Tracerco Explores the Vital Role of Underwater Measurement and Inspection Technology Services

One of the world leaders in industrial technology – Tracerco – explains how underwater measurement and inspection technology services are playing a vital role in the extension of asset life, improving operational efficiency and driving cost reduction.

As assets age over time, oilfield professionals are continuously faced with the test of ensuring efficient production and pipeline integrity.

Significant advances in underwater services, combined with data driven inspection technologies are playing an integral role in enabling operators to get more life out of their existing assets ina safe and economical way, ultimately maximising production and profits.

One of the world’s leading industrial technology companies, specialising in creating unique underwater detection, diagnostics and measurement solutions talks about the benefits of early engagement on underwater measurement and inspection services and where these are vital to successfully extending an asset’s lifecycle.

Industry first technology

In the development of its market leading under water measurement and inspection technologies, Tracerco has developed exclusive and first to market methodologies that enable these services to be delivered with zero interruption to oil and gas production.

Designed and developed to give owner operators an enhanced understanding of asset condition and oil production – all whilst fully operational – Tracerco’s Discovery™ and Explorer™ technologies have quickly become the market leading services deployed on assets across the world.

The very first under water inspection technology of its kind, Discovery™ eliminates challenges on the inspection and maintenance of pipelines by allowing the online inspection of a pipe from the outside without the need to remove the protective coating or interfere with production.

Tracerco’s Discovery™ technology provides owner operators with an enhanced understanding of a pipeline, its coating and process fluid – all whilst fully operational – and has fast become the market leading, underwater technology deployed on assets across the globe.

The company’s pioneering subsea CT scanning technology – commonly used for non-invasive medical diagnostic technique – has revolutionised underwater pipeline inspection by providing critical flow assurance and integrity data without the need for coating removal and, in real time.

Discovery™ offers a solution for flow assurance and integrity specialists concerned with underwater pipelines that cannot be inspected by conventional means such as ILI tools or on pipelines where operators want an alternative to the intrusion and loss of production.

Like Discovery™, Tracerco’s Explorer™ is an industry first, providing flow assurance underwater screening capabilities to identify areas for further investigation, and which is often deployed as a pre cursor to Discovery™.

Comprising bespoke technology, Explorer™ rapidly screens pipelines underwater for any deposits. It offers the capability to screen several kilometres of line per shift – all without interruption to production and with the capability to screen subsea pipelines for content and deposit build-up at extraordinary pace.

Non-intrusive – with no requirement for pipeline preparations – Explorer™ measures content from the outside of the pipeline with zero need to detach protective coatings or disturb production. As such, Explorer™ provides owner operators with possibly the most cost – effective underwater solution to flow assurance problems. Performing at depths of up to 3000m (10 000ft), Explorer™ has the functionality to inspect pipe diameters from 2in to 60in and screen a range of differing piping systems from standard rigid pipe (coated or uncoated) to pipe-in-pipe, bundles, and flexibles.

Empowering data driven decisions

The underwater tools and technologies offered by the Discovery™ and Explorer™ technologies mean owner operators can confidently and accurately – using real-time data – schedule preventative maintenance programmes, engineer the proper remediations to get it right first time and make calculated decisions focused on how they extend the lifespan of a pipeline asset past its original design life.

Tracerco is a global oil and gas service company with 65 years’ experience. With approximately 400 people in offices located across six continents, the company is well recognised for delivering innovative technologies that enable owner operators to make informed decisions on the condition of their assets.