The US airline regulator the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered the grounding of some Boeing 737 Max 9 jets after part of one plane fell off during an Alaska Airlines flight. The temporary grounding of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by US airlines or in US territory would affect 171 planes worldwide. The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said. Safety will continue to drive our decision-making as we assist the NTSB s investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. The Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) requires operators to inspect affected aircraft before further flight. The required inspections will take around four to eight hours per aircraft it said. Safety is our top ...

The Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has reduced its yearly operational costs by 20% and improved its service levels to customers by upgrading its maintenance capabilities with inspection equipment from Fluke. SEC s value-based maintenance strategy which was implemented in 2014 has transformed its maintenance routines with the use of Fluke Ti32 definition thermal imaging cameras and Ti400/Ti450 portable infrared cameras leading to a reduction in power outages. Thermal imaging capability Infrared cameras are invaluable for detecting small temperature differentials and can demonstrate progressive heat changes over time allowing maintenance professionals to detect critical issues before they become failures. Fluke a global technology leader in professional electronic test and measureme...

The second edition of the Financial Sector Conference (FSC 2023) has opened in Riyadh painting a positive outlook for the sector despite headwinds. Welcoming over 3 000 participants from around the world the conference discussed the way ahead for the global financial community under the conference theme of Promising Financial Prospects. Welcoming delegates to the conference Saudi Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan said: I am confident that this conference will be an opportunity to build on experiences and share ideas to address a global economy which is full of challenges and opportunities helping to make the global financial sector stronger more influential and resilient. Panel discussion The conference opened with a powerful panel discussion examining the strategic opti...

The recent Enoc Marine Conference 2022 a premier maritime event has offered industry stakeholders a better understanding of the new vessel inspection regime SIRE 2.0. Hosted by Enoc Group a leading integrated global energy player the conference gathered approximately 250 industry professionals from around the world to exchange knowledge and best practices. It also highlighted the need for change and what change will look like with the launch of the SIRE 2.0 regime. The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) SIRE 2.0 project team was also present at the event and addressed questions on the new vessel inspection regime which is expected to become operational in the coming future. Prepare for changes Saif Humaid Al Falasi Group CEO at Enoc said: Ahead of the launch of SIRE 2.0 it is impo...

Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) Chief Executive Officer Nouf Abdulrahman Jamsheer has commended the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain to replace the Flexi Permit with a set of new labour market reforms. Jamsheer pointed out that the new labour market reforms will include the registration of all current holders of Flexi permits and those without a valid work permit through the labour registration centres. She revealed that more inspections will be conducted to identify employers and workers engaging in illegal activity and that work permits will be linked to vocational and occupational standards to support a more vibrant labour market. The new reforms have been introduced to safeguard the rights of employers workers and the Kingdom s business community she added. d...

Percepto a pioneer in autonomous inspection with industrial robotics has launched its upgraded 2022 Autonomous Inspection and Monitoring (AIM) platform and its new Air Mobile drone. Its newly launched Insight Manager delivers AI-powered packaged solutions for sector-specific use cases such as solar mining energy oil and gas and other industries. Drawing upon tens of thousands of hours collected by autonomous robot missions at industrial facilities Percepto s AI change detection framework offers unified visual data and critical business insights for each of the sector-specific solutions. AIM 2022 can be integrated with autonomous drones and robots as well as other visual data collectors now including DJI drones and fixed cameras. Reports and insights are automatically generated based on the combined visual data. Disseminated to relevan...

The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) is currently developing an updated and enhanced version of its Ship Inspection Report Programme (Sire) tanker risk assessment tool. The new regime Sire 2.0 will replace the current system from Q2 2022 delivering a more comprehensive inspection regime with enhanced tools strengthened governance processes and more in-depth reporting outcomes following a risk-based approach the oil industry body has confirmed. Significantly Sire 2.0 inspections will be completed using an intrinsically safe Ex-proof (IECEx) tablet device allowing inspections and feedback to be reported and documented in real-time. An expanded question set covering core (critical requirements) rotational (ad-hoc) conditional (unique to vessel operator or ship type) and campaign (a target area of concern) questions will be created for each vessel inspection. In another key developmen...

Amid much fanfare Artifya launched Sophie Brussaux s socially engaged art collection of 13 paintings worth 66 million on March 31. The project began with the auction of a painting called 2020 Vision on social media platform Clubhouse and NFT marketplace OpenSea. As a testament to its success the launch was followed by overwhelming traffic to the Artifya website resulting in a temporary halt of sales. However the bidding is still open on Opensea and the paintings will henceforth be launched weekly. Based on early response Brussaux s NFTs are expected to engage over 300 000 users and 30 000 customers/investors. These paintings will showcase Artifya s innovative technology that ages NFTs over the period of nine years in what can be termed as representative of an artworks life-cycle value. A significant portion of the sales proceeds will go towards soci...

