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The thermal IR and multispectral imaging sensors are attached below the body of a multi-rotor
orrosion under insulation (CUI) is one of the most common forms of corrosion found in
the oil and gas industry. Many components such as piping systems, pressure vessels, tanks, and
other equipment are insulated for personnel protection and/or to keep fluids at appropriate
temperatures for process efficiency. The underlying metal substrate, however, is vulnerable to
accelerated localized corrosion when moisture gets trapped in the insulating material. Although there
may be visible signs of rust on the protective cladding that can indicate CUI, the corrosion isnt
observable until the insulation is removed and the substrate is exposed. Often the insulated
components, such as process piping, are not easily accessible for visual inspection. To address the
challenges of detecting CUI, ALS Oil & GasPipeline & Asset Integrity Monitoring (Houston, Texas)
and Unmanned Ad-Hoc Industries (UAI) (Spring, Texas) have partnered to provide remote imaging
technology with unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance to inspect insulated piping and
components for indications of CUI. The methodology is part of an overall Intelligent Data Collection
program employed by the two companies to efficiently gather corrosion-related inspection data with
multiple state-of-the-art, highly advanced sensor technologies using various manned and unmanned
platforms, and then process and analyze the data using interpretive software.
http://www.materialsperformance.com/articles/material-selection-design/2016/06/drones-help-detect-corrosion-under-insulation
Ryan Pullen with UAI readies a drone for takeoff. Photo courtesy of UAI.
According to NACE International member Dean Lioliou, director of sales with ALS Oil & Gas
Pipeline & Asset Integrity Monitoring, corrosion costs the oil and gas midstream market ~$600 million
annually. Of that, ~60% of the corrosion costs can be attributed to CUI. When we look at the cost of
CUI to the pipeline industry, it is staggering, says Lioliou. If we were able to simply tackle CUI and
minimize it by a small amount, say 20%, the costs that could be saved by organizations, including
savings due to other issues such as environmental costs, loss of product, and loss of access, are
incredible.
CUI often goes undetected because it is hidden from sight, and it is not always obvious where CUI
may be occurring. Although protective cladding over insulation may appear intact, it could have leaks
because of mechanical damage, degradation of joint sealants, and loose or missing inspection port
sealing caps, which enable water or moisture to enter the insulation. Because migrating water tends
to flow to low points in the insulation system, it can be difficult to predict where water will contact the
metal surface. Unless you open up the insulation and visually inspect the structure, you wont know
that you have CUI, says Lioliou.
Because removing all insulation material and examining the substrate underneath is cost prohibitive,
a common way to inspect for CUI has been to remove small portions of the insulation at select
locations that may be at risk for CUI, and use nondestructive testing techniques on the surface of the
structure to determine if there is metal loss. This method, however, creates a potential entry point for
moisture ingress where the cladding is opened. Additionally, since CUI is generally localized, active
corrosion may not be found if a particular piece of insulation removed is not covering the specific area
where corrosion is occurring.
By using a combination of remote thermal infrared (IR) and multispectral imaging sensors to capture
images of insulated components, anomalies that may be indicative of CUI can be detected on piping
and other equipment, says Paul Ramirez, president and COO of UAI. He explains that multispectral
images can capture image data at specific frequencies across the electromagnetic spectrum and can
detect very small differences in the way light is reflected from the surface of an object. Thermal IR
http://www.materialsperformance.com/articles/material-selection-design/2016/06/drones-help-detect-corrosion-under-insulation