PICA: Pipeline Inspection and Condition Analysis Corp.

ADVANCED NDT (REMOTE FIELD TESTING)

PICA’s Advanced NDT service solution uses high resolution Remote Field Testing (RFT) technology to provide proactive asset management for metallic and reinforced concrete pressure pipelines ranging from 2 inches to 84 inches (5 cm to 213 cm) in diameter. RFT tools inspect metallic and reinforced concrete pressure pipes for corrosion through internal liners and scale deposits.

RFT is well suited for cast iron pipe, ductile iron pipe, steel pipe, concrete cylinder (bar-wrapped) pipe, reinforced concrete cylinder pipe and prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP). 

Pipeline applications include:

·       Water

·       Wastewater

·       Industrial water

·       Raw water

·       Sludge

·       Slurry

·       Hydrocarbons

·       Multiphase (oil/gas/water)

INTERNAL IN-SERVICE ADVANCED NDT

For 2-inch to 36-inch (5 cm to 91 cm) Pipelines

Description:

·       Fully autonomous, multi-channel, high resolution

·       Free-swimming for in service pipelines, can be tethered

·       Electromagnetic Eddy Current technology

·       Tool models: HydraSnake, See Snake, Chimera

Expected Information from Analysis:

·       High resolution, through-transmission, cross-sectional pipe wall thickness measurements.

·       Detection of internal and external areas of wall loss, graphitic corrosion, cracks or local stress concentrators in metal pipes.

·       Identification of potential critical failure locations, extent of damage (depth and length) looking at both sides (ID and OD) of the pipe for accurate integrity.

Includes wire break measurements, cylinder corrosion and loss of preload for concrete pressure pipes.

INTERNAL OUT-OF-SERVICE ADVANCED NDT

For 36-inch to 84-inch (91 cm to 213 cm)m) Pipelines

Description:

·       Fully autonomous, multi-channel, high resolution

·       Tethered/winched tools

·       Electromagnetic Eddy Current technology

·       Tool models: EMIT, RAFT

Expected Information from Analysis:

·       High resolution, through-transmission, cross-sectional

pipe wall thickness measurements.

·       Detection of internal and external areas of wall loss, graphitic corrosion, cracks, or local stress concentrators in metal pipes.

·       Identification of potential critical failure locations, extent of damage (depth and length) looking at both sides (ID and OD) of the pipe for accurate integrity assessment.

·       Includes wire break measurements, cylinder corrosion and loss of preload for concrete pressure pipes.

INTERMEDIATE NDT (Handheld EM & UT TOOLS)

PICA offers a wide range of handheld electromagnetic (EM) scanning tools to detect and measure wall loss in cast iron, ductile iron, and steel pipes 6+ inches (15+ cm) in diameter. These flexible, multi-channel, multi-frequency EM tools can be used both internally and externally (ID and OD) and allow for localized/spot inspections to detect wall thickness reductions, individual pits, graphitic corrosion, and erosion.

Handheld EM tools can identify potential critical failure locations and the extent of damage (depth and length) for accurate integrity assessment. PICA’s Bracelet Probe is also available in a version that inspects for corrosion under insulation (CUI).

Pipeline applications include:

·       Water

·       Wastewater

·       Raw water

·       Industrial water

·       Slurry

·       Sludge

·       Hydrocarbons

·       Multiphase

BRACELET PROBE

PICA’s Bracelet Probe technology quickly and easily adapts to various pipe diameters greater than 6 inches (15 cm). The tool is portable, flexible and identifies precise areas of localized wall loss, pits or through-holes for a high-resolution condition assessment.

·       Specialized Bracelet Probe software produces wall thickness variation data in real-time.

o   Wall thickness can be quantified while the pipe.

is still excavated using PICA’s handheld UT probes.

·       The Bracelet Probe scan width is 10 inches/25 cm (external) or 24 inches/61 cm (internal)

·       PICA offers three versions of the Bracelet Probe:

o   External

o   Internal

o   Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI)

UT & EMAT PROBES

PICA uses handheld ultrasonic thickness (UT) probes to quantify wall loss in metallic pipes.

