The Role of Inspection During the
Lifetime of a Pipeline
Technical Conference:
7th ASIAN PIPELINE CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION,
11-12 October 2011
Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Jim COSTAIN
Global Leader,
Oil & Gas
GE MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL SOLUTIONS
Industry Drivers
Aging Pipeline Infrastructure
Consequences of Pipeline Failure
> 20 Years 62%
11 to 20 Years
22 %
< 10 Years
14%
New 2%
Headlines from Pipeline
Failures
Oil Major Is Fined $25 Million for ’06 Spills at Pipelines
By JOHN M. BRODER
Published: May 3, 2011 in the NYTimes
Gas Major fined P24.2 million over pipeline leak
By ELLALYN B. DE VERA
Published: November 23, 2010 in the Manila Buletin
Injury & Loss of Life … Environmental Damage
Cost of Corrosion
• Cost of Corrosion (US, 1998) was estimated at a total of
$276 billion per year.
• Corrosion experts estimate that a net of 20 to 25% of that
annual cost can be saved by applying currently available
corrosion control technologies
• Global estimates at least 4x the numbers above
Lost Production.. Repair Costs.. Damaged Public Image
Corrosion Costs in the USA 4% of GDP annually
(Source: USA Department of Transportation)
Measurement & Control Solutions
High accuracy technologies…
Nondestructive Testing
Cutting edge inspection solutions to smartly monitor
plant asset health without major disruption
Monitoring assets through the
lifecycle
Asset Condition Monitoring
Sensors, monitors and software to monitor asset
integrity
Predictive Maintenance
Software and predictive maintenance strategies &
solutions for safe, more efficient operation
Environmental Monitoring
Radiation detection and emissions measurement for
cleaner operation
Sensors & Measurement
Instrumentation and systems for validating critical
processes and applications in high growth industries
3
© 2010, General Electric Company
Inspection Technologies
Ultrasonic
Flaw Detectors
Thickness Gauges
Hardness Testers
System
Instrumentation
Transducers
Installed Sensors
Metrology
Remote Visual
Inspection
Video Borescopes
Borescopes
Fiberscopes
PTZ Cameras
Robotic Crawlers
Inspection
Services
Rentals
Radiography
Eddy Current
Film, Equipment
and Chemistry
Digital
Radiography
(FS, CR, DR)
X-ray Generators
Instruments
and Probes
Automated
Systems
Testing
Machines
Ultrasonic and X-ray
Standard
Customized
Data Management Software
Non-contact
Rhythm Acquire
Air Foil System
Rhythm Review
Rhythm Archive
Pipeline Inspections in the
Manufacturing Process
Inspection Technologies During the
Manufacturing Process
Depending on the manufacturing process (ERW, SAW) and on the
subsequent use of the tube, there are several options where in the
process and to what extent non-destructive testing can be applied.
Testing machines are typically operated inline with the manufacturing
process and need to be designed according to individual requirements
based on flaw detectability and test speed.
Ultrasonic testing in the ERW
process
Strip testing
(at the inlet of the
welding line,
before forming)
• Strip body
• Edge
Inline weld
testing (after
welding/annealin
g/sizing)
• Weld
• Scarf monitoring
• Heat-affected zone
Final acceptance
test (at the
finished product)
• Weld
• Full body
• Tube end
Ultrasonic and X-Ray testing
in the SAW process
Longitudinally
welded
•
•
•
•
Plate
Online weld UT
Final acceptance test UT
Final acceptance test X-Ray
Spirally welded
•
•
•
•
Strip
Online weld UT
Final acceptance test UT
Final acceptance test X-Ray
6
SAW - Ultrasonic testing machines
Weld testing on SAW longitudinally welded tubes
(linear transported tubes)
SAW – Ultrasonic testing machines
Spirally welded tubes
Strip testing (body and edge) with stationary probes
SAW - X-Ray testing machines
Weld testing of SAW longitudinally welded tubes
Pipeline Inspections during Pipeline
Construction
Weld Inspection
Weld quality is a critical part of any
project in the O&G market whether a
new refinery, offshore platform or cross
country or subsea pipeline.
GE S&I has a comprehensive portfolio
of solutions from the pipe mill to the
field. Using state of the art UT and RT
technology, GE can provide fit for
purpose tools to suit all types of weld
examinations.
Automated UT
CR for offshore girth welds
USM Vision Weld Inspection
Solution
Key Features
Menu guided set-up and
inspection to optimize time
of inspector capabilities
Meets international codes
& standards
Data analysis, reporting,
and sharing with GEIT
Rhythm
GE Proprietary Information
Subject to restrictions on the cover or first page
Footer
USM Vision Weld Inspection Solution
Level I or II UT or
Administrator
RT inspector
inputs data
performs inspection
Level III reviews
plan
Inspection
Plan Creation
Rhythm
IPC
Data
Acquisition
PA & TOFD
Probe/Scanner
Cal Blocks
Level II/III
reviews
data
Data
Analysis
Rhythm
Review
Adminstrator generates
report and archives data
Reporting
Rhythm
Reporting
Archive
Rhythm
Archive
USM Vision Guided Inspection
Workflow
Inspection preparation
Non UT Specialist
UT
Expert
Non UT
Specialist
UT Inspector
UT Expert (Remote)
In-Service Pipeline Inspections
The GE Rightrax system
The smart way to monitor wall thickness
1.
