Pipeline Technology Conference, Efficient Long-Distance Pipeline Georeferencing

Third-party damage is among the most frequent causes of incidents affecting buried onshore high-pressure gas pipelines, according to EGIG statistics. Accurate knowledge of pipeline location and depth of cover is essential to prevent accidental damage. Encroachment on pipeline corridors increases the risk to infrastructure integrity, highlighting the need for precise georeferenced data. Conventional handheld detection methods, such as electromagnetic and ground-penetrating radar systems, face limitations in remote areas and large-scale applications due to terrain complexity, weather conditions, safety risks, and logistical challenges.

To address these issues, Skipper NDT developed a fully automated drone-mounted solution that collects magnetic maps above buried pipelines, providing centimeter-level geospatial coordinates (XYZ) and depth-of-cover data. This automation enables rapid pipeline mapping, reduces deployment time, and improves operational safety while minimizing human error. In collaboration with GASCADE, Skipper NDT conducted a geospatial survey of a 20+ km buried pipeline section in Germany. The two-week data acquisition demonstrated the technology’s efficiency in covering long distances. Subsequent analysis and in-field verification confirmed the system’s accuracy.

The automated process delivered highly precise results and facilitated the creation of a digital twin integrating additional data layers such as bathymetry and photogrammetry. This case study demonstrates the potential of drone-based magnetic mapping for pipeline georeferencing, offering safe, reproducible, and accurate results faster than conventional methods.