Premium Inspection & Testing (PIT) conducted a first-of-its-kind internal coke drum inspection at an oil refinery using a combination of drone technology and manned rope access resulting in 250 000 in savings for its client. Inspection experts from PIT were recently asked to conduct an internal inspection of a coke drum at an oil refinery in Texas without using scaffolding. Scaffolding is typically constructed for inspectors to stand on so that they can see the areas they are inspecting up close. Because scaffolding is expensive and time-consuming to put up and take down personnel at the refinery were hoping to avoid using it. Inspectors from PIT proposed using a method that had never been tried before for this kind of inspection: a combination of drone technology and manned rope access within the coke drum. Premium has years of ...

Siemens and Log.Go.Motion a specialist in the digitalization of processes in industry and logistics have signed a partnership leading to Siemens becoming the exclusive global third-party distributor for digital inspection checklist software. Moby.Check can be used to create control and monitor individual digital inspection checklists for servicing and maintenance procedures as well as for production and logistics processes. The software system has been developed for global use in industry. Moby.Check offers simple navigation and a flexible authorization concept. Via a customizable interface on the PC users can create individual inspection checklists that meet their requirements without programming effort for mobile servicing and maintenance. Templates and interfaces for supplying data for the inspection checklists reduce possible errors and eliminate the effort associated with data acquisition. Users can select checking...

Cyberhawk a global leader in drone-based inspection has secured a five-year contract with the world s largest LNG producer in the Middle East for the provision of drone inspection surveying and data visualisation services. The contract will see Cyberhawk focus on collecting engineering-grade inspection data from oil and gas assets in the Middle East onshore and offshore which will be delivered as detailed inspection reports via iHawk a cloud-based asset visualisation software Established in 2014 iHawk allows asset teams to view up-to-date visual data securely in the cloud. The software improves asset management and decision-making by allowing managers to intuitively access inspection data that highlights where they can monitor defects and degradation before deciding what action should be taken and when. The contract with the state-owned oil and gas company was ...

The Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) recently launched self-inspection procedure for all private marine leisure crafts with length not exceeding eight metres. The announcement was made amid DMCA s continued efforts to provide integrated packages of maritime facilities and smart services tailored to meet the needs of Dubai s marine leisure sector. The new procedure enables the remote licensing of leisure crafts without the need to visit the customer happiness centres. Under the new self-inspection mechanism the boat owners can take the required pictures of their marine crafts and upload them online in the prescribed format. After completing the process DMCA officials will review and send the approval electronically. The self-inspection procedure for leisure crafts forms part of DMCA-led maritime innovation and digitalisation strategies designed to provi...

The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn) represented by Madayn Industrial Academy organised a two-day online workshop to highlight inspection operations and follow-up of precautionary measures in the industrial firms. The workshop comes in line with the academy s programme to train and develop skills of human cadres in the various industrial cities it said. Delivered by Eng. Basim Al Zadjali senior health safety and environmental health specialist at Madayn the workshop aimed at underscoring the basics of inspection visits and the procedures to be followed in the event of any coronavirus infected cases in the industrial firms. TradeArabia News Service ...

Intertek a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide is increasing the availability of its innovative Remote Video Inspection (RVI) service a technological solution driven by its Total Quality Assurance experts to ensure business continuity of critical vendor inspection services across the oil and gas supply chain during the current health and safety site restrictions. With the unprecedented global spread of Covid-19 governments and businesses around the world are taking steps to respond to the outbreak and to protect the health wellbeing and safety of their people. These actions also impact International Oil Companies (IOCs) and National Oil Companies (NOCs) based in the Middle East and North Africa region and their regional and international vendors that have implemented policies to restrict the access of third parties to their sites to undertake crucial audit and inspection services....

The Public Establishment for Industrial Estates Madayn has said that it continues its intensive efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19) and mitigate its effects in the various industrial cities. Eng Basim Al Zadjali senior health safety and environmental health specialist at Madayn stated that ever since Madayn began its procedures to fight this pandemic inspection visits to 1855 industrial units have been conducted until last week. Of these visits 1456 industrial units were found adhering to the precautionary procedures while warnings and practice correction notices were issued to 399 industrial units Al Zadjali informed. He added that during these inspection visits Madayn officials aim at disseminating awareness among the workers in the companies and factories on safe and healthy practices at the workplace. The visits ...

Bureau Veritas a world leader in testing inspection and certification services is reporting a 900% rise in demand for the remote inspection of offshore assets and equipment since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. Bureau Veritas says requests for its remote inspection certification examination and verification services has escalated from a want to a need this year as businesses seek to keep employees safe from the coronavirus. A number of remote inspection solutions are already in progress for operators and oilfield service companies and there have been in excess of 20 additional requests since the start of this year it said. Inspections and verification are vital for offshore companies to comply with legislation and ensure the efficiency and performance of their assets and equipment. Through the use of mobile cameras and the existi...

The Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) carried out 38 123 inspection and supervisory visits to commercial facilities in markets and outlets across the three regions of Abu Dhabi in the first quarter (Q1) of the year. This was done as a part of its annual plan for combating illegal business practices that violate the conditions laws and regulations of conducting business in the Emirate as well as protecting consumers rights and intellectual property. Trade Protection Activity Report for the 1st quarter of this year issued by the Department of Trade Protection at the Abu Dhabi Business Center Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development mentioned that a series of inspection and supervisory visits to commercial facilities which were organized in the 1st quarter were distributed as follows: 16768 visits in Abu Dhabi city 15505 visits in Al Ain city and 5850 visits in Al Dhafra region. Mohamed Rashed Al Rumai...

A rare oil sketch by renowned Dutch artist Rembrandt van Rijn will make its first appearance at Louvre Abu Dhabi this month said a report. The masterpiece The Head of a Young Man in Prayer will be on display from February 14 to May 18 during the Rembrandt Vermeer & the Dutch Golden Age: Masterpieces from The Leiden Collection and the Musée du Louvre exhibition said a report in Wam . Painted on an oak panel in the Dutch Republic (now the Netherlands) and identified as the Master s work in the 1930s it belongs to a series of oil sketches referred to as Rembrandt s Face of Jesus group. Head of a young man was purchased by Louvre Abu Dhabi in December and is the first work by Rembrandt known to have been acquired for a public collection in the Gulf region. It will join the Abu Dhabi museum s permanent collection after the exhibition. The acqu...

Netherlands-based Intero Integrity Services a leading inspection and industrial services specialist has announced the successful deployment of the OTIS500 robot during a low flash point in-service tank inspection for Dutch tank storage firm Vopak. The Atex approved tank inspection robot is specially developed for live deployment eliminating the need to take the tank offline saving man-hours and tank downtime said a statement from the company. Additionally using an unmanned solution for tank inspection means that there are less health and safety concerns regarding the procedure and a reduction in the emission of hydrocarbon vapours and waste water it said. Tan Soo Koong managing director Vopak Terminals said: As we drive the digital and innovative transformation of the tank storage industry our partnership with Intero allows us to leverage on technology such as inspection robotics and big data analytics to create...

Dubai s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) has launched a new generation of vehicle inspection using innovative technologies at the top information and communications technology ( ICT) trade fair Gitex Technology Week in Dubai. The state-of-the-art process renders the inspection faster easier and more accurate for RTA and customers alike said a statement from RTA. We are striving to boost the government s drive to rank Dubai the smartest and happiest city worldwide using cutting-edge technology especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems remarked AbdullaYousef Al Ali the chief executive of RTA s Licensing Agency. Despite the contemporary technology & information revolution era vehicle inspection technology still hinges entirely on traditional methods and human factor. This situation has prompted RTA to develop a new generation of advanced solutions tailored to deliver high-quality and accura...

The Louvre Abu Dhabi s unveiling of the Salvator Mundi a 500-year-old painting of Jesus Christ by Leonardo da Vinci has been postponed it was announced. The painting which was bought at a Christie s auction last year for a record 450 million was due to be unveiled on September 18. The postponement of the unveiling of Leonardo da Vinci s Salvator Mundi was announced in a tweet by Abu Dhabi s culture and tourism department. More details will be announced soon it said. The Salvator Mundi painted in the 1500s is only one of the fewer than 20 paintings in existence acknowledged as being the work of the famed Renaissance master. Considered to be one of the most expensive paintings in the world the Salvator Mundi was reportedly bought by a member of the Saudi royal family. - TradeArabia News Service ...

Dubai-based Waterfront Market an integrated quality fresh food destination has launched a unique mural painting competition aimed at creating a vibrant depiction of the cultural and economic transformation of the UAE community. The competition is part of the Waterfront Market s community-focused initiatives that celebrate the diversity and exceptional progress of the country and support the growing local art scene. The Waterfront Market has urged young and upcoming artists across the UAE to participate in an open platform and submit their works before September 16. This is a chance to become known for an award-winning mural that will remain an icon of development adorning one of the Waterfront Market s main walls. The competition s theme broadly covers the UAE s rich heritage and achievements as a nation. Issam Galadari chief executive officer Ithra Dubai said: The Waterfront Market Mur...

H3 Dynamics Holdings announces the launch of H3 Zoom.AI a new cloud-based and artificial intelligence enabled services platform that connects with camera drones to offer a safer faster and more accurate alternative to dangerous difficult to reach or mass-scale maintenance inspection activities. With a first focus on Smart Cities H3 Zoom is launching Façade Inspector (video) a visual inspection tool that leverages machine learning and drones to transform the way high-rise building facades are inspected and maintained. Façade Inspector by H3 Zoom will be unveiled for the first time at the 2018 World Cities Summit Singapore Pavilion (Booth S30) on July 9-11. As new regulations call for an increase in inspection frequencies while the amount of buildings continues to grow H3 Zoom s Façade Inspector addresses the scalability challenge by introducing a fully digitized process that can scan a high-rise...

