Pipeline Replacement Planning: Know when to replace, repair, and optimize

Today’s utility operators face constant challenges: prioritizing asset replacements amidst ageing networks, stricter regulations, increasing focus on methane emissions reduction, and rising crew mobilization costs. These challenges demand strategic prioritization of asset repairs and replacements to optimize maintenance planning, minimize costs, and ensure network reliability.

Synergi Mains Replacement Planner (MRP) is a powerful tool that utilizes a data-driven approach for optimizing pipeline asset replacements and maximizing network lifespan. It helps operators:

  • Prioritize replacements strategically: Leverage predictive analytics and scenario evaluation to identify critical assets and develop proactive multi-year plans.
  • Invest in the right assets at the right time: Minimize unnecessary repairs and replacements and optimize capital expenditures by focusing on assets nearing the end of their useful life.
  • Maximize asset lifespan: Implement continuous asset management strategies to extend a network’s life.

Maximize resource utilization in pipeline replacement projects

Asset lifecycle management is often highly resource-intensive. Synergi MRP simplifies resource optimization through proactive work planning capability; it scopes replacement or refurbishment requirements, maintains a consistent performance level, and demonstrates regulatory compliance.

Synergi MRP empowers operators to take control of their network assets, resulting in:

  • Optimized CAPEX vs. OPEX spending by maximizing risk reduction per dollar spent.
  • Proactive plans to minimize incidents and reduce emissions.
  • Minimized emergency leak repairs by replacing mains before they become consistent operations and maintenance problems.
  • A strong negotiating position with replacement contractors by developing a firm multi-year replacement strategy with cost estimates.

 

Drive strategic capital investment planning for pipeline infrastructure

By combining Synergi MRP with cutting-edge Pipeline Integrity and Risk Management software, Synergi Pipeline, operators can better estimate, manage, and mitigate risk events with unprecedented accuracy and drive risk-informed asset replacement prioritization. By aligning company resources with areas of higher risk concentration, the tools help reduce system risk, optimize maintenance budgets, and minimize the cost of replacement projects. Additionally, a clear picture of risk results in capital investment plans that are not only effective but also easily justifiable to regulators and customers, ensuring the long-term health and efficiency of the network.

Boost your pipeline replacement strategies with Synergi MRP and Synergi Pipeline:

  • Identify the mains in the poorest condition with predictive modelling.
  • Use historical data to locate points with the highest likelihood of failure.
  • Utilize multiple available data sets to determine and rank assets based on condition, emissions, and other influencing factors.
  • Use the same model for both DIMP risk management and replacement planning.

  • Decide confidently between repairing or replacing a main.
  • Have a complete overview of operating and maintenance costs for repair and replacement.
  • Group multiple poor-performing mains into a single cost-effective project.
  • Choose scenarios based on optimal cost-effective risk, as well as methane emission reduction and deterioration management.

  • Create multi-year replacement strategies with corresponding cost estimates that support ROI decisions.
  • Choose which mains to replace given a budget of $X million per year or when mandated to replace a set number of miles per year.
  • Understand the cost comparison between repair versus replacement, cost versus benefit, and strategic comparison of outcomes.
  • Utilize ‘What-if’ functionality and compare capabilities to evaluate the risk reduction and costs for various scenarios and projects.

Leveraging probabilistic risk to drive pipeline replacement planning

Instead of relying on relative risk calculation or leak history-based statistical approaches, utilities can now use DNV’s comprehensive Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) models to enable risk-informed asset management.

Based on the probabilistic, quantitative likelihood of failure and consequence of failure scores for each asset, the cutting-edge tools monetize risk across all assets, rank them and prioritize resources accordingly. PRA models also help determine the impact of data uncertainties on risk, enabling integrity engineers and leaders to decide whether to drive mitigation programs for threats on assets versus improve data quality for assets (e.g. ILI runs).

DNV’s PRA Models and risk analytics are backed by extensive risk management experience, providing operators with actionable risk intelligence to efficiently extract the critical knowledge regarding risk drivers and trends useful for decision-making.

 

Why choose Synergi MRP as a strategic planner for asset replacements?

Synergi MRP gives operators a roadmap to optimally modernize their pipeline infrastructure, while ensuring reliability and continuity of services.

  • Reduce risk and leakage.
  • Manage deterioration.
  • Estimate potential incidents posed by aging mains.
  • Evaluate the cost benefit of multi-year replacement scenarios

  • Seamlessly incorporate quantitative risk results from Synergi Pipeline with other sources of data.
  • Predict the rate of future deterioration and changes in condition over time.
  • Calculate the predicted number of system leaks over time.
  • Assign a project and “replacement year” to each main.
  • Consider budget and inflation increases.

  • Understand repair versus replacement cost-benefit analysis.
  • Cost/benefit assessment and strategy comparison.
  • Develop replacement strategies based on condition and risk scores, emissions data, paving plans, and criteria such as length, expenditure, material age, and operating pressure or diameter.

  • Evaluation of safety and leakage measurements.
  • Use native GIS tools to manage inputs and analyze results in an open environment.
  • Minimize leak emissions.

Synergi Mains Replacement Planner ensures compliance with industry standards such as ASME B31.8S, providing users with confidence in the reliability and safety of their pipeline infrastructure planning.

  • Utilize the network’s leak history and other sources of data to prioritize assets and demonstrate risk reduction.

  • Enjoy advanced ESRI ArcGIS Pro spatial analysis
  • Utilize native and flexible Thematic mapping capabilities.
  • Use data in GIS with MRP seamlessly without import and export.