Pipeline Integrity Inspection and Piping NDT: ILI Verification, UT, PAUT and CUI

Pipeline and pressure-equipment inspection (API 510 / API 570)

This section sets out the inspection work we perform on pressure vessels under API 510, process piping under API 570 and pipeline welds, and what you receive at the end of it. It is written for owner-users, maintenance planners and inspection contractors who need examinations carried out and reported in a form their inspector can use.

Pressure vessel inspection support (API 510)

For vessels we perform ultrasonic thickness readings at condition monitoring locations, corrosion mapping of areas with localised loss, examination of nozzle and attachment welds with MT, PT and PAUT as the procedure requires, and external visual examination. For internal inspections we examine the shell, heads, internals and weld seams once the vessel is open, clean and released for entry.

Thickness data is reported against the locations in your inspection plan so that corrosion rates can be calculated from your inspection history. Your API 510 inspector reviews the data and determines intervals; where you want us to calculate corrosion rates from supplied history using the API 510 method, say so in the RFQ.

Process piping inspection support (API 570)

For piping we carry out thickness surveys at condition monitoring locations by circuit, with added attention to injection points, mix points, dead legs, small-bore connections and changes of direction. Areas flagged for corrosion under insulation are examined where insulation has been removed, and localised loss is mapped rather than spot-read so the thinnest point is not missed.

Weld examination on piping follows ASME B31.3 where the scope is new or repair work, and the owner's inspection plan where it is in-service. Results are organised by circuit and location so they drop straight into your piping inspection records.

Pipeline weld and pipe-body examination

On pipelines we examine girth welds to API 1104 using radiography alternatives such as encoded PAUT where the project allows, plus surface methods, and perform pipe-body thickness and corrosion mapping at excavations and above-ground sections. Pipeline scopes follow the operator's procedures under ASME B31.4 or B31.8 and the applicable federal pipeline safety regulations; we work to your integrity team's specification rather than replacing it.

Choosing the method for each location

Method selection follows the damage you expect, not habit. General thinning on vessel shells and piping straight runs is tracked with ultrasonic thickness readings at fixed locations, because repeatability between campaigns matters more than coverage. Where spot readings show scatter, pitting or a sudden drop, the area is mapped with encoded ultrasonics so the thinnest point is found and its extent is known. Erosion at elbows, tees and downstream of control valves is scanned over the whole intrados or extrados rather than read at a single point.

Weld-related damage calls for different methods. Surface-breaking cracking at nozzle welds, attachment welds and repaired areas is examined with magnetic particle or penetrant testing, chosen by material and surface condition. Embedded or through-wall flaws in butt welds are examined volumetrically with phased array, with TOFD added where through-wall height matters. Where insulation hides the surface, the inspection plan decides which areas are stripped; we examine what is exposed and record what was not, so the next campaign knows where coverage stopped.

Every choice is written into the procedure and technique sheet before the crew mobilises, and approved by an ASNT NDT Level III. If site conditions force a change — surface temperature, access, or a coating that cannot be removed — the change is recorded in the report rather than made silently.

How an inspection job runs

• RFQ and scope review: equipment list, inspection plan, previous data, access and dates.
• Written scope and quote, with the methods, procedures and report format agreed.
• Mobilisation, site induction and permits, then examination to the approved procedures.
• Daily findings shared with your inspector while the crew is still on site, so anything significant can be re-examined or extended before demobilisation.
• Final report, Level III reviewed, delivered with the data files.

Deliverables: what the report contains

• Thickness readings by equipment item, circuit and location, with minimums highlighted and comparison to your previous readings where supplied.
• C-scan images and thickness grids for any mapped areas.
• Weld examination records with method, procedure, technique, indications and accept or reject against the stated criteria.
• Visual examination notes and photographs of conditions found.
• Procedures, calibration records, technician certification levels and the ASNT NDT Level III review.
• A findings summary your inspector can take straight into the inspection record.

Mobilisation, qualifications and responsibilities

Field crews are mobilised within North America; confirm your site, equipment list and dates in your RFQ. Examinations are performed by technicians certified under an ASNT SNT-TC-1A written practice, to procedures approved by an ASNT NDT Level III.

Your API 510 or API 570 inspector remains the inspector of record: they evaluate results, set intervals and sign the inspection record. Engineering assessments beyond the inspection codes stay with your engineers.

What we need from you

• Equipment or circuit list, isometrics or drawings, and your inspection plan with condition monitoring locations.
• Previous thickness data and inspection reports.
• Materials, nominal thicknesses, operating temperatures and whether equipment will be in or out of service.
• Access arrangements: scaffolding, insulation removal, entry permits and site inductions.
• The governing code, client specification and the report format your inspector needs.

Frequently asked questions: Pipeline, Piping and Pressure Equipment Inspection Services (API 510 / API 570)

Do you provide the API 510 or API 570 inspector of record?

No. We perform and report the NDE. Your API 510 or API 570 inspector evaluates the results and signs the inspection record.

Can you work from our existing CML locations?

Yes. Readings are taken and reported against your existing locations so the data continues your history. If locations are missing or unclear, we flag them rather than inventing new ones.

Is on-stream inspection possible?

Many thickness surveys and external examinations are done on-stream within temperature limits. Internal examinations need the equipment out of service and released for entry.

Can you inspect transmission pipelines as well as plant piping?

Yes, for weld examination and pipe-body thickness or corrosion mapping at excavations and above-ground sections, working to the operator's procedures. In-line inspection tool runs are outside our scope; we can examine and report on the locations those runs identify.

Request a quote for pipeline, piping and pressure equipment inspection services (api 510 / api 570) or use the RFQ form below. See all inspection services and ASNT Level III consulting.