Experience with cable-operated ultrasonic pigs for pipeline and riser pipe inspection
- Roentgen Technische Dienst bv, Rotterdam (Netherlands)
In order to establish the integrity of ageing pipelines, the use of self contained intelligent pigs has become of increasing interest. For several decades, pigs using magnetic flux leakage (MFL) were the only tools available on the market for this purpose. Over the past decade also ultrasonic pigs have been developed. (Off)loading lines and open risers often only provide single sided access and are not equipped with pig launch and receive traps. For this category of pipelines, RTD developed cable operated ultrasonic pigs. This paper provides an overview of the possibilities of such cable operated pigs. Tools for distances up to 17,000 m, propelled either by reversible wheel-driven crawlers or by differential pressure, are described. These systems are suitable for pipes with diameters between 150 and 1,500 mm. A novel approach for the inspection of gas risers is also mentioned, whereby full circumferential coverage is achieved by means of an oscillating probe ring. In this approach, the pipe has been flooded with a liquid. The first successful field application of such a system has been performed in the autumn of 1992.
- OSTI ID:
- 106065
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950304-; TRN: IM9542%%153
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Corrosion `95: National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) international annual conference and corrosion show, Orlando, FL (United States), 26-31 Mar 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Corrosion/95 conference papers; PB: 5788 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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