Pipeline Weld Tracking Using End-Marked Patterns and Digital Twins
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Solution Overview
Problem
The criticality of weld defects in subsea pipelines changes due to bending and deformation during installation, leading to inaccurate fatigue life assessment and potential premature pipeline failure, as existing methods rely on theoretical rather than actual orientation and position of welds.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for monitoring weld flaws by marking patterns on pipeline ends, recording images during fabrication and installation, and determining spatial characteristics such as angular orientation and position, which are used to build a digital twin for accurate fatigue life evaluation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If theoretical orientation and position of welds are used for fatigue life assessment, then the assessment process is simplified, but the accuracy of fatigue life prediction deteriorates due to pipeline bending and deformation during installation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by recording the initial orientation and position of welds during fabrication before the pipeline undergoes bending and deformation during installation. This pre-recording of spatial characteristics allows the digital twin to accurately track weld locations throughout subsequent installation operations, resolving the contradiction between assessment accuracy and system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a digital twin - a virtual copy of the physical pipeline - that replicates the pipeline's geometry, weld locations, and spatial characteristics. This digital copy allows for accurate fatigue life assessment without requiring complex physical measurement systems during installation, thus improving measurement precision while managing device complexity
2Reliability
If actual spatial characteristics of welds are tracked throughout installation, then fatigue life assessment accuracy is improved, but the data collection and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the digital twin continuously updates the pipeline's spatial configuration based on recorded installation data. This feedback loop ensures that weld position and orientation information is maintained and updated throughout the installation process, preventing data loss and improving reliability of integrity predictions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent records all necessary spatial characteristics of welds and pipeline geometry during fabrication before installation begins. This preliminary data collection ensures that complete information is available to track weld positions through subsequent bending and deformation, preventing information loss while maintaining reliable predictions
Data Source
AI summary
A method of tracking pipeline weld information comprises recording weld information, such as weld flaw data or a unique weld identifier, associated with a weld made at a pipe end during fabrication of a subsea pipeline. As the pipeline is advanced longitudinally in post-fabrication operations such as spooling or installation, time-stamped images of a pattern marked on the pipe end are recorded. One or more spatial characteristics of the pipeline at the weld, such as angular orientation of the pipeline about a longitudinal axis, are determined from the recorded images.