Pipe inspection systems and methods

• US 6,745,136 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Varco I/P Incorporated (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, Clive Chemo, Harris, John Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHAT, ADITYA S
• Application Number:
  US10/189,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 702/54, 738/658, 736/29, 356/631, 356/635, 378/58, 324/204, 324/220
• US Class Current: 702/54
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/011 Velocity or travel time
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2634 cylindrical from outside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2636 cylindrical from inside
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/225 Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/265 by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/4445 Classification of defects

Abstract

A method for inspecting pipe, the method, in at least certain aspects, including detecting an inspection parameter in at least a first part of a pipe, the pipe having a length, a hollow body, an outer surface, and a generally circular pipe wall with an inner diameter and an outer diameter, locating at a first location the first part of the pipe with respect to the length of the pipe and with respect to the outer diameter of the pipe; and such a method for inspecting pipe which, in at least certain aspects, includes detecting at least a first part of a first imperfection of the pipe.

Claims

1. A method for inspecting pipe, the method comprising

detecting at least a first part of a first imperfection in a parameter of a pipe, the pipe having a length, a hollow body, an outer surface, and a generally circular pipe wall with an inner diameter and an outer diameter,

locating at a first location the first imperfection with respect to the length of the pipe and with respect to the outer diameter of the pipe,

wherein pipe length is divided into a continuous series of length increments and the pipe outer diameter is divided into a continuous series of segments for each length increment, and the first location is a particular segment at a particular length increment, and wherein a master computer instructs detecting apparatus to move from a first series of segments for a first linear increment that includes the first location to a next series of segments for a next linear increment only upon completion of detecting of the parameter for all segments of the first series of segments, and wherein the detecting is done by detecting apparatus that includes a plurality of spaced apart shoes, each with a plurality of spaced-apart ultrasonic transducers, the shoes rotatable around the pipe, the detecting apparatus including related ultrasonic transducer instrumentation for providing raw data representative of a detected parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising

detecting a second part of the first imperfection in a second location adjacent the first location.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising

detecting additional parts of the first imperfection in succeeding adjacent locations adjacent the first location and

providing a presentation of date related to the first imperfection indicating en entire extent of the first imperfection and locations on the pipe of said extent.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the presentation is a map of the pipe'"'"'s outer surface divided into a plurality of adjacent locations with date for each location representative of the detected parameter at each location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameter of the pipe is wall thickness of the pipe.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameter of the pipe is representative of a flaw in the pipe.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the flaw in the pipe is from the group consisting of longitudinal flaw, transverse flaw and oblique flaw.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameter is pipe wall thickness end the first imperfection is detected by ultrasonic inspection apparatus.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein pipe length is divided into a continuous series of length increments and the pipe outer diameter is divided into a continuous series of segments for each length increment, and

the first location is a particular segment at a particular length increment.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameter is detected for increments along the entire length of the pipe and for segments around the entire circumferences of the pipe for each said increments.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising

detecting the parameter for all series of segments for all linear increments.

12. The method at claim 1 further comprising

each segment having data representative of the parameter for that segment.

13. A method for inspecting pipe, the method comprising

moving detecting apparatus around a pipe.

moving the pipe through the detecting apparatus without rotating the pipe,

detecting with the detecting apparatus as the detecting apparatus moves around the pipe an inspection parameter in at least a first part of the pipe the pipe having a length, a hollow body, an outer surface, and a generally circular pipe wall with an inner diameter and an outer diameter,

locating ate first location the first part of the pipe with respect to the length of the pipe and with respect to the outer diameter of the pipe.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising

detecting the inspection parameter for a second part of the pipe in a second location adjacent the first location.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising

detecting the inspection parameter additional parts of the pipe in succeeding adjacent locations adjacent the first location and

providing a presentation of data related to the inspection parameter for all inspected parts of the pipe and locations on the pipe of all of said parts.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the presentation is a map of the pipe'"'"'s outer surface divided into a plurality of adjacent locations with data for each location representative of the detect inspection parameter at each location.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the inspection parameter of the pipe is representative of a flaw in the pipe.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the inspection parameter is pipe wall thickness detected by ultrasonic inspection apparatus.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein pipe length is divided into a continuous series of length increments and the pipe outer diameter is divided into a continuous series of segments for each length increment, and

the first location is a particular segment at a particular length increment.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the detecting is done by detecting apparatus end the locating is done by a master computer to which is input location data representative of location of the detecting apparatus with respect to the pipe and to which master computer is input inspection parameter data from the detecting apparatus representative of the inspection parameter.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the master computer correlates the location data with the inspection parameter data.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the master computer adjusts location data to take into account an actual position of the detacting apparatus.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein the is length is divided into a continuous series of length increments and the pipe outer diameter is divided into a continuous series of segments for each length increment, and the first location is a particular segment at a particular length increment, and wherein the master computer instructs the detecting apparatus to move from a first series of segments for a first linear increment that includes the first location to a next series of segments for a next linear increment only upon completion of detecting of the inspection parameter for all segments of the first series of segments.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising

detecting the inspection parameter for all series of segments for all linear increments.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising

each segment having data representative of the inspection parameter for that segment.

17. The method of 13 wherein the inspection parameter of the pipe is wall thickness of the pipe.

27. A method for inspecting pipe, the method comprising

moving inspecting apparatus around a pipe,

moving the pipe through the detecting apparatus without rotating the pipe,

detecting with the detecting apparatus as the detecting apparatus moves around the pipe at least a first part of a first imperfection in a parameter of the pipe, the pipe having a length, a hollow body, an outer surface, and a generally circular pipe wall with an inner diameter and an outer diameter,

locating at a first location the first imperfection with respect to the length of the pipe and with respect to the outer diameter of the pipe.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising

detecting a second part of the first imperfection in a second location adjacent the first location.

29. The method of claim 27 comprising

detecting additional parts of the first imperfection in succeeding adjacent locations adjacent the first location and

providing a presentation of data related to the first imperfection indicating en entire extent of the first imperfection and locations on the pipe of said extent.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the presentation is a map of the pipe'"'"'s outer surface divided into a plurality of adjacent locations with data for each location representative of the detected parameter each location.

31. The method of claim 27 in the parameter of the pipe is wall thickness of the pipe.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein the parameter of the pipe is representative of a flaw in the pipe.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein the parameter is pipe wall thickness the first imperfection is detects ultrasonic inspection apparatus.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein pipe length is divided into a continuous series of length increments and the pipe outer diameter is divided into a continuous series of segments for each length increment, and

the first locution is a particular segment at a particular length increment.

35. The method of claim 27 the parameter is detected for increments along the entire length of the pipe and for segments around the entire circumference of the pipe for each said increments.