Pipeline Engineering & Integrity Management: Professional 5-Day Training Course

Course Overview

This specialized Pipeline Engineering and Integrity Management training program delivers comprehensive expertise for pipeline professionals across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Oman, GCC countries (UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain), and Africa. The course covers pipeline design, construction, operations, integrity assessment, and risk-based inspection strategies essential for maintaining safe, reliable pipeline networks in the oil & gas, water, and petrochemical sectors.

With over 100,000 km of pipelines across the GCC region and expanding infrastructure throughout Africa, this training addresses critical competency needs for professionals working with Saudi Aramco, PDO (Petroleum Development Oman), ADNOC, Qatar Energy, Sonatrach, EGPC, and other operators managing extensive pipeline networks transporting crude oil, natural gas, refined products, and utilities across challenging desert, mountainous, and offshore environments.

Target Audience

• Pipeline Engineers in oil & gas companies across Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Africa

• Integrity Engineers managing pipeline inspection and maintenance programs

• Corrosion Engineers responsible for pipeline protection systems

• Operations Personnel in pipeline control centers and field operations

• Project Managers overseeing pipeline construction and expansion projects

• Inspection Engineers conducting pipeline assessments and fitness-for-service evaluations

• HSE Professionals ensuring pipeline safety compliance

• Maintenance Supervisors in midstream and downstream operations

• Asset Managers optimizing pipeline performance and lifecycle costs

Day 1: Pipeline Design Fundamentals & Standards

Morning Session: Pipeline Engineering Principles

• Pipeline system components: pipe, fittings, valves, flanges, specialty items

• Design codes and standards: ASME B31.3, B31.4, B31.8, API 5L, ISO 13623

• Material selection for harsh environments: high temperature (GCC), sour service, CO2 corrosion

• Pipeline route selection considering terrain, environmental, and regulatory factors in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Africa

• Hydraulic design: flow calculations, pressure drop, pump/compressor station spacing

• Wall thickness calculations: Barlow’s formula, design factors, allowances

• Thermal expansion and stress analysis fundamentals

Afternoon Session: Pipeline Construction & Installation

• Construction methods: open-cut, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), microtunneling

• Offshore pipeline installation: S-lay, J-lay, reel-lay methods for Arabian Gulf and Red Sea projects

• Welding procedures and qualification requirements (API 1104, ASME IX)

• Non-destructive testing (NDT): radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle inspection

• Coating and insulation systems: 3LPE, FBE, concrete weight coating

• Pre-commissioning activities: hydrostatic testing, cleaning, gauging, dewatering

• Case studies: Major pipeline projects in Saudi Arabia (East-West Pipeline), Oman (Khazzan-Fahud), Trans-Saharan pipeline

Day 2: Corrosion Management & Cathodic Protection

Morning Session: Pipeline Corrosion Mechanisms

• Internal corrosion: sweet corrosion (CO2), sour corrosion (H2S), microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC)

• External corrosion: soil corrosivity, stray current effects, AC/DC interference

• Corrosion monitoring techniques: coupons, ER probes, ultrasonic thickness measurements

• Corrosion inhibitors and chemical treatment programs for GCC pipeline systems

• Pipeline coatings: selection, application, and performance requirements

• Material degradation: stress corrosion cracking (SCC), hydrogen-induced cracking (HIC)

• Risk-based corrosion management for aging pipeline networks in Saudi Aramco and PDO systems

Afternoon Session: Cathodic Protection Systems

• CP fundamentals: electrochemical principles, polarization criteria

• Impressed current cathodic protection (ICCP) system design and operation

• Sacrificial anode systems: galvanic anodes, design calculations

• CP survey techniques: pipe-to-soil potential, close interval survey (CIS), DCVG

• Interference issues in congested pipeline corridors (Jubail, Yanbu, Sohar industrial areas)

• Remote monitoring and automated rectifier systems for desert and remote locations

• Standards compliance: NACE SP0169, ISO 15589, Saudi Aramco SAES-X-300

• Practical exercises: CP system design calculations

Day 3: Pipeline Inspection & Assessment Technologies

Morning Session: Inline Inspection (ILI) Technologies

• Intelligent pigging overview: magnetic flux leakage (MFL), ultrasonic (UT), caliper, geometry pigs

• ILI tool selection criteria based on pipeline characteristics and threats

• Crack detection tools: electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT), ultrasonics

• Corrosion detection capabilities and sizing accuracy

• Data interpretation and feature identification from ILI reports

• ILI run requirements: minimum bend radius, flow conditions, launcher/receiver facilities

• Unpiggable pipelines: challenges and alternative assessment methods

• Regional applications: Saudi Aramco Master Gas System, PDO pipeline networks

Afternoon Session: Direct Assessment & External Inspection

• ECDA (External Corrosion Direct Assessment): pre-assessment, indirect inspection, direct examination, post-assessment

