A Further Focus on Subsea Pipeline Maintenance

In a feature earlier this year, one of the world’s leading industrial technology companies, specialising in creating unique and specialised detection, diagnostics and measurement solutions – Tracerco - talked about the importance of subsea pipeline maintenance and, with a focus on its market leading technology, DiscoveryTM, how the integrity of pipelines could be uplifted and the original lifespan of this asset extended by 30%.

In this latest editorial, the business focuses on another of its market leading technologies ExplorerTM, and how, through the use of this groundbreaking technology, pipeline integrity can similarly be uplifted delivering exactly the same 30% lifespan asset extension.

Through its market leading technology ExplorerTM, Tracerco has developed a unique and groundbreaking methodology that allows for the online inspection of a pipe from the outside without the need to remove the protective coating or interfere with production. The technology is already successful proven globally and has been deployed by oil and gas operators across the world. Tracerco’s ExplorerTM tool is a market first, providing screening services to identify areas for further investigation and often as a pre cursor to the deployment of DiscoveryTM. Utilising unique technology, ExplorerTM enables pipelines to be quickly screened for any deposits and has the capacity to screen several kilometres of line per shift and without any interruption to production.

A fast-screening pipeline inspection technique, ExplorerTM is a unique industry instrument with the ability to screen subsea pipelines for content and deposit build-up at rapid speed. Non-intrusive - with no pipeline preparations needed – ExplorerTM works by measuring content from the outside of the pipeline with no need to remove protective coatings or interrupt production to carry out the inspection. As such, ExplorerTM provides owner operators with one of the most cost-effective solutions to flow assurance problems.

Operating at depths of up to 3,000m (10,000ft), ExplorerTM has the capability to inspect pipe diameters from two to 60 inches and has the ability to screen a variety of different piping systems: standard rigid pipe (coated or uncoated), pipe-in-pipe, bundles, and flexibles. Detecting the location of deposit build-up by measuring the density profile of the pipeline and then analysing any detected anomalies, ExplorerTM provides a detailed profile showing mean densities of pipeline contents and amounts of deposit based on assumed densities.

Enabling Data Driven Decisions Utilising the tools and technologies offered by both the ExplorerTM and DiscoveryTM technologies, operators can – using real-time data – plan preventative maintenance programmes and make informed and calculated decisions focused on how they can extend the lifespan of a pipeline past its original design life.

This cost-effective approach eliminates the additional costs associated with designing a new section of pipeline, recommissioning work or undertaking any pipeline modifications.