Risk-based pipeline integrity management: A road map for the resilient pipelines

Pipelines are the most vital energy-transportation mediums of today’s energy-intensive economies. To a level, pipeline integrity is tied to the continuous development and robustness of modern societies, where major failures may result in dire environmental, societal, and economic consequences. Therefore, pipeline safety and integrity are crucial for a sustainable future and responsible development. Pipeline integrity management has been a topic of interest for regulators, practitioners, and academicians alike. Over the past four decades, integrity management has evolved from prescriptive visual inspection and assessment to risk-based integrity management using real-time data. This paper aims to capture the evolution of risk-based methods in integrity management, focusing on the last two decades. The paper answers four primary questions: What is integrity management, and how has it evolved? How does the concept of risk fit in integrity management? What are the methods used to assess and manage pipeline integrity? How will integrity accommodate Industry 4.0?