Subsea Technologies. For Asset and Pipeline Inspection

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1 Subsea Technologies For Asset and Pipeline Inspection

2 Explorer Buoyancy Tank Inspection Discovery CT Scanner Stuck Pig Detection FMI Grout Monitoring Pig Tracking Tracerco, part of FTSE 100 Johnson Matthey, offers a range of field proven subsea technologies that deliver real-time condition monitoring of subsea assets. Our technologies are used in the non-intrusive inspection of platforms, pipelines, buoyancy tanks and other subsea vessels, including any type of unpiggable, piggable, coated and uncoated subsea pipeline. The technologies help oil and gas operators ensure the integrity of their assets, understand flow assurance issues to ensure continued production, and have confidence in their critical pigging operations. Our services include: Flow Assurance Services Asset Integrity Services Pipeline Life Extension Subsea Salvage Commissioning and Decommissioning 3

3 50% to 80% of remediation attempts fail first time. Flow Assurance Services Flow assurance specialists have long faced the challenge of maintaining continuous flow through subsea pipelines. Over time deposits can build-up and can lead to shortfall of revenue through lost production. When these issues arise, operators face the problem of determining the exact location, extent and nature of the build-up and/or blockage in order to take corrective action, without risking damage to the subsea pipeline or further loss of production. Industry experts indicate that 50% to 80% of remediation attempts fail first time. This is largely due to a limited knowledge of exactly where, what and how much material is causing the restriction. Attempting remediation more than once at least doubles the cost, and while there is lack of full knowledge of what the restriction is, or the extent of it, the second, third or fourth remediation could still fail. Each failed remediation attempt extends the lost production time and is very costly. The operator also runs the risk of compounding the original issue which can and has led to an un-recoverable flowline. Tracerco has the technology to enable operators to pinpoint exactly where the restriction is in the pipeline, how much there is, and identify the nature of the material such as sand, asphaltene, wax, hydrate or scale. We have a long history of assisting operators with deposition detection and this knowledge empowers you to unlock the full production potential of your subsea pipeline and get remediation right the first time. In some rare cases, it is clear where the single blockage or issue is. In most cases, the problem could be multiple deposits across several kilometres of pipeline. Understanding with certainty the location, amount and material of any deposits is the first step to addressing the issues. If modelling is used and indicates where potential issues might be occurring, for the avoidance of doubt and a costly mistake it is only prudent and sensible to use a fast screening pipeline inspection technique. This will ensure all issues are known before deciding on the proper remediation of the line. Modelling is only as valuable as the information available to input into the models. The only way to be certain is to measure it. Explorer Tracerco offers a fast screening service to locate flow assurance issues known as Explorer. Explorer, a unique instrument, is able to screen subsea pipelines for content and deposit build-up at a fast speed, allowing many kilometres of pipeline to be inspected per day. It is non-intrusive with no pipeline preparations needed, measuring internal content from the outside of the pipeline. 4

4 There is no need to remove protective coatings marine growth, or interrupt production to carry out the inspection, making it a cost-effective solution to flow assurance problems. Explorer operates at depths of up to 3,000m (10,000ft) and can inspect pipe diameters from 2 to 60 inches. It has the ability to screen a variety of different piping systems: standard rigid pipe (coated or uncoated), pipe-in-pipe, bundles, and flexibles. Explorer detects the location of deposit build-up by measuring the mean density profile of the pipeline contents and then analysing any detected anomalies. An abnormal density, in relation to the material present in the line, indicates a build-up of deposits. The instrument provides a detailed mean density profile of the pipeline contents and amounts of deposit based on assumed densities. The action you take to remove hydrate build-up will be very different from the removal of scale, wax, asphaltene deposition etc. It is therefore vital that you re confident you have accurate data to avoid taking any action that could be ineffectual and/or detrimental - leading to wasted time, and resource, lost production and consequent revenues or even worse a completely un-recoverable flowline. Once Explorer has located the area(s) of the suspected blockage(s), Discovery can be deployed to accurately characterise its precise nature and extent. Incorrect remediation can more than double your overall project costs and damage your asset. A single remediation attempt can run into tens of millions of US dollars. Total cost by the end of abandonment will be in excess of $200M. 5