Electro-magnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) probes can measure wall thickness through coatings without the need for a couplant.

UT & EMAT probes are used:

·       In conjunction with the Bracelet Probe to quantify wall loss

·       To validate wall loss data from PICA’s RFT tools

·       To measure wall loss through bare or coated pipe

Pre-Screening NDT (NAVIGATOR)

PICA’s NAVIGATOR pre-screening NDT service solution is ideal for leak detection and is the critical first step in identifying other leading indicators for potential pipeline integrity issues. NAVIGATOR is an internal, free-swimming, adjustable buoyancy, multi-sensor, acoustic sphere deployed while pipelines are in service.

NAVIGATOR can be deployed in:

·      Cast iron pipe

·      Ductile iron pipe

·      Steel pipe

·      Concrete cylinder (bar-wrapped) pipe

·      Reinforced concrete cylinder pipe

·      Prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP)

·      AC and plastic pipe

Pipeline applications include:

·      Wastewater

·      Raw water

·      Potable water

NAVIGATOR – Multi-Sensor Acoustic Sphere

• Identifies leak and gas pocket anomalies with high-sensitivity acoustic and accelerometer sensors. 

• Profiles pressure gradient information to provide elevation surveys and detect deposits restricting flow.
    
• Uses all screening information to identify leading indicators for potential integrity issues.

•  Can identify magnetic features in non-metallic pipelines and baseline magnetic flux readings in metallic pipelines and baseline magnetic flux readings in metallic pipelines.

Pre-screening NDT assessments are often followed up with standard, intermediate, or advanced NDT services for more accurate and detailed analysis of pipeline integrity issues.

Technical Capabilities

NAVIGATOR is an internal, free-swimming, adjustable buoyancy, multi-sensor acoustic sphere deployed while pipelines are in service. These small diameter (3.25-3.75 inch/8.3-9.5 cm) spheres travel freely within pipelines ranging from 4 inches to 78 inches (10 cm to 198 cm) in diameter, screening for local leaks, gas pockets, elevation profile and other important pipe information from pressure and magnetometer data.

• The buoyancy of the device can be altered on-site to adapt to the operational fluid.
• The NAVIGATOR can either float at the top, travel along the bottom or have neutral buoyancy.
• A magnetometer, accelerometer, acoustic and pressure sensor provide data for analysis.
• Data is collected with a micro-USB memory card and analyzed by the experts at PICA within 72 hours for initial assessment.
• Inspection velocity between 0.3 – 12 ft/sec (0.1-3.6 m/sec); Optimal & Recommended Range 1-4 ft/sec (0.3-1.2 m/sec)

• 32-140^oF (0--60^oC) and up to 125 psi (861 kPa)

Do you have high risk water main pipelines?

Do you know the condition of your water main pipelines? Do you want to extend the life cycle of your existing pipelines? Do you want to save money by not having to needlessly replace pipelines that are in good condition?

PICA can help identify the condition of your pipelines using it's patented, state of the art, Remote Field Technology (RFT) See Snake Tools. Join the growing list of owners and operators of water pipelines around the world who have used our service. To date PICA has inspected over 660,000' (200 kms) of water mains.

Identify the problem to help save you money.

In a 2007 report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an estimated 240,000 water main breaks occur every year in the United States. The number of breaks increase substantially near the end of the system's service life. Large utility breaks in the Midwest increased from 250 per year to 2,200 per year during a 19-year period.

The US Geological Survey estimates that water lost from water distribution systems is 1.7 trillion gallons per year at a national cost of $2.6 billion per year.

Click on graphics to enlarge (gallons (l.h.s) and litres (r.h.s.))

This simple estimation model is based on a formula presented in the following publication: The Texas Water Development Board: "A Guidebook for Reducing Unaccounted-for Water".

The See Snake Tool solution.

