Engineering Encyclopedia

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Instrumented Scrapers

Note: The source of the technical material in this volume is the Professional
Engineering Development Program (PEDP) of Engineering Services.
Warning: The material contained in this document was developed for Saudi
Aramco and is intended for the exclusive use of Saudi Aramcos
employees. Any material contained in this document which is not
already in the public domain may not be copied, reproduced, sold, given,
or disclosed to third parties, or otherwise used in whole, or in part,
without the written permission of the Vice President, Engineering
Services, Saudi Aramco.

Chapter : Inspection
File Reference: COE10305

For additional information on this subject, contact

W.P. Lamp on 875-2742

Engineering Encyclopedia

Inspection
Instrumented Scrapers

CONTENTS

PAGES

TYPES OF INSTRUMENTED SCRAPERS.......................................................... 1

Magnetic Flux Leakage Scraper.................................................................. 1
Eddy Current Scraper .................................................................................. 3
Ultrasonic Scraper ....................................................................................... 3
Camera Scraper ........................................................................................... 5
Caliper Scraper ............................................................................................ 6
APPLICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF EACH TYPE.................................... 7
Magnetic Flux Leakage Scraper.................................................................. 7
Eddy Current Scraper .................................................................................. 8
Ultrasonic Scraper ....................................................................................... 8
Camera Scraper ........................................................................................... 9
Caliper Scraper .......................................................................................... 10
REFERENCE........................................................................................................ 10
CRITERIA FOR ONLINE INSPECTION OF PIPELINES.................................. 13
GLOSSARY ......................................................................................................... 14

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TYPES OF INSTRUMENTED SCRAPERS

Pipeline leaks are dangerous, potentially polluting to the environment, and expensive to clean
up and repair. After buried and subsea pipelines have been in service for several years,
inspection of their condition becomes important.
Over the years, sophisticated pipeline inspection tools have been developed. These tools,
often called intelligent scrapers, detect and evaluate the deterioration of a pipe wall using
built-in system intelligence. There are two basic types of intelligent, or instrumented, scrapers
fluid propelled and umbilical (crawler).

Fluid propelled. The fluid propelled scraper moves with the flow of the pipelines
product (crude, natural gas, refined products, or water). Most intelligent scrapers are
fluid propelled.

Umbilical (crawler). The umbilical scraper inspects specific parts of a pipeline such as
risers with heavy-wall or varying-wall thickness. The umbilical scraper is limited in the
distance it can inspect.

Intelligent scrapers, operationally proven and commercially available, are classified according
to inspection method: magnetic flux leakage, eddy current, ultrasonic, camera, and caliper.
Magnetic Flux Leakage Scraper
The magnetic flux leakage scraper uses the magnetic flux leakage principle to detect
anomalies. It usually has an articulated body composed of at least three sections connected
by universal joints. Figure 1 shows a typical magnetic flux leakage scraper.

