Beyond The Horizon: Tracerco’s Subsea Innovations Redefining Offshore Pipeline Integrity

In the ever-evolving landscape of offshore oil and gas, maintaining the integrity of subsea pipelines is paramount. Traditional inspection methods often can’t offer precision and in-depth insights, especially in challenging deepwater environments. 

The ChalllengeSubsea pipelines are subjected to extreme pressures, temperatures, and environmental conditions. Over time, issues such as corrosion, wall thinning, and deposit build-up can compromise pipeline integrity. These issues are often difficult to diagnose externally, particularly in ageing infrastructure or where complex coatings and insulation systems are in place. Yet failure to detect them early can result in production losses, safety hazards, and costly unplanned shutdowns. Conventional inspection techniques may require halting production or removing protective coatings, which poses additional challenges.

The solution

Tracerco’s cutting-edge technologies, Discovery™ and Explorer™, are revolutionising how operators approach subsea pipeline inspection and flow assurance. Tracerco’s Discovery™ is the world’s first field-proven subsea CT scanner, offering non-intrusive, high-resolution imaging of pipeline contents and wall thickness in real-time. It can inspect through various coatings and complex structures without interrupting operations, providing operators with immediate insights into potential issues.

Complementing Discovery™, Explorer™ enables rapid screening of subsea pipelines, detecting the location of deposits causing flow assurance problems. Capable of scanning pipelines at speeds up to 100 metres per hour, Explorer™ allows for efficient surveying of extensive pipeline sections.

Real-world impact

Operators worldwide have leveraged Discovery™ and Explorer™ to enhance pipeline performance and reliability. In the Gulf of Mexico, these technologies have been instrumental in identifying and characterising deposits within flowlines, allowing for targeted remediation efforts. In the North Sea, operators have utilised these tools to assess subsea pipeline integrity comprehensively, leading to informed decisions on maintenance and life extension.

Donald Ballantyne said: “As subsea operations become increasingly complex and asset lifespans are pushed further, there’s a growing need for diagnostic tools that can keep pace. Tracerco’s technologies have been field-proven in challenging offshore environments around the world, providing operators with the clarity they need when conventional methods can no longer deliver. They’re versatile, safe, and help reduce inspection costs, making them a practical solution for today’s offshore integrity challenges. By working closely with our customers, we can help them overcome challenges and identify issues earlier.”

Tracerco’s innovative subsea technologies are setting new benchmarks in pipeline inspection and flow assurance. By providing detailed, non-intrusive inspections, Discovery™ and Explorer™ support operators to make informed decisions, ensuring the longevity and efficiency of their subsea infrastructure. As the industry continues to navigate complex offshore challenges, Tracerco remains at the forefront, delivering solutions that measure the unmeasurable and access the inaccessible.

As offshore projects push into deeper, harsher environments with tighter inspection windows, the ability to gain actionable data without disruption is becoming not just desirable, but essential.

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