Completion of Development of Robotics Systems for Inspecting Unpiggable Transmission Pipelines

Overview

Main Objective

The main objective is to complete the development of the Explorer II and TIGRE robotics systems for inspecting unpiggable transmission pipelines. In response to the field demonstration program that industry and DOT/PHMSA have with the commercial partner, design enhancements and additional demonstrations have been identified as needing R & D funding support by industry and government to ensure timely introduction of a reliable and economically-viable and unique product for addressing unpiggable pipelines. The work will complete the development and field demonstrations of these two systems and allow for successful commercialization.

Public Abstract

The completion of a research, development and demonstration effort that was initiated in 2001 for the development of two robotic systems for the in-line, live inspection of unpiggable transmission natural gas pipelines, supported by PHMSA/DoT since 2004. Two robotic platforms have been developed: (a) Explorer II, which carries a remote field eddy current (RFEC) sensor for the inspection of 6" and 8" unpiggable pipelines, and (b) TIGRE, which carries a magnetic flux leakage (MFL) sensor for the inspection of 20" to 26" unpiggable pipelines. The work will allow certain design enhancements for Explorer II, identified through the field demonstrations that the systems underwent, as well as the development of commercial grade defect sizing algorithms for the RFEC sensor. The work will also complete the development of the TIGRE system and will carry out a series of field demonstrations in dead and live pipelines that will bring it to the point of commercial deployment. This work will be conducted by a team consisting of NYSEARCH/NGA and Invodane Engineering (IE), the commercializer of this technology.

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