A 500-year-old painting by Leonardo da Vinci will be unveiled to the public at the Louvre Abu Dhabi on September 18 said a report. Known as Salvator Mundi (Saviour of the World) the painting was sold for a record 450 million at a Christie s auction in November said a report in WAM. Acquired by the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) in 2017 Salvator Mundi is one of fewer than 20 known surviving paintings by the Italian Renaissance master one of history s greatest and most renowned artists and is his final work to enter into a cultural institution s collection. Dating from around 1500 Salvator Mundi is an oil on panel painting executed onto a walnut panel depicting a half-length figure of Christ as Saviour of the World facing the viewer and dressed in flowing robes of lapis and crimson. The figure holds a crystal orb in his left hand as he raises his right hand in benediction. I...

Finland-based Ginolis an innovative provider of assembly automation liquid handling and quality inspection solutions has announced the launch of Pixie a standard system for automated optical quality inspection. Ginolis Pixie can be used to inspect a wide variety of medical device and diagnostic components including difficult to measure colours and materials such as glossy matte and transparent surfaces said a statement from the company. Measurement possibilities are dimensions in 2D/3D and visual defects such as spots impurities scratches air bubbles voids and foil continuity. Pixie can be configured with two to five servo driven axis movement and the high-speed measurement capabilities make it suitable for inline and stand-alone solutions it said. Pia Pihl metrology specialist Ginolis said: Pixie is the result of combining our company s core values from innovative and flexible automation with novel optical ...

A Leonardo da Vinci painting sold for a record 450 million last month at a Christie s auction is making its way to the Louvre Abu Dhabi the museum has said. The 500-year-old painting is known as Salvator Mundi (Saviour of the World). Da Vinci s Salvator Mundi is coming to LouvreAbuDhabi the museum said on Twitter in Arabic English and French displaying an image of the work. Auction house Christie s has declined to identify the buyer of the painting at the time of the auction but media reports say it was purchased by Saudi Arabia s Prince Bader bin Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Farhan al-Saud. The first museum to bear the Louvre name outside France The Louvre Abu Dhabi opened on November 8 in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron. It holds 600 artworks permanently and 300 loaned from France. The museum pays Paris hundreds of millions of dollars for this as well ...

The UAE Federal Customs Authority (FCA) and Dubai Customs have signed an agreement for delivery of inspection devices to Dubai Customs in its quest to implement the latest and best inspection and control standards. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed by Mohammad Juma Nasser Boussaiba Director-General of the UAE FCA and Ahmed Mahbooh Musabih of Dubai Customs. The FCA will also provide training for Dubai Customs staff on how to use the new devices plus the regular maintenance. The signing of this MoU is part of Federal Customs Authority s strategy to enhance borders and entries following the directives of our wise leadership Boussaiba said. It s also part of the new responsibilities in control and inspection given to the Authority under law (8) in 2015 he added. Boussaiba pointed out that supporting all local customs departments is a priority and to help them ...

Inspecting a pipeline is a complex operation as it must be completed safely with minimal disruption to production. It is often fraught with complications due to the varying dimensions that the pipeline exhibits in order to operate in deepwater Inspecting a deepwater pipeline is extremely challenging. One problem might be that it lies more than 2 000 m (6 500 ft.) subsea giving rise to issues commonly associated with working in this remote environment such as high pressure and accessibility. Another is that the pipeline was probably not designed with a view to making it piggable and easy to inspect. As a result inspection is often problematic time-consuming and expensive. To address these issues a customised inline inspection (ILI) tool that employs ultrasonic technology has proven to be a very effective field-proven solution. This White Paper By NDT Global will discuss how using bespoke inspection technology combined with greater...

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said it has launched a pilot project for the world s first virtual reality (VR) remote inspection for utility maintenance. This is in implementation of the National Innovation Strategy launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to make the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world. The project also supports Dewa s vision to become a sustainable and innovative world-class utility said a statement from the utility. The pilot project combines autonomous robots from SAP s VR and Internet of Things (IoT) to remotely inspect Dewa s electricity and water networks. As a result it will enhance the utility inspection and maintenance by making it faster safer and more cost-effective. Dewa said that it was currently deploying the system as a proof of concept in a high-...

Qatar s Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy has reached an agreement with the global Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) group for joint inspections of its World Cup 2022 construction sites besides the workers accommodation. The BWI represents more than 300 trade unions representing some 12 million members globally. Qatar World Cup 2022 organisers under fire over labour conditions on Tuesday said it will allow international trade union inspections of stadium sites from next year according to AFP. The confederation has been critical of Qatar in the past urging it stop abuse of workers. Last year it stated that proposed reforms do not go far enough. The Supreme Committee said the partnership with BWI was a major step and comes as Qatar prepares to dramatically increase the number of labourers working on World Cup projects from around 10 000 to more than 30 000 over the next year. ...

