The scope involved the inspection of a ruptured gas pipeline operated by an energy company in southeastern Florida. Surface array probes were used to execute Eddy Current Testing (ECT). A total of five integrity digs were fulfilled with advanced Eddy Current technologies to ensure successful inspection.
ECT is a non-destructive testing technique that utilizes the principle of electromagnetism to conduct examinations. ECT is used on copper, steel and other conductive metals, making it an effective method to detect cracking and corrosion, among other discontinuities. Eddy Current Array and Tangential Eddy Current Array, techniques derived from ECT, were employed to fulfill the inspection of a 50-year-old pipeline. Pipeline integrity assessments typically use other methods of non-destructive testing, including Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) and Visual Testing (NDT VT).
Our team was instructed to find all indications through the inspection of five integrity digs, this time, by applying advanced Eddy Current Testing services and adopting the method’s latest systems and technologies. The pipe had been previously inspected utilizing PAUT. The indications that were located previously identified using PAUT were also identified using ECT.
In addition to locating the indications previously identified by PAUT, our team was able to locate a distinct crack in a hard spot; hard spots are of major concern to technical experts, as they are not visible and are very difficult to inspect with the majority of non-destructive methods.
The advanced ECT software that our team acquired specifically for this project was able to detect the deformity through a distinct color palette that appeared on a C-Scan. Because hard spots in pipelines are difficult to identify, our team asked our vendor to confirm their validity. Upon final confirmation, our client was able to eliminate the section of the pipeline which had the hard spot and avoid costly outcomes.
Pipeline integrity digs are a major component of any pipeline integrity management and assessment program for any industry that operates midstream assets. The program ensures that our clients’ operations are safe and reliable. Applus+ achieves this by offering a broad range of services, employing multiple NDT methods like Eddy Current Testing, to detect, characterize and verify asset deformities at any stage of the inspection process.
For more information on Eddy Current Testing, contact us.
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