• ICDA (Internal Corrosion Direct Assessment) for gas and multiphase pipelines

• Above-ground inspection methods: visual inspection, coating condition surveys

• Excavation and direct examination procedures in desert environments

• Ultrasonic thickness measurements and profile mapping

• Stress corrosion cracking direct assessment (SCCDA)

• Pipeline route surveys: aerial, foot patrol, vehicle-based monitoring across vast GCC and African territories

• Leak detection systems: computational pipeline monitoring (CPM), fiber optic sensing

Day 4: Integrity Management & Risk Assessment

Morning Session: Pipeline Integrity Management Systems

• Regulatory frameworks: DOT 49 CFR 192/195, API 1160, CSA Z662, GCC national regulations

• Integrity management program (IMP) structure and implementation

• Threat identification and assessment: time-dependent, stable, time-independent threats

• Data integration: GIS, inspection data, operational history, incident records

• Baseline assessment planning for high-consequence areas (HCAs)

• Integrity assessment intervals and re-assessment requirements

• Performance metrics and KPIs for pipeline integrity programs

• Saudi Aramco and PDO integrity management practices

Afternoon Session: Risk-Based Inspection & Fitness-for-Service

• Risk assessment methodologies: qualitative, semi-quantitative, quantitative approaches

• Probability of failure (POF) and consequence of failure (COF) analysis

• Risk matrices and prioritization for inspection planning

• Fitness-for-service evaluations per API 579/ASME FFS-1

• Remaining strength factor calculations for corroded pipelines

• Crack assessment: fatigue, stress corrosion, mechanical damage

• Repair and mitigation strategies: composite wraps, steel sleeves, hot tapping

• Pressure de-rating and maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) verification

• Workshop: Risk assessment case study for GCC pipeline system

Day 5: Pipeline Operations, Maintenance & Emergency Response

Morning Session: Pipeline Operations & SCADA

• Pipeline control center operations and monitoring systems

• SCADA systems for pipeline networks: alarms, trending, data management

• Operational procedures: start-up, shutdown, line packing, product interface management

• Flow assurance: wax deposition, hydrate formation, slug management in hot climates

• Pressure management and surge analysis for long-distance pipelines

• Batching operations in multi-product pipelines (Yanbu-Riyadh, Jeddah-Riyadh pipelines)

• Energy optimization: drag reduction agents, pump/compressor optimization

• Pipeline security and third-party damage prevention across remote Saudi, Oman, African routes

Afternoon Session: Maintenance & Emergency Response

• Preventive maintenance programs for pipeline systems and facilities

• Valve maintenance and testing: isolation valves, check valves, pressure relief devices

• Pipeline repair techniques: welded sleeves, composite repairs, line stop operations

• Hot tap procedures for in-service modifications

• Emergency response planning: leak detection, isolation procedures, spill containment

• Incident investigation and root cause analysis

• Crisis management for pipeline failures in populated and environmentally sensitive areas

• Environmental protection and remediation requirements for GCC and Africa

• Regulatory reporting and compliance (MOMRA in Saudi Arabia, PAEW in Oman)

• Business continuity and alternative supply arrangements

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion, participants will be able to:

• Design pipeline systems compliant with international and regional standards

• Implement comprehensive integrity management programs for aging and new pipelines

• Conduct risk-based assessments and prioritize inspection activities

• Interpret inline inspection data and make fitness-for-service decisions

• Design and manage cathodic protection systems for external corrosion control

• Develop emergency response procedures for pipeline incidents

• Optimize operational efficiency while maintaining safety and reliability

• Apply best practices from Saudi Aramco, PDO, and international operators

Course Delivery & Certification

• Format: Technical lectures, calculation workshops, case studies, field video demonstrations, group exercises

• Materials: Comprehensive course manual, design software tools, industry standards references, calculation templates

• Certification: Professional certificate recognized across KSA, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and African energy sectors

• Software training: Pipeline design and integrity management software demonstrations

• Language: English (Arabic support available)

• CPD Credits: Eligible for continuing professional development recognition

• Locations: Riyadh, Dammam, Jubail (KSA), Muscat, Sohar (Oman), Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Lagos, Johannesburg, Cairo

Why This Course is Essential for the Region

The GCC and African pipeline infrastructure represents billions in capital investment requiring expert integrity management. Saudi Arabia operates the world’s largest crude oil pipeline network. Oman’s pipeline systems traverse challenging mountainous terrain. The Trans-Arabian Pipeline, Dolphin Gas Pipeline, and expanding African networks (Nigeria, Egypt, Mozambique) demand professionals skilled in modern integrity technologies.

This training delivers practical knowledge incorporating lessons learned from regional incidents, extreme climate challenges (50°C+ temperatures, sandstorms), and specific requirements of Saudi Aramco SAES standards, PDO specifications, and GCC regulatory frameworks, ensuring pipeline safety, reliability, and operational excellence.

Ensure pipeline integrity. Protect assets. Safeguard communities.