LRUT Presentation

Guided Waves Applications
LlogSA Symposium, 19thAugust, Mexico City

Agata Surowiec
Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Guiding the wave of innovation
Outline to Presentation
 About TWI and Plant

Integrity Ltd
 Guided Waves on
Pipelines
 Pipeline Advances
 Structural Health
Monitoring

Plant Integrity Ltd
• Long Range Ultrasonic

Testing
• Guided wave ultrasonics
• Involved in all aspects of
Teletest
 Manufacturing
 Sales
 Service
 R&D and bespoke
solutions
 Training
• Wholly owned subsidiary of
TWI

What is TWI?
• Research & Technology

Organisation
• Membership based
• Non-profit distributing
• Effectively owned and
run by representatives
from Member
Companies
TWI Council (appoints
the Executive Board)
Research Board

Key Figures
1000 staff
£80M/$120M Turnover in
2014
Five UK locations and 13
international offices
On-going £4.5M/$7M
Research & Innovation
Programme
£20M/$30M On-going
Collaborative Programmes
More than 700 Members in
4500 locations worldwide
SIRFTM/NSIRC - £150m
Initiative ($225m)

Oil and Gas Industrial Members
Oil & Gas Supply Chain
Over 700 organisations, e.g.

 HSE (UK)  Chevron
 Petroleum Safety  ExxonMobil Fabricators Regulators
Authority (Norway)  ConocoPhillips OEMs Governments
 ABS Shell
Standards bodies
 Hardware &
equipment Certification
 Lloyd’s Register  BP suppliers bodies
 DNV GL  BG Group Contractors:

 Bureau Veritas  Statoil Inspection
Integrity
Engineering, R&D,
technical specialist
 ENI management divisions of oil
majors
Engineering
 Maersk Design
 ADMA-OPCO  Petrobras
Operators:
Research &
International (IOC)
Technology
 Saudi Aramco  KPO (Kazakhstan) National (NOC)
2nd tier
organisations
Training bodies
Independent
 Transocean  Tenaris
 SBM Offshore  Cameron Onesubsea
 MODEC  Schlumberger
 Technip  GE Oil & Gas
 Subsea 7

Key Technologies and Expertise
JOINING
MATERIALS  Laser and sheet

processes, incl.
ENGINEERING laser welding and
 Materials and cutting
failure mode  Friction and forge
 Fitness-for-service characterisation processes, incl.
assessment (FFS)  Materials/joints linear friction and
performance and friction stir welding
 Risk-based inspection  Electron beam
(RBI) degradation testing
welding
 Materials  Adhesives and
 Advanced & specialist performance
NDT/inspection composites
improvement for  Ceramics
 Fatigue & fracture demanding service
 Brazing
testing & assessment  Surface  R&D developing
 Testing in critical engineering new technologies
environments, e.g.  Welding
sour (H2S), sweet engineering and
(CO2), HTHP, H2 fabrication
 Software tools
 Specialist training

Guided Waves on Pipelines
 Low frequency Ultrasound (20-100kHz)

• Developed for Corrosion Under Insulation
• First introduced into the market in 1997
• Established method for screening pipelines
• Inspection of inaccessible areas

Guided waves offer
 Rapid screening for in-service

degradation
 Reduction in costs of gaining
access
 Avoidance of removal
/reinstatement of insulation
or coating, except at location
of transducer tool
 Ability to inspect inaccessible
areas
 i.e. clamps and cased or buried
pipes

Conventional UT versus LRUT

Wave Modes in Pipes
Longitudinal
Torsional
Flexural

How GWT is Performed

Test Data – A-scans
Source: BS 9690-2
Limitations
• Large volume of material examined from a

single point limits sensitivity and resolution
• Pipe conditions (particularly coatings) and
geometry influence test performance
• Currently no means of providing flaw sizing
from GWT which can be used to determine
fitness-for-service (R&D)
Currently a screening technique

Detection
 Detection of internal or external metal loss

 Sensitivity
Cross Section Loss Algorithm
Best Fit Curve Linear Extrapolation
Ideal Conditions 3% 1%
Reliable detection 9% 5%
 Both Algorithms available in the WaveScan

software.
 Discrimination between flaws and pipe
features; welds, bends, supports, etc.
 Longitudinal accuracy better than 100mm

Performance Summary
Long Surface condition Geometry Contents

range Bare metal Straight lengths Gas
Smooth well bonded
paint
Fusion bonded epoxy Attachments/
Light pitting Brackets Liquid
Heavy pitting
Plastic, e.g. PVC Branches
Buried (earth or sand)
Bitumen coated Multiple bends High
Short viscosity
range Concrete coated Flanges

Applications
• Road and river • Chemical plant

crossings pipework
• Power plant tubing • Tank farm link lines
• Risers • Sphere legs
• Caissons • Pipe bridges
• Offshore topsides • Spiral welded pipe
pipework • Austenitic stainless
• Jetty lines steel
• Refinery pipework • Nuclear Boiler spines

