PureHM Introduces Hot Product Applications for SmartBall
The SmartBall tool is a multi-sensor inline inspection tool that can assess both piggable and unpiggable oil and gas pipelines 4-inches in diameter and larger. It is a best-in-class leak detection tool with mapping capabilities as well as pressure and temperature sensors, which provides operators with a clear profile of their pipeline including confirmation of containment.
The SmartBall platform is the most sensitive leak detection system on the market and can detect leaks as small as 0.03GPM (115mL/min). The tool detects leaks using an acoustic sensor that is significantly more sensitive than conventional leak detection systems.
There are many pipelines that operate with high temperatue products that limit the viability of traditional ILI tools, which limits an operators ability to make integrity decisions about the pipeline. The SmartBall system was initially designed with an upper temperature limit of 70° Celsius (158° Fahrenheit), but has recently been improved for applications as high as 150° Celsius (302° Fahrenheit).
This newly developed SmartBall tool collects the same stream of data as the standard tool, but can do so within pipelines operating with high temperature products. This is one of only a handful of tools able to inspect pipelines operating at elevated temperatures.
