Overview
| Project No. | 178 |
|---|---|
| Contract No. | DTPH56-05-T-0005 |
| Research Award Recipient | Shell Global Solutions (US) Inc. 3333 Highway 6 South Houston, TX 77082 |
| AOTR | Peter Katchmar |
| Researcher Contact Info | Paul R. Nichols Phone: 281 544-8538 Fax: 281 533-6060 paul.r.nichols@shell.com |
| Peer Review | More than Effective |
| Technology Demonstrated | Yes |
|---|---|
| Commercialized (in whole/part) | Yes |
| Commercial Partner | Baker Hughes PMG 2301 Oil Center Court Houston, TX 77073 281-230-7100 Service no longer offered after GE merger. http://www.bakerhughesdirect.com/ |
| Net Improvement | The Baker Hughes In-line Cathodic Protection Inspection tool is the first method to assess the effectiveness of your cathodic protection system from INSIDE the pipe, bringing operators new benefits. The first PRO-ACTIVE in-line inspection tool – identifies gaps in protection BEFORE damage occurs. * Assessment of sections previously unreachable from the surface * Timely inspection without physically walking the pipeline * Closer interval data collection to improve data resolution * Reduced exposure of workers to harsh environments * Rapid integration of data with other datasets * Assessment of the condition of the entire CP system without gaps, regardless of location. |
| Project Status | Closed |
|---|---|
| Start Fiscal Year | 2005 (05/01/2005) |
| End Fiscal Year | 2006 (07/31/2006) |
| PHMSA $$ Budgeted | $401,000.00 |
Main Objective
The objective of this project is to develop a commercially viable in-line inspection tool that measures current traveling in the pipe due to cathodic protection or stray current from sources other than the pipeline system's cathodic protection system. The data will provide information used to diagnose problems with the cathodic protection system, coatings and others. The tool should provide data in an easily understood format.
Public Abstract
A technique has been developed to continuously measure the magnitude and direction of cathodic protection current traveling in a buried or submerged pipeline, from inside the pipeline. From this information, important assessments about the condition of the external corrosion management system can be made, including: locations that may be susceptible to active corrosion, operational status of rectifiers, location of missing or damaged pipe coating, sites subject to cathodic interference and stray current corrosion, and location of unknown metallic contacts. This technology is applicable for pipelines that are not internally coated and are capable of passing an in-line inspection tool but is specifically targeted to locations where aboveground current measurement or cathodic protection inspection techniques are impractical or impossible. This includes: High Consequence Areas, urban areas where the pipe is below pavement, shore approaches of offshore pipelines, swamps, water crossings and rough terrain where access is prohibitively expensive. In urban areas and crowded pipeline corridors, stray current is a common problem, but aboveground survey techniques are very difficult to perform and analyze. Over the past two years, this technology has advanced from the conceptual stage to development of a working laboratory prototype. Field development is in progress.
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