Evaluation of Pipes Evaluation of Pipes Using LongUsing Long--Range Guided Range Guided

Wave Ultrasonics;Wave Ultrasonics;Wave Ultrasonics;Wave Ultrasonics;Background and Recent Background and Recent

AdAdAdvancesAdvances

Dr Reyaz SabetDr Reyaz Sabet Sharghi IESCOSharghi IESCODr. Reyaz SabetDr. Reyaz Sabet--Sharghi, IESCOSharghi, IESCO

Guided Wave Testing…Guided Wave Testing…G l I t d tiG l I t d tiGeneral IntroductionGeneral IntroductionAA formform ofof ultrasonicultrasonic testingtesting thatthat allowsallows itsits useruser totoggrapidlyrapidly screenscreen 100100%% ofof thethe pipepipe volumevolume overoverextendedextended distancesdistances..SaturatesSaturates thethe pipepipe wallwall withwith aa formform ofof wavewave thatthatSaturatesSaturates thethe pipepipe wallwall withwith aa formform ofof wavewave thatthatpropagatespropagates alongalong thethe axialaxial directiondirection..TravellingTravelling wavewave isis sensitivesensitive toto changeschanges inin thetheTravellingTravelling wavewave isis sensitivesensitive toto changeschanges inin thethepipepipe crosscross--sectionsection areaarea andand changeschanges toto pipepipestiffnessstiffness..

Transducer

Structure

Guided Wave Testing…Guided Wave Testing…G l I d iG l I d iGeneral IntroductionGeneral IntroductionLocationsLocations withwith generalgeneral corrosioncorrosion oror wallwall losslossggwillwill bebe revealed,revealed, andand anan estimateestimate ofof thethesuspectedsuspected %% wallwall lossloss givengiven..AA conventionalconventional NDTNDT techniquetechnique (such(such asas UT)UT)isis thenthen usedused toto measuremeasure thethe actualactual remainingremainingwallwall atat thethe locationlocation wherewhere aa defectdefect waswaswallwall atat thethe locationlocation wherewhere aa defectdefect waswascalledcalled..TheThe GuidedGuided WaveWave TechniqueTechnique isis NOTNOT aaTheThe GuidedGuided WaveWave TechniqueTechnique isis NOTNOT aameansmeans forfor directlydirectly measuringmeasuring remainingremaining wallwallthicknessthickness inin aa pipepipe..

Guided Waves vs. Manual UTGuided Waves vs. Manual UTGuided Waves vs. Manual UTGuided Waves vs. Manual UT

TransducerTransducer

Metal StructureMetal Structure

Standard UT

Inspected AreaInspected Area

Transducer Ring Guided Waves

Inspected areaInspected area Inspected areaInspected area

System ComponentsSystem ComponentsSystem ComponentsSystem ComponentsLaptop with Controlling software

Wavemaker G3

Transducer Ring

Wave Propagation ModesWave Propagation ModesWave Propagation ModesWave Propagation Modes

Incident waves are axiIncident waves are axi--symmetric and eithersymmetric and eitherIncident waves are axiIncident waves are axi symmetric and either symmetric and either torsional or longitudinal.torsional or longitudinal.

MUROMURO

ANILLO

SOLDADURA

ApplicationsApplicationsApplicationsApplicationsUsed to detect Used to detect generalgeneral corrosioncorrosion and and wall thinningwall thinning in:in:gg gg

AboveAbove--ground piping.ground piping.Overhead piping.Overhead piping.Buried piping.Buried piping.Pipes transitioning from above to belowPipes transitioning from above to below--ground or viceground or vice--versaversaPipes transitioning from above to belowPipes transitioning from above to below--ground or viceground or vice--versa.versa.Pipes at road crossings.Pipes at road crossings.Coated/insulated pipes.Coated/insulated pipes.Wall penetrations.Wall penetrations.Jetty lines.Jetty lines.Sphere legsSphere legsSphere legs.Sphere legs.

