INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR GEO-HAZARDS IN THE OCENSA PIPELINE SYSTEM

Oil pipelines systems for hydrocarbons transportation are linear projects that can reach great lengths. For this reason, theirs paths may cross different geological formations, soil types, navigable or torrential waters; and they may face geotechnical and hydrological instability problems such as creeping slopes, geological faults, landslides, sudden river surges and differential settling which causes different relative movements between the soil and the pipeline. The OCENSA (Oleoducto Central S.A) 30 '' and 36 '' diameter system was built in 1997 to transport crude oil from the eastern foothills of the Andes to the Caribbean Coast along some 830 km of the Eastern Andes mountains range and the spurs of the central Andes mountains range of Colombia: it was a major challenge to secure the integrity of the pipeline in the face of natural events. Ever since the design stage, OCENSA considered natural hazards as they appeared along the pipeline route chosen and in the geotechnical works of the ROW recovery. Based on this, a comprehensive ROW maintenance program was implemented since operations began, and it is currently outlined within a continuous improvement cycle known as PHVA ("Plan, Do, Verify Adjust" in Spanish) in order to respond promptly to natural hazards to which the oil pipeline is exposed daily. This paper seeks to present the process followed for the design, implementation and continuous improvement of the right of way and the pipeline maintenance program.