Flexible riser insulation removal tool for ultrasonic test inspection

A method of cutting into a tubular, the tubular comprising a plurality of outer layers, the plurality of layers comprising an outer jacket, and machining away a predetermined portion of an outer portion of the tubular to a depth that allows ultrasonic testing to penetrate through the remaining layers of the plurality of outer layers of the tubular and enable an ultrasonic inspection of the riser using a tool comprising a frame adapted to be secured about the outer jacket disposed about an outer portion of a tubular, the frame comprising a first side;

• a first clamp disposed proximate the first side, comprising a plurality of clamp arms, the plurality of clamp arms comprising and defining an arcuate inner surface adapted to removably accept a tubular within a void defined by the arcuate inner surfaces and a clamp arm actuator operatively in communication with the plurality of clamp arms;
• a cutting assembly movably disposed within the frame, the cutting assembly comprising a cutter adapted to cut into one or more of the plurality of outer layers of the tubular to a depth at which an ultrasonic inspection of the tubular may occur using an ultrasonic testing (UT) tool which can use ultrasonic waves to penetrate through non-cut layers of the of the plurality of outer layers and a cutter positioner operatively connected to the cutter and adapted to advance the cutter into or retract the cutter from the plurality of outer layers;
• a cutter assembly positioner operatively in communication with the cutting assembly, the cutter positioner operative to move the cutting assembly along a predetermined axis of the cutter assembly positioner;
• a control interface operatively in communication with the clamp arm actuator and cutting assembly;
• and a power interface operatively in communication with the control interface, the cutting assembly, the cutter positioner, and the first clamp, the method comprising:
• a. positioning the tool on the tubular at a predetermined position;
• b. operatively connecting the power interface to a power source;
• c. once disposed proximate the predetermined position, using the first clamp to secure the tool in place about the tubular at the predetermined position;
• d. after the tool is securely put in place, moving the cutter head by use of the cutter positioner to the area that will be machined on an outer circumference of the tubular;
• e. controlling the cutting assembly to zero the cutting assembly on an outer sheath of the tubular;
• f. once the cutting location is known, setting up a programmed tool path on the controller, the programmed tool path adapted to cause the cutter assembly positioner to make the cutting assembly follow a precise cutting path to make an inspection window in the outer layer of the tubular;
• and
• g. cutting the inspection window out of the tubular to a depth sufficient to allow an ultrasonic signal to penetrate through to an inner layer of the plurality of layers of the tubular, the inner layer of the plurality of layers comprising an inner sheath, without causing damage to the inner sheath itself, a bottom of the cut being sufficiently smooth so the ultrasonic signal is not reflected in an unanticipated direction when making an inspection and therefore not consistently returning to an ultrasonic test probe.