PPIM 2022: Here We Come

From paradigm-shifting research to our new VR experience, ENTEGRA is excited to be back at PPIM

Everything you’ll want to know about ENTEGRA and our 2022 efforts are slated to be on display at the Pipeline Pigging and Integrity Management event in Houston, January 31 – February 4, 2022. 

We’ll have our latest CPCM tool on hand, along with a new collection of product and service materials and displays, our usual collection of ENTEGRA gear and goodies as well as an eye-opening, immersive virtual reality experience that will give you a closer look at the world of ENTEGRA, our technology, our people, our history – and our story. 

In addition to our booth activities, ENTEGRA is presenting four technical papers at PPIM: 

Find the abstracts for each paper below. Please note, the PPIM conference program is subject to change without notice. Visit us at Booth 509 to join in the excitement and learn more about the new technologies and programs on tap for 2022. See you there!

Title: Pipe Grade Classification through UHR ILI Survey
Author: Rick Desaulniers, Manager of Data Science, ENTEGRA
Session 4.2 – 28
Thursday, February 3, 2022
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Track 3

Abstract:
Whether for regulatory compliance (including the recent Mega Rule) or environmental stewardship, pipeline operators are required to “Know their pipe”. This means knowing pipe diameter, grade, wall thickness, and type. Correctly calculating maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) and ensuring environmental and public safety, it has never been more critical to understand the characteristics of every piece of pipe.  

For some operators, validating pipe grade can be a real challenge as their pipelines are situated in hard-to-access areas and historical record-keeping is less than perfect. Strict timelines to obtain the information and financial constraints to access some of these assets can be both restrictive and costly.  

This paper will discuss the advancement of ENTEGRA’s Ultra-High-Resolution (UHR) Axial MFL technology and our ability to provide pipe-grade material classification as well as other data sets, all in one inspection run. 

Title: CPCM – An ILI Methodology to Assess the Effectiveness of CP
Speaker: Dennis Janda, Product Line Manager, ENTEGRA
Session 9.1 – 48
Thursday, February 3, 2022
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Track 3

Abstract:
Cathodic Protection Current Mapping (CPCM) is an entirely new way of looking at Cathodic Protection’s role in pipeline integrity management. CPCM can proactively identify future corrosion threats, before corrosion growth initiates, and when integrated with UHR MFL, can identify potential areas of active corrosion growth while the threat is yet small. This small investment in ILI, which can be performed on the same mobilization as UHR MFL/Caliper, can prevent hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars in future corrosion digs and/or leaks.

The CP current mapping tool continually measures the voltage drop in the pipe wall caused by the collection and flow of CP current. These voltage drops are then converted to current values using a simple Ohm’s Law calculation and plotted against pipeline footage for an easy-to-understand graph of current magnitude and direction on the pipeline.

This paper will introduce this unique technology to asset integrity personnel and demonstrate how valuable CP current mapping data can be when integrated with other ILI technologies.

Title: UHR MFL for Assessing True Pinhole Metal Loss
Speaker: Mark Olson, President, ENTEGRA
Session 6.1 – 42
Thursday, February 3, 2022
2:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Track 1

Abstract:
Shifting paradigms is difficult. With the advent of Ultra-High Resolution (“UHR”) MFL/Caliper combination tools, the detection, characterization, and sizing of true pinhole anomalies is a new frontier for axial Magnetic Flux Leakage (“MFL”) In-line Inspection (“ILI”). 

The conventional wisdom to be challenged is that: 1) MFL technology isn’t capable of sufficient detection/accuracy for true pinholes, and 2) in-the-ditch NDE techniques are more reliable than MFL In-line inspection results for (primarily internal) pinhole metal loss. 

This paper will discuss the past seven (7) years of experience with UHR MFL in-line inspection. Pull testing on machined defects demonstrated that 3mm (~0.125” inch) defects could be reliably detected, characterized, and sized to depths of 10% internally and 20% externally at lower ILI speeds (20% and 25% at full tool specification speeds). Subsequently, field correlation on hundreds of internal and external pinhole corrosion features qualified the API 1163 POD, POI, and sizing specifications. Regrettably, this exposed the real-world challenges facing in-the-ditch NDE techniques, and NDE technician experience locating the pits and reliably measuring the true pit depths in-the-ditch. Further laboratory testing compared the effectiveness of various in-the-ditch NDE techniques and identified recommended best practices. 

Title: Achieving Better POD, POI, and Sizing Results on Seamless Pipe
Author: Max Harrisson, Data Scientist, ENTEGRA
Session 6.3 – 71
Friday, February 4, 2022
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Track 1

Abstract:
Natural variation in wall thickness resulting from seamless (SMLS) pipe manufacturing techniques impacts POD, POI, and sizing of corrosion-related metal loss for all Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) In-Line Inspection (ILI) service providers. 

With recent developments in MFL Ultra-High Resolution (UHR) technology, identifying the subtle differences which define true metal loss from the SMLS pattern has been refined, yet there exists a large difference in the variety of SMLS pipe in use in our pipeline systems today. 

Like all things, dividing problems makes them smaller. Segmenting SMLS pipe into 3 categories of SMLS pattern and further classifying metal loss from its traditional geometric classifications additionally into 3 types of corrosion pattern produces the framework for more accurate detection, identification, and accuracy specifications. 

In this discussion, we will explore how we can categorize SMLS pipe, and how we can better define POD, POI, and sizing capabilities for MFL technology in SMLS pipe.