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June 15, 2012
PRCI Highlights NDE Program Focus through Two Separate Industry Events
Over the past several years, PRCI has been placing a substantial emphasis on R&D projects that address non-destructive evaluation/examination (NDE) methods and technologies. The NDE Focus Area includes projects that address in-line inspection technologies and external, or “in-ditch”, examination of pipelines to detect, identify, and characterize flaws and features present in energy transportation pipelines and related facilities. PRCI’s NDE program represents more than 15% of its annual R&D funding budget.
In recognition of the increased focus on improving and developing inspection technologies within PRCI (and, more broadly, the entire pipeline industry), PRCI and Applus RTD (an Associate Member of PRCI) sponsored an NDE Best Practices Day on May 15, 2012 at Applus RTD’s R&D center in Bellaterra, Spain. The NDE Best Practices Day was scheduled to coincide with the PRCI Pipeline Technical Committee meetings, which were held in Barcelona, Spain on May 16-18. The event included a technical presentation and interactive panel discussions on key focus areas of NDE technology and R&D for the pipeline industry, demonstrations of NDE technology developed by Applus RTD for pipeline inspection, and a poster session that highlighted the successes of PRCI NDE projects. The four panels included in the NDE Best Practices Day included:
- ILI Qualification
- Unpiggable Pipelines
- NDE of Girth Welds for New Construction
- Innovation and the Future of NDE for Pipelines
The presentations provided by the participating panelists emphasized the current state of NDE for the pipeline industry, highlighted the successes of PRCI and Applus RTD research, and identified gaps and remaining challenges confronting the industry in 1). improving and better understanding the capabilities and limitations of existing technologies; and 2). developing new technologies for pipeline inspection where current solutions do not exist. The closing panel on innovation and the future of NDE R&D raised the prospects of what the future may hold for NDE inspection technology and potential avenues, even seemingly unrelated avenues that might exist for NDE R&D programs in PRCI.
PRCI Members may download the presentations from the panel sessions and the posters developed for the NDE Best Practices Day in PRIME.
Building on the successful outcomes and feedback from members on the NDE Best Practices Day, PRCI is also sponsoring an NDE Open House at its NDE Repository in Houston, TX on June 28, 2012. The Open House is scheduled to highlight the recent development of the PRCI NDE Repository, where PRCI is progressively establishing a world class repository of pipeline damage samples. The repository provides real-world damage samples that are immediately available for the development, assessment, and/or enhancements to integrity management techniques and technologies. The NDE repository is being maintained to support technology development, NDE inspector training, and provide an opportunity for new/young engineers to see, observe, and understand the types of features that are routinely addressed in pipeline operators’ integrity management programs. Like the NDE Best Practices Day, there will also be technology demonstrations/stations established to provide direct observation of NDE technologies. The Open House at the repository will provide a “hands-on” opportunity to see the types of features that are routinely inspected in the field and understand the challenges associated with NDE inspection. The Open House will also provide an opportunity for open discussion among pipeline industry experts and technology developers on developing solutions relative to the real-world inspection challenges of the industry.
A poster prepared for the Bellaterra session that provides general information on the facility.
The Open House is the first of a number of events that will be sponsored by PRCI at the NDE Repository. Future activities will include additional demonstrations of NDE technologies (including pull tests for ILI technologies) and training and technical seminars on NDE methods and inspection techniques.
PRCI Members are invited to attend the NDE Best Practices Day. An announcement and registration link is posted in PRIME.
Please contact Mark Piazza, PRCI Program Manager, for additional information on the NDE Open House.
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