Teletest Focus+ State of the Art
 Practical – User friendly unit  Focusing – Simple identification

and collar design for fast of defect distribution around
inspection pipe circumference (secondary
phase focusing)
 Multimode – Longitudinal
and torsional wave modes on  Wi-Fi data collection
one tool
 3 Ring Torsional –Extra ring  On-site report capability
for further penetration
Copy1r0ight © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Teletest Features
 Diameters – 1.5" to 48" with

capabilities to inspect up to 72"
 100% Coverage
 Test Range
• Typical ±30m (100ft)
• Ideal conditions ±180m (590ft)
 Productivity
• Data collection in minutes
• On-site reporting
• Typical 10 locations per day
• Under ideal conditions 3km has been achieved
 Standard Service Temperature up to +120°C (248°F)
 High Temperature Equipment up to +240°C (464°F)

Torsional Only Modules
 3 Ring torsional only modules

 3rd Ring Provides 50% greater sound energy
 5 transducers at 2 spacings
 30mm
 45mm
 Specifically for lines unsuitable for
Longitudinal
 Liquid filled lines
 Thick pipes
 Buried pipes
 Proven better penetration over 2-ring
 Only Teletest can do this

5-Ring Torsional
6
amplitude, arbitrary units
4
3 ring, 30mm
3 ring, 45mm
3
2 ring, 30mm
2 ring, 45mm
2
frequency, kHz

C-Scan to Complement A-scans
 Also called synthetic focussing

 Single wave mode transmitted
 Pipe features cause mode conversion
 The collection of reflected modes is analysed
 The inferred location and extent of features
is presented on a map

Secondary Focusing
Focusing allows the energy to be concentrated

where the defect is, increasing sensitivity and
giving position and size information
Sound energy concentrated in one region
 Focus results link directly to Report Manager
 Rotation 8 times around pipe
 4 times greater sensitivity
 Multi defect focus capability
Both wavemodes used for
focusing

Focusing
Information about the circumferential extents

Advanced Applications

Buried Lines
60m Inspection using

3 Ring Torsional
Additional 50% of
energy for better
penetration

Teletest Focus HT
 Capable of all functions

of Teletest Focus
 Inspection up to 240C
(464°F)
 Separate HT modules
and transducers
 Special HT Tool Lead
 Uses current collar with
an insulating adapter
 Available for rent or
purchase

Inspection of Furnace Tubes
 Difficult to inspect
using conventional
techniques
 Expensive in cost and time
 Access is difficult for
conventional tooling
 Access: Cut the U-bends off or
an internal tool
 Guided Waves can screen

pipes quickly during shut-
'Reproduced courtesy of Petro-Tech Heaters Ltd' down

What Wavemode?
Torsional
Longitudinal
Longitudinal capabilities
identified the both, the pipe end
and the defect.

Special tool developed for access
 Test loop built

 Tool developed
 Low profile
 Modified spacing
 Longitudinal
 Clam shell design for easy
application
 All connections on the side
 Only 3” (76mm) space
needed between first fin
and bend weld

Offshore
 Teletest provides
information about a
condition of caissons,
risers, deck
penetration, Bestobell
seals and piping
 Splash zone and
below can be
inspected from the
top side
 Teletest can be used
as monitoring tool
(Permamount)

Example of data
TL02

Internal Tool for drill riser inspection
 Current inspection
technique – spots check
 Teletest offers 100%
inspection
 Quicker and cost effective
technique compared to
current best practise

Teletest Permamount
 All capabilities and benefits

of Teletest Focus
 IP68 rated, IEC standard
for ingress protection –
dust tight and protection
against complete and
continuous immersion in
water.
 Easy Installation
 Excellent Data Stability &
Repeatability

Teletest Permamount
 Easy Data Collection

 On-site analysis or remote
analysis by CSWIP trained
operators.
 Wide Temperature Range
from -40°C(-40°F) to +80°C
(+176°F)
 Internal temperature
monitoring tool
 Pipe Size Range: ASME
Schedule 2” to 48”.
 Unique Serial Numbered
Tool Heads for traceability
and control.

Temperature v Amplitude
The Effect of Temperature on Far End Amplitude
280
270
260
250
Amplitude (mV)
240
230
220
210
200
190
m = y/x = 3.3mV per C
180
10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Temperature C

Amplitude Variation
Amplitude Distrubution Over the duration of the Test (27kHz)
The Non-Linear Trend is Due to Seasonal Temperature Variation
(619 Tests in Total)
280
260
240
Amplitude (mV)
220
200
180
160
140
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Number of Tests

Normalised Amplitude w.r.t. Temperature
Normalised Amplitude of the Far End (W.R.T. Temperature) at 27kHz
400
Showing the Effect of Defect Growth on Feature Amplitude
350
Normalised Amplitude W.R.T. Temperature
300
250
1.1% CSA Defect Added
200
150
100 0.1% CSA Defect Added
50
0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Number of Tests

Case Study - Nuclear
GWT testing began in

2004
Change in signal Sept
2013
Immediate part power
operation
475mm fully penetrating
crack detected in July 14.
Weld supports the weight
of the Boiler and reheater.

