Tracerco wins innovation award

A specialist in detection, diagnostic and measurement solutions, Tracerco, has received an innovation award from the Institute of Physics (IOP) for developing Discovery™, an instrument that is able to non-intrusively inspect complex subsea structures.

Tracerco’s inspection tool

Discovery is designed to undertake the difficult task of inspecting subsea pipelines and determining the cause of a blockage without the need to stop production or remove protective coatings. The inspector operates at depths of up to 3000 m under immense pressures and harsh offshore conditions. It uses gamma ray tomography to produce high-resolution images, allowing clients to view and make informed decisions regarding issues such as blockages, build-up and corrosion of pipes.

Discovery has generated sales of over £3 million and created more than 30 jobs. Two Discovery instruments are currently in operation and an additional four are currently being manufactured to meet growing demand.

Second innovation award

This is the second time that Tracerco has won an innovation award. In 2013, the company won an award for a product called Optimus™. This is a gamma radiation-based thickness measurement system that significantly increased efficiency in the petrochemical industry.

An innovative solution to a recurrent problem

Frances Saunders, President of the IOP, said: “Tracerco found an innovative solution to a recurrent problem in the oil and gas industry. Congratulations to the team for this very successful application of physics and on their second Innovation Award.”

Andy Hurst, Tracerco’s Managing Director, said: “Discovery is a truly ground-breaking subsea scanning device, giving oil and gas producers high resolution computerised tomographic imaging of subsea pipelines for integrity inspection and flow assurance purposes, previously not possible. This in turn allows our customers to continue produce oil and gas in a sustainable manner, safeguarding the marine environment and producing hydrocarbons more cost effectively. I am immensely proud that the IOP has chosen to recognise the work of our exceptional team of talented physicists and engineers, whose hard work and scientific endeavour made this possible.”

Edited from source by Elizabeth Corner

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/equipment-and-safety/10072015/tracerco-wins-innovation-award/