National Energy Board

Miter bends are permitted for use in the oil and gas industry in a variety of configurations. This paper addresses small angle miter joints used to correct minor misalignments. The CSA Z662-15 standard (Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems) states in the construction section (Clause 6.2.3(g)) that “mitred bends shall not be used”. However, a note accompanying the clause states that “deflections up to 3 degrees caused by misalignment are not considered to be mitred bends.” Nonetheless, concerns continue to be raised that stresses introduced due to this misalignment can affect safety and operation of pipelines. This paper reviews literature of failures associated with mitered joints and the theoretical development of stresses in miters, and presents results from a linearized sensitivity analysis of buried mitered joints under pressure and thermal loading based on ASME B31.1 and B31.3 criteria. The paper contains an analysis of the origins of CSA-Z662 Clause 6.2.3(g). Recognizing that the stresses introduced by miters are discontinuity stresses, the paper discusses the effects of such stresses, including the use of miters in cyclic service. Recognizing also the strong dependence of D/t ratio on the discontinuity stress, the paper suggests a modification to the Z662 approach to account for this effect. This modification would provide guidance to the use of miters to effect small deflections both during design and construction of piping.

This article examines historical, contemporary, andemerging form of governmental regulation in various contexts and jurisdictions, and applies that information comparatively in undertaking descriptive and prescriptive analyses in relation to regulation in Canada's energy sector. So-called "smart regulation " is the latest trend in regulatory (re)structuring. and the author attempts to probe the substance behind this catch-phrase to discover what its practical implications are to affected parties. The reader will contemplate how "smart regulation " differs, if at all from prescriptive regulation, goal-oriented regulation, performance-based regulation, and deregulation or whether it is some combination of several. "Smart regulation" necessarily imports inter- and intra-governmental cooperation and coordination to avoid regulatory duplication and multi-layering; in this regard Canada's regulatory regime appears to be in transition. Accurately measuring the degree of regulatory and industrial efficiency and effectiveness resulting from the "smart regulation" movement may ultimately require more credible evaluation methodology and increased research in the area.

This paper provides guidelines to identify all threats and assess a pipeline’s susceptibility to those threats in order to select appropriate and effective mitigation, monitoring, and prevention measures prior to reactivating pipelines. The intent of this paper is to provide pipeline operators, consultants and regulatory agencies with a generic threat assessment approach that has to be customized to the pipeline-specific characteristics and conditions, and the regulatory requirements of its own jurisdiction. A literature review and authors’ experiences across the pipeline industry have identified the need for a generic, yet complete approach that guides pipeline integrity engineers in the methodologies that adequately and effectively assess threats prior to reactivation and that can be validated in a timely manner during the operations. Pipeline operators may be called on to reactivate pipelines that are facing challenges such as aging, changes in operational conditions, lack of maintenance and inconsistent integrity practices while facing constraints from increasing population density, higher pressure and flow throughput requirements of a competitive marketplace, and regulatory requirements insisting on higher levels of safety and protection of the environment. This paper was structured with the following components to assist the reader in conducting threat assessments: • Current regulations and recognized industry standards with respect to reactivating pipelines; • Definition of and differentiation between hazard and threat; • Hazard identification analysis for the known and potential situations, events and conditions; and • Threat susceptibility and identification analysis process for the known categories derived from the hazard identification process. A case study is described as an example of applying the guidelines to conduct threat susceptibility and identification assessments of a pipeline prior to its reactivation. The results from the threat susceptibility and identification assessment process can help operators, consultants and regulators in determining effective inspection, mitigation, prevention and monitoring measures.

Determining the ongoing fitness for service of an energy transmission line, whether in response to an incident, or as part of a due diligence review involves conducting an engineering assessment. Many pipeline standards and regulations refer to such assessments without providing much detail as to their expected extent or proof of adequacy. This lack of clarity creates difficulties for both the pipeline operator and its governing regulatory body. This paper discusses measurement, modeling, and interpretation errors that could affect the validity of integrity assessments. As a first phase of this development, the paper introduces a case study that identifies the uncertainty effects of in-line inspection accuracies during the criticality assessment of reported metal loss anomalies that could fail by leak or rupture., Some technical approaches are proposed on how to deal with uncertainty in the development of integrity verification and rehabilitation programs when using in line inspection data.

