Piecing Together the Pipeline Integrity Puzzle
Pipelines are the safest way to deliver energy products. Robert Zmud has dedicated his career to making these assets even safer. PureHM’s Integrity Consulting Division Manager helps ensure pipelines operate reliably over their lifespan.
Rob started his career as a technician specializing in non-destructive testing and later managed the inline inspection (ILI) department of a major U.S. pipeline operator. In this role, Rob ensured the overall integrity of the company’s assets. “If it was round and in the ground, it was my responsibility from an integrity standpoint,” Rob said.
Integrity programs prolong pipeline life and help prevent costly emergency excavations, lost throughput, and environmental damage.
Operators can proactively identify problem areas using hydrostatic testing, direct assessment, and ILI. However, pipeline integrity data is most meaningful when multiple sources are combined into a single dataset. This helps operators determine how threats interact to affect pipeline risk — construction data, maintenance history, and cathodic protection status can all play a role.
Each dataset is like a puzzle piece. Rob assembles the pieces until they form a clear picture of pipeline integrity. Since starting with PureHM in May 2017, Rob has helped operators across North America make better pipeline management decisions by analyzing and integrating their integrity data.
“I’m able to use my 20 plus years of integrity experience to help clients see their data in a new light and to identify threats before they become big problems,” Rob says. “For me, this role is all about making energy pipelines safer.”