Above-Ground Inspection and Integrity Services for Unpiggable Pipelines
Alternative methods for assessing the integrity condition of a pipeline
Integrity management of unpiggable pipelines remains a significant challenge for all operators. Often, these pipelines can be made piggable using customized and innovative in-line inspection (ILI) approaches. However, there is a need for alternatives when assessing the integrity condition of a pipeline where conventional in-line inspection methods are not feasible or a preliminary screening of the pipeline is required to justify subsequent inspection efforts.
Your benefits of our above-ground inspection and integrity services
Identification of the most severe defect location to target inspection efforts
No disruption to pipeline operations
Increased Probability of Detection (POD) through combined inspection techniques
ROSEN's Integrity Data Warehouse allows for prediction of pipeline conditions
Standards compliance, including ISO 22974 and NACE direct assessment methodologies
Above-ground inspection and integrity analysis approach for unpiggable pipelines
Non-Intrusive Pipeline Assessment (NIPA) is an above-ground integrity analysis approach for unpiggable pipelines that integrates and overlays pipeline data obtained from construction and operational records, large stand-off magnetometry (LSM) surveys, cathodic protection (CP) monitoring and geographic information systems (GIS).
Overlaying multiple data sets increases confidence in anomaly detection and provides contextual insight into stress raisers both internally and externally. By identifying root causes and potential hotspots, the service helps to optimize excavation activities and prioritize NDT inspection efforts.
NIPA can be tailored to a pipeline's unique requirements, ensuring adaptability and effectiveness in addressing specific challenges. Depending on what operators need, our services range from:
- Above-ground pipeline inspection
- Complete assessment of pipeline condition by integrating multiple data sets to identify and characterize internal and external defects
- Holistic integrity management, including in-field verification services and development of integrity management plans
Your benefits:
- Expertise in predictive integrity analytics using machine learning and Bayesian inference for accurate defect assessment.
- Global insights from the IDW, covering over 1,000,000 km of pipelines across all diameters, pressures, and media.
- Integration and overlay of multiple inspection data sources for enhanced internal and external anomaly detection.
- Flexible and scalable approach enabling customized assessments tailored to specific pipeline conditions, materials, and operating environments – for inspection of discrete areas to full pipeline inspection
- Ensures regulatory compliance with Direct Assessment methodologies while extending capabilities beyond corrosion to identify ground movement, dents, gouges, and bending strain.
- Provides precise pipeline mapping and baseline data to detect geohazards and other integrity threats early, enabling proactive anomaly management.
Download our Non-Intrusive Pipeline Assessment Service specifications and learn more
Above-ground inspection of unpiggable pipelines
LSM is a non-intrusive, above-ground inspection technique that identifies stress anomalies in the pipeline and enhances direct assessment. LSM provides a comprehensive assessment of significant pipeline integrity threats, such as corrosion, dents and gouges, bending and ground movement, without disrupting pipeline operations. Any defect in a pipeline that raises or causes a change in the pipeline's natural stress state is possible to detect. LSM can also be used for custom applications such as detailed pipeline mapping, depth of cover surveys, change monitoring, and pig tracking.
The data obtained from LSM can be combined with other complementary survey techniques such as:
- Close Interval Protection Survey (CIPS)
- Direct or Alternating Current Voltage Gradient (DCVG / ACVG)
- Current Attenuation (CAT)
- Flow modeling and internal corrosion assessments
- LiDAR or satellite imagery
Your benefits:
- High-precision definition of the location of stress concentration zones (SCZs) and magnitude of stress caused by various defects
- Detects the location of changes in pipeline wall thickness, diameter, and beginnings and endings of casings
- Generation of a high-precision 3-dimensional map of the pipeline route for use in geographic information systems (GIS)
- High-precision location of girth welds over short lengths (to assist in identifying excavation locations)
- Active monitoring of defect behavior and pipeline movement
Download our Large Stand-Off Magnetometry Inspection Service specifications and learn more
Maintaining the integrity of cathodic protection systems
CIPS is one of the inspection methods used to assess the integrity of cathodic protection systems. During a CIPS, measurements of the pipe-to-soil potential are taken at regular, closely spaced intervals (often less than one meter apart) along the length of the pipeline. The data collected helps to identify areas where the pipeline is not adequately protected or where there might be coating defects.
Coatings were always considered the first line of defense against corrosion. However, over time, coatings degrade due to environmental exposure, mechanical damage, or aging, leading to increased risks of corrosion.
Where coatings may have deteriorated, it is not always cost-effective for operators to excavate and repair all coating defects. Therefore, integrity risks can only realistically be managed by effective Cathodic Protection (CP). Without an adequate CP system, pipelines face an increased likelihood of corrosion-related failures, which can result in costly repairs, environmental hazards, and regulatory non-compliance.
Regular assessment of CP performance through CIPS ensures that the system is functioning optimally. Giving operators the information required to extend the lifespan of their pipelines and ensure continued safe operation.
Your benefits:
- High sensitivity: Detects minor CP anomalies before they get the chance to cause significant corrosion.
- Comprehensive coverage: Provides a complete profile of CP effectiveness along the entire pipeline length, taking into account all variations in current attenuation.