Intertek a leading total quality assurance provider to industries worldwide has won a third party inspection (TPI) quality assurance and quality control contract from Petroleum Development Oman (PDO). Under the seven-year contract Intertek will deliver independent inspection services globally to support all of PDO s north region oil and gas projects. Intertek will also deliver quality assurance and control services documentation review and auditing services on current and future projects said a statement from the company Moreover Intertek s global network of industry-recognised technical expertise will be utilised to safeguard the quality of materials ensure on-time delivery of equipment and vendor compliance as well as confirm that all of PDO s north region projects conform to the company s engineering construction and operating standards it added. PDO operates in a concession area of ab...

A leading international provider of inspection services TUV Rheinland has to strategically strengthen its presence in other geographies to sustain its revenue growth and profitability says a report by GlobalData TUV Rheinland Group (TUV Rheinland) is a leading global independent test provider. The company tests technical systems products and services supports projects and designs processes for companies on the basis of recognised standards as well as statutory requirements. The company s global presence coupled with its productive acquisitions and strong financial performance enables it to be a front runner in the industry. Even so intense competition and volatile macro environment could challenge the company s growth prospects says GlobalData in a strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis of the company. STRENGTHS Global presence : Wider reach in terms of geography w...

The cost of inspections of marine structures such as jackets semi-submersibles and floating production vessels can put a strain on already challenged operational budgets driving the need to develop inspection programmess only addressing critical areas The low oil price and a reduction in newbuilds have driven the integrity of existing assets up the agenda for the oil and gas industry. However the cost of inspection programmes can be significant adding to the operational costs. DNV GL has now launched a recommended practice (DNVGL-RP-C210) providing the first international guidance on how to establish a sound basis for in-service inspection planning for fatigue cracks in marine structures. The guidance will save operational costs by using a risk-based approach to identify the hot spots requiring inspection. The cost of inspections of marine structures such as jackets semi-submersibles and floating production vessels can put a stra...

Inspecting the tank with Cyberhawk s ROAV allowed Maersk Oil to undertake a quick and safe audit of the tank in turn allowing them to identify and more efficiently plan for any possible contact based inspections in both this and other tanks Cyberhawk Innovations the world leader in aerial inspection using remotely operated aerial vehicles (ROAV) has completed its first ever ROAV inspection of a cargo oil tank on an operational floating production storage and offloading (FPSO). After significant research and development this successful project launches this new service to the global oil and gas and shipping industry. The world-first took place on board the Gryphon FPSO owned and operated by Maersk Oil in the UK North Sea. Similarly to other FPSO operators Maersk Oil has requirements to visually inspect cargo tanks for integrity damage assessment and class certification. This type of inspection is usually conducted b...

Cyberhawk Innovations the world leader in aerial inspection using remotely operated aerial vehicles (ROAV) has completed its first ever ROAV inspection of a cargo oil tank on an operational FPSO. After significant research and development this successful project launches this new service to the global oil and gas and shipping industry. The world-first took place on board the Gryphon FPSO owned and operated by Maersk Oil in the UK North Sea. Similarly to other FPSO operators Maersk Oil has requirements to visually inspect cargo tanks for integrity damage assessment and class certification. This type of inspection is usually conducted by rope access technicians (RAT) who are suspended on ropes to inspect the tank structure focusing on areas of high stress such as stiffeners brackets bracing webs and stringers. One of Maersk Oil s main priorities was to reduce the human risk factors which are presented by rope access which includes working at...

Completely new subsea technology developed in Norway by Norwegian companies in Haugesund north of Stavanger has been used by Gassco for inspection of the brand new Knarr gas pipeline. Indeed this is the first commercial outing for the Surveyor Interceptor ROV which looks more like an autonomous underwater vehicle than the usual box-shaped vehicles. According to state-owned Gassco this assignment which was aimed at proving that the technology worked in practice proved to be very successful. Inspection of the 106km Knarr gas pipeline took place in the Northern North Sea at water depths of 140-400m to check the external condition of the pipeline and rock-berm protection after laying. That had to be done before beginning to fill the line with gas. Gassco operates the gas transport system which delivers Norwegian gas to continental Europe and the UK through more than 8 000km of pipelines. As the company responsible for operating and maintaining thi...

CRITICAL equipment such as pressure vessels piping systems and storage tanks are often subject to risk-based-inspection (RBI) to deliver optimum inspection policy and control of risk. As equipment life matures and businesses evolve revalidation of the existing RBI s will ensure they remain fit for purpose and evergreen. WHAT IS RBI ? RBI is a methodical process to determine the optimum inspection scheme for industrial pressure equipment. The process involves a structured review of equipment aspects to firstly identify potential damage/deterioration mechanisms for assessment against the health safety environment (HSE) and business risks. An appropriate inspection policy can then be determined to deliver reduced risk and an optimised inspection regime. This often provides the added benefits of reduced costs and resources by having more focused inspections for the risks identified. In 1996 the American Petro...

