Pipeline damage measurement using handheld laser scanners

Completed

Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas)

Applied Research and Development

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
National Grid Gas Transmission

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

01 May 2014

01 November 2014

6 months

£32,000

Technical Consultancy

London

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, National Grid Gas Transmission

Assess the performance of hand held laser scanners for measuring damage to pipelines when compared to methods currently used in T/SP/P/11 and T/SP/P/20. If the assessment is successful, update of T/SP/P/11 and T/SP/P/20 to include hand held laser scanning methods for measurement of pipeline damage. Complete assessment of hand held laser scanners to determine whether they are capable of measuring the damage within the tolerances specified in National Grid Gas specification for traditional measurement methods. The use of the hand held laser scanners reduce the time taken to carry out measurement of the damage and the accuracy. In addition, if successful, this would reduce the exposure to risk of the P/11 technician with reduced time required in excavations to obtain the required measurements.

Pipeline damage measurement in National Grid Gas specification T/SP/P/11 is currently undertaken using a number of manual measurement tools by trained technicians. Depending on the location on the pipe, the type of damage and the complexity this can be time consuming due to the high level of accuracy required. This project will compare the hand held laser scanner to the current in T/SP/P/11* and in T/SP/P/20** methods measuring different types of defects - corrosion damage, dent, and gouge, across different pipe sizes. The accuracy, speed of result gathering, simplicity of use, portability and reporting of these methods will be compared. The measurement results from this system will be reviewed against the measurement accuracy requirements for in T/SP/P/11 and in T/SP/P/20. Deliverables include: Identify suitable laser scanning equipment. Carry out laser scanning of damaged pipe sections that are currently stored at PMC Ambergate. Comparison of measurement results from laser scanning and manual measurement techniques. Report reviewing results and recommendations for use in T/SP/P/11 for onsite damage assessments. * T/SP/P/11 - Management Procedure for inspection, assessment and repair of damage (non-leaking) steel pipelines above 150mm nominal diameter and designed to operate at pressures greater than 2 bar. ** T/SP/P/20 - Management procedure for inspection assessment and repair of damaged (non-leaking) steel pipelines and pipework up to 150mm nominal diameter designed to operate at pressures greater than 2 bar.Note : Project Documents may be available via the ENA Smarter Networks Portal using the Website link above

09/10/18