TRAPIL, one Europe’s leading refined product pipeline operators, has approximately 4,700 km of pipelines divided in three networks in France. These pipelines were built more than 50 years ago and go over urban and natural areas. Pipeline integrity management is therefore a constant challenge to maintain the objective of “zero leak”.

Thanks to new technologies and specifically ILI (In Line Inspection) tools, TRAPIL has a specific inspection policy for pipelines since twenty years. Recent new developments allow a new step forward in order to optimize the maintenance plans and costs.

This paper deals with the risk assessment associated with cracking (near-neutral pH SCC, Stress Corrosion Cracking) and other plan defects for each section of a pipeline and how to define a reassessment period by means of ILI technology.

First, TRAPIL records and monitors all the data from the control room and in particular, among others, the stress level and the pressure cycles for each pipeline sections. These parameters are one of the key factors required for the initiation and growth of cracks (low pH SCC for example).

Moreover, TRAPIL analyses this operating data against the feedback gathered from excavations on pipeline with a well-known SCC threat.

Finally, all of these elements allow to develop the approach and specifically to decide a new inspection policy adapted to the cracking risk of each pipeline section. This integrity management program describes the use of ILI technologies and the reassessment period.