Inspecting pipes with variable diameters
Since pipelines began to be installed in the 19th century, weld failure has been the cause of many industrial disasters. Whether carrying oil, gas, water, electrical cables for wind power or anything else, new pipelines depend on strong welds. Well aware of this, the energy production industry has developed numerous rigorous standards over the years to ensure that the welds holding pipelines and other assets together meet stringent specifications.
When new pipelines are installed, a set of precise criteria is applied to welds, with the intention of making sure they are as strong and safe as possible. Once welding has taken place, quality is inspected to confirm that the welds meet specifications. External welds can be accessed easily, but internal quality must also be checked, since unseen defects inside a pipeline can cause serious problems further down the line.
Internal weld inspection is difficult and potentially dangerous, especially in energy production, which involves harsh conditions and hazardous substances, and even more so in nuclear energy where environments are irradiated. Confirming internal weld condition is particularly important in critical pipeline sections, which must maintain their integrity under enormous fatigue. The safest and most effective way to inspect internal welds is via a remotely operated system such as a robotic crawler. However, since many critical pipeline sections, particularly complex areas such as steel catenary risers and stalk tie-ins, have variable internal diameters, remote robotic inspection can be challenging.
Inspection systems mounted on wheeled robots, with legs that can navigate variable diameters, are the best solution. There are very few such systems currently available – in fact, the subject is under investigation by several academic research teams from Korea, China and Spain.
This makes the OMS Agility range of robotic crawlers stand out. One of the only wheeled pipe crawlers currently available, these sophisticated robots have been thoroughly tried and tested – used successfully on many major installations throughout the world, in some of the most challenging conditions. Capable of navigating diameters from 120mm to 1000mm+, Agility crawlers can travel up to 1km from point-of-entry, taking vertical sections, elbows, bends and variable diameters in their stride. They are remotely operated and can be transported easily.
Agility crawlers are used to deploy our award-winning AUGA.node weld inspection system, which combines ultra-HD cameras and state-of-the-art laser sensors to identify and quantify any weld defects, and our SmartGrind remediation system, which can solve a range of weld issues, leaving surfaces stronger and perfectly prepared for cladding/coating. The AUGA.node and SmartGrind systems can also be attached to the ILUC for in-line inspection and remediation or deployed via push-rod. All technology has been designed to withstand harsh environments and has been successfully tried and tested all over the world. We have a strong reputation for being able to help in challenging and time-sensitive circumstances because our systems are highly portable, and we can mobilise our team quickly.
OMS robotic crawlers and weld inspection technology have been used successfully for many years in most major oil and gas projects. More recently, we have taken on numerous projects in offshore wind energy and nuclear power. Our systems help clients save money, reduce downtime and cut-outs, improve safety, meet standards and build higher quality assets.
If you are interested in any of our weld inspection or robotic systems, our team is always available to help. Contact them on info@omsmeasure.com.
Published 20.08.24
(5 minute read)
By Paul Eagle, Sales Director