Dexon TechnologyDexon Technology USA recently completed the inspection of a daunting Nitrogen pipeline. Located in South America, the line’s 3” diameter (about the size of a water bottle) and sharp 1.5D turns made inspecting it a formidable task. Since this critical line is used to fill tankers, the stakes were raised higher. Any error in the inspection could stop the flow of goods and prove extremely costly for the company.
Before partnering with DEXUS, the operator relied on external methods to inspect their lines—methods that are notoriously slow and expensive. External inspections can only cover small sections of the pipe over several days, and for offshore lines that are difficult to access, the process becomes even more time-consuming and costly.
The operator had believed their line was too narrow for in-line inspection (ILI), but they were thrilled when Dexon informed them that their external inspections could be replaced with more accurate and cost-saving ILI methods.
Dexon had the perfect tool for the client’s needs: the 3” UT-MC ultrasonic detection tool.
The 3” UT-MC is a powerful device capable of:
Detecting corrosion and metal loss (as the client requested)
Measurement accuracy ± 0.3mm
13000 measurements per second at 31900 samples/m²
Inspecting and reporting in compliance with POF 2021 specifications
Fitting all the technology required into a device narrower than a water bottle is no easy task. The battery, transducers, and hard drive must be efficiently fitted in, while ensuring that it can navigate 1.5D turns, withstand temperatures up to 65°C, operate over 200km, and capture high-resolution data; Dexon’s engineering team was up to the challenge.
The tool had been designed prior to this job and was already ready on the shelf, but it could not be sent immediately without rigorous inspection and testing prior to deployment.
Engineers recreated the conditions of the inspection on the test yard, including the hard turns, narrow diameter, and flow rate. They ran the pipe for dozens of hours, observing whether the tool could perform the job. Once the UT-MC successfully passed Dexon’s demanding quality check, they sent it from the research and development center in Thailand to the work site in Latin America.
On site, the job was a success. In a 30-minute run, the UT-MC inspected the entire length of the line. Analysts on site checked that the data passed quality standards and then returned the tool along with the results back to the HQ in Thailand for a more detailed analysis. Had the operator gone with external inspectors, the process would have taken exponentially longer.
This successful operation demonstrates Dexon’s engineering expertise, ability to innovate, and the savings that their bespoke solutions offer to customers with lines dismissed as unpiggable.
Dexon looks forward to working with this client in the future and ensuring the integrity of their pipelines.