There is a demand in the market for improved probability of detection (P.O.D.) and exceptional accuracy for sizing of corrosion pits. Competing tools that use Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) require intimate contact with the pipe wall in order to achieve acceptable flaw sizing. Unfortunately many pipelines have internal deposits of scale and others are lined with cement mortar, epoxy or polyethylene, preventing the effective use of MFL tools. See Snake RFT technology, on the other hand, requires no contact with the pipe wall, and can measure through scale and non-magnetic liners. In fact, See Snake tools have a clearance of up to 2" (50mm) to allow passage of the Tools past tubercles, dents and internal deposits.

The See Snake Tool advantage.

• Non-contact NDT method.
• Equally sensitive to internal and external flaws.
• Complete coverage at fast inspection speeds.
• Accurate results that identify both the severity and location of areas of wall thinning.
• Novel mechanical design can accommodate ID variations as well as traverse sharp bends, elbows, Tees and fittings.
• Tethered or free-swimming, fully autonomous Tools for pipeline lengths to 30 km (20 miles), in pressurized, in-service, pipelines.

Semi-automatic Analysis Software

See Snake data analysis is semi-automatic and a report is created as the analysis is being performed. Depending on the line condition, analysis and reporting can be done in the field, but is usually done starting the next day, off-site, to reduce labour costs.

The multi-channel See Snake Tools inspect 360° of the pipe circumference for the full length of the pipeline. The data is displayed as color maps, strip-chart logs and voltage planes. The screen capture below shows two pits at the bottom (6 o'clock position) of the pipe, 40% and 60% deep.

Tools are available for pipe sizes between 2" (50mm) to 36" (914mm)

Larger pipes can be inspected, but require the pipe to be empty.

 Click here to request additional Information

Do you have high risk Waste Water, or Force Main pipelines?

In a report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), since 2003 hundreds of municipal sewer authorities have been fined for violations, including spills that make people sick, threaten local drinking water and kill aquatic animals and plants. Fines totaling $35 million were assessed.

The report indicates, 3 billion to 10 billion gallons of raw sewage spill accidentally every year, from the 1.2 million miles of waste water pipelines snaking underground across North America. Causes of these spills include corrosion pits/cracks in aging pipes.

Some examples are:

• A 42" pipe ruptured, spilling about 20 million gallons of sewage into the Pennsylvania's Schuylkill River.
• A damaged pipe spilled 700,000 to 1.3 million gallons of human feces and other waste into the Grand Lagoon at Panama Beach, Fla.

Don't let this happen to you! PICA can help identify the condition of your waste water pipelines using it's suite of patented state of the art Remote Field Technology (RFT) See Snake Tools. Join the growing list of water and waste water companies around the world who have used our Direct Condition Analysis (DCA) service to assess the condition of their pipelines. To date PICA has inspected over 660,000' (200 kms) of water mains using the RFT technique.

The See Snake Tool solution.

There is a demand in the market for improved probability of detection (P.O.D.) and exceptional accuracy for sizing of corrosion pits. Competing Tools that use Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) require intimate contact with the pipe wall in order to achieve acceptable flaw sizing. Unfortunately many pipelines have internal deposits of FOG (Fats Oil and Grease), scale or sand, and others are lined with cement mortar, epoxy or polyethylene, preventing the effective use of MFL Tools. See Snake technology, on the other hand, requires no contact with the pipe wall, and can measure through internal deposits, debris and non-magnetic liners. In fact, See Snake Tools have a clearance of up to 2" (50mm) to allow passage of the Tools without extensive pipe cleaning.

The See Snake Tool advantage.

•  Non-contact NDT method.
• Equally sensitive to internal and external flaws.
• Complete coverage at fast inspection speeds.
• Accurate results that identify both the severity and location of areas of wall thinning.
• Novel mechanical design can accommodate ID variations as well as traverse sharp bends and elbows.
• Tethered or Free-Swimming, the Tools are completely autonomous robots that have memory, odometers and batteries on board.

Semi-automatic Analysis Software

See Snake data analysis is semi-automatic and a report is created as the analysis is being performed. Depending on the line condition, analysis and reporting can be done in the field, but is usually started the next day, off-site, to reduce labour costs.