Insulated PipeInsulated PipeNote removal of insulation

At test location

Pipe through concretesupport

Above-ground pipes with features

Cased Road Crossings

p p

Pipe at Road Crossing

Standard CUI Application

Sphere Leg TestingSphere Leg Testing

Signal RangeSignal RangeSignal RangeSignal RangeThereThere isis nono setset formulaformula thatthat willwill determinedetermine thethe signalsignal

th tth t bb hi dhi d hh ii hhrangerange thatthat cancan bebe achievedachieved onon eacheach pipepipe oror eveneven eacheachshotshot.. However,However, somesome ofof thethe factorsfactors affectingaffecting rangerangeareare::

TheThe moremore featuresfeatures inin thethe scanscan thethe lowerlower thethe rangerangeTheThe moremore featuresfeatures inin thethe scanscan ,, thethe lowerlower thethe rangerange..FlangesFlanges terminateterminate thethe signalsignal..AA secondsecond elbowelbow willwill terminateterminate thethe signalsignalP d tP d t ff tff t ddProductProduct effectseffects;; gasgas vsvs.. crudecrudeCoating/liningCoating/lining thicknessthickness relativerelative toto thethe pipepipe wallwall

thicknessthicknessO llO ll ii ditiditiOverallOverall pipepipe conditionconditionTypeType ofof soilsoil pipepipe isis buriedburied inin andand depthdepth ofof covercover..HighlyHighly dependentdependent ofof thethe desireddesired sensitivitysensitivity ofof thethe

scanscan..

Guided WaveGuided WaveTechnique LimitationsTechnique LimitationsTheThe technologytechnology isis screeningscreening forfor changeschangesTheThe technologytechnology isis screeningscreening forfor changeschangesinin crosscross--sectionalsectional areaarea.. MinimumMinimum requiredrequiredchangeschanges inin thisthis areaarea isis 55%% dependingdepending onongg p gp gpipepipe conditionsconditions..LargeLarge branchesbranches areare seenseen asas largelarge defects,defects,gg ggtherebythereby obscuringobscuring anyany smallersmaller anomaliesanomaliesnearbynearby..EffectsEffects ofof coatings/wrapscoatings/wraps onon signalsignal rangerange..PipePipe temperaturetemperature constraintsconstraints..pp pp

Historically,Historically, thethe regionregion ofofy,y, ggwallwall lossloss neededneeded totorepresentrepresent atat leastleast 55%% ofof totaltotalshadedshaded areare toto bebe detectabledetectableshadedshaded areare toto bebe detectabledetectablebyby thethe GuidedGuided WaveWaveTechniqueTechnique..MM tt dd hhMoreMore recentrecent advancesadvances havehaveallowedallowed downdown toto aa 11%% ororlessless ECLECL toto bebe detecteddetected..

Why Use LongWhy Use Long--Range GW’s?Range GW’s?Why Use LongWhy Use Long Range GW s?Range GW s?Inspection speed (time = $$).Inspection speed (time = $$).p p ( )p p ( )

Line is kept in service.Line is kept in service.

Able to negotiate and inspect at supports and bends AsAble to negotiate and inspect at supports and bends AsAble to negotiate and inspect at supports and bends. As Able to negotiate and inspect at supports and bends. As such, the technique inspects 100% of the pipe volume, such, the technique inspects 100% of the pipe volume, eliminating “blind” zones experienced using other eliminating “blind” zones experienced using other technologiestechnologiestechnologies.technologies.

Equipment is battery operated and very portable.Equipment is battery operated and very portable.

Detects both internal and external metal lossDetects both internal and external metal loss

Why Use LongWhy Use Long--Range GW’s?Range GW’s?Why Use LongWhy Use Long Range GW s?Range GW s?

No couplant necessary.No couplant necessary.

For coated pipes no need to remove all theFor coated pipes no need to remove all theFor coated pipes, no need to remove all the For coated pipes, no need to remove all the coating along length of inspected section.coating along length of inspected section.

No need to excavate entire length of buried pipeNo need to excavate entire length of buried pipeNo need to excavate entire length of buried pipe No need to excavate entire length of buried pipe for inspection purposes.for inspection purposes.

By going back after time and reBy going back after time and re--scanningscanningBy going back after time and reBy going back after time and re scanning scanning sections of pipe, even smaller changes in crosssections of pipe, even smaller changes in cross--sectional area than the base 5% can be sectional area than the base 5% can be observedobservedobserved.observed.

