Recommended Practice DNV-RP-F206, April 2008

Page 62

G.8 Riser Inspection Technologies

A summary of Riser Inspection Methods and Techniques and
its applicability is described in the following tables.
G.8.1 Summary of Methods and Techniques

Table G-1 Summary of Methods and Techniques

Pipe wall
Use on Use on Use on Used under See through See through Max. length
Technology thickness
Steel? Titanium? composites? water? coatings? insulation? of inspection
range?
Visual general Yes Yes Yes Yes No No N/A N/A
Visual detailed Yes Yes Yes Yes No No N/A N/A
Geometric tools Yes Yes Yes Yes No No N/A N/A
Short range ultrasonics Yes Yes No Yes Yes < 6 mm No 1 - 40 mm N/A
(manual point by point with
measurements, single marinised
echo or echo to echo equipment
Short range ultrasonics Yes Yes No Yes No No 1 – 40 mm N/A
(permanently bonded Limited
array, single echo or experience
echo to echo)
Short range ultrasonics Yes Yes No Yes No No 6 mm + N/A
(semi-AUT – TOFD) Limited
experience
Short range ultrasonics Yes Yes No Yes No No 1 mm + N/A
(AUT mapping with Limited
single/multiple experience
focussed probes or PA)
Short range ultrasonics Yes Yes No Yes No No 6 mm + N/A
(AUT pigging with sin- Extensive
gle/multiple L- or SV- experience
waves probes or PA)
Long range ultrasonics Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 1 mm + <30mm
Limited
experience
ET conventional Yes Yes Yes –R Yes Yes No 1 mm + N/A
RFEC Yes Yes No Yes Yes No 1 mm + N/A
Extensive
experience
Pulsed Eddy current Yes Yes No Yes Yes 6 mm N/A
MFL Yes No Yes –R Yes No No 12 mm N/A
Extensive
experience
ACFM Yes Yes No Yes Yes No 1 mm + N/A
Extensive
experience
FSM Yes Yes No Yes Yes No 1 mm + N/A
Extensive
experience
Digital Radiography Yes Yes Yes –R Yes Yes Yes 1 mm + N/A
Tangential Radiography Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes 1 mm + N/A
AE Yes Yes Yes –R Yes Yes Yes 1 mm + N/A
Magnetic Particle Yes No No Yes No No 1 mm + N/A
inspection Extensive
experience

G.9 Monitoring System Details
G.9.1 Data Logging and Transmission Methods
Data logging and acquisition methods can provide response
data continuously or intermittently to suit user requirements.
For monitoring equipment mounted at or near the water sur-
face the power and data acquisition is generally controlled
from the vessel. For subsea equipment, the methods of storing
and transmitting data generally fall into the following catego-
ries:
— Online data logging consists of a hardwired link between
the sensors and the data controller at the topsides data
acquisition systems. An electrical cable link is typically
used for data transfer from the analogue instruments con-
verted into digital format using an A/D converter. The dig-
ital communication is done as per the recommended
standards of the Electronic Industries Association (EIA)
using RS232, RS422 and RS485.
— Fibre optic communication is similar to copper wire sys-
tem with fibre optics replacing the copper wires. Fibre
optic cable connectors are required for this purpose. The
electronic data is coded into light pulses which are trans-
mitted along the fibre-optic medium with a decoder at the
data acquisition end to convert it back to digital data. The
dispersion and scattering of light inside the fibre optic
cable and the loss of signal strength at the receiving end
should be considered. Signal refreshing units are required
at the receiving end.
— Acoustic data logging consists of the subsea sensors

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