5 We learned more in 10 minutes of scans than we had in the previous 3 years of modelling. Discovery Multi award-winning technology, Discovery, is a breakthrough in pipeline inspection that gives detailed high resolution CT scans of subsea pipelines, accurately distinguishing blockages/ deposition at density differences of 0.05g/cc. As with Explorer, Discovery does not require coating removal prior to scanning, which can save operators over 35% on the total cost of an inspection programme. In addition, Discovery can give an integrity health check whilst screening for flow assurance issues giving you a two for one benefit. Discovery is ROV operated, or diver operated in shallow water regions. It scans through all types of coatings on complex lines that are between 6'' and 26'' in diameter. It provides a tomographic image of the results in real time meaning you can act quickly to clear restricted flow and get production targets back on track, allowing for efficient decision making whilst still in the field. Once you have planned and executed your remediation campaign, Discovery can then be used to confirm success of the campaign. By using Discovery to scan the areas where you were experiencing issues, after the remediation campaign is finished, you will be able to determine if the removal of all deposits is complete and see if that particular section of pipeline is fully clear. Tracerco Diagnostics Pig Tracking In addition to the non-intrusive inspection of subsea pipelines, Tracerco also provide an accurate, reliable and proven system for safely tracking pigs and locating lost or stuck pigs. The ultimate objective of every pig run is to complete the required task and return the pipeline to its original operating condition in the shortest time possible. A lost or stuck pig could cause lengthy delays, resulting in higher project costs, loss of production and therefore deferment of revenue. As a method of contingency, pipeline pig tracking through the use of an optimised radioactive source attached to each pig, and Tracerco s GammaTrac instrument, can be used to monitor the effectiveness of a Pre-Commissioning/ Commissioning, Inspection, Maintenance and Repair or Decommissioning campaign - enabling quick and accurate location of a pig if it becomes stuck or lost. Field proven to provide 100% accurate, safe and reliable pipeline pig tracking, with 3000 hours of battery life, the Tracerco GammaTrac instrument provides fast, effective and complete control of subsea pig tracking, pig positioning and pig location. Implementing GammaTrac as part of a pigging campaign is a simple operation that has a proven track record in the industry. An operator will know exactly where a pig is during in-line inspection (ILI), cleaning and de-watering activities, as well as the speed of the pig when multiple GammaTrac instruments are used. Pipeline operators can use this data to minimise the risk of damage to the pipeline and maximise throughput. 6

6 GammaTrac instruments have been deployed across a number of geographical locations including the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, West Africa and Australia and can operate through any wall thickness and on any diameter of pipeline. This includes pipe-in-pipe, topside or subsea, with the ability to be used for gas, liquid or multi-flow pipelines. Our Alarm Unit is also optimised for use with ROV s and/ or divers for up to 3000 metres, providing real time results that enable operators to quickly locate a lost or stuck pig and proceed with pigging activities. With proven reliability, our pig tracking systems can be deployed throughout the full life cycle of a pipeline. Accurate pig tracking is necessary from Pre-Commissioning through operational requirements to Decommissioning. Whether it is during activities such as isolation tool positioning and monitoring (accurate to +/- 5cm), flooding, cleaning, gauging, dewatering, or ILI in steel, rigid, pipe-in-pipe systems or flexible pipelines, operators can be secure in the knowledge the location of the pig is known. Accurate and reliable pig tracking is also applied to foam pigs as part of a pipeline cleaning and/or testing run. If a situation arises where an untagged pig has become lost or stuck, Tracerco can deploy Explorer to quickly and easily determine the pig location. Due to an unforeseen push fluid by-pass, Tracerco s Pig Tracking service enabled us to locate a pig 50 miles from where we expected it to be. Tracerco Diagnostics Flow Study A Tracerco Diagnostics Flow Study can measure the flow rate/ velocity and determine the amount of any deposition build-up in single phase, liquid flowlines. This allows operators to optimise pig cleaning campaigns and pipeline dosing chemicals. This can result in significant cost savings and limit the environmental impact of unnecessary chemical dosing. 7

