Non-Contact Magnetometry (NCM) – Advanced Pipeline Integrity Assessment

Petrollog Technologies offers Non-Contact Magnetometry (NCM), an advanced, non-invasive inspection technology designed to evaluate the integrity of buried, aboveground, offshore, and subsea pipelines without interrupting operations. The technology performs external pipeline screening without requiring excavation, production shutdowns, pigging, or internal access.

Using highly sensitive magnetic field measurements, NCM identifies disturbances associated with stress concentration, corrosion, metal loss, and other integrity-related defects. Inspection results are generated in real time, with each anomaly accurately GPS-referenced from the surface or, in subsea environments, through remotely operated vehicle (ROV) deployment.

NCM is particularly valuable for pipelines that cannot be inspected using conventional in-line inspection tools. It provides a rapid, network-wide assessment that enables operators to identify critical areas and prioritize detailed inspections, maintenance activities, and repairs where they will have the greatest impact.

Technical Benefits

• External, non-intrusive inspection with no excavation or disruption to pipeline operations.
• No production shutdown, pigging, or internal pipeline access required.
• Detects stress concentration and stress-strain conditions that may not be identified by conventional inspection methods.
• Identifies integrity threats including corrosion, metal loss, corrosion fatigue, weld anomalies, geometric irregularities, and localized defects.
• Provides real-time detection of anomalies with precise GPS positioning for efficient field verification.
• Suitable for buried, aboveground, offshore, and subsea pipeline systems.
• An effective solution for unpiggable or difficult-to-access pipelines where traditional inspection techniques are impractical.

Business Benefits

• Maintains continuous production by eliminating inspection-related shutdowns.
• Enables fast and cost-efficient screening of extensive pipeline networks.
• Improves maintenance planning by identifying the highest-risk pipeline sections.
• Reduces the scope and cost of detailed inspections, excavations, and pigging programs.
• Supports risk-based integrity management while improving operational safety, regulatory compliance, and long-term asset reliability.
• Extends pipeline service life through early identification of potential integrity issues.

Integrated Pipeline Integrity Management

Non-Contact Magnetometer is designed to complement—not replace—traditional in-line inspection technologies. It serves as an efficient screening and prioritization tool that rapidly evaluates pipeline systems and identifies areas requiring further investigation.

Following the NCM assessment, targeted in-line inspection and direct assessment techniques can be applied to obtain detailed defect sizing and engineering data for integrity verification and regulatory compliance.

By combining NCM with conventional inspection methods, pipeline operators benefit from a comprehensive integrity management strategy that improves inspection efficiency, minimizes operational risk, optimizes maintenance expenditure, and enhances the overall safety and reliability of pipeline assets.