News & UpdatesJune 2010: PromotionsCarolyn Kolovich Promoted to Senior Pipeline EngineerCarolyn has devoted the past 11 years to pipeline safety and reliability consulting at Kiefner and Associates. She is a member of the ASME B31.4 Code Committee and teaches the ASME Professional Development 2-day short-course on the code. Kolin Kolovich Promoted to Engineer Level II Kolin joined Kiefner and Associates in 2006 and continues to provide a broad range of consulting services to pipeline operators, including failure analysis and research, material testing, stress analysis, defect assessment, remaining life assessment, and construction vibration monitoring and mitigation. May 2010: Kiefner Associate Presents at AGA ConferenceBob Francini gave a presentation on determining the remaining strength of corroded casings at the AGA Operations conference in May. A copy of the presentation is available on the Downloads page.April 2010: Dr. John Kiefner and Carolyn Kolovich will be presenting at the 2010 API Conference.Dr. Kiefner will be speaking in the afternoon on the 20th of April. He will be discussing the results of a PRCI study that was conducted to determine the effectiveness of damage prevention methods.Ms. Kolovich will present in the morning on April 21st and will discuss some guidelines on using ILI data to manage long-seam susceptibility. March 2010: Kiefner & Associates, Inc. is celebrating our 20-year anniversary!In March of 1990, Dr. John Kiefner began Kiefner and Associates, Inc, providing safety and reliability consulting to the pipeline industry . Over the last 20 years, our staff has grown to over 20 people dedicated to providing technical support to the pipeline industry. Our continued success and solid reputation is a testament to the quality and extensive knowledge of our engineers and our ability to provide our clients with solutions to their difficult pipeline issues.January 2010: Pipeline Reliability Assessment WorkshopPipeline Reliability Assessment WorkshopPresented by Kiefner and Associates, Inc. Tuesday, January 19 and Wednesday, January 20, 2010 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Marriott Houston Westchase 2900 Briarpark Drive Houston TX 77042 Overview The transportation of gases and liquids by pipeline entails risk. The primary risk arises from the probability of an accidental release which can be violent and destructive because the contents of a pipeline are usually pressurized and often flammable and/or toxic. If a pipeline is well designed, built with care using good quality materials, properly tested and inspected, operated within its intended parameters, and it is adequately monitored, maintained and protected, the risk of a release is acceptably small. To assure that risk is minimized, the industry voluntarily creates, maintains and follows standards, specifications, and recommended practices aimed at preventing accidents and outages. In many countries, governments also regulate pipeline safety by law. Except for the effects of wars, acts of God, sabotage, gross human errors or natural disasters, pipelines that are built and operated in accord with the standards and regulations do not fail unless some kind of defect exists or is created. One may think of pipeline safety, then, as a matter of preventing or eliminating defects or neutralizing or counteracting defects which cannot be prevented or eliminated. This session is intended to provide training for pipeline personnel who must deal with pipeline safety. The material presented provides an introduction to the basic concepts of the effects of defects on pipelines and of the methods for preventing, eliminating or neutralizing them. Presenters The workshop is presented by Mr. Greg Morris and Mr. Harvey Haines. Mr. Morris is a Senior Metallurgical Engineer at Kiefner and Associates, Inc. Mr. Morris' nearly 20-year career in the pipeline industry has involved development of customized risk-assessment models for operators, failure analyses, fracture control plans, material specifications, and welding procedures. Mr. Morris has served on served on committees for PRCI and API. Mr. Haines is a Senior Pipeline Specialist at Kiefner and Associates, Inc and manages pipeline integrity projects. Mr. Haines' 27-year career in the oil and gas industry includes the development and use of NDE techniques for pipelines and oil and gas wells. This includes the development of ILI tool, while at the Gas Research Institute, and validation of Direct Assessment as an equivalent integrity evaluation technique for managing pipeline safety. Currently Mr. Haines works on maintaining Operational Reliability Assessment and understanding the uncertainty of ILI measurements. Logistics The workshop is presented periodically for pipeline operator personnel who face pipeline reliability issues on a daily basis. The workshop is held on two consecutive 8hour days (allowing for two breaks and lunch). Each participant is provided with a course notebook containing copies of the slides and viewgraphs, and 1.4 CEUs are given for attendance at the workshop (certificate of completion provided). Cost The cost is $995.00 per attendee if registration is confirmed by Jan. 5, 2010 (two weeks prior to the first day of the workshop). For registrations confirmed after Jan 5, 2010 the cost is $1,195.00. Outline for Pipeline Reliability Assessment Training Session Pipeline Defects • Types of Defects Material Behavior • Strength and Toughness of Line Pipe Steel • Ductile Versus Brittle Behavior • Measuring Toughness and Transition Temperature • Fracture Propagation and Arrest in Pneumatically Pressurized Pipe Defect Assessment Methods • Concepts • Models • Corrosion-Caused Metal Loss • Cracks • Dents • Dents and Gouges In-Line Inspection • Technologies • Capabilities • Data Analysis • Dig Prioritization Benefits and Limitations of Hydrostatic Testing • Test-Pressure-to-Operating-Pressure Ratio • Subcritical Crack Growth • Pressure Reversals • Dealing with Multiple Test Failures Direct Assessment • Review of NACE RP0502-2002 ECDA • The Role of DA in Integrity Assessment Repair Methods • Steel Sleeves • Composite Reinforcement • Miscellaneous Methods Remaining Life Assessment • Pipelines Affected by Corrosion • Pipelines Affected by SCC • Pipelines Affected by Pressure-Cycle-Induced Fatigue REGISTRATION PIPELINE RELIABILITY ASSESSMENT WORKSHOP Presented by Kiefner and Associates, Inc. Tuesday, January 19 and Wednesday, January 20, 2010 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Marriott Houston Westchase 2900 Briarpark Drive Houston TX 77042 September 2009: Dr. John Kiefner was honored with the award of ASME FellowKiefner & Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce: On September 22, 2009, Dr. John Kiefner was honored with the award of ASME Fellow during the ASME B31 Code Week meeting. This is an award of high distinction in recognition of significant lifetime accomplishments in engineering. John is only the second person from a pipeline committee to ever receive it. We’ve all benefitted tremendously from John’s work on behalf of the pipeline industry. This award was well earned by him, and only one of many in a very distinguished career. We congratulate John on this latest achievement! October 2008: Bob Francini presented a paper entitled “Blasting and Construction Vibrations Near Existing Pipelines, What are Appropriate Levels? [IPC2008-64325]” at the 2008 IPC Conference in Calgary.Download the abstract here.October 2008: Carolyn Kolovich presents the ASME Professional Development 2- day Seminar on the B31.4 CodeCarolyn Kolovich, who has been a member of the ASMEB31.4 Section Committee for 2 years, is taking over the presentation of the ASME Professional Development 2-day Seminar on the ASME B31.4 Code. Contact ASME Professional Development for details. September 2008: KAI hires Dr. Martin Phillips as a Senior Pipeline Specialist (ILI)Kiefner & Associates, Inc. is pleased to announce that Dr. Martin Phillips has joined our staff as Senior Pipeline Specialist (ILI). Martin, formerly with CC Technologies (a DNV Company) and PII (now GE Pipeline Solutions) has 27 years of experience in the application of in-line inspection technologies (ILI) to pipeline integrity assessment and management as well as developing integrity management plans involving risk assessment and management. His strengths lie in understanding the ILI technologies from conception, design, testing, and qualification through service implementation in oil and gas pipelines. This expertise covers data analysis and a thorough understanding of ILI specifications as they apply to pipeline defects from corrosion, deformation, and cracking. Martin has significant expertise and understanding in the area of ILI for cracking such as stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and fatigue cracking, which is a relatively new ILI technology. His experience goes beyond the initial response to ILI reports to the use of the ILI data (metal loss and cracking) for remaining life calculations and re-assessment intervals. Martin was involved in the development of API 1163 and ASNT ILI PQ. This ILI expertise is now available through training courses offered by KAI. Martin is a member of PIPE, PPSA, NACE and the IOP (UK).April 2007: SCC and Corrosion Soils-map Based Risk ModelKiefner & Associates Inc. (“KAI”) and Coast to Coast NDE (“Coast”) have jointly developed a Soils-map Based Risk Model. The model utilizes government soils mapping available as GIS shape files to calculate relative values of 10 variables relevant to SCC and corrosion. It then dynamically segments the client’s pipeline based on those 10 variables and assigns relative risk values for both types of SCC, external corrosion and MIC to each dynamic segment. The model is mechanistic and, as such, does not rely upon identifying “good” or “bad” soil types or upon the Client requiring any statistical data of discovered SCC. The model is based upon industry understanding of the most likely locations for SCC as a function of coating type, coating condition and CP effectiveness. If the SCC is occurring elsewhere than industry knowledge would indicate, the risk algorithms can be readily modified to reflect the Client’s unusual situation. If field investigation indicates that the coating condition or cathodic protection in a particular segment is better than indicated by the model based upon the soils and drainage conditions in that segment, the tabular values for those variables can be readily over-written in the Client’s GIS, which will immediately reduce the calculated risk value for that segment. Similarly, if the government maps indicated different drainage conditions than are found, any of the variables driving the risk algorithms can be adjusted accordingly. Having the pipeline segmented in terms of soils and drainage characteristics has the added advantage of providing an additional reference frame with which to describe the pipeline. This can be valuable, for example, to identify similar sites if, as required by the GAS IMP Rule §192.917(e)(5), extensive corrosion were to be found. KAI and Coast jointly own and market the Soils-map Based Risk Model. All sales of the customized Soils-map Based Risk Model are based upon a Purchase Order for which Coast, KAI and the Client will all be signatories. The Purchase Order will include a Technical Description on which Coast, KAI and the Client agree that has been developed as a result of at least one meeting at which Coast, KAI and the Client are all present. Customized Soils-map Based Risk Models that calculate relative risk of both types of SCC, external corrosion and MIC are offered for sale at a lump sum price per county based upon a minimum of 15 counties. Additional or unusual requirements by the Client may require a slight increase in the per county rate as agreed by all three parties and included in the Purchase Order. The current base price is included in the confidential Joint KAI-Coast Technical Description and Pricing Brochure that is available upon request to interested pipeline operators. February 2007: Dr. John Kiefner retiresKAI announces the retirement of Dr. John F. Kiefner, after a 40-year career in the pipeline industry. Dr. Kiefner practiced and espoused pipeline integrity management planning, and developed many of the tools and concepts to make pipeline integrity management possible, long before it became a standard practice. He began his involvement with the pipeline industry at Battelle Memorial Institute – Battelle Columbus Labs (with a stint in the Houston office). While there, he worked in close partnership with Bill Maxey and others to develop, test, and demonstrate numerous important concepts that led to practices widely used in the industry today. These included:
After 23 years at Battelle, he founded Kiefner & Associates, Inc. (KAI) in January 1990, a firm dedicated to serving the oil and gas pipeline industry. While he was with KAI, his further achievements on behalf of the pipeline industry include:
The company Dr. Kiefner created, KAI, has since grown to 18 employees and looks forward to providing specialized, personal technical service to the pipeline industry. Dr. Kiefner will continue to participate in company activities and assist clients on a greatly reduced schedule while he pursues other personal interests.
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