PICon - Pipeline Integrity

Inspection

To maintain a quality integrity program, it is important to know the actual condition of a pipeline. Pipeline inspection therefore has to be carried out to investigate various aspects of the pipeline condition. In-line inspection (ILI) tools, commonly called "intelligent" or "smart pigs," travel through the pipeline driven by the pipeline product, surveying the condition of the pipeline wall.

Modern intelligent pigs indicate whether the corrosion is on the inside or outside pipe wall. The data from ILI are analyzed for the most severe defects and for selecting areas for excavation and online repair. The ILI data are used to evaluate the remaining strength of corroded pipe.