ILI (in-line inspection) tools are widely used today to collect relevant and robust data regarding the integrity assessment of high pressure transmission pipelines. The available tools utilize different non-destructive testing principles. Two well proven physical principles applied are magnetic flux leakage and ultrasound technology. Offshore crude oil lines often have high contents of wax being present, deposited on the pipe wall or transported with the flow. The presence of heavy wax-build up in offshore pipelines can have a significant effect on the quality of data obtained from an inspection. Cleaning is an essential and critical part regarding the successful inspection of a pipeline. This paper introduces a joint research and development program. The joint project carried out between NDT Systems & Services and StatoilHydro has investigated the issues affecting the data quality of an inspection performed in a wax-rich environment and identified possible modifications and design optimizations. Based on the analysis of available data regarding previous tool performance, operational parameters and procedures, a tool modification program was initiated to design a special tool configuration, optimized for the inspection in a heavy wax environment. The results obtained clearly proved the advantages of the modified tool configuration in obtaining good quality inspection data. An ultrasonic in-line inspection tool has been modified applying these improvements. The inspection run with this specially configured tool was successful and produced drastic improvements regarding full coverage of the line and data quality obtained. Not only had the new sensor design proved its value, the odometer modifications, too, had held the test which was verified by the excellent correlation of the gathered data with the existing pipe book. Together with optimized cleaning processes and procedures the project proves that ultrasonic in-line inspection tools can be successfully applied in offshore pipelines with a high wax content and deliver the quality of data required for advanced integrity assessment purposes. After the successful modification of the 16'' tool described here, a 28'' tool was also adjusted and run in a wax-rich offshore pipeline with excellent results where previous inspections also had had problems to gather quality pipeline data.
Ultrasonic in-line inspection of wax rich offshore pipelines. Addressing the issues
Drei R International ; 49 , Special 1: Pipeline Technology ; 22-26
2010
5 Seiten, 8 Bilder, 3 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
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