Figure 1. Magnetic Flux Leakage Scraper

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The front section houses the power supply needed to drive the electronics and produce the
magnetic field if the scraper contains electromagnets. The power supply only drives the
electronics if the scraper contains permanent magnets.
The middle section contains the electromagnets or permanent magnets that create the
magnetic field. There are two rows of brushes (electromagnets) or permanent magnets, one
being the south pole and the other the north pole. Accurate readings require that the wall of
the pipe be magnetically saturated. The available battery power limits the wall thickness that
can be saturated and accurately surveyed to about 1.25 inches. Similar to any electric circuit,
the lines of flux, which are the flow of electrical energy, will travel the path of least resistance
until they reach a transversely oriented anomaly. They will then follow the course of least
resistance by arcing around the defect. As the lines of flux arc around the defect, they
temporarily leave the pipe and travel through the sensors located between the magnet poles on
the scraper. These sensors are either coils, in the case of scrapers containing electromagnets,
or a series of diodes when permanent magnets are used in the scraper. By passing through
these sensors, a voltage is created in an amount directly proportional to the size of the
anomaly.
The voltage information from each sensor is sent back to the recorder housed in the third
section of the scraper. The recorder stores the data on a magnetic tape channel. The third
section also contains the odometer wheels that measure the distance traveled by the scraper
through the pipeline. This data is recorded on another tape channel. The data on the parallel
channels makes it possible to correlate physical location of anomalies detected along the
pipeline. Magnets are often placed on the outside of the pipe at specific intervals prior to a
scraper run. The presence of these magnets, detected by the scraper and recorded on tape,
provides another method for accurate anomaly location.
Since there is no onboard processing, the magnetic tape provides only raw data. When the
scraper is removed from the pipeline at the end of a run, the magnetic tape is run through a
processor. The processor converts the signals to a linear-type light-sensitive paper strip chart
or log chart displaying the pipeline, joint by joint, from launcher to receiver. The
information from each sensor is displayed on the log. The length of the log is proportional to
the length of the line inspected. The total number of survey channels on which an anomaly is
represented indicates the circumferential distance of the pipeline taken up by the anomaly.
For instance, a single corrosion pit will usually take up one or two channels while a girth
weld will be indicated on all channels.
The type of defects that can be detected by a magnetic flux leakage scraper include a wide
range of service related environmental anomalies and mill or manufacturing anomalies. They
can be either external or internal.
The magnetic flux leakage scraper can be used in both gas and liquid pipelines. It has been
used on over 75,000 miles of pipe worldwide.

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Eddy Current Scraper

The eddy current scraper detects anomalies inside pipe using the eddy current principle. This
scraper uses an induction system to evaluate pipeline mass. A transmitter coil sends a low
frequency electromagnetic wave through the body wall of the pipeline. The waveform is
phase-shifted and attenuated as it travels through the metal surface. A receiver coil detects
the phase shift, decodes it, and sends the data to the surface computer. The phase shift is
proportional to the amount of metal and its electromagnetic characteristics. The computer
compares this signal with the electronic calipers signal, which uses high-frequency
electromagnetic waves to discern the proximity amplitude variation with the inside diameter
of the pipe. When logging through an area that has a mass change, the phase curve shifts. If
the mass change is internal, the caliper will shift as well.
The eddy current scraper is articulated with sections for the power supply, the sensors, and
data transmitters. It can be used in gas or liquid pipelines.
Ultrasonic Scraper
The ultrasonic scraper uses high frequency vibrational energy to measure wall thickness or to
detect flaws in materials. It is designed to work in liquid carrying lines, using liquids such as
crude oil and water to couple the ultrasonic sensors to the pipe wall.
The most suitable ultrasonic method is the stand-off technique as illustrated in Figure 2. The
probes, positioned in a circular array, are located at a distance from the inner pipe wall. The
transit time of a short ultrasonic impulse is converted into wall thickness of the pipe. When
measuring external corrosion, the transit time in the steel wall decreases directly proportional
to metal loss.

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Figure 2. Ultrasonic Stand-off Method

To determine the depth of internal corrosion, the stand-off distance A in Figure 2 can be
measured. This measurement also provides information on irregular internal pipe profile
caused by weld penetration, buckles, or dents.
The ultrasonic method is potentially very accurate for detecting changes in wall thickness and
internal flaws. It has wide use where the sensor or transducer is fixed, or if not fixed, where
the data can be stored from the detection area. Data management problems arise, however,
where storage space is limited, such as on board a scraper run through an operating pipeline.
Many sensors are needed to gather data in this application. This is because the sensors must
be far enough from the pipe wall to prevent damage at bends while the scraper is moving. For
instance, to detect a 1-inch diameter anomaly in a 48-inch diameter pipe, approximately 250
sensors are needed to obtain full coverage around the circumference while the scraper is
moving at 7 miles per hour. Every 13 miles of run requires one gigabyte (one billion bytes)
of data storage. To handle this quantity of data, the scraper has onboard processing.

