IP Pipeline Technology successfully completes bi-directional ILI without a pig receiver

On February 7, 2026, IP Pipeline Technology (hereinafter referred to as “IP”) announced the successful completion of the 219 mm crude oil pipeline in-line inspection project, which was officially launched on February 1, 2026. After seven days of standardized operations, all inspection tasks were completed smoothly. IP successfully delivered complete and accurate pipeline inspection data, with all indicators meeting project requirements.

The inspection target was a crude oil pipeline with a diameter of 219 mm and a total length of 19.8 kilometers. It serves as a critical channel for crude oil gathering, transportation, and external supply in the region, directly impacting oilfield production organization, transportation efficiency, and downstream supply stability. This pipeline has been in long-term continuous operation since 1990. The pipeline operates in a complex and variable environment. Due to multiple factors such as medium corrosion, geological subsidence, thermal stress, and long-term operational fatigue, the pipeline body has developed potential defects including corrosion, dents, deformation, and excessive ovality. The safety risks are highly concealed, making inspection and detection difficult. Conducting a comprehensive in-line inspection is therefore of great practical significance for ensuring long-term safe and stable pipeline operation, preventing production safety incidents, and fulfilling energy supply responsibilities.

At the initial stage of the project, the IP team faced a critical on-site challenge: the pipeline was not equipped with a pig receiver. Since conventional in-line inspection relies on a closed loop formed by a pig launcher and a receiver, operating without such equipment carries major risks, including unrecoverable tools, equipment blockage, and data loss. To safely carry out the inspection under this special condition, the project adopted bidirectional caliper inspection and bidirectional magnetic flux leakage (MFL) inspection, which impose strict requirements on sensor accuracy, structural stability, and data acquisition continuity. Conventional unidirectional tools cannot meet these demands, making this a typical complex constrained operation scenario in the industry that places extremely high requirements on solution design and equipment modification.

To address the challenge of tool recovery without a pig receiver, the technical team carried out a specialized structural redesign of the inspection tool. By optimizing bidirectional support wheels, sealing discs, and guiding structures, they enhanced the tool’s bidirectional mobility, braking capability, and adaptive performance. This enabled the tool to “move forward, reverse, and be retrieved in place,” allowing the entire operation to be completed without reliance on a traditional pig receiver.

To overcome the technical challenges of bidirectional inspection and achieve full inspection in a single run, the team implemented customized innovations in probe and sensor array design. A front-back symmetrical bidirectional sensing configuration was adopted. After adjustments and pull-through testing verification, the tool demonstrated stable, continuous, and high-resolution data acquisition during both forward operation and reverse return. This ensured effective bidirectional inspection with no blind spots, significantly improving operational efficiency and data completeness.

During execution, the project team strictly adhered to the operational plan, ensuring clear responsibility at every stage and full-process control. Technical personnel monitored the tool’s position, speed, and operational status in real time, precisely controlling medium pressure and flow to ensure smooth passage through critical points such as bends, tees, and diameter transitions. No incidents of tool blockage, wear, or data interruption occurred throughout the process.

With a well-developed technical plan, reliable equipment, and meticulous on-site organization, the IP team successfully completed both bidirectional caliper inspection and bidirectional MFL tasks to a high standard. After completion, technicians promptly conducted comprehensive mechanical inspections and functional verification of the tool, confirming it was intact and undamaged. The collected data was then thoroughly validated, achieving 100% data completeness. Defect identification was accurate, positioning was clear, and measurements were precise, fully supporting pipeline corrosion assessment, structural integrity evaluation, risk classification, and the formulation of subsequent maintenance and repair plans.

The project leader of IP Pipeline Technology stated that the successful completion of this 219 mm pipeline bidirectional in-line inspection project represents another practical validation of the company’s capabilities in handling complex working conditions and special environments. In the future, IP will continue to continue to innovate in oil and gas pipeline inspection, further optimizing equipment performance and enhancing solution capabilities, and providing more professional technology, more reliable equipment, and more meticulous services to support full-lifecycle inspection and integrity management for oil and gas pipelines worldwide.