High speed pipe inspection system

A pipe scanning system comprising:

• a translating structure configured to move axially and rotationally on a pipe;
• a scanner connected to the translating structure, wherein the scanner is configured to scan an object utilizing an x-ray beam configured to have a first orientation and a second orientation that is substantially perpendicular to the first orientation;
• and
• a controller in communication with the translating structure and the scanner, wherein the controller controls the translating structure to move axially along the pipe while the scanner performs an axial scan of the pipe using the x-ray beam at the first orientation and move rotationally to perform a rotational scan of the pipe using the x-ray beam at the second orientation when an inconsistency is detected in the axial scan at a location on the pipe, and combines first data from the axial scan at the location with second data from the rotational scan at the location to form an image of the inconsistency at the location.

A method for scanning an elongate structure, the method comprising:

• moving a scanner in a scanning system axially along the elongate structure using a translating structure in the scanning system;
• scanning the elongate structure axially using an x-ray beam emitted by the scanner as the scanner moves axially along the elongate structure to perform an axial scan, wherein the x-ray beam has a first orientation;
• detecting a location on the elongate structure having an inconsistency while scanning the elongate structure axially;
• and
• scanning the elongate structure at the location with the x-ray beam in a second orientation to perform a second scan.