System and method for internal coating of offshore pipeline weld joints with fluorescent anti-corrosion coatings and wet inspection

A system for coating and wet coating inspection of a weld joint in a marine pipeline, the system comprising:

• a marine pipeline anti-corrosion coating formula including a fluorescent pigment and a novolak epoxy coating formula providing corrosion protection of marine pipeline weld joints, wherein the fluorescent pigment is selected from the group consisting of zinc sulfide and cadmium sulfide, wherein the fluorescent pigment is configured to emit radiation having a predetermined wavelength in response to being illuminated with UV light;
• a remote main controller;
• and
• a first robotic device having:
• a body including a drive mechanism for driving the robotic device along an internal surface of the pipeline in a direction of travel, the first robotic device having a forward end and a tail end,
• a coating application tool supported by the body, the coating application tool comprising a spray nozzle provided near the forward end of the first robotic device and being configured to spray the marine pipeline anti-corrosion coating formula including a fluorescent pigment in at least a radial direction relative to the axis of the pipeline and onto a surrounding surface of the pipeline to apply a wet coating, wherein the spray nozzle of the coating application tool is provided at a position forward of the drive mechanism that contacts the internal surface;
• and
• an inspection apparatus supported by the body, the inspection apparatus comprising a light emitter and a camera provided near the forward end of the first robotic device and at a respective position forward of the drive mechanism that contacts the internal surface, the light emitter being configured to illuminate the surrounding surface with ultraviolet (UV) light and thereby activating the fluorescent pigment and causing the fluorescent pigment to emit radiation having the predetermined wavelength, and the camera being configured to capture a live feed of images of the surrounding surface and transmit the live feed to the remote main controller computing device for real-time display and identification of any defects in the wet coating, wherein the camera comprises an image sensor configured to sense at least radiation having the predetermined wavelength emitted by the fluorescent pigment,
• wherein the remote main controller comprises a computing device in communication with the first robotic device and, wherein the remote main controller is configured to cause the first robotic device to:
• drive through the pipeline in a forward direction to a location of a first weld joint,
• apply, with the spray nozzle, the marine pipeline anti-corrosion coating formula onto the first weld joint and surrounding surface,
• illuminate, with the light emitter, the wet coating applied to the first weld joint and the surrounding surface,
• capture, with the camera, a real time feed of images depicting the wet coating applied to the first weld joint and surrounding surface, wherein the images are captured while the wet coating is illuminated and the fluorescent pigment is emitting radiation having the predetermined wavelength,
• transmit, the real time feed of images to the remote main controller computing device for coating evaluation,
• receive, at the remote main controller, a result of the coating evaluation including one or more of:
• an approval of the wet coating applied to a given weld joint and surrounding area and an identification of any defects in the wet coating,
• in response to the identification of any defects in the wet coating, cause the first robotic device to drive in a forward direction to position the spray nozzle in relation to any identified defects and repeat the applying, illuminating, capturing and transmitting steps, and
• in response to an approval of the wet coating, cause the first robotic device to drive in the rearward direction to a subsequent weld joint and repeat the applying, illuminating, capturing and transmitting steps for the subsequent weld joint.