As Canada’s oil and gas industry continues to grow and expand so too does concern for protecting and preserving the country’s natural environment. As a heavily contested issue, the need for careful consideration is important. Professionals working on pipelines know that creating eco-friendly designs can help to minimize environmental impact, prevent spills and disasters, and even improve public opinion regarding pipelines.
Find out how professionals with expertise in process piping can help engineers innovate and develop new eco-friendly pipelines that will benefit Canadians for years to come.
Professionals with Process Piping Diplomas Can Help Design Future Leak-proof Pipelines
One of the biggest problems facing pipelines across Canada is the possibility of leaks and spills. Even the smallest leak can have major consequences for the environment, so it’s important for professionals in the oil and gas industry to develop pipelines that are as leak-proof as possible.
A lot of research has already been conducted in different ways pipelines could be designed to contend with leaks. In fact, a group of researchers in Calgary has discovered a means by which to design pipelines that can prevent leaks from happening altogether. The prototype pipeline containment system sounds simple enough; an inner pipe is fitted with wireless failsafe detection devices to indicate to personnel monitoring the pipeline of any cracks or spills. The pipe is then fitted with an exterior pipe made from steel that can keep the oil or gas inside if the interior pipeline cracks.
Graduates of process piping training can use their skills to not only help design innovative oil pipelines like this one but to test design functionality in a simulation to see if all works as intended. While leak-proof pipelines are still at the prototype stage, process piping professionals can help to bring these concepts to life.
Grads with a Process Piping Diploma Can Help Design Corrosion-Proof Pipes
Professionals with a process piping diploma know that another problem facing oil and gas pipelines—particularly those underwater—is corrosion. Underwater corrosion can eat away at a pipeline, leading to devastating leaks that can spell disaster for lakes and rivers. A great solution to this problem is to coat the pipeline with anti-corrosive material to protect it from rust and other issues.
A pipeline could be made from materials like carbon steel which can be effectively coated with epoxy. Epoxy then protects the pipeline from water and oxygen, preventing leaks. Other strategies to prevent corrosion include cathodic protection. Essentially, with this approach, the pipeline is fitted with other easily corrodible metals which draw corrosion away from the surface of the pipeline itself.
Pipe Pillows Help Make Pipelines Even More Environmentally Safe
Pipe pillows are essentially made from rubber and arranged to protect pipes that have been buried in trenches. In the event of an earthquake, the pipeline pillow supports the pipe and helps maintain its overall integrity. Graduates looking to start their careers in process piping could help design teams by creating 3D models that demonstrate areas of a trenched pipeline that would require the most support.
These are only a few of the ways that pipelines can be made more environmentally friendly in 2018. With bright and highly trained graduates of process piping drafting courses, there are sure to be many more innovative ideas in years to come.
Are you ready for a career in process piping?
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