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Camera Scraper
The camera scraper, developed in 1977 to inspect visually the internal bottom quadrant of
operating gas pipelines, provides photographs of the inside surface. The photographs confirm
suspected internal pipeline damage, determine pipe cleaning efficiency, and check the quality
of internal coatings of a rehabilitated pipeline. A typical camera scraper is shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3. Camera Scraper

The camera scraper includes a photographic module carrying a 35-mm camera, strobe light,
and wide-angle lens. It can operate in line pressures up to 1,200 psig. The camera scraper
can be programmed to take pictures at random, look for corrosion, inspect girth welds, or take
photos at time-and-distance intervals. The cameras film pack can produce 250 black-andwhite negatives or 250 color transparencies.
The camera scraper is articulated in two sections. The front section contains the batteries that
run the unit, and the rear section contains the camera. It can operate on pipelines of 12 inches
in diameter and larger. The power life is 12 hours, and the unit can be activated to power up
while traveling in an idle mode. The lens has a wiping system to remove any fog that
develops while operating in high-pressure gas pipelines.
Since becoming commercially available in 1980, the camera scraper has run through
approximately 2,000 miles of pipeline, the largest so far being 36 inches in diameter.

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Caliper Scraper
The caliper scraper, also known as geometry scraper, inspects and records deviations over the
entire circumference from the nominal size of new and operating pipelines with diameters
ranging from 6 inches to over 60 inches. The caliper scraper is commonly used to inspect
pipelines after construction and prior to operation to detect any damage resulting from
construction. Figure 4 is a photo of a caliper scraper.

Figure 4. Caliper Scraper

The basic action of the majority of caliper scrapers is electromechanical. The caliper scraper
can detect dents or buckles in pipelines resulting in a 0.25-inch or more deviation. A number
of sensing fingers are located inside the scrapers rear cup or immediately behind it. They
ride along the inside wall of the pipe. Any movement in the fingers causes a deflection of the
centrally located integrator plate. The movement is transmitted by a rod to a recording
mechanism sealed inside the scraper body. The linkage between the integrator plate and
recorder produces a fast and accurate record on a strip chart. On conclusion of a run, the
recorded data is immediately available on site. The indication on the chart from odometer
wheels on the scraper and blips at the inside protrusions of girth welds provides linear
ground location of anomalies. The caliper scraper also detects out of roundness (2.5 percent
reduction), abrupt changes in wall thickness, damage to pipelines caused by external sources,
and individual welds in a pipeline.
The caliper scraper has been available since 1971. The first company to develop this
technology has surveyed over 57,000 miles of pipeline belonging to 73 different companies in
both the United States and Canada. This tool can be used in both gas and liquid pipelines.

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APPLICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF EACH TYPE

Magnetic Flux Leakage Scraper
The magnetic flux leakage scraper can survey pipeline diameters ranging from 4 to 48 inches.
Pipeline operators use this tool to detect corrosion more than any other. International
suppliers of the scraper include:
Company

Tool Name

Vetco

Vetcolog

Tuboscope

Linalog

British Gas

On-Line Inspection

Transcanada

EML (Electromagnetic Log)

Western Atlas

Vertiline

Schlumberger

PAT E (Pipeline Analysis Tool)

Magnetic flux leakage scrapers typically detect corrosion pits and general corrosion.
The magnetic flux leakage method is not well suited for all anomalies. For example, it can
only detect anomalies that are transverse oriented and that have dimensions of length, width,
and depth. Usually limitations of the magnetic flux leakage scraper include:

Cannot directly measure a pipes wall thickness

Can only grade anomalies. For example,

Class 1 15 to 30 percent penetration

Class 2 > 30 to 50 percent penetration
Class 3 > 50 percent penetration

No sensitivity to longitudinal cracks

Thick-walled pipes may restrict scraper to size with inadequate magnetizing capacity to
saturate the entire pipe wall

Poor detection of gradually thinning pipe

Cannot detect anomalies near welds because of large weld signal
Pick-up shoes must be in contact with pipe ID (not usable in coated or plastic-lined
pipe)

However, recent developments in this technology have overcome some of these limitations.
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Eddy Current Scraper