7 14.0mm 406.8mm O/D 14.5mm 13.9mm 14.0mm 406.4mm O/D 13.9mm 14.0mm 14.5mm 22.2mm 22.2mm 14.4mm 22.1mm 14.4mm Asset Integrity Services Through the non-intrusive inspection of subsea pipelines and platform structures, Tracerco s Asset Integrity services can eliminate costly downtime and keep production targets on track during subsea pipeline and platform member inspection campaigns. Discovery As an asset ages over time, corrosion issues start to arise and the integrity of those assets is compromised. Up until recently, those pipelines have been difficult and costly to inspect due to the lengthy vessel hire, coating removal or ILI retrofitting of systems. Through non-intrusive inspection using Tracerco s Discovery Instrument, integrity flaws of both piggable and unpiggable subsea pipelines (including pipe-in-pipe, pipe bundles, risers and jumpers) can be accurately visualised online in real time. By obtaining an accurate measurement of pipe wall thickness through any type of protective coating, operators can eliminate production losses, eliminate operational risks associated with ILI usage and eliminate the costs associated with coating removal. Accurate sizing of the wall thickness can be made quickly, with a high resolution image of the pipe wall(s) being provided from an external scan of the pipeline. The tomographic image shows flaws within the pipe walls and allows operators to plan for the future life of the pipeline. Deployment of Discovery brings several benefits to integrity specialists: Measurements can be taken online Eliminate interruption to production and maintain normal pipeline operations Allows unpiggable pipelines that were previously considered impossible to inspect to be assessed Reduce operational intervention time so critical decisions can be made immediately by obtaining data online For the first time, operators can obtain a complete picture of the integrity of their complex pipeline systems Removes the concern and risk of internal inspection tools getting stuck and interrupting production It can be used to verify ILI results or used instead of a repeat ILI inspection at key locations It can be deployed quickly by ROV and no modification to the pipeline is required 8

8 Lloyds Register approval for our conformance and industry quality standard in the application of FMI. Tracerco Diagnostics FMI In addition to providing asset integrity services for subsea pipelines, Tracerco also provide Enhanced FMI to determine the water ingress into platform structural members. The Tracerco Lloyd s approved FMI service is used to detect the presence of water in subsea tubular structural members that could indicate a through wall defect in the member. Small weld failures or cracks can occur, especially in harsh environments, and remain undetected unless inspected routinely. Inspecting welds can be a slow and expensive process. The Tracerco Diagnostics FMI system can measure the degree of flooding into platform structural members without any need to remove marine growth or specialist coatings. It is operable as a simple attachment to most Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV s) or can be manually deployed by a suitably trained diver. A highly focused beam of gamma radiation and an ultra-sensitive detector unit are mounted on opposite forks of a variable yoke system and positioned across the diameter of the member under inspection. The transmitted radiation intensity is measured and compared to the intensity expected for a dry member based upon the particular member s diameter, wall thickness and system calibration. Water inside the member will result in a decrease in the expected dry member transmitted signal. The Benefits: 100% field proved reliability It is the quickest, most effective and reliable method of surveying platform members (typically 100 members per 12 hour shift) No need to remove marine growth (as per Ultrasonic methods) Results for each individual member available within seconds A platform can be surveyed nearly as fast as the ROV can travel around the jacket Highly accurate, allowing anomalies to be raised and analysed at the time of measurement The Results: Partial Flooding: <5% of water ingress Grouted members: (full or partial) Wall thickness differences: +/- 2mm Diameter differences: +/- 10mm Node thicknesses: +/- 5mm steel Flooding interface accuracy: +/- 20mm The member status is evaluated within seconds by our bespoke software and highly experienced Offshore Technicians (fully trained radiation safety experts who control all aspects of working with radioactive sources) and ROV/Dive Team. A full report of platform jacket integrity will be provided offshore. 9

