can technology save us? r&d efforts to advance inspection technology bruce nestleroth research...
TRANSCRIPT
Can Technology Save Us? R&D efforts to advance inspection technology
Bruce Nestleroth
Research Leader
Inspection technology – many tools
• Inside the pipeline– Pigs for corrosion, cracks, mechanical damage
• Above ground– CIS, DCVG, ACVG, PCM, etc.
• At the station, road crossings– Long range ultrasonic methods
• In the ditch– NDT methods UT, MP, PT, phased array
• General comment: While most pipeline problems are addressed by inspection technology, one technology typically addresses one problem at a time.
General comments on inspection technologies
• As soon as you think you have technology for all inspection problems, a new problem comes up. New problems usually needs a new inspection technology.
• Don’t expect a pig to do at inspection speeds of miles per hour, what a person would be challenged to do in the ditch in an hour.
• Detection of anomalies rarely sufficient. Sizing is almost always needed.
• Inspection is rarely perfect, but it can be valuable.
• Technology developers highlight the smallest anomaly they can find. Pipeline owners want to know the largest anomaly that can be missed.
Developing technology
• Incremental improvements
• Using technology from other industry– MFL sensor
- Automotive technology
– Phased Array- Medical imaging
• Basic Research– Guided wave ultrasonic
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How is technology advanced
• Pipeline industry direct development– Pipeline companies directly develop technology to solve a
specific problem
• Service Provider development of inspection technology– Inspection service providers develop new technology to
address a general need
• Industry group development– Consortium of pipeline companies develop technology
• Government supported development– Pressing need defined by the regulators or public
– Future problems
– New approach
50%
Understanding the capability and limitations of technology
• Benchmarking of research results
• Field trails in operating pipelines
• Standards such as API-1163: Pigging
• No rating organization
24” mechanical damage sample
24” mechanical damage sample
12” naturalcorrosion sample12”
manufacturedcorrosion sample
30” SCC sample
DOT/NETL Benchmarking at Pipeline Simulation Facility
September 2004 & January 2006