Pipeline Integrity Assessment Using In-Line Inspection

This proposed Phase II effort will fabricate and test a working prototype ILI tool, including a pull-test on representative samples with representative defects under representative conditions. The focus is on oil pipelines, as well as gas pipelines. This program will address some pressing, high priority needs such as reliable characterization of longitudinal cracks (including cracks at ERW welds), as well as the characterization of other crack types (transverse and SCC) and corrosion. This is particularly important for small diameter pipelines where existing solutions do not exist. This goal is aligned with a substantial commercial opportunity for the delivery of next generation In-line-Inspection (ILI) products and services that can enable more comprehensive inspection of critical pipeline infrastructure, thereby improving safety without adding costs and operational uncertainty. JENTEK is uniquely positioned to deliver an innovative solution that reformats the cost structure and reliability of ILI tools. This Phase II SBIR encompasses a fundamental shift in ILI technology away from MFL and Ultrasonic solutions that can be costly and require extensive data analysis. The proposed electromagnetic-based approach will provide the needed sensitivity to relevant defect types (such as cracks and corrosion) while providing the advanced analytical tools provide by JENTEK’s Multivariate Inverse Methods.