MISTRAS provides solutions for non-destructive testing (NDT), inline inspection (ILI), and digital reporting to help keep pipelines operating safely and in compliance.
Helping to support operations for new construction pipelines through pipeline integrity projects, MISTRAS Group and MISTRAS member-company Onstream Pipeline Inspection provide traditional and advanced NDT and ILI inspection services to detect and report damages safely and effectively.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Solutions for New Pipeline Construction
For new pipeline construction, not having the proper tests and inspections performed on assets can lead to an array of problems down the line. Inspection is necessary to help ensure the asset will perform safely and effectively and comply with all industry codes during operations.
Advanced NDT Services for New Pipeline Construction
MISTRAS employs digital radiography (DR) and automated ultrasonics (AUT) advanced NDT services to help ensure asset integrity in newly-constructed pipelines.
Traditional NDT Services for New Pipeline Construction
MISTRAS’ traditional NDT services are classic methods that are trusted in detecting defects to ensure integrity.
Inline Inspection (ILI) Pigging Services for Pipeline Integrity
Inline inspections (ILI) evaluate pipelines internally for damages. MISTRAS performs ILIs using smart inspection tools called “pigs,” which move through a pipeline in free-swimming or tethered deployments. Smart pigs gather information on pipeline geometry, metal loss, bending, and cracking. After the inspection is completed, our pipeline integrity experts review and analyze ILI data with pipeline operators.
MISTRAS completely handles the inspection, from providing and executing the pigging process, to managing and analyzing the data. Inline inspection is a form of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) from Onstream, leaving pipelines unaffected from the procedure. Free-swimming and tethered inspections are used for different types of pipes but produce the same high-quality results. Our inline inspection services (both free-swimming and tethered) include:
- New Construction Caliper
- Stand-Alone Geometry
- Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) Metal Loss
- Inertial Mapping Unit (IMU) for GPS
- Combined Geometry, MFL, and IMU
Free Swimming Inline Pipeline Inspection
Free swimming inline inspection (ILI) tools are implemented for pipelines that flow and have launch and receive facilities. The pig utilized is not attached to an anchored source and moves independently within the line, among the commodity being transported.
Our single combination inspection tool combines all necessary recording instruments into the shortest body in the industry. With a compact yet effective design, only one run is necessary when collecting data during a free swim inspection. The IMU supplies center-line mapping and 3-dimensional coordinates for features within a pipeline.
Another innovative aspect of our free-swimming inspection is the Intelligent Gauge tool. This device identifies, quantifies, and records any spots in the pipeline that could restrict an ILI tool. Our free-swimming tools have successfully inspected lines up to 300 miles in length.
Bi-Directional Tethered Inline Pipeline Inspection
Bi-directional tethered pigs are used for inline inspections (ILis) of pipelines that have no flow or lack launch and receive facilities, which are typically older generation pipelines. The tool is tethered to a nearby truck and enters and exits the pipeline at the same location.
The pig Onstream utilizes in tethered inspections is called the bi-directional Caliper tool, designed to inspect pipes that are incompatible with free swim techniques. The Caliper tool features onboard transmitters and an inertial mapping unit, which communicates with Above Ground Markers (AGMs) and improve tool accuracy. High-resolution calipers and odometers measure deformations within a pipeline and distance. Hall effect sensors provide a faster logging speed and increased accuracy for more precise data reporting.
Our bi-directional tethered inspection tools have inspected a daily average of 3,000 meters with an all-time high of 6,000 meters in a single day, and its advanced services include:
- Geometry
- MFL Metal Loss
- Inertial Mapping Unit (IMU) for GPS
- Combined Geometry, MFL and IMU
TriStream MFLTM — Advanced Inline Inspection (ILI) Technology
The TriStream MFLTM from Onstream Pipeline Inspection utilizes triaxial sensors combined with industry-leading algorithm technology to improve pipeline integrity. By producing more accurate data, it enables pipeline operators to make more informed maintenance decisions and optimizes dig costs by reducing unnecessary excavations.
Most MFL tools are designed to capture only one or two signal vectors, but our TriStream MFL™ tools measure all three vectors. Just like you need red, green, and blue to see a picture in full color, you need Axial, Radial, and Circumferential signal vectors to get the complete picture for Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) inspections for Ultra-High definition of changes in pipelines’ wall thickness.
The sensor spacing and axial data sampling rate provide ultra-high resolution readings that determine the length, width, and depth of metal-loss features, resulting in higher-quality, more accurate data than traditional MFL tools.
While many companies offer MFL inspections, MISTRAS’ experienced personnel know that the key aspect isn’t just collecting high-resolution data but turning it into accurate, actionable information used to support integrity decisions, that increase the productivity and safety of pipelines.
MISTRAS Digital: Mobile, Digital Data Reporting
Traditional inspection reporting is an involved process that requires manual data entry, physical transportation of paperwork, and great lengths of time necessary to process and review data. Seamless transportation of data from the field to the asset performance management (APM) application is the foundation of an integrated approach to pipeline integrity. Data reporting within MISTRAS’ integrated data journey streamlines the reporting process for improved operational performance.
The MISTRAS Digital® reporting platform automatically inputs data into an APM application, making manual reporting a chore of the past. The integrated data highway sends data straight from the field to the database, eliminating the need to manually transport files from the field to an office. Being able to receive reports in real-time in an accessible digital format can transform inspections with improved uptime and overall efficiencies.
MISTRAS Digital optimizes the process for requesting non-destructive evaluation (NDE), forecasting schedules, assigning tasks, executing fieldwork, reviewing results, publishing reports, and generating key performance indicators (KPIs). It allows mobile devices to conveniently store and access data and documentation including:
- Isometric Drawings
- Weld Maps
- P&IDs
- U1s
- Pipe Schedules
- Inspection Histories
With a virtually paper-free mobile reporting streamlining the reporting process, MISTRAS Digital is ushering in a new era of pipeline integrity data management that supports every part of the data journey.
Learn more about our MISTRAS Digital reporting platform.
