Knowing the Unknown:

DiscoveryTM Computed Tomography Scans Allow

Pipeline Integrity and Contents to be Visualised

Kim Thye Lee

Tracerco

Tracerco is part of Johnson Matthey (FTSE 100) Oil & Gas

A world leading technology company providing unique and specialised detection

and measurement solutions to our customers

Subsea services - Knowing the Unknown

• Integrity Inspection

• Pipelines

• Flooded Member

• Mid-water Arches &

Buoyancy Tank

• Flow Assurance Inspection

• Deposition Studies

• Stuck Pig Location

• PIG Tracking / Detection

• Density Profiler

• Radiation Monitoring

Product intro

video (26s)

Merge to live

footage (20s)

Applications

1. Pipeline Integrity

2. Flow Assurance

3. Pipeline Life Extension

4. Decommissioning

Pipeline Integrity - Unpiggable line

• 360-degree

wall thickness

map

Pipeline Integrity

wall thickness map

– multiple steps

over a 1-metre

section

Pipeline Integrity - Coated Pipeline

• 360-degree wall thickness map

• No cost or risk of coating removal

• Ovality of pipeline under coating

• Condition of coating and rebars

Pipeline Integrity - Coated Pipeline

• Void within asphalt/mastic field joint

coating

• Extends over full length of field joint

• No evidence of associated

external corrosion (yet)

Pipeline Integrity – Pipe-in-Pipe

• Outer pipe wall thickness

• Inner pipe wall thickness

• Inner pipe concentricity

• Annulus integrity

Pipeline Integrity – type of defect

Pipeline Integrity – type of defect

Pipeline Integrity – pipe bundles

• Outer carrier wall

thickness

• Wall thickness and

contents of each

inner pipe

• Deposition build-up

5-layer PP

insulated pipe

Pipeline Integrity – Piggyback Inspections

with piggyback

line

• Workscope was inspection of the main export line for

lifetime extension purposes

• Inspection of the piggyback line was not part of the

workscope

• ‘You don’t know what you don’t know’ – water lay-

down was detected in sections of the gas lift line.

Pipeline Integrity – piggyback inspections

Four steps to cost effective remediation

1. Locate deposits: Use ExplorerTM to identify the position – know WHERE it is

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Four steps to cost effective remediation

1. Locate deposits: Use ExplorerTM to identify the position – know WHERE it is

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Asphaltene @1.2g/ccDiscovery image of a clean PiP line

Four steps to cost effective remediation

2. Quantify and characterise it: use DiscoveryTM to identify the type and nature of

the deposition – know WHAT it is

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Scale @2.3g/ccAsphaltene @1.2g/cc

Gas pockets

Four steps to cost effective remediation

2. Quantify and characterise it: use DiscoveryTM to identify the type and nature of

the deposition – know WHAT it is

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Choose the correct remediation method and plan the

campaign with confidence

Four steps to cost effective remediation

3. Remediate efficiently and cost-effectively

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Hydrate Formation

(borescope image)

Four steps to cost effective remediation

4. Use DiscoveryTM to monitor and optimise the effectiveness of the Remediation

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Static – Water/Oil/Gas Flowing Conditions

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Four steps to cost effective remediation

4. Use DiscoveryTM to monitor and optimise the effectiveness of the Remediation

Hydrate Blockage Hydrate Dissociation Hydrate Removed

Flow Assurance Applications – Case Study

Four steps to cost effective remediation

4. Use DiscoveryTM to monitor and optimise the effectiveness of the Remediation

Important to correctly target any remediation:

• Want to treat the actual problem

• Poorly targeted remediation can be worse than none!

• $10M

• Operator’s estimated cost to shutdown and chemically treat a

complex flow assurance issue

Case Study - Shell

Case Study - Hess

Delivering Value through Technology: Offshore Inspection Campaign Leverages

Subsea CT Scanning Technology

31Source: http://www.hess.com/docs/default-source/pdfs/summary-of-an-offshore-

inspection-campaign-with-subsea-ct-scanning-technology-for-hess.pdf?sfvrsn=2

Summary

• Obtain detailed integrity data of all types of pipe walls and complex pipelines

• Eliminate the cost and risk of removing coatings subsea

• Eliminate interruption to production and normal pipeline operations

• Visualise flow assurance issues online and non-intrusively, and characterise

the type of deposit

• Reduce costs on remediation campaigns by knowing the exact amount,

structure and type of deposits

• Endorsed by multiple industry awards in 2015