Research Article| June 01, 2008 Geological characterization and potential for carbon dioxide (CO2) enhanced oil recovery in the Cardium Formation, central Pembina Field, Alberta Shahin E. Dashtgard; Shahin E. Dashtgard Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Maja B.E. Buschkuehle; Maja B.E. Buschkuehle Strike Oil Lilmited, Perth, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Brent Fairgrieve; Brent Fairgrieve Energy Resources Conservation Board, Calgary, AB, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Habtemicael Berhane Habtemicael Berhane Energy Resources Conservation Board, Calgary, AB, Canada Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology (2008) 56 (2): 147–164. https://doi.org/10.2113/gscpgbull.56.2.147 Article history received: 16 Jan 2008 accepted: 06 May 2008 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Shahin E. Dashtgard, Maja B.E. Buschkuehle, Brent Fairgrieve, Habtemicael Berhane; Geological characterization and potential for carbon dioxide (CO2) enhanced oil recovery in the Cardium Formation, central Pembina Field, Alberta. Bulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology 2008;; 56 (2): 147–164. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gscpgbull.56.2.147 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentBy SocietyBulletin of Canadian Petroleum Geology Search Advanced Search Abstract Injection of CO2 into the Cardium Formation, central Pembina Field, Alberta was initiated in 2004 in two inverted 5-spot waterflood patterns. The purpose of this flood was to assess the economic viability of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) using CO2. To study CO2 behaviour within the reservoir and assess long-term risks of CO2 leakage and storage potential, a geological and hydrogeological model was developed for the Cardium Formation, and for both the underlying and overlying strata. The injection zone, Cardium Formation, was sub-divided into four permeable and three impermeable reservoir units. The underlying and overlying strata were subdivided based on their geological potential to contain CO2 over the long-term (5,000 years).Permeable reservoir units in the Cardium Formation include the lower, middle and upper sandstones, and the conglomerate. Most of the storage capacity of the Cardium Formation is contained within the three sandstone beds, which exhibit average porosities between 14.8 percent and 16.4 percent. Permeability in the sandstones increases predictably with increasing porosity, but is variable from sandstone to sandstone. The lower sandstone has the lowest average permeability (9.5 md), which is about half the average permeability of the middle and upper sandstones (21.4 and 19.8 md, respectively). There is no relation between porosity and permeability in the conglomerate. The conglomerate on average is 50 percent more permeable (33 md) than the middle and upper sandstones; although, permeability may exceed one Darcy in individual beds. The higher permeability of the conglomerate results in it acting as a "thief" zone for injected CO2. This tendency is further compounded by both the endemic use of hydraulic fractures (which propagate vertically) to stimulate oil production, and the positive buoyancy of CO2 relative to water.The Cardium Formation at Pembina occurs within the middle of the 650 m thick Colorado Group shale. The effectiveness and integrity of the overlying shale succession, as a seal for the Cardium Formation, is vital to the long-term storage of CO2. Leakage through this shale is very unlikely as it is thicker than 300 m and separates two aquifers with significantly different regional pressure regimes (the Cardium Formation was originally over-pressured whereas the overlying Wapiti Formation is sub-hydrostatically pressured). You do not currently have access to this article.

The National Energy Board of Canada (NEB), a federal energy regulator, has implemented a management system audit program as a tool to verify compliance with its predominantly goal-oriented Onshore Pipeline Regulations, 1999 (OPR) [1]. The OPR allow individual companies to choose the most effective way to manage their pipeline systems. The audit program is based on expected elements that the NEB believes are necessary to meet the goals of the OPR. This paper will explain why these audits and expected elements are necessary and describe how goal-oriented regulations will enhance pipeline safety. The audits conducted to date have identified several challenges that the NEB and pipeline companies face in pursuit of the goal of safe pipelines; these will be described and possible solutions will be proposed. The overall objective of the paper is to explain the benefits of using a management system approach to direct a company’s pipeline integrity management program and what is required of companies to meet the expectations of the NEB.

ABSTRACT Assessments of the hydrocarbon prospectivity of the Old Crow Basin in northern Yukon Territory have differed qualitatively: opinion has varied between and high, and an impression given that the Old Crow Basin is likely to contain significant petroleum reserves. This review considers recently published interpretations of the regional stratigraphy and paleogeography of potential reservoir and source rock facies, new regional data on source rock richness and maturity, interpretations of reprocessed seismic lines within the basin, and likely structural models for the basin. We conclude that the sparse but diverse data currently supports a low to moderate evaluation of hydrocarbon potential which is relatively pessimistic for an undrilled frontier basin. RESUME Les evaluations qualitives des ressources futures en hydrocarbure du bassin du Old Crow au nord du Yukon montrent une diversite d'opinion rangeant du en haut. Cette evaluation est basee sur la stratigraphie et la paleogeographie des roches poreuses et des roches-meres du bassin, sur les nouvelles observations de la richesse et la maturite des roches-meres, sur l'interpretation des nouvelles presentations des profils sismiques, et des modeles structuraux pour le bassin. Bien que les observations soient dispersees, elles permettent de concluire que le bassin Old Crow merite une evaluation de bas a moyen, relativement pessimiste pour un bassin non touche par les forages.