Prioritization of Sensitive Sites Through the Analysis of Geotechnical Information and of Failure Susceptibility in the Camisea Pipeline Transport System
Authors: Velásquez M. Fernando Adolfo 
Published: January 2016

Throughout the operation of the Camisea Pipeline Transport System [“En el Sistema de Transporte por Ductos”], sites have been identified that are sensitive to landslide phenomena that might jeopardize the integrity of the pipelines. In the rainforest section, during the rainy season (which runs from November to March), the Continuous Monitoring Groups [“Grupos de Vigilancia Continua”] (GVC) for the right-of-way (ROW) program was launched, whose mission is to identify, in the field, the geotechnical conditions for each point, and to define possible maintenance or remediation solutions. The year-to-year reports of the GVCs are used to perform an analysis of the geotechnical condition of each site, which analysis is rated according to the Geointegrity Matrix, so that in this way the Master Plan, which is the program of work activities for a given year, can be established.

In October of 2012, several incidents of public disorder occurred in the rainforest section, which led to the departure of the maintenance staff and ultimately the suspension of all activities, including the construction of the remediation and maintenance structures. The activities of the GVCs for the 2012, 2013, and 2014 rainy seasons were also canceled. The situation precluded the acquisition of ROW evaluation information, which is the primary input for the preparation of the Master Plan for the Execution of the Work Activities for each year.

In view of this situation, it was necessary to use alternative methods in place of the customary monitoring processes, through overflight surveillance programs, a review of the historical information, and a follow-up based on the existing information.

This paper describes the rating methodology that was used to determine the susceptibility of the risk of failure. This methodology allowed us to prioritize the intervention operations at specific points along the ROW that were the subject of stabilization work done on a standby basis, work performed during previous seasons, and locations rated as “High” and “Very High” in the geointegrity matrix.

The application of this methodology makes it possible to identify, with a high degree of accuracy, the conditions at a point that is susceptible to an incident, and to compare it for the purposes of prioritization in connection with an intervention operation or the monitoring activities.

This methodology provides a rating of the situational status of the point within the Pipeline Transport System (STD), with the incorporation of both recent and historical data.

The goal of the Failure Susceptibility Index [“Índice de Susceptibilidad de Falla”] (ISF) evaluation procedure is to determine, in accordance with a set of analytical criteria defined through the preparation of a conceptual model, the conditions of the status of the sites that are susceptible to landslide phenomena, and also to determine a rating that makes it possible, within a cloud of points with similar characteristics, to apply a consistent and reliable method for prioritizing intervention operations (either through structures or through monitoring), and the latent risk condition in relation to the potential risk of a future failure.