Applus+ inspects offshore transfer lines of major hydrocarbon company in Colombia
22/11/2022
The Applus+ team in Colombia has provided close interval potential survey (CIPS) inspection services on offshore transfer pipelines in the operating fields of one of its clients in Colombia. 
37.6 km of underwater piping corresponding to three transfer lines, from platforms to the beach and between platforms, were inspected. The inspection was performed using the trailing wire technique, using geospatial navigation equipment with submetric precision, high-impedance potentiometers and Polatrak-type silver chloride electrodes.
The execution of the offshore CIPS inspection revealed that the transfer lines did not meet the cathodic protection criteria due to the consumption of the anode material installed more than 40 years ago (galvanic anode protection systems). For this reason, a technical-economic evaluation was initiated for the repowering of the cathodic protection system that allows for mitigating the risk associated with the threat of external corrosion and bringing it to economically acceptable terms.
Applus+ subsea inspection services assess the integrity of the assets examined, in this case underwater pipelines, through the use of ultra-high-resolution images to detect and assess the levels of risk associated with this type of structure. It is important to highlight that some pipes and assets have to be inspected while they are in operation. Applus+ has different indirect inspection technologies for this, among which is the validation of data from intelligent automatic robots.
This offshore inspection provides ultra-high-resolution images of the underlying material to detect corrosion, material loss and pitting.
Applus+ uses its experience, extensive technical knowledge and internal resources to carry out advanced inspections and conventional non-destructive tests; therefore, it has full capacity to manage the integrity of the plants. Applus+ constantly innovates, develops and refines asset integrity management solutions that help its clients maintain the safety, productivity and profitability of the chemical and oil & gas industries, as well as conventional nuclear power plants.