Design

Access

LRUT for complicated components
• Teletest Inspection of Boiler spines since 2005
• One Boiler spine changed signal in Sept 2013 at Weld
Weld

Teletest result – June 2010

Teletest result - Sept 2013

Actions
• Size the defect (6 months and cost £ millions)

Inaccessible
Contaminated area
• Reason? – Thermal Fatigue
• Inspect the other spines – Teletest and remote
visual
• Reduce Operating temperature – 80% power
• Introduce cooling modifications
• Spine catchers
• More frequent inspection and monitoring

Teletest HT Permamount

High Temperature Monitoring
 Tool design complies with

nuclear industry
standards
 Tool developed for high
temperature monitoring
 240°C operation
 Continuous monitoring
 Online
monitoring
available

Testing transducer collar array at 250°C

Automated Data Collection

Summary
• 32 Permanently Installed monitoring

system on site
• Continuous collection of data every 15
min
• Analysis of data off-site
• Aim to get back to 100% power

A TWI Group Company
Guided Waves for

Tank Floors
Industrial Need
• Current ‘interval-based’ inspection regimes

for assessment of storage tank floor
integrity do not wholly meet the needs of
industry:
• Internal examinations are expensive and
incur substantial preparation costs,
• Time-based decisions on when to inspect
tanks do not always prevent leaks or, in
some cases, failures of tanks.

Tank Monitor system concept
Teletest Focus+
Electronics
Communications
• Tomography technique
• Automatic data collection
• Remote signal analysis
• Time-dependent
assessment of floor
condition
Multiplexer
• Instrumentation based on
successful pipeline
inspection system
Transducers and arrays

Image generation: Tomography
Technique Concept

Tank 4m with 3 defects
(70mm, 70mm, 20mm)

Teletest Electronics
 Due to extensive data

collection more than
one MK4 unit required
 Current status:
Successful daisy
chaining of 2 Mk4
 Connector box for
each Mk4 has been
developed.
 Future: 4 Mk4 to be
daisy chained around
the tank

Tank T1358 29m

T20809 installation
Protective
conduit
Connector
Protective resin &
Sensors Paint over sensors

Conclusion
 Good signal propagation through the 29m and

18.5m (with sump).
 We are now installing systems on industrial
sides of Vopak, ConocoPhillips,
Petrobras,Chevron and Shell
 We are looking for more tanks!!!

Summary
 Structure monitoring reduces risk of failure,

increases personal and environmental safety and
saves huge amount of money.
 Permamount increases sensitivity, reduces human
errors and an impact of external factors on a
quality of data.
 Sensor design has to be carefully chosen for both
the correct ultrasonic parameters and for
longevity.
 Frequent gathering and trending of data allows to
reduce an impact of any variables (temperature)
 Detection performance for corrosion and cracking
is within industrial requirements.

GWT Training and Certification
CSWIP Independent Certification

http://www.cswip.com/verification/
 Level 1 (80hrs),2(40hrs) and 3
 Compliance with ISO 9712(1)
 Meets Requirements of EN 473(2)
 Management and Technician LRUT Training

Summary – Plant Integrity support
 Pi Office in Houston
 Training and rental equipment available in US
 Rental equipment available in UK, SEA
 Training – CSWIP Certified Level 1, 2, 3
 UK, SEA and North America
 Attentive customer support
 Technician support available for overspill work,
report review and mentoring
 Technical experts for specialist applications

Contact Us
Plant Integrity Limited TWI North America

Telephone: Telephone:
+44 (0)1223 893994 +1 281-680-2000
Address:
12243 C FM 529 Road
Houston
E-mail:teletest@plantintegrity.com
www.teletestfocus.com

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Guided Waves Applications

LlogSA Symposium, 19thAugust, Mexico City

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 About TWI and Plant

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

• Long Range Ultrasonic

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

• Research & Technology

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Over 700 organisations, e.g.

 DNV GL  BG Group Contractors:

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

MATERIALS  Laser and sheet

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Low frequency Ultrasound (20-100kHz)

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Rapid screening for in-service

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

• Large volume of material examined from a

Currently a screening technique

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Detection of internal or external metal loss

 Both Algorithms available in the WaveScan

 Longitudinal accuracy better than 100mm

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Long Surface condition Geometry Contents

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

• Road and river • Chemical plant

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Practical – User friendly unit  Focusing – Simple identification

Copy1r0ight © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Diameters – 1.5" to 48" with

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 3 Ring torsional only modules

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Also called synthetic focussing

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Focusing allows the energy to be concentrated

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Information about the circumferential extents

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

60m Inspection using

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Capable of all functions

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Guided Waves can screen

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Test loop built

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 All capabilities and benefits

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

 Easy Data Collection

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015

Copyright © Plant Integrity Ltd 2015