- Data-driven decisions: Supports maintenance strategies with precise, actionable insights, especially for repeat monitoring.
- Regulatory compliance: Meets industry standards for corrosion protection assessments, such as NACE SP0502, DOT 49 CFR Part 192 & 195, NACE SP0169, and ISO15589.
- Integration with other methods: Can be combined with Direct Current Voltage Gradient (DCVG) and GIS mapping for a comprehensive pipeline integrity assessment, e.g., as part of the NIPA service or for single-pass inspections.
Download our Close Interval Potential Survey Service specifications and learn more
Reliable Detection and Assessment of Coating Defects
Direct Current Voltage Gradient (DCVG) and Alternating Current Voltage Gradient (ACVG) are pipeline integrity assessment techniques used to detect coating defects and assess cathodic protection (CP) performance. Both methods are based on the measurement of voltage gradients in the surrounding soil and are essential techniques in the maintenance and integrity management of pipelines. They help ensure that coating defects are promptly identified and repaired to prevent corrosion.
- DCVG is a highly sensitive method that detects and quantifies coating defects by measuring voltage gradients in the soil caused by the CP system’s direct current.
- ACVG works similarly but uses an alternating current signal. It is effective for identifying coating defects over long distances and in challenging environments where DCVG may be limited.
Both methods are valuable for proactive maintenance, minimizing corrosion risks, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. While DCVG is preferred for precise defect sizing, ACVG is often used for broader surveys and faster data collection.
Your benefits:
- Precise defect identification: Locates coating defects with high accuracy, reducing unnecessary excavation.
- Severity assessment: Helps prioritize repairs by classifying defect impact.
- Optimized maintenance planning: Supports cost-effective integrity management by addressing critical issues first.
- Cost-effective maintenance: Supports proactive decision-making for long-term asset protection
- Regulatory compliance: Meets industry standards for corrosion protection assessments such as NACE SP0502, DOT 49 CFR Part 192 & 195, NACE SP0169, and ISO15589.
- Integration with other methods: Complements CIPS for a comprehensive pipeline protection strategy or as part of NIPA
Download our Direct or Alternating Current Voltage Gradient Survey Service specifications and learn more
Environmental insights for enhanced root-cause analysis
Understanding why an anomaly has occurred often requires more than dissecting the inspection data – environmental factors play a crucial role in how defects are formed and behave.
We bridge that gap by gathering critical data to provide deeper insight into the pipeline’s integrity at specific locations. This approach not only aids in identifying potential root causes but also supports direct assessment methods when in-line inspection isn’t feasible, following our comprehensive integrity framework approach.
Data gathered can be collected above and below ground, depending on the environmental characteristics being assessed.
- Above ground, we measure ground resistivity and changes in strata, including soil type or movement. This is complemented by our aerial inspection capabilities, such as LiDAR, RGB photogrammetry, multispectral analysis, and infrared thermography.
- Below ground, we have extensive experience in coating assessment and direct validation of cathodic protection performance. These surveys include soil pH and compositional surveys, microbial analysis, and sample taking.
Your benefits:
- Consistent, high-quality environmental data for accurate analysis as part of root cause assessment (RCA).
- Expert technicians and engineers with vast industry-recognized integrity awareness
- Compliance with the requirements of direct assessment methodologies.
- Gathering environmental data allows operators to understand risks and mitigation procedures fully.
Advanced aerial pipeline monitoring in hazardous areas
Drone inspections are particularly useful for detecting potential threats such as geohazards and structural anomalies in hard-to-reach or hazardous areas. We offer drone inspections using advanced technologies, such as LiDAR, thermography, magnetometry and photogrammetry, to deliver precise data for an efficient integrity assessment of infrastructures and landscapes in rapid time.
Our comprehensive drone inspection service includes data acquisition, processing, and recommendations to support proactive maintenance planning and informed decision-making.
Your benefits:
- Enhanced accuracy: Advanced flight planning and route repeatability minimize data collection variances.
- Efficiency: Rapid aerial surveys significantly reduce inspection time compared to traditional methods.
- Cost-effective: Delivers faster and higher-resolution analysis than satellite imaging or right of way patrols.
- Improved safety: Eliminates risks for field personnel in hazardous or remote areas.
- Access to difficult terrain: Drones navigate challenging landscapes effortlessly, ensuring comprehensive coverage.
Predictive analytics as part of Non-Intrusive Pipeline Assessment
Predictive analytics can help reduce uncertainty in the assessment process by combining multiple datasets from other pipelines to benchmark their condition and enable predictions on future behavior. This helps operators to prioritize and target inspection efforts.
ROSEN’s Integrity Data Warehouse (IDW) contains an expanding number of historical pipeline datasets including information on in-line inspection (ILI), design, construction, environment, operations, and surveys.
This database allows us to leverage supervised machine learning to predict the behavior and benchmark the condition of uninspected pipelines to a global population of pipelines that have been inspected in the past.
As part of the Non-intrusive Pipeline Assessment (NIPA), predictive analytics provides contextual insights into the size, number, and severity of defects and compares these to the findings of the above-ground inspection to validate its effectiveness and confirm that the expected defects have been found.