2.
3.
Rightrax is a system that can measure wall thickness
continuously by using permanently installed UT
transducers.
Rightrax consists of two product versions.
A.
A low temperature -40°C <120°C / -40°F < 248°F
system
B.
A high temperature version -20°C<500°C /
-4°F < 932°F system
Both systems are non intrusive and can be
installed on live pipelines
4.
Both system installed versions have hazardous area
certification
5.
Installed without any welding
6.
Data can be easily read by Asset Integrity and easily
transferable to existing RBI program
Rightrax Applications in
Oil & Gas
•Upstream, Exploration and
Production
•Offshore Installations
•Unmanned Offshore
Installations
•FPSO
•Midstream, Transportation
•Cross-country pipe
lines
•Downstream, Processing
and Refining
•Refineries
•Petrochemicals
System configurations
1. PORTABLE
•For both LT and HT systems
•Manually operated
•Data collection in the field
•Data download to PC or laptop
•Manual assessment of data
2. INSTALLED
•For both LT and HT systems
•Automatically operated
•Fixed interval measurements
•Data storage
•Manual data collection
•Manual assessment of data
3. INTEGRATED
•For both LT and HT systems
•Automatically operated
•Fixed interval measurements
•Data storage
•Automatic data analyses
•Integration with third party systems with
data and alarming
ADVANTAGE
•Lower system cost
•Flexibility of system
use
ADVANTAGE
•System is certified for HAZ use
•No human intervention for
measurements
•Monitor process related events
ADVANTAGE
•System is certified for HAZ use
•No human intervention required
•Monitor process related events
•System alarming on special
events and conditions
Upstream Case Study
Concern:
Solution:
•Unmanned offshore installations require frequent
wall thickness monitoring due to unpredictable sand
erosion.
• Total of 96 Rightrax M2 sensors on 6 individual
platforms
•6” & 8” Lines: 6-8mm wall thickness
•Erosion rates can be up to 4mm / 24 hours
• M2 sensors wired back to DL2 Datalogger and LD2
in hazardous area
•LD2 line driver connected to RTU using Modbus
interface and VFC contacts
•Monitoring is required and location is remote
•Normal Operational Temperature is 80°C
Configuration:
Value and cost saving:
•Measurements made every 8 hours
•No bi-weekly mobilization of personnel
•Data analysed on the LD2 line driver
•Monitoring critical process and preventing incidents
•Measure to 5mm thickness with VFC dry contact
alarm if threshold thickness value is violated
•More operational control (pressure and flow)
•Less downtime
•Data sent to Onshore Control Room to analyse and
monitor riser wall thickness
•Data by Modbus Via RTU – HMI - PCS
offshore
onshore
Midstream Case Study
Concern:
Solution:
•Measure Water, H2S, & CO2 Corrosion on
Underground Natural Gas Allocation, Transmission &
Distribution Lines
•Initially Twelve (12) Measurement Locations
•Monitor reduction of pipe wall thickness at top, sides,
and bottom locations along the pipes
•Four (4) M2 Sensors per TML
•18 Mtr Extension Cable wired back to Data collection
post
•Manual DL2 Datalogger
Configuration:
Value and cost saving:
•Measurements made manually as per customer’s
required time frames
•Covered known & suspected corrosion locations
•Data stored on DL2
•Inexpensive: Met Customer’s Needs
•Data analyzed via downloading DL2 to customer’s
PC w/ supplied software
•Met Political & Regulatory issues/concerns
M2 sensors
Natural Gas Pipeline
•Long Design/Performance Life
Subsea Direct Radiography
Development Project
Subsea Direct Radiography Project
• Corrosion/Erosion
• ROV or diver deployed
• Now rated to 1800ft
(600m)
• Planned 9000ft (3000m)
• All trials completed
• First inspection Oct 2011
The Power of Digital Data
Rhythm - Turning information into intelligence
Capture, share, analyze, report, and archive
digital inspection information
Rhythm CR
Rhythm DR
Rhythm Visual
Consistent
Quick Reports
Remote Review
& Analysis
Data Storage &
Enables Trending
Rhythm Report
Rhythm
Review
Rhythm
Archive
LAN
LAN
Rhythm UT
Multi-Modality Platform
Sharing RT and UT Images in
Rhythm
GE Proprietary Information
Subject to restrictions on the cover or first page
Common Rhythm Platform
Review
Inspect
DICONDE
“One standard = One platform”
Share
Archive
GE Proprietary Information
Subject to restrictions on the cover or first page
Report