UNTIL recently inspection of pipe work was typically carried out under the API 570 piping inspection code which is primarily aimed at pipe work within the petroleum refining and chemical process industries. Whilst API 570 will ensure safe operation within terminals it is somewhat more stringent than necessary as it covers pipe that may operate at higher temperatures and pressures and be subject to more aggressive internal processes. API recognised this and in 2011 released the new standard API 2611 specifically for inspection of terminal pipe work operating up to maximum 300 psi at ambient temperature. One of the most important decisions in an effective inspection plan is the choice of thickness measurement locations (TMLs). As API 570 section 5.5.3 states In reality corrosion is never uniform so additional TMLs may be required. Inspectors must use their knowledge of the process unit to optimise the TML selection for each circuit balancing the effort ...

IPEK one of the leading players in remote visual inspection technology has introduced Rovion crawler system and Agilios push camera system in rated equipment (Atex Zone 1) this year. A globally active company with sales and service partners in over 45 countries and a well-established product portfolio iPEK s product range comprises a large variety of products including push camera and crawler systems for manifold applications. Our products are characterised by highest-level state-of-the-art camera technology. We work with future minded and innovative technologies and operate with a trend-setting service says a company spokesperson. From an entry-level solution fully packaged suitable for one-man operation up to comprehensive automatically operated portable systems iPEK offers suitable product for each purpose. Ease of operation modular construction functional and ergonomic design high quality long life and reliability are our benchmarks he adds. /...

IN ORDER to serve its Gulf-based customers in a better and quicker way Ventil Test Equipment one of the world s leading manufacturers of high pressure test equipment for industrial safety control and shut off valves is planning to expand its Middle East operations currently being run through its subsidiary Ventil Middle East located in Saif Zone Sharjah UAE. The Netherlands-headquartered company is looking at the possibility of stationing a rental fleet of valve test and repair machines and containers in the UAE to facilitate the requirements for overnight solutions. At the same time it also plans to introduce the Ventil Valve Academy a training centre in valves and valve repair into the Gulf region. Globally we see a growing awareness that plant safety and efficiency is directly affected by non-performance of valves either in terms of output or in terms of reliability and availability. Ventil can provide the tools and know-how to maintain and even impr...

TD Williamson (TDW) a world leader in pipeline services and equipment has announced that it has developed and deployed a new proprietary inline inspection reporting software known as Interactive Report 2013. Designed with inline inspection (ILI) services customers in mind Interactive Report 2013 is a data visualisation tool that makes it easy for users to filter and view their pipeline inspection data with the goal of helping them to more intuitively assess where problem areas exist. This software makes inspection data more accessible than ever before says Ron Lundstrom supervisor of software engineering for TDW. It features a very user friendly Windows-based environment that makes it easy to choose from a variety of views including interactive charts graphs tables and even a three-dimensional pipe view he adds. A special snapshot feature enables users to save customised views of potential trouble spots and share them with others for review or ...

RBG Middle East the leading provider of assess inspect and repair service the global energy industry that was recently acquired by Stork Technical Services has successfully delivered a vessel shell UT (ultrasonic) inspection workscope using rope access on an oil separator tank at Oxy/QP Halul Island Qatar. The work was undertaken on a 25 m by 40 m tank therefore using conventional scaffold access would have significantly increased the project cost length and man hours expended. To carry out the project efficiently and cost-effectively RBG mobilised three multi-skilled rope-access technicians to safely deliver the UT inspection. Rope access is not traditionally used in Middle East oil and gas activity despite being an established practice across RBG s operations in UKCS Americas and Caspian. The company s expert team in the Middle East is fully trained in IRATA (Industrial Rope Access Trade Association) procedures and regular assessments ensure the highest s...

TD Williamson UK (TDW) a global provider of pipeline services and equipment has successfully completed an inline inspection of a key gas pipeline for E.ON in Wales. The operation was carried out on the 30-inch line that stretches 2.6 km from Burton Point AGI to Connah s Quay Power Station. This intelligent inspection and associated pipeline service operation was carried out in association with a multi-site contract that was awarded to TDW by E.ON in August 2010 as part of E.ON s strategic program to ensure the integrity of its pipelines and assets. NATURE RESERVE The pipeline which transports gas from the National Transmission System to Connah s Quay Power Station on the Dee Estuary travels through a pristine 11-hectacre nature reserve which is home to pintail oystercatcher and lapwing birds among others. It is a designated site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Protection Area under t...

DACON Inspection Services is an independent organisation offering inspection services and pipeline intelligent pigging to the highest standard. As part of the Dacon Group Norway Dacon has been involved in sub sea and pipeline developments and inspections since 1979. Its customers include onshore/offshore oil and gas operators petrochemical plants and power producers with the highest demands for quality services. It provides inspection services ranging from standard non destructive testing (NDT) methods to the most advanced inspection technology available in the world market today. Dacon has recently launched its new tool CuS for assessing the corrosion in hidden areas . It is encouraged by the support from Thailand s national oil company PTTEP to develop new technologies for oil and gas industry. The basis for the development of the CuS tool was to be able to inspect and accurately verify hidden areas such as under pipe supports clamps and similar...

