Interpretation and Evaluation of Near Girth Weld, Short Axial Cracks in a Petroleum Pipeline

Author(s):  
Mohamed R. Chebaro ◽  
Achim F. Hugger ◽  
Scott D. Ironside ◽  
Luis A. Torres Garcia ◽  
Dorin I. Rusu

A Canadian crude oil pipeline presented a unique cracking mechanism exhibited by short, branched axial cracks located in the vicinity of girth welds. These attributes, among others, translated into added depth sizing complexity for ultrasonic crack in-line inspection (ILI) tools. The scope presented in this paper encompasses results from three crack ILIs carried out between 2011 and 2013. The assessment and mitigation of such atypical cracks required innovative interpretation and evaluation techniques. First, unique ILI analysis approaches and reporting criteria were implemented and validated beyond established design specifications. The goal was to characterize the very short features at girth welds, while understanding and managing sizing limitations associated with conventional ILI analysis methods. This was attained from a laboratory ILI pull-testing program performed on field cut-outs containing cracks of interest, in addition to detailed non-destructive examinations (NDE) completed in field and laboratory settings. Second, customized, depth-independent, likelihood-based evaluation criteria were developed to identify and mitigate cracking with such distinct attributes. The ensuing model was then validated against a comprehensive field NDE program using different sizing techniques (e.g., Phased Array and Multi-angle Shear Wave). This paper highlights the key findings from the analytical, experimental and field studies and describes the novel methodology followed in the assessment of crack-related features reported by ILI.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2778
Author(s):  
Janardhan Padiyar M. ◽  
Luca Zanotti Fragonara ◽  
Ivan Petrunin ◽  
Joao Raposo ◽  
Antonios Tsourdos ◽  
...  

This paper presents an advanced methodology for the detection of damage in aircraft composite materials based on the sensor fusion of two image-based non-destructive evaluation techniques. Both of the techniques, phased-array ultrasonics and infra-red thermography, are benchmarked on an aircraft-grade painted composite material skin panel with stringers. The sensors systems for carrying out the inspections have been developed and miniaturized for being integrated on a vortex-robotic platform inspector, in the framework of a larger research initiative, the Horizon-2020 ‘CompInnova’ project.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2736 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. S. Dai ◽  
Q. S. Feng ◽  
X. Q. Xiang ◽  
J. Sutherland ◽  
T. Wang ◽  
...  

Globally, more and more attention has been paid to the integrity of Girth Welds (GW) of oil and gas pipelines due to their failures with high consequences. A primary concern is that defects originate during field construction but over time may be subject to external loads due to earth movement. GW defects in newly built pipelines are also assumed to exist but would be much smaller in size, and more difficult to detect, which motivated the investigation into minimum defect detection capabilities of the inspection technologies. This study presents the evaluation results of UltraScan™ Circumferential Crack-Like Detection (USCCD) technology for oil pipeline GW inspection, based upon the pull test and in field data from Inline Inspection (ILI) of pipeline by PetroChina Pipeline Company (PPC) using GE PII (General Electric Company, Pipeline Integrity Inspection) 32” UltraScan™ CCD Tool. The performance of USCCD is given according to the ILI data, pull test results and dig NDE (Non-Destructive Examination). It can be concluded that crack-like defects with clear edges can be detected during ultrasonic propagation; however, the irregular shape of weld makes the inspection more difficult. It is still a challenge to identify the type of defects, and depth sizing can only be classified not quantified, which would require more excavations. However, this technology is feasible for the alternative technology of GW defect inspection.


Author(s):  
Damian Walford Davies

Ronald Lockley (1903–2000), distinguished naturalist, pioneering conservationist, author in multiple genres, and paradigmatic modern ‘island dweller’, played a crucial role in defining our sense of Welsh and wider archipelagic ‘islandness’. Drawing on ‘nissology’—a dynamic ‘research frontier’ that brings together the arts, sciences, and social sciences to scrutinize not only islands ‘in their own terms’, but also the complex cultural condition of islandness—this chapter offers an analysis of how Welsh island space is mediated through Lockley’s plethora of discourses, from autobiographical narratives of island existence to definitive field studies and scientific papers, to works of popular anthropology, social history, and the novel Seal Woman (1974). It demonstrates how Lockley’s construction of a series of relational Welsh identities is linked to wider British and global archipelagic locations of culture.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 4967
Author(s):  
Guillermo Cosarinsky ◽  
Jorge F. Cruza ◽  
Jorge Camacho

Plane Wave Imaging (PWI) has been recently proposed for fast ultrasound inspections in the Non-Destructive-Testing (NDT) field. By using a single (or a reduced number) of plane wave emissions and parallel beamforming in reception, frame rates of hundreds to thousands of images per second can be achieved without significant image quality losses with regard to the Total Focusing Method (TFM) or Phased Array (PA). This work addresses the problem of applying PWI in the presence of arbitrarily shaped interfaces, which is a common problem in NDT. First, the mathematical formulation for generating a plane wave inside a component of arbitrary geometry is given, and the characteristics of the resultant acoustic field are analyzed by simulation, showing plane wavefronts with non-uniform amplitude. Then, an imaging strategy is proposed, accounting for this amplitude effect. Finally, the proposed method is experimentally validated, and its application limits are discussed.


2016 ◽  
Vol 97 (7) ◽  
pp. 1479-1482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Ashton ◽  
Meriem Kayoueche-Reeve ◽  
Andrew J. Blight ◽  
Jon Moore ◽  
David M. Paterson

Accurate discrimination of two morphologically similar species of Patella limpets has been facilitated by using qPCR amplification of species-specific mitochondrial genomic regions. Cost-effective and non-destructive sampling is achieved using a mucus swab and simple sample lysis and dilution to create a PCR template. Results show 100% concurrence with dissection and microscopic analysis, and the technique has been employed successfully in field studies. The use of highly sensitive DNA barcoding techniques such as this hold great potential for improving previously challenging field assessments of species abundance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 02 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pernille D. Pedersen ◽  
Nina Lock ◽  
Henrik Jensen

: The NOx gasses (NO and NO2) are among the most important air pollutants, due to the toxicity of NO2, as well as the role of NOx in the tropospheric oxidation of Volatile Organic Carbons (VOCs), contributing to the formation of other hazardous air pollutants. Air pollution is one of the biggest health threats world-wide, hence reducing NOx levels is an important objective of the UN sustainable development goals, e.g. #3, “Good health and well-being” and #11 “Sustainable cities and communities”. Photocatalysis using TiO2 and light is a promising technique for removing NOx along with other pollutants, as demonstrated on laboratory scale. Furthermore, a long range of real-life test studies of varying scales have been conducted during the past two decades. The results of these studies have been conflicting, with some studies reporting no effect on the ambient air quality and others reporting significant reductions of NOx level. However, the studies are very difficult to compare and assess due to the very different approaches used, which consequently vary in quality. In this review, we aim to develop a set of objective evaluation criteria to assess the quality of the individual studies in order to simplify the interpretation and comparison of the existing studies. Moreover, we propose some guidelines for future test-studies. Furthermore, the approaches and main conclusions from 23 studies are independently assessed and discussed herein.


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