9 Graph showing expected signal for a Dry, Flooded, Partially Flooded and Grouted member Measurement window over diameter of inspected member Flooded (100%) Partially Flooded (50%) Grout (100%) Expected Dry Reading Partially Flooded (5%) LIVE Detector Response Self calibrating real time data feed No. of LIVE readings - measurement period = 1sec Tracerco deploys hundreds of FMI a day across all geographic regions Tracerco Diagnostics Subsea Neutron Backscatter Deployed using divers or a ROV, Tracerco also offer a Subsea Neutron Backscatter service which can non-intrusively detect the presence and amount of water within mid water arches, buoyancy tanks and other subsea structures. This unique service provides operators with an accurate profile of the liquid contents within a tank or a vessel, which can be used as an integral part of subsea inspection, repair and maintenance programmes. A Tracerco Diagnostics Subsea Neutron Backscatter inspection can also determine whether pipe-in-pipe annulus is dry or flooded. This enables operators to accurately determine annulus integrity. 10

10 Tracerco Diagnostics Grout Monitoring Tracerco has also developed a Grout Monitoring system that enables offshore operators in the oil and gas and offshore renewables market to ensure the quality and strength of grout during installation operations. The unique technology, known as Tracerco Diagnostics Grout Monitoring, is able to provide quick and accurate grout density profiling. Real-time monitoring of grout density allows offshore operators to optimise the quantity of raw materials, removing the need to over-pump the grout volume saving time and money whilst ensuring the quality of the grouting operation - ensuring a secure foundation with a full traceable record of activity. The system can be interfaced with any type of ROV and can also be deployed using a non-classified diver - minimising the amount of vessel time. A simple and quick calibration method also reduces the equipment set up and changer over time Specific Grout Density Trend v Time Density Grout 11

11 Pipeline Life Extension By using Tracerco s bespoke technologies you can save as much as 35% on the cost of Pipeline Life Extension projects by scanning through coated subsea pipelines. With nonintrusive pipeline inspection and no interruption to normal working conditions, operators can effectively determine the length of time a pipeline can be extended past its original design life, by gathering real time data on a variety of integrity issues including pipeline corrosion, pitting and wall thinning, all without removing the protective coatings. This cost-effective approach can also eliminate the potential operating costs associated with the installation of a new section of pipeline, recommissioning an existing pipeline, pipeline modification, the time and risks associated with coating removal/reapplication and long and expensive vessel hire. Tracerco Diagnostics Pig Tracking Additionally, our field proven non-intrusive pig tracking system can also provide operators with knowledge of exact pig location, as well as the speed of the pig during a pipeline life inspection campaign. Operators can use this data to; minimise the cost of preparing the line for pig cleaning and finding and removing the pig. This reduces the risk of damage to the pipeline during the inspection and life extension evaluation. Discovery Discovery accurately provides a high resolution, 360 tomographic image of pipe wall thickness. With non-intrusive inspection, Discovery removes the need for coating removal, inline inspection and the associated risks of pigging to provide operators with a cost-effective solution to determining Pipeline Life Extension without damaging the integrity of the pipe. By deploying Discovery operators can remove the expense and risk of pipeline cleaning, eliminate production losses and eliminate the risk associated with ILI tools. 12