ROSEN has announced the successful completion of the second year of a five-year inspection contract with National Grid owner and operator of UK s high-pressure natural gas pipeline network and four lower pressure distribution networks. The pipeline inspection services contract was awarded to Rosen Europe in January 2008 with operations commencing in April. Rosen successfully completed a record number of total 66 National Grid pipeline inspections between April and December 2008. The inspections were undertaken with Rosen s state-of-the-art inspection tools for metal loss extended geometry and XYZ mapping. In addition new Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) and extended geometry tools were designed especially for low-pressure and low-flow conditions in various pipeline sizes up to 18 inches. To service the contract Rosen opened an operational base in Newcastle Upon Tyne UK. The base became fully operational in January 2009 and now supports not only National Gri...

SGS the world s leading inspection verification testing and certification company with extensive experience in inspecting the integrity of pipeline welds is conducting third party inspection services Septa Energy a Nigerian subsidiary of the Seven Energy Group. The main focus of Septa is the supply of gas for the domestic market in Nigeria. For this reason Septa has recently invested 420 million in the development of two main gas fields and in the construction of a 60 km long gas pipeline in Nigeria for the delivery of gas to the Ibom power plant. In April 2010 Septa Energy started the installation of a new pipeline. The project includes 60 km of pipes linking Ikot Abasi to the Eket Power Station Nigeria. As pipelines represent a considerable financial investment and are significant business assets it is particularly important to assure the integrity and reliability of the pipeline welds during the pipelines installation. Consequently Septa was see...

WHEN inspecting the inside of pipelines and other subsea structures such as valve manifolds video inspection can provide close-up views of features that are otherwise very difficult to access. Video inspection enables inspectors to assess a wide variety of features relating to welds internal corrosion internal structure coatings and so on. Whether onshore or offshore inspectors need the best possible lighting and video technology as well as a variety of methods of deploying the video tools inside different types of structures. Optical Metrology Services (OMS) Ltd has a wide range of advanced video inspection equipment. This includes the latest pan-and-tilt camera technology auto-focus zoom lenses tractor systems and motorised cable reels. For specialist weld inspection applications OMS designs and manufactures unique digital imaging solutions which can be deployed inside hot pipes during production welding. OMS also offers tool operators and qualified weld ...

Building on its tradition of leadership in safety and quality compliance within the global pipeline industry GE Oil and Gas PII Pipeline Solutions has announced that it has successfully attained third-party certification to the latest internationally recognised quality management system standard ISO 9001: 2008. Lloyds Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) a leading third-party certification body recently completed a series of assessments at PII Pipeline Solutions main facilities in the US UK and Germany against ISO 9001: 2008 which effectively replaced ISO 9001: 2000 in November 2008. All existing certificates issued against ISO 9001: 2000 will become obsolete at the end of 2010. GE has therefore proactively secured certification well in advance of the expiry deadline. In 1991 PII Pipeline Solutions became the first pipeline inspection company globally to attain quality management system certification and ISO 9001 is now the preferred standard used by over 5...

In-line corrosion inspection plays a key role in pipeline integrity assessment. Detection and monitoring of fast growing corrosion processes such as top of line corrosion (TLC) or pitting at the inner surface of heavy wall pipes is therefore inevitable for the save operation of off- and onshore pipelines. In order to optimise the monitoring of shallow internal corrosion (SIC) a new detection device has been developed on the basis of Eddy current (EC) technology. The sophisticated SIC tool provides not only the determination of the corrosion status and growth rate it also enables one to gain detailed information about the internal diameter and shape such as ovality and dents. Shallow defects of even minor sizes are detected for assessing the degradation process resulting from internal corrosion. Here an introduction to the SIC inspection technology is presented. INTRODUCTION Prevalent growth of corrosion constitutes a major risk fo...

GE OIL and Gas has expanded its PII Pipeline Solutions technical staff and engineering analysis services in Calgary on behalf of Canadian pipeline operators. GE increased its pipeline data analysis department by 17 people in 2008 and its integrity engineering department to nine full-time desk engineers including a data software engineer to enable the newly enhanced levels of pipeline support services for its Canadian customers. While GE has always offered a full portfolio of advanced in-line inspection and data management services we recognised an opportunity to further enhance our desk engineering software products and other post-run pipeline integrity solutions for Canadian operators says Geoff Foreman Development and Strategy Leader for PII Pipeline Solutions. Being locally based allows our customers to make fast and accurate maintenance decisions in order to further optimize their pipeline integrity operations. In 2008 GE s Calgary based operation also i...

