Audit methods of pipeline integrity management system

Audit of pipeline integrity management system is a key method to improve the integrity management level steadily. However, there is no mature audit techniques and approaches thereof. According to the specific requirements for pipeline integrity management in ASME B31.8S-2010 and API STD 1160, and considering the process and characteristics of such management, the audit indexes were defined and the audit marking system for pipeline integrity management were developed according to the mode of plan-do-check-action (PDCA) and the principle of independence, conciseness and systematicness. The system has been effectively used to verify and evaluate the performance of pipeline integrity management at three oil transportation companies. This paper suggests that the audit marking system is used, under the coordination of managers, experts and engineers with relevant experience, in order to make the audit of pipeline integrity management system more scientific and accurate.