[2C2] Performance assessment of NDT for corrosion under pipe supports (CUPS)
M Jones and S Burch
ESR Technology Ltd, UK
Corrosion under pipe supports (CUPS) poses a significant challenge across many industries, particularly in oil & gas, leading to operational disruptions, loss of product and a host of safety and environmental concerns. Traditional visual inspection methods are limited by restricted access to the critical areas, often necessitating the removal of pipes for direct examination, which can be hazardous. To mitigate these risks and avoid shutdowns, there is growing interest in advanced NDT methods that are capable of assessing the severity of CUPS without the need to remove the support. Due to the number of pipe supports in typical industrial plants, a combination of NDT methods may be required to address this challenge: a rapid screening method for an initial assessment, followed by more precise techniques for detailed evaluation. Through a comprehensive set of blind trials, conducted within the HOIS JIP, various NDT approaches have been rigorously evaluated for application to CUPS, assessing their inspection performance and sizing accuracy. This work highlighted the need to tailor the NDT approach to the application on a case-by-case basis, factoring in key parameters such as the pipe diameter and wall thickness. These findings have informed in the development of a comprehensive CUPS inspection guidance document, offering valuable insights and practical recommendations for the inspection of these challenging assets.
