Pipeline defect monitoring

A method of monitoring a condition of an armour wire provided in a pipeline apparatus, the method comprising:

• coupling a measurement device to a first armour wire among a plurality of armour wires extending along at least part of the length of a pipe body in an annular cavity of the pipe body of the pipeline apparatus and electrically isolated from the other armour wires along at least part of the length of the armour wires, the annular cavity being defined between annular innermost and outermost fluid impermeable barrier layers, the measurement device being coupled to the first armour wire at a first end of the pipe body;
• and
• measuring the impedance of the first armour wire;
• wherein variation of the electrical impedance of the first armour wire electrically is indicative of a defect of the first armour wire.

A method of forming a pipeline apparatus, the method comprising:

• providing a pipe body including:
• an annular cavity between annular innermost and outermost fluid impermeable barrier layers;
• and
• a plurality of armour wires extending along at least part of the length of the pipe body in the annular cavity, the plurality of armour wires including a first armour wire electrically isolated from the other armour wires along at least part of the length of the armour wires;
• and
• coupling a measurement device to the first armour wire at a first end of the pipe body, the measurement device being arranged to measure the electrical impedance of the first armour wire;
• wherein variation of the electrical impedance of the first armour wire electrically is indicative of a defect of the first armour wire.