Hello, someone can help me with information about technology, device or methodologies for inspection, monitoring and repair of damage to pipelines located in subfluvial crossings, pipe installed under a water source (River usually) with difficult access
I had little experience and no major spills or problems, but some training that might be helpful. Normally, buried pipes of high quality are not going to fail unless exposed or damaged by some activity. Streams and rivers can change location through time. Streams with excess sediment often aggradation, burying pipe deeper. Clean water such as below dams have little sediment, so they typically degrade (entrench), which can expose pipe. Stream channelizing or dredging activities also are used to deepen channels, and could damage pipes if not properly located and protected. Dr. David Rosgen has a paper on cross vanes and J hooks, as instream channel structures of drop rocks or suitable boulders used to manage near bank stress and help armor channel in series from excessive degradation. Some pipe installations may have installed a bipass channel during installation, that might be used to divert the stream or river again if flows are not too high. Hopefully there is a way to emergency shut off pipes transporting hazardous materials or fuels. In some instances, daming the channel and pumping flow around to bipass section might be possible. It is important to develop an emergency action plan in case of accidents or damage from humans, or natural events as floods, earthquake, etc. If the pipe becomes exposed due to channel shifting or degradation, there are probably some channel structures that properly installed would aggradation and channel and re-bury the pipe. Some hydraulic engineers and hydrologists may have this type experiences or can offer some possible courses of action. In channel work, even if dewatered has the potential for spillage, so shutting off pipe and pumping contents out may be needed before fixing. In case of hazards or spills, having emergency plans include downstream notifications of water users or communities may help minimize effects. Inspections may be visual or water sampling specific to pipe contents, chemical, water sheen, perhaps fecal coliform if wastewater, color, smell, etc. Most pipeline companies probably have individuals that know how to fix leaks or breaks. Separate companies may also be needed to address chemical spills with absorbants and quick containment methods for smaller streams and maybe rivers. A downstream river search may offer some ideas on where access and spill containment may be more effective.
In addition, sometimes fish and certain aquatic insects such as stoneflies, caddie flies and some mayflies as examples are good biological indicators if piped materials are toxic, collecting above and downstream of pipe after sufficient mixing zone. Also, it may be a good idea to have a performance bond that help ensure a company would respond sufficiently or the bond could be seized to address issue.
Sorry for another response, maybe too much info for your need. You might gain some ideas on our report in my Researchgate on the Spruce Budworm Project, which included the Willow Creek spill from an insecticide oil mix batchtruck accident and the Stekoa Creek brief report identifying some wastewater spillage issues.
Thank you for your response, it is very valuable information, on the other hand, there haven't been any failures yet, however it's necessary to carry out preventive inspections in order to know the current state of the pipeline, due to its location (buried by Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) so the pipeline isn't come into contact with the river, it would be buried under the riverbed). In Colombia we are looking for a inspection methodology or device that provides this information.
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