Bristol based technology developer, Inductosense, has secured funding from the Net Zero Technology Centre to develop and trial a wall thickness monitoring sensor that can monitor areas of localised internal corrosion or erosion – this is an adaptation of their embeddable, battery-free, single point measurement WAND solution.
With the rising number of late life offshore platforms, internal corrosion and erosion is becoming an increasing challenge and can be a major cause of pipeline failure. Operators are looking for cost effective, simplistic methods to accurately monitor internal wall loss across their assets. The Inductosense WAND solution was designed to address these market challenges, the wireless sensors have been deployed on a global scale and have now been validated by eight major operators.
Under the NZTC project, Inductosense will build upon the WAND technology, developing a sensor array solution to accurately monitor areas of localised corrosion. It is anticipated that the product developed under this project will significantly reduce the direct and indirect costs of wall thickness monitoring.
The three phased project led by Inductosense, and backed by the NZTC, is also supported by BP and integrity service provider, Stork UK. In addition, Shell and Chevron will join the project steering committee.
Talking of the project, Inductosense CEO Dr. Matt Butcher said: “This project has come about from talking to our customers in the UK who have a need for accurate monitoring of localised areas of corrosion or erosion. Our technology offers a simple, cost-effective solution and should enable our customers to manage their assets more efficiently and safely”
Andrew Dodds, Senior Business Unit Manager at Stork, further commented: “The energy sector is evolving but still has tight energy transition and net zero targets. Ultimately the goal is to further reduce the cost of production and improve the reliability of assets, while minimising the impact on the environment. Therefore, we are extremely supportive of working collaboratively to develop innovative solutions that helps us on this journey”
NZTC’s Head of Emissions Reduction, Rebecca Allison, said: “NZTC is committed to supporting the development of innovative technologies that have the potential to profoundly improve overall asset efficiency. Inductosense is harnessing the power of data and focusing on sense corrosion monitoring which we believe can significantly reduce the cost of asset integrity and reduce emissions across the UKCS.”
