PE Asset Life Research

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas)

Applied Research and Development

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
Cadent Gas

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 July 2010

01 December 2013

41 months

£2,119,648

Technical Consultancy

London

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, Cadent Gas

Project Contact, SGN

The aim of this project is to develop methodologies; techniques and decision support tools that establish the current condition of the existing PE network, identifies potential threats to the integrity of PE pipes and joints, assesses the residual life of the PE network and identifies possible strategies and policies for asset management of these ageing assets included targeted replacement where appropriate. Success of the project will be the development of decision support software tools and the development of new concepts and standards for site quality control standards and procedures which will be delivered leading to an Asset Integrity Management Scheme for PE gas distribution networks.

Polyethylene (PE) pipes, laid over the past 40 years, now constitute around 60% of the gas distribution supply networks in the UK. Whilst confidence remains high for the long term integrity of PE pipe materials, it has to be recognised that some parts of the installed network are now approaching their 50 year design life. It is known that early PE materials, including those imported from the United States of America (USA) in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, were supplied to a lower standard of stress crack resistance than current pipe materials. Similar materials installed in the USA and Europe have shown the expected signs of failure in service at points of elevated stress. This project will collect and analyse samples of pipes and joints across the network from a variety of locations, covering a range of polymers and installation ages. This approach will require development of: A technique to enable sample extraction from live mains without disrupting gas supplies. New test methods to qualify the long term service performance of recovered sections of pipes and joints. Chemical and physical characterisation methods of identifying PE material grades and obtaining condition assessment and residual life estimates from small samples. Test methods to enable the performance of a pipe and joint to be measured and benchmarked against its original performance. Software tools for managing ongoing and future integrity of PE gas distribution systems.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above

17/09/18