International energy major StatoilHydro has exercised options in three current framework agreements with AGR Field Operations a division of AGR Group. The contracts have an estimated total value of NOK 212 million ( 30 million) each with duration of 24 months. AGR Group is a leading provider of essential services and technologies to the international petroleum industry. The Group has three operating divisions: Petroleum Services Drilling Services and Field Operations. AGR Field Operations will provide inspection services to the Troll-Sleipner field and inspection management services to the previous Hydro installations including Sture. The maintenance management services agreement encompasses all of StatoilHydro s offshore installations and onshore plants in Norway and includes use of the SOLV concept. In total these agreements include inspection services on 19 StatoilHydro onshore and offshore installations as well as maintenance management services to 4...

A UK-BASED oil and gas industry inspection company is being held up as a leading example of good practice after scooping a prestigious health and safety award for the second year in a row. MB Inspection won the President s Award at the 2007 Occupation Health and Safety Awards an annual event hosted by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). Allan Connie MB Inspection site manager at Ineos Grangemouth refinery was presented with the accolade at a glittering awards ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel. The company has been given the award for its sustained commitment to health and safety after achieving 10 consecutive Gold Awards. David Rawlins RoSPA award manager said: MB Inspection has demonstrated how seriously they take health and safety management and are a fine example to many other companies. We would like to see more organisations following their lead. Jack Gillespie HSEQ manager at MB Inspection said: The RoSPA awa...

Nukote which started operations in Seattle US with successful projects with multinational companies now plans to enter the Asia Pacific Middle East GCC and African region with their base operations and manufacturing plant from Shanghai - China. Nukote Coating Systems (NCS) manufactures and distributes high-performance coatings utilising the latest technology in molecular plastics as well as ceramics to provide a wide range of products from pre-insulated piping systems to water-proofing membranes to coating applications for ultra hot and corrosive applications. The NCS facility is designed and operates to the most recent ISO requirements. Every batch of NCS material produced is sprayed and tested to ensure that it meets or exceeds the quality specified to the technical specs . NCS with its well chosen distributors and trained applicators and with its highly-qualified and specialised technical and supportive team ensures efficiency and competitiveness to...

Cooperheat Middle East as part of Stork Industry Specialists has been involved in a number of interesting projects utilising Advanced Computerised Ultrasonic Techniques over the last 9 years. These have ranged from extremely heavy walled reactors to relatively thin walled piping. The primary advantages of using the Time of Flight Diffraction (ToFD) technique supplemented where required by pulse echo probes may be stated as being: The technique is the most efficient and reliable NDT method available for defect detection recording and sizing for the inspection of butt welds during manufacture or construction. No disruption to production is caused by ionising radiation therefore manufacturing activities can carry on immediately adjacent to where the inspection is being performed. ToFD is the most accurate technique available in sizing the through wall extent of non-surface breaking defects and as such is an essential tool where fitness for purpose strategies a...

UK-based Subsea Vision is a specialist in providing eyeball/inspection class ROV s and experienced ROV personnel for surveying inspection and construction/diver support to Offshore Industries including oil and gas applications. The company prides itself on its quality of service attention to detail and versatility; offering self supporting ROV systems operable in remotest locations with safety being paramount says the firm. Based on the south coast of UK close to major route-ways ferry terminals airports and freight couriers enables their ROV systems to be mobilised quickly and easily worldwide. With extensive experience in marine civil engineering and the offshore oil and gas industry Subsea Vision provides the professional solution for ROV needs across the globe from Europe to the Middle East if necessary no matter the scale of project. Oil and gas industrial applications focus mainly on the firm s offshore capabilities. The firm s offshore opera...

PROVIDING EXPERT service to customers using the latest technologies PSI Middle East is specialised in sales rental and servicing of high pressure (HP) and ultra high pressure (UHP) water jetting equipment and accessories over a wide range of applications. PSI is based in Al Quoz Industrial area in Dubai and sees itself as a problem solver available both to end users and contractors involved with HP and UHP water blasting. Focusing on a specific product aids the provision of quality service to customers the company says. Many water jet users are not fully aware of the capabilities of the equipment or the parameters required to use the equipment efficiently and this often results in unnecessary failure to achieve the desired result said a company spokesman. For example for heat exchanger tube cleaning one of the most common applications of water blasting inefficiencies in the tools used can reduce the cleaning power of the high pressure pump to...

Vietnam will pump an estimated 15.47 million tonnes of crude oil or 339 506 barrels per day (bpd) in the first 11 months of this year up 6.1 per cent from the same period last year the General Statistics Office (GSO) said. However the government department said crude production in November would drop 6.7 per cent to 1.38 million tonnes (337 180 bpd) and revised down October s production to 1.46 million tonnes (345 219 bpd) from a previous estimate of 1.48 million tonnes. In releasing the data in its monthly report the GSO gave no reason for the decline in November s output but it comes in the context of lower world prices for what is a strategic export for Vietnam. The Vietnam-Russia joint venture Vietsovpetro installed new pipes at the country s key Bach Ho (White Tiger) oilfield in a month-long project from September 17 and had to reduce crude and associated natural gas output to ensure safety. In October the GSO revised down its foreca...