PPIM, Monitoring Pipeline Movement using magnetic-based technology

Geohazard events such as landslides, floods, and earthquakes pose significant risks to buried pipelines, often causing bending strains that can lead to catastrophic failures. Skipper NDT has developed ARGOS, a proprietary magnetic-based system deployable via drone or ground cart, designed to create a high-precision digital twin of buried pipelines. This technology enables accurate geospatial positioning and bending strain analysis without disrupting operations.

The validation process included three phases:

• Controlled XYZ accuracy testing (verified by PRCI) demonstrated centimeter-level precision.

• Cold bend detection trials confirmed the ability to identify small geometry changes (2.5°) as proxies for ground movement.

• Real-world case studies with Enbridge at active geohazard sites compared ARGOS results to ILI-based IMU data from 2022 and 2023. The magnetic-based technology achieved less than 0.02% deviation from IMU strain profiles, confirming its reliability.

Key Advantages:

• Rapid, non-intrusive deployment after extreme weather events.

• Effective for “unpiggable” pipelines and targeted geohazard monitoring.

• Cost-efficient alternative for segments with limited risk areas compared to additional ILI runs.