Pipeline inspection system
AssigneeMirant Corporation
InventorsRichard Masaniello, Dennis Johnston, Stephen Christoffersen, Arthur Turner, John Broussard, John Kiefner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates generally to a system of addressing pipeline anomalies prior to failure of pipeline integrity, and particularly to a pipeline inspection system integrating a novel serviceability acceptance criteria for pipeline anomalies, specifically wrinkles, with an improved method of correlating ultrasonic test data to actual anomaly characteristics.
Claims9
A method of pipeline inspection comprising the following steps:
- (a) running an ultrasonic testing inspection pig in a length of pipeline, the pipeline having a wall thickness;
- (b) gathering ultrasonic test data from the inspection pig;
- (c) correlating the ultrasonic test data gathered from the inspection pig to actual anomaly characteristics of the pipeline;
- and
- (d) determining the acceptability without repair of pipeline anomalies in pipe bends through a series of finite element models for varying anomaly geometries.
A method of pipeline inspection comprising the following steps:
- (a) running an ultrasonic testing inspection pig in a length of pipeline, the pipeline having a wall thickness;
- (b) gathering ultrasonic test data from the inspection pig, identifying locations along the pipeline that warrant remedial action by identifying those locations where an anomaly has a surface waveform with both an inside and outside displacement component, the surface waveform height being greater than approximately 1.5 times the wall thickness of the pipeline location;
- (c) correlating the ultrasonic test data gathered from the inspection pig to actual anomaly characteristics of the pipeline.
A method of pipeline inspection comprising the following steps:
- (a) running an ultrasonic testing inspection pig in a length of pipeline, the pipeline having a wall thickness;
- (b) gathering ultrasonic test data from the inspection pig;
- (c) correlating the ultrasonic test data gathered from the inspection pig to actual anomaly characteristics of the pipeline, wherein the step of correlating the ultrasonic test data gathered from the inspection pig to actual anomaly characteristics of the pipeline comprises the substeps of:
- (i) sorting the ultrasonic test data in a manner that categorizes physical deformation features into six (6) distinct pattern types (U, A, B, C, D and E) based on the geometric shape of the data signal;
- (ii) sequencing by seriousness of the pattern type ranked from U to E;
- and
- (iii) sub-sorting the data by degree of signal intensity from the most intense to the least intense (0, 1, 2, and 3).
A method of pipeline inspection comprising the following steps:
- (a) running an ultrasonic testing inspection pig in a length of pipeline, the pipeline having a wall thickness;
- (b) gathering ultrasonic test data from the inspection pig;
- (c) determining the acceptability without repair of pipeline anomalies in pipe bends through a series of finite element models for varying anomaly geometries using both elastic and elastic-plastic material properties;
- and
- (d) repairing pipeline anomalies uncovered by the ultrasonic test data that are not acceptable without repair as determined by step (c).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.