New thermography method improves CUI inspection on board FPSO

Thermography is an infrared imaging technique, which detects radiation in the long-infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum.

One application has been to detect wet insulation which is one of the drivers for CUI attack. However, till now there has been limited success due to shiny cladding and other spurious effects that have made CUI evaluation unreliable.

EM&I have combined improved thermographic processes to make CUI detection and evaluation much more effective by combining it with calibrated real time radiography (RTR). This provides maximum inspection coverage with reduced inspection costs while avoiding unnecessary insulation removal.

Thermography on the FPSO concerned was used to pre-screen 169 high risk insulated lines, of which 72 gave indications of temperature variants across 76 locations. These specific areas are then subjected to RTR to identify and measure any areas of CUI.

Danny Constantinis (Executive Chairman) of the EM&I Group, commented: “We were delighted to have worked with our client to apply this technology on an operational asset, which shows significant potential for cost and POB savings while enhancing plant safety”.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/offshore-and-subsea/24092019/new-thermography-method-improves-cui-inspection-on-board-fpso/