The WavemakerThe Wavemaker®® SystemSystemAreas of EnhancementAreas of Enhancement

DataData DisplayDisplayDataData DisplayDisplay•• “Focusing”“Focusing” abilityability oneone ofof thethe greatestgreatest

advantagesadvantages ofof thethe GG33 systemsystemadvantagesadvantages ofof thethe GG33 systemsystem..•• EnhancedEnhanced ringsrings nownow ableable toto pinpointpinpoint locationlocation

fromfrom whichwhich anan indicationindication isis receivedreceived.. ThisThis hashasfromfrom whichwhich anan indicationindication isis receivedreceived.. ThisThis hashasmademade clientsclients askask forfor thethe “red“red rings”rings” whichwhich areareEFCEFC--capablecapable..

•• DisplayDisplay ofof datadata asas aa CC--scanscan similarsimilar totointelligentintelligent scrapingscraping datadata..

X axis represents distance whereas Y axisrepresents the location around the circumferencef th i

360

of the pipe

180

270

Angl

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-100 -50 0 500

90

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-F1

-F2

-F3

-F4

+F1

+F2

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-F7

0.4

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0.2

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12

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0.6

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The WavemakerThe Wavemaker®® SystemSystemAreas of EnhancementAreas of Enhancement

SensitivitySensitivitySensitivitySensitivity•• LargelyLargely dependentdependent onon thethe accurateaccurate fittingfitting ofof

thethe DACDAC curvescurvesthethe DACDAC curvescurves•• DACDAC curvescurves mustmust realisticallyrealistically representrepresent thethe

changeschanges inin signalsignal amplitudeamplitude asas aa functionfunction ofofchangeschanges inin signalsignal amplitudeamplitude asas aa functionfunction ofofdistance,distance, featuresfeatures presentpresent onon thethe line,line, generalgeneralconditioncondition ofof thethe lineline.. WithoutWithout suchsuch anan ability,ability,establishingestablishing systemsystem sensitivitysensitivity andand sizingsizingcapabilitiescapabilities areare notnot possiblepossible..

The WavemakerThe Wavemaker®® SystemSystemAreas of EnhancementAreas of Enhancement

SensitivitySensitivitySensitivitySensitivity•• AsAs thethe weldweld DACDAC determinesdetermines thethe sensitivitysensitivity ofof

thethe systemsystem itit isis criticalcritical thatthat itit isis setset asasthethe system,system, itit isis criticalcritical thatthat itit isis setset asasaccuratelyaccurately asas possiblepossible..

•• TheThe WavemakerWavemaker GG33 isis uniqueunique inin thisthisTheThe WavemakerWavemaker GG33 isis uniqueunique inin thisthiscapabilitycapability..

•• WithWith currentcurrent enhancements,enhancements, GG33 systemsystem isis,, yybeingbeing usedused inin applicationsapplications wherewhere 11%% crosscross--sectionalsectional lossloss sensitivitysensitivity isis requiredrequired..

360

Internal axial groove 0.25” wide and 4” long representing an ECL of 0.75%

270

360g)

90

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Confirmed indication (by UT and RT) of 1”X1”X30% wall

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The WavemakerThe Wavemaker®® SystemSystemAreas of EnhancementAreas of Enhancement

FrequencyFrequency SliderSliderFrequencyFrequency SliderSlider•• AbilityAbility toto viewview severalseveral frequencyfrequency settingssettings isis

criticalcritical toto thethe successfulsuccessful useuse ofof guidedguided waveswavescriticalcritical toto thethe successfulsuccessful useuse ofof guidedguided waveswaves..•• WithoutWithout thisthis ability,ability, therethere isis aa veryvery goodgood

chancechance thatthat certaincertain indicationsindications willwill bebe missedmissed..chancechance thatthat certaincertain indicationsindications willwill bebe missedmissed..•• AdjustingAdjusting thethe frequencyfrequency cancan assistassist inin maskingmasking

certaincertain “undesirable”“undesirable” effectseffects whilewhile enhancingenhancingggothersothers..

180

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(deg

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60 80 100 120 1400

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ggvisibilityvisibility ofof certaincertainfeaturesfeatures

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The WavemakerThe Wavemaker®® SystemSystemAreas of EnhancementAreas of Enhancement

RoadRoad CrossingCrossing ApplicationApplicationRoadRoad CrossingCrossing ApplicationApplication•• EnhancedEnhanced signalsignal processing,processing, displaydisplay andand

sensitivitysensitivity capabilitiescapabilities translatestranslates toto anansensitivitysensitivity capabilitiescapabilities translatestranslates toto ananeffectivelyeffectively longerlonger rangerange whenwhen scanningscanning roadroadcrossingscrossings..gg

•• AbilityAbility toto useuse toto systemsystem inin “Pitch/Catch”“Pitch/Catch” modemodeonon roadroad crossingscrossings..

