Method of inhibiting leakage of a fluid through a defect in a wall of a pipe

A method of inspecting a defect in a wall of a pipe, comprising the steps:

• providing a first sealing arrangement having a first sealing element within a pipe such that the first sealing element seals against an inner surface of said pipe;
• providing a second sealing arrangement having a second sealing element within the pipe such that the second sealing element seals against the inner surface of the pipe, the second sealing element being spaced from the first sealing element such that a region of the pipe having a defect is between the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement and said region is sealed from the remainder of the pipe;
• supplying an inspection fluid to said region between the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement;
• monitoring a parameter associated with a flow rate of the inspection fluid being supplied to said region of the pipe between the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement, and
• determining the size of the defect based on the monitored parameter.

A method of inhibiting leakage of a fluid through a defect in a wall of a portion of a pipe embedded in a porous medium having a defect through which fluid conveyed by the pipe during normal use leaks into the porous medium, the method comprising the steps:

• providing a first sealing arrangement having a first sealing element within a pipe such that the first sealing element seals against an inner surface of said pipe;
• providing a second sealing arrangement having a second sealing element within the pipe such that the second sealing element seals against the inner surface of the pipe, the second sealing arrangement being spaced from the first sealing arrangement such that a region of the pipe having a defect is between the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement and said region is sealed from the remainder of the pipe;
• supplying a loss control medium to said region between the first sealing arrangement and the second sealing arrangement, and
• applying a pressure to the loss control medium such that at least a portion of the loss control medium is expelled from the pipe through the defect into the porous medium thereby causing the loss control medium to accumulate within the porous medium in the vicinity of the defect which inhibits flow of a liquid through the defect into the porous medium.