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Intertek’s innovative pipeline inspection solution delivers total quality assurance for pipeline owners

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World Pipelines,


North America is a region known for its vast network of oil and gas pipelines, which serve an important role in transporting trillions of cubic feet of natural gas and hundreds of billions of tonnes of liquid petroleum products each year. The oil and gas pipeline industry has been growing rapidly and this has spurred the need for increased regulatory and traceability scrutiny.

Consequently, the need to access traceable pipeline asset data that reveals the quality and value of the asset, captured during inspections conducted at the pipe mill, has become paramount. Asset data can include anything from pipe specifications, raw materials, coating parameters, stocking, shipping and much more. Without proper digital traceability there is not only a risk for losing paper records but also potential human error during reporting, and uncertainty regarding pipe quality and fitness for purpose, which could lead to reduced pipeline operability or asset failure.

Ultimately, pipeline owners and operators want assurance that every piece of traceable data is accurately captured and verified during the manufacturing of their pipe, and they want to know the data will be accessible long after the pipe is put into operation.

To address these concerns, Intertek has developed an innovative new pipeline quality verification solution, Intertek PipeAwareTM, which offers digital access to pipeline asset integrity data – vital for assurance and compliance purposes. PipeAware is unique in that it combines digital traceability and pipe inspection into one task so that customers achieve full transparency into the manufacturing process of the asset, 24hr/d from anywhere around the world. By capturing the required inspection, testing and material information, customers can be confident that pipeline manufacturing processes adhere to regulatory and predetermined specifications, enabling them to make informed decisions that ensure pipelines operate safely and efficiently.

Whether in the pipe mill capturing testing, inspection and material information; in the coating mill tracking quality control data, such as coating thickness readings; or onsite during loadout and transport, Intertek PipeAware verifies and digitally records all critical data and makes it easily accessible through the software dashboard. Clients can now gain easy access to pipeline data during and after the manufacturing, construction, and operation phases. This capability is critical should an incident or problem arise and fast access to assess the quality of the pipeline data is required for research and resolution.

Additional key features further enhance Intertek’s PipeAware software solution and include:

  • GPS capability provides automatic recording of pipe location data using GPS co-ordinates.
  • The cloud-based system stores data making it searchable and traceable. Photos and documents can also be stored and linked to the relevant data.
  • Dashboards allow users to track pipeline manufacturing progress, reporting errors and inventory.
  • Electronic reporting helps minimise human errors and automation improves report delivery time, providing a streamlined process and supporting project timelines.

David VanderSchee, Senior Vice President North America, Intertek Industry Services, said: “By combining our extensive expertise in pipe manufacturing inspection with cutting-edge software technology, Intertek PipeAware provides our customers with the confidence and peace of mind they need to ensure the safe and reliable operation of their pipe assets. In addition, customers will receive the added benefits of cost savings through better management of risk; and efficiencies through accurate, near real time reporting and tracking.”

As organisations face increasing complexities in their supply chain – whether it is validating technical specification, checking the value and safety of raw materials, adherence to regulatory requirements, or gaining visibility and control of asset conditions and inventory – companies are looking to partner with a total quality assurance provider who can offer tailor made assurance solutions that go beyond just physical quality and safety performance assessments.

With a global network of over 1000 laboratories and 42 000 people worldwide, Intertek delivers a superior level of service for oil and gas pipeline customers in the US and around the world. Our proven technical inspection expertise combined with innovative technology knowledge helps our customers manage risk in their processes and supply chains, reduce costly delays and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. By partnering with Intertek, where they can rely on us to deliver tailored quality assurance solutions with precision, pace and passion, our customers can focus on achieving their project goals while maintaining the highest standard of quality and safety.

To learn more about Intertek PipeAware please visit www.intertek.com/pipeaware

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/equipment-and-safety/14022018/interteks-innovative-pipeline-inspection-solution-delivers-total-quality-assurance-for-pipeline-owners/

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