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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Damage assessment tool

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:10169161
;  [1]
  1. Stress Engineering Services, Inc., Houston, TX (United States)

Once a leak in a subsea pipeline has been located, there are several methods available to deal with it. These range in cost and difficulty from relaying the line to installing a repair clamp over the leak. Installing the clamp is the quickest and least expensive method if the reliability of this fix is sufficient. However, there are no methods available today that provide for the investigation of the condition of the pipe below depths where divers operate. The objective of this project was to develop the requirements and possible configurations of a tool (system) which has the capability to inspect a limited region of a pipeline. This tool will provide detailed information regarding the pipeline geometry distortions and will define the limits and orientation of a crack in the pipe, or define the leaking defect. The tool will be deployed by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Several types of technology are available to choose from. These include magnetic particle inspection, eddy current inspection, ultrasonic inspection, photogrammetry, videogrammetry, ring gauging, and contact dimensional acquisition. The final instrument system will probably utilize two or more of these systems for proving up the condition of the pipe.

Research Organization:
American Gas Association, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States); Stress Engineering Services, Inc., Houston, TX (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
American Gas Association, Inc., Arlington, VA (United States)
OSTI ID:
10169161
Report Number(s):
AGA--94015622; ON: UN94015622; CNN: Project PR-201-9112
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English