Eddy current scrapers are very effective in detecting internal defects. They are also used to
detect severe general corrosion, parted or split pipe, weight change, bends, crimped pipe, and
laterals. At least two companies have developed eddy current scrapers. One company uses
the eddy current scraper in conjunction with the magnetic flux leakage scraper to complement
pipeline inspection surveys. The other company has developed a scraper to detect metal
fatigue cracks in the longitudinal seam of pipe. The scraper reportedly has been run in a 28inch pipeline in Germany with a total of 40,000 pipe lengths.
The eddy current scraper has an advantage over the magnetic flux leakage scraper when
detecting corrosion at the girth weld. Since eddy current scrapers do not contact the pipe
inside wall with its sensors, it is not interrupted at the girth weld. The sensors of the magnetic
flux leakage scraper, however, require contact with the pipe inside wall and are interrupted by
the girth weld protrusion.
The disadvantage of eddy current inspection is the shallow penetration of the eddy currents
beneath the inner surface of the pipe. This limitation restricts detection of anomalies to the
inside of the pipe.
Ultrasonic Scraper
Ultrasonic scrapers are capable of qualifying and quantifying external and internal corrosion.
They provide a direct measurement of the wall thickness and can be used for checking cracks.
The most common use of ultrasonic scrapers is to inspect pipes with heavy or varying wall
thickness.
Of the two types of ultrasonic scrapers, the straight beam type is more successfully used than
the angle beam type.
Limitations of the ultrasonic scraper include:

Inability to detect conical-shaped pits

Large number of sensors required for adequate inspection of pipe circumference

Can only be used with liquid products in order to couple ultrasonic sensors to the pipe
wall (Under development are ultrasonic scrapers with contactless ultrasonic transducers
for use in gas lines)

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Advantages of the ultrasonic scraper include:

No upper thickness limitation/high accuracy. The main advantage of the ultrasonic

scraper is that it has no practical upper thickness limitation. It also has high accuracy
independent of wall thickness. Corrosion can be measured so accurately that
verification of inspection data is not necessary. This is an important consideration for
thick-wall risers where verification is often impossible when they are clad or embedded
in the leg of a concrete platform. An accuracy of 1 mm can be obtained for both
internal and external corrosion if the stand-off technique is used.

Not highly sensitive to pipe material. The type of material used in pipes is not critical to
the use of ultrasonic scrapers. The acoustic properties of commonly used steels in the
pipeline industry are similar and constant and have a negligible influence on tool
measurement performance.

Crack detection. The ultrasonic method has the potential to detect cracks. The stand-off
technique generates the angle-beam waves necessary for detection of cracks. However,
the intelligence of the inspection tool should be high enough to select cracks from false
signals such as from welds. This feature requires more technology development.

Camera Scraper
The camera scraper is used to check the internal condition of a pipeline. Photographs from
the camera scraper are used to look for corrosion, confirm suspected internal pipeline damage,
and inspect girth welds. Other uses include determining pipe cleaning efficiency and
checking the quality of internal coatings of a rehabilitated old pipeline.
The camera scraper can operate in pipelines as small as 12 inches in diameter. Geo Pipeline
Services (GPS) is a major supplier of camera scrapers. GPS models are available for
pipelines ranging between 12 and 36 inches.
Limitations of the camera scraper include:

Operates only in line pressures less than 1,200 psig

Coverage restricted to a quadrant of the pipe circumference
Photograph quality sensitive to the cleanliness of the pipe interior
Inspection data strictly qualitative (visual)

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Caliper Scraper
The caliper scraper is used to detect dents or buckles, out of roundness, and abrupt changes in
wall thickness. A common use of the caliper is to inspect pipelines after construction and
prior to operation to detect any damage resulting from construction.
The caliper scraper can inspect pipelines with diameters ranging from 6 to over 60 inches.
Limitations of the caliper scraper include:

Poor detection of cracks or gradual thinning of pipe

Pits covered with hard deposits may be missed
Cannot detect buckles less than 0.25-inch deviation and out of roundness less than
2.5 percent reduction
Detects only internal defects

REFERENCE
PIPELINE INSPECTION SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Company Name _______________________________________________________________________
Line or System Name ___________________________________________________________________
Pipeline Location __________________ Nearest City or Land Base ______________________________
Pipe Diameter _________________ Section Length, Launch to Receiver __________________________
Log Reference Measurement System (Meters or Feet) __________________________________________
Launch Location _______________________ Receive Location _________________________________
Line Maps Available? _________ Normal Products Transported _________________________________
Person to Contact for Further Information ___________________________________________________
Has this Pipeline been inspected by instrumented scraper before? _______ When? ___________________