12 Subsea Salvage Predicting the amount of hydrocarbons (or water) in sunken vessels prior to recovery can be crucial in terms of avoiding environmental incidents and formulating the optimum recovery plan. Tracerco s technology can be deployed to address a wide range of scenarios including an unforeseen accident (remaining fuel, oil or water quantification) or the assessment of remaining fuel in sunken vessels. There are thousands of sunken ships with the possibility of their hulls disintegrating due to corrosion. They thus provide a source of potentially catastrophic and unpredictable pollution. The peak leak period for those vessels is believed to be now, therefore with the use of our technology, the remaining quantities and locations of fuel or oil can be quickly determined. Thus, appropriate remedial action can be taken for example, as part of a Wreck oil removal programme. This not only creates a safer environment for the future but also speeds up the recovery process by allowing a targeted and focused removal plan to be implemented. Bunker fuel is a heavy oil that has a damaging effect on marine life and fisheries. Therefore, its removal is key to ensuring a safer marine environment in the future. Benefits of Tracerco s wreck removal and salvage technology: Allows pollution management control Facilitates critical environmental impact decision making Detects oil, fuels, air and water Saves time on removal procedures Provides live data feed and analysis Our measurement system provides critical information for the management of hydrocarbons contained within submerged or sunken vessels, thus preventing or controlling any unwanted release to the marine environment. 13

13 Commissioning Tracerco s pipeline commissioning services allow operators to verify that all types of subsea pipeline are laid empty or flooded with treated seawater. This can minimise the effects of corrosion by ensuring the correct material is in the flowline prior to start-up. Discovery allows integrity and inspection specialists to obtain data on any weaknesses and wall thinning as well as any water ingress between pipes, allowing both the inner and outer pipeline in a pipe-in-pipe system to be inspected from the outside pre-commissioning. With non-intrusive inspection, Explorer can also screen many kilometres of subsea pipeline to ensure there are no pipeline blockages. With the risk of damaging the pipe removed, operators can ensure continuous pipeline flow during commissioning campaigns. Tracerco s Pig Tracking service can ensure quick and accurate pig location and tracking during cleaning and dewatering campaigns prior to commissioning. By effectively tracking pig position along the pipeline, offshore operators can reduce the risk of losing a pig, thereby minimising the possibility of delaying the commission of the pipeline. 14

14 Decommissioning In assessing whether to extend asset life, inspection of asset structures giving detailed data on the condition of those assets is crucial to deciding if asset life and production is safe to extend. In cases of initial assessment Tracerco offers a range of technologies that can confirm structural integrity with regard to pipeline corrosion and erosion, flexible riser liner and carcass inspection, midwater arch/buoyancy tank inspection, leg inspection and grout detection. These technologies are also vital during extended life as regular inspection is required to confirm the viability of the asset, thus extending the production life. Effective flow assurance is also an important consideration to ensure asset viability and production assurance. Tracerco offer a range of unique and special diagnostic technologies which can effectively identify flowline deposition or blockages (Explorer ) as well as characterising them to ensure effective remediation techniques are used first time. They can also be used to confirm valve position or isolation, track cleaning pigs, and confirm removal of any deposition. Tracerco s FMI, Discovery and Explorer instruments provide vital data giving detailed knowledge of asset conditions which allows operators to make informed decisions on dismantle and disposal strategy. They can give information on the integrity of structures which can justify safe decommission and reef. Knowledge of platform member and flowline contents allows operators to assess the weight of structures before any lifting, ensuing safe dismantle. Tracerco also have a pool of offshore technicians trained as Radiation Protection Supervisors to monitor and control the recovery of NORM contaminated infrastructure and a team of Radiation Protection Advisors onshore to give advice on handling and shipping NORM contaminated waste. In the event assets are assessed and found to be no longer viable, decommissioning planning and execution must begin. The important factor here is to ensure the route taken mitigates risk and is carried out safely, considering the best interests of the environment and is cost-effective. 15

15 For further details please contact: Measurement Technology Centre, The Moat, Belasis Hall Technology Park, Billingham, Cleveland TS23 4ED UK Web: Billingham, UK Tel +44 (0) Abu Dhabi, UAE Tel +971 (0) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel Pasadena, TX, USA Tel Bergen, Norway Tel Perth, Australia Tel +61 (0) Tracerco Limited is a subsidiary of Johnson Matthey PLC, 5th Floor, 25 Farringdon Street, London EC4A 4AB. Registered in England No Tracerco is a trading name of Tracerco Limited. TRACERCO, Johnson Matthey and the Johnson Matthey logo are trademarks of the Johnson Matthey Group of companies. XM1298/0/A