Pipelines

Gas, petroleum and many other products are generally carried through underground pipelines. When a new pipeline is placed, the butt welds have to be inspected according to the valid code. The sole techniques applied in the past were radiographic inspections with crawlers and/or manual ultrasonic inspections. However, with the arrival of semi-automatic TOFD inspections and automatic scanning systems, the use of automatic ultrasonic inspections became increasingly common. These various systems can also be applied to inspect existing pipeline welds and identify any fissures or corrosion / erosion. Additional magnetic inspections of the inside of welds can also detect any faults.