External corrosion direct assessment of buried pipelines: The process

As a result of regulatory changes in the U.S., the pipeline industry needed an alternative method to pressure testing or in-line tool inspection to assess pipeline integrity. This article discusses a process developed for this purpose that was derived from traditional methods for evaluating the extent of external corrosion, the effectiveness of protective coating systems, and the level of cathodic protection on buried pipelines. Called External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA), this process is based on the principles of continuous improvement.