•• AbilityAbility toto connectconnect systemsystem toto PIMSPIMS..

360

180

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eg)

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1

0.5

0.25

Amp

(mV)

0.1

PIM’sPIM’sPIM sPIM sGeared towards use onh d t li hhard to access lines suchas:

Buried or sleeved lines.Offshore risersOffshore risers.Sub-sea lines.

System can be installedSystem can be installedon new lines or retro-fitted on existing lines.

Helps avoid costly excavation work when having to revalidatepipe condition.The system also allows for automatic recall of previous data toThe system also allows for automatic recall of previous data tocompare signal as a function of time thereby enhancing overallsystem sensitivity.

Technique AcceptanceTechnique AcceptanceTechnique AcceptanceTechnique AcceptanceTechniqueTechnique currentlycurrently approvedapproved byby majoritymajority ofofTechniqueTechnique currentlycurrently approvedapproved byby majoritymajority ofofOilOil && GasGas companiescompanies forfor useuse inin upstreamupstream andanddownstreamdownstream facilitiesfacilities..AcknowledgedAcknowledged asas timetime andand costcost effectiveeffectivemeansmeans ofof validatingvalidatingtransmission/flow/collection/planttransmission/flow/collection/plant pipingpipingtransmission/flow/collection/planttransmission/flow/collection/plant pipingpiping..SomeSome OilOil && GasGas MajorsMajors havehave developeddeveloped (or(orareare inin thethe processprocess ofof developing)developing) inin--househouseareare inin thethe processprocess ofof developing)developing) inin househouseproceduresprocedures andand techniciantechnician validationvalidationschemesschemes..

Technique AcceptanceTechnique AcceptanceTechnique AcceptanceTechnique AcceptanceMoreMore recently,recently, DOTDOT hashas developeddeveloped anan approvalapproval processprocessforfor thethe useuse ofof guidedguided wavewave asas aa meansmeans ofof revalidatingrevalidatinggasgas transmissiontransmission lineslines..TheThe useuse ofof thethe techniquetechnique onon DOTDOT lineslines isis subjectsubject toto aa

bb b itt lb itt l bb thth i lii li ttcasecase--byby--casecase submittalsubmittal byby thethe pipelinepipeline operatoroperatorjustifyingjustifying thethe application’sapplication’s use,use, andand detailingdetailing ananapprovedapproved procedureprocedure toto bebe followedfollowed..TheThe establishedestablished procedureprocedure submittedsubmitted byby thethe pipelinepipelineTheThe establishedestablished procedureprocedure submittedsubmitted byby thethe pipelinepipelineoperatoroperator mustmust meetmeet aa minimumminimum requirementrequirement asas outlinedoutlinedbyby thethe DOT’sDOT’s 1818--pointpoint checklistchecklist..InIn additionaddition toto thethe aboveabove workwork ongoingongoing toto determinedetermineInIn additionaddition toto thethe above,above, workwork ongoingongoing toto determinedeterminepossibilitypossibility ofof usingusing GWLRUTGWLRUT asas aa replacementreplacement forforhydrotestinghydrotesting..

Operator CertificationOperator CertificationOperator CertificationOperator CertificationNoNo ASNTASNT certificationcertification schemescheme availableavailable atatpresentpresent.. DevelopmentDevelopment ofof certificationcertificationstandardstandard forfor bothboth ASNTASNT andand PCNPCN ongoingongoing..CertificationCertification ofof operators/techniciansoperators/technicians carriedcarriedCertificationCertification ofof operators/techniciansoperators/technicians carriedcarriedoutout byby equipmentequipment manufacturermanufacturer..GULGUL firstfirst manufacturermanufacturer toto adoptadopt aa twotwo tiertierppcertificationcertification programprogram::•• LevelLevel II:: forfor basicbasic applicationsapplications onon aboveabove groundground

pipespipespipespipes•• LevelLevel IIII:: MoreMore advancedadvanced applicationsapplications;; ee..gg.. onon

buriedburied lineslines.. AuthorizedAuthorized toto developdevelop proceduresprocedures..RequiredRequired forfor mostmost DOTDOT workwork..RequiredRequired forfor mostmost DOTDOT workwork..

Operator CertificationOperator CertificationOperator CertificationOperator Certification