After rap, GAIL to install corrosion monitors in pipelines

After a rap by oil regulator, state-run gas utility GAIL India will install electronic systems to monitor corrosion in pipelines to avoid repeat of the June, 2014 leak and explosion in a KG-basin line that killed 29 persons.
A GAIL pipeline near Nagaram village in Tatipaka district of Andhra Pradesh had on June 27, 2014 exploded and caught fire after a gas leak caused by corrosion.
To avoid repeat of such incidents, GAIL plans to install corrosion monitoring systems in the entire Krishna Godavari basin pipeline network in Andhra Pradesh.
It has floated a tender for "supply, installation, testing and commissioning of internal corrosion monitoring systems for GAIL pipelines using Electrical Resistance probes and corrosion coupons."

The tender is due on August 14, according to the bid document.
Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) had last week found GAIL guilty of severe lapses in the Andhra pipeline accident and imposed a civil penalty of Rs 20 lakh on the company and an additional penalty of Rs 1 lakh per day for continuation of default.

The GAIL pipeline was designed to transport dry gas but was used for transporting wet gas having condensate/water.
This caused corrosion and subsequent leak from the pipeline lying four meters below the ground. An ignition led to explosion and the subsequent fire, killing at last 29 persons and injuring 10 others.

"The transportation of wet gas has been the principal reason of failure of pipeline," PNGRB had said in an order.
PNGRB said GAIL "admitted various lapses", including not providing gas dehydration unit at the mouth of pipeline as well as transporting wet gas through a line designed for dry gas.
"The presence of internal corrosion in the pipeline on account of high level of moisture/condensate in the gas being supplied/delivered into the KG Basin pipeline system 2007 onwards has been the principal reason of failure of the pipeline," it had said.
The regulator had said the penalty imposed by it was "without prejudice to any other penalty/criminal liability/punishment to which company is liable".