Applus RTD to attend PRCI development centre opening

Applus RTD is a global organisation providing integrity technology services that has announced that it will attend the grand opening event for the Pipeline Research Council International’s (PRCI) technology development centre. Applus RTD will demonstrate two of its latest technology developments at the event, which will be held in Houston, Texas, on 15 July 2015.

The technology development centre will allow for key issues to be addressed, thereby ensuring the safety and integrity of the vital national and international pipeline system. Spread across eight acres the centre includes a pull test facility, 20 000 ft² of workshop and test space and 9 000 ft² of office and meeting space.

Applus RTD will present its RTD IWEX and RTD Trekscan, designed to redefine NDT practices, thereby engineering out many of the risks of human interpretation, whilst increasing the quality and consistency of weld and pipeline inspection.

RTD IWEX seam weld

As part of Applus’ NDT3D technology range, the IWEX seam weld system provides a comprehensive visual representation of pipeline seam welds, specifically electric resistance welded seams, using full matrix capture arrays.

Ultrasonic imaging allows for visualisation and classification of anomalies. It eliminates ambiguity in the evaluation of anomalies and allows for differentiation between the anomalies that are, and are not, a possible threat to the reliability of the pipeline.

Based on capturing the full waveform of data received at the individual array elements and providing detailed 2D and 3D images, the RTD IWEX can be used for accurate characterisation of anomalies regarding their size, position, orientation and type.

RTD DTI Trekscan technological system

The RTD DTI Trekscan technology is the first free-floating pipeline inspection tool designed to traverse back-to-back 1D bends, with an optimum speed of 2.2 mph. It can run in pipelines that have previously been considered to be “unpiggable”. Examination and assessment of pipelines using in-line-inspection technologies is significantly more cost-effective than hydrostatic testing and more reliable than direct assessment practices.

Developments in the pipeline industry

Martin Fingerhut from Applus RTD commented: “To demonstrate our IWEX seam weld and DTI Trekscan technological systems at the PRCI technology development centre grand opening is a fantastic opportunity to share our developments and our commitment to innovation within the pipeline industry. We share the promise of safeguarding the pipeline industry’s operations and through our technical developments; we seek to deliver enhanced integrity solutions that allow operations to make more informed decisions about their operations.”

Edited from source by Elizabeth Corner

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/14072015/applus-rtd-to-attend-prci-development-centre-opening/