，使可靠的预测和改善管理，从而安全退役的老化管道基础设施。

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.