PROPOSED PRODUCT CONDITIONS DURING INSPECTION

Material Transported ___________________________________________________________________
Volumetric Flow Rate or Flow Velocity: Minimum _____________ Maximum _____________________
Pressure: Minimum _________________________ Maximum __________________________________
Maximum Temperature in Degrees F or C ____________ Paraffin Content _______________________ %
Maximum H2S __________________ PPM
Saltwater Content _____________________________ %

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LINE SPECIFICATIONS
A. Nominal Pipeline Diameter ______________________
Minimum ID of Pipeline (including valves, tees, etc.) __________________________
Pipe

Ex.: 20
Nominal
Nominal
Nominal
Risers

Percentage
of Pipeline
Length

Wall
Thickness

Grade

Mfg. Type
(ERW, DSA,
SMLS, LAP)

Min. Bend
Radius

Min I.D. of
Bends

20%

0.5000

X-52

ERW

5D

18.90

Length
Straight Pipe
Between
Bends
3

Bend Radius is usually described as multiples of the nominal pipe O.D., for example:
A 5R (5D) 90 bend in a 12-inch (12.75 O.D.) line has a radius of 60 inches.
If angle of deviation is greater than 5 degrees, please furnish drawings.

B. Pipeline History
Age of Section _________________ Type of Corrosion Expected I.D._______ O.D. ________________
Corrosion History (Failures, Repairs, etc.) ___________________________________________________
Type of repairs (sleeve, clamp, puddle weld, spike, etc.) ________________________________________
C. Trap Description
LAUNCH
Length of Oversize (A) __________________ Diameter of Oversize (B) ___________________________
Length of Nominal Diameter Pipe (C) ______________________________________________________
Is Launch Positioned Vertically or Horizontally? ______________________________________________

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RECEIVER
Length of Oversize (A) _________________ Diameter of Oversize (B) ____________________________
Length of Nominal Diameter Pipe (C) ______________________________________________________
Is Receiver Positioned Vertically or Horizontally? ____________________________________________

NOTE: An unobstructed working areas equal to the tool length is required in front of all trap doors.

D. Riser Couplings (Hydroballs, Weldballs, Flanged Couplings, etc.)

Make _______________________ Model __________________________________________________
Angle of Deviation _____________________________________________________________________
Direction of Flow: Into Socket _______________________ Into Ball ____________________________
Separation Between Pipe Ends ________________ Minimum I.D. _______________________________
Minimum Separation Between Adjacent Fittings ______________________________________________

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CRITERIA FOR ONLINE INSPECTION OF PIPELINES

Can trap size accommodate tools?

Will bend radius allow passage of tools?
What is the maximum wall thickness that can be surveyed?
What is the maximum wall thickness transition that the tools can pass through?
What is the maximum pressure in which the tools can operate?
What are the maximum and minimum tool speeds?

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GLOSSARY
clad

To cover one metal with another by bonding the two; coating

one material with another

corrosion pit

A penetration in a pipe caused by highly localized corrosion

fluid propelled

A type of instrumented scraper that can traverse a pipeline under

the pipelines normal medium (crude, natural gas, etc.)

girth weld

A pipeline weld around the circumference of the pipe made as

two joints are welded together

intelligent scraper

A tool that uses built-in system intelligence to inspect a pipeline

for corrosion or mechanical damage

log chart

A chart used for recording inspection data; also known as strip

chart

magnetic flux leakage

The action of arcing of the magnetic force or line around a defect

in a pipe

pick-up shoe

A device used to detect defects in a pipe; also known as

transducer or sensor

riser

A vertical section of a pipeline

sensing fingers

Special sensors or feelers used in inspection tools such as

calipers for detecting defects or anomalies in pipes

strobe light

A flash tube used in photography for high-speed illumination

ultrasonic

A technique that uses high frequency sound or vibrational

energy to detect flaws in a material

umbilical

A type of instrumented scraper that uses a conductor cable to

regulate its logging speed and/or transmit inspection data to a
central unit; also known as crawler

wide-angle lens

A special lens designed to cover an angle of view wider than the

normal lens used on cameras

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