In-line Inspection (ILI) involves the evaluation of pipes and pipelines using “smart pigs” (both tethered and non-tethered) that utilize non-destructive examination techniques to detect and size internal damage. ILI measures and records irregularities in pipelines including corrosion, cracks, deformations, or other defects.
ILI is a common practice throughout the oil and gas industry and has proven invaluable for examining extensive pipelines. It makes inspecting the condition of long stretches of pipelines, a task that used to be incredibly expensive and time consuming, far more easy and economical.
There are several different types of smart pigs utilized in ILI activities, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Some are more effective at detecting certain types of corrosion or damage in different types of pipes, depending on their NDE capabilities. More recently though, some manufacturers are combining the various functions of these separate tools into one. This way a single tool can now be used to detect several different types of damage, making it more efficient and effective.
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Blog
January 9, 2019 By John Reynolds at Intertek
The 2019 API Inspection and Mechanical Integrity Summit will be kicking off later this month in Galveston, TX. This four-day event will begin with 14 high level training courses offered Monday, January 28th, and then a top notch conference and... |
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November/December 2017 Inspectioneering Journal
By Elizabeth Allen at DNV GL, and Michelle Havlock at DNV GL
This article explains the Statistically Active Corrosion Assessment, which is a tool for determining appropriate and realistic corrosion growth rates which can assist pipeline operators in optimizing the value of in-line inspection data. |
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March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal
By Matt Ellinger at DNV GL
The purpose of this article is to describe the various in-line inspection (ILI) technologies that are currently available to the market. The pros, cons, and applicability of each type of tool will be discussed in greater detail. |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Ian D. Smith, P.Eng. at Quest Integrity Group, and Michael McGee at Quest Integrity Group
For traditional in-line inspection (ILI) vendors, considering 21.4 miles of a piggable 4” diesel pipeline is typically not a big deal. However, significant threats like 3rd party damage and external corrosion seem to come with the territory in... |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Rhett Dotson, P.E. at Stress Engineering Services
Historically, regulations regarding dent severity have been governed by one of two metrics: dent depth or strain. In the case of the former, plain dents with a depth up to 6% of the nominal diameter are permitted in both gas and liquid pipelines.... |
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Partner Content
InVista is a lightweight, hand-held ultrasonic in-line inspection tool (intelligent pig) capable of detecting pipeline wall loss and corrosion in unpiggable or difficult-to-inspect pipelines. The pipeline geometry inspection data captured by the... |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Vibha Zaman, P.E. at Asset Optimization Consultants, and Peter Dsouza at LyondellBasell
Verifying pipeline integrity is particularly challenging due to the difficulty of pipeline access, as well as the limitations in available technology to perform subsea wall thickness inspections. These challenges require action rather than reaction. |
Effective pipeline integrity management has been problematic for a large number of pipelines that were not designed for in-line inspection. Quest Integrity understands the complexities involved with this challenging segment and offers a...
InVista Subsea, an advanced ultrasonic ILI tool from Quest Integrity, provides a solution for challenging and difficult-to-inspect subsea pipelines.