The multi-channel See Snake Tools inspect 360° of the pipe for the full length of the pipeline. The data is displayed as color maps, strip-chart logs and voltage planes. The screen capture below shows two pits at 6 o'clock (bottom of the pipe) that are 40% and 60% deep. These indications can be seen on the charts as horizontal jogs in the signal, and as dark patches in the colour map.

Click here to request additional Information

Are the pipelines in your plant at risk of failure?

Nuclear and Thermal Power Stations:

Scientists have always known that the greatest risk in operating a nuclear reactor is the loss-of-coolant accident. If for some reason the flow of water is stopped or slowed, (for example if a cooling water pipe breaks), the fissioning fuel rods could become so hot that they will melt.

The heat produced in the fuel rods is more than enough to raise the temperature of cooling water to its boiling point. All of the nuclear accidents that have occurred in the world have been at least partially caused by loss of coolant.

Some examples are:

• The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant in Okuma, Fukushima Prefecture initiated by a large sunami foloowing the Tohoku earthquake.  Cooling water stopped flowing to the reactor core after flooding disabled the emergency generators.  For more info on this disaster click here.
• The 1986 Chernobyl Nuclear accident near Pripyat, USSR. This was an operator error during a disaster planning exercise, but coolant was lost to the reactor core resulting in a core melt-down.  For more information click here.

Processing Plants, Refineries and Gas Plants:

All processing plants have fire suppression piping systems, as do large campuses, high-rise buildings, airports, military bases etc. All require fire-water pipeline systems.

Many of these systems are aging and are improperly maintained. Lake and river water often sits dormant and stagnating in the pipes causing under-scale corrosion and MIC (Micro-biologically Influenced Corrosion). This can lead to leaks and cracks in the pipes and loss of pressure at the very time that the system is needed to fight a fire.

Don't let this happen to you!

PICA can help identify the condition of your cooling water and fire-water pipelines using it's patented, state of the art Remote Field Technology (RFT) See Snake Tools. Join the growing list of pipeline owners around the world who have used our service. To date PICA has inspected over 660,000' (200 kms) of water mains using the RFT technique.

Use of RFT to evaluate fire suppression piping

The See Snake Tool solution.

There is a demand in the market for improved probability of detection (P.O.D.) and exceptional accuracy for sizing of corrosion pits. Competing tools that use Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) require intimate contact with the pipe wall in order to achieve acceptable flaw sizing. Unfortunately many pipelines have internal deposits and others are lined with cement mortar, epoxy or polyethylene, preventing the effective use of MFL tools. See Snake technology, on the other hand, requires no contact with the pipe wall, and can measure through scale, wax, sand, tubercles and non-magnetic liners. In fact, See Snake tools have a clearance of up to 2" (50mm) to allow passage of the tool past internal liners and deposits.

The See Snake Tool advantage.

• Non-contact NDT method.
• Equally sensitive to internal and external flaws.
• Complete coverage at fast inspection speeds.
• Accurate results that identify both the severity and location of areas of wall thinning.
• Novel mechanical design can accommodate ID variations as well as traverse sharp bends.
• Tethered or Free-Swimming, the Tools are pressure-proof and completely autonomous robots.

Semi-Automatic Analysis Software

See Snake data analysis is semi-automatic and a report is created as the analysis is being performed. Depending on the line condition, analysis and reporting can be done in the field, but is usually done the next day, off-site, to reduce labour costs.

The multi-channel See Snake Tools inspects 360° of the pipe. The data is displayed as color maps, strip-chart logs and voltage planes. Reports contain details of every wall-loss defect in the length inspected, including its clock location on the pipe and its axial location referenced to the nearest bell and spigot joint or weld. Materials that can be inspected with this technology include cast-iron, ductile-iron and steel.

Internal nodules and debris can be up to 1" (25.4mm) thick without impeding the Tool's progress through the pipe

Internal liners of cement mortar, bitumen, HDPE or FRP are no problem for the See Snake...it can "see" through liners up to 1" (25.4mm) thick.

Click here to request additional Information.