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Pigging the ‘unpiggable’
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GE Energy’s pipeline services has launched SmartScan tool, a flexible inspection system designed to help the industry overcome a long time obstacle - in-line corrosion inspection of unpiggable pipelines.
A pipeline is deemed unpiggable if conventional, in-line
inspection tools (“smart pigs”) are unable to inspect a given line due to valve restrictions, multiple pipeline diameters or too many sharp bends.
El Paso of Texas was GE’s first customer to deploy SmartScan to inspect a segment of its vast network, marking the tool’s commercial debut.
In-line inspections are a primary method for identifying corrosion defects that could eventually lead to costly pipeline releases. However, operators previously have been unable to perform these inspections on a third of the world’s installed pipelines (or 700,000 kilometres) because the pipelines were not originally designed to accommodate the passage of in-line tools.
As a result, operators have been limited to using either less-quantitative techniques such as direct assessment or hydro-testing methods, or substantially more expensive pipeline modifications.
The first model’s flexible structure allows it to navigate pipeline diameter variations of between 16-20, 20-26 and 24-30 inches. Future generations will be able to navigate additional larger and smaller diameter ranges. |
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