Pipeline Aerial Surveillance, Inspection & Testing

For the past several years we have come to realize an ever increasing need to provide pipeline operators with a COMPLETE TURNKEY ENGINEERED SOLUTION for some of their more critical D.O.T. compliance needs, and a means to better coordinate the process of their normal day-to-day operations:

• Surveillance
• Inspection
• Testing

Engineering Services, L.P. began to become aware of the need to provide good, solid engineering practices coupled with new technologies some 20 years ago when they repeatedly participated in notable pipeline incidents throughout the world. Representing at various times both the defendant (i.e. pipeline operator) and the plaintiffs (i.e. U S Department of Justice Environmental Enforcement Division) in extraordinarily expensive litigation; most of which could have been avoided altogether, or at the very least, results to a lesser degree had there been thorough forethought and correctly applied surveillance, inspection, and testing.

For All Your Federal & State Pipeline Solutions (PowerPoint Download) »

SURVEILLANCE

To that end, the research team that Engineering Services, L.P. has put together recently performed hundreds of field tests and studies of the various gas release monitoring methods. The methods tested were designed to simply detect methane gas leaks of gas transmission pipelines using aerial surveillance and various gas detection equipment. The results of what was found represent a very serious risk to the vulnerability of every pipeline operator when they rely on personnel and equipment that does not effectively do the job that it claims. In some cases, the equipment provided erroneous results actually taken outside of stated capabilities of the instruments and apparatus used. Additionally the equipment limitations have resulted in some helicopter flight operations being compromised as the contractor tries to overcome these limits. The helicopter pilot understood the helicopter, and the observer operating the detection equipment understood the equipment, but neither fully understood the needs or abilities of the other.

Continued reliance on aerial surveillance companies that have no true understanding of a particular pipeline operations and maintenance history, or the technology they are using will generally result in false and inaccurate interpretation of readings, as well as setting the stage for potentially catastrophic events. The risk of ineffectively managing the safety of a pipeline and protection of the adjacent environment will certainly be a challenge to explain when there is an incident and will expose the operator to significant and expensive future litigation. Recent and highly publicized fines and settlement awards have proven that the cost of safety is cheaper than the alternatives.

Engineering Services, L.P. believes pipeline operators are sometimes overwhelmed with confusing and inaccurate reports founded on the lack of sufficient pipeline engineering experience and knowledge of the industry to properly interpret findings. This combined with rapidly advancing technologies and multiple service companies have only proven to increase overhead and frustration for operators.

Engineering Services, L.P. thinks it is time to provide turnkey engineered and well inspected solutions to all the State and Federal compliance requirements. By putting together a cohesively merged team of engineering, inspection and state of the art equipment, the operator can focus managing and operating their pipeline safely in other areas.

Engineering Services’ experienced team of engineers and qualified inspectors understand pipeline industry needs. Through extensive testing, they have identified and selected the most reliable technology. Their interests are strictly limited to providing equipment and personnel based on safety and performance. Further, they will select and provide the appropriate aircraft to make the inspection process cost effective and safe. They are not limited to a single aircraft, and therefore they carefully evaluate the project, the payload, and fuel load to select the safest and most economical vehicle for the project.

INSPECTION & TESTING

Engineering Services, L.P. goes one step further, they ground verify and correctly quantify all indications before reporting them to you and suggesting an engineered recommendation.

By using a good solid team of engineers, the right equipment for the job and a reliable helicopter service a contractor can be more effective at reducing their risk, increasing safety and preserving revenue. Even with all the available technology it will be very difficult to mitigate an operator’s losses in the event of an incident when the best technology available is not used, or not used properly. Engineering Services’ participation in your program with an engineered solution will guarantee you the best job results possible.

WHAT ABOUT HELICOPTERS

How can anyone say more than what has already been said about helicopters and their uses? We have come to use the helicopter in many aspects of business, but few more than the Oil and Gas industry – many facets of which were not even thought of just 10 years ago. Helicopters have been used for more years to transport personnel and equipment offshore to platforms. They have been used for inspection and surveillance of existing pipeline right of ways, and taken photographs, or actually videoed proposed routes of new pipelines as far back as 40 years ago.

Engineering Services, L.P. has strategically joined forces with Helicopter Services, Inc to offer, yet more advantages and services. Now the helicopter, equipment and personnel are no longer just blindly gathering data and information as they were asked to do by the operator. By merging with an engineering firm, the personnel are gathering information with more forethought as to what the equipment is really looking for. Now the personnel onboard the helicopter operating the equipment and instruments knows where to look, what areas to spend more time in, and knows immediately if a reading is good or if more time is needed in a particular area to ensure the data collected is actually reliable and meaningful. In short the helicopter and its personnel – both onsite and supporting – are more effective now.

Helicopter Services, Inc. and Engineering Services, L.P. join forces for their aerial surveillance, inspection and testing of pipelines.

There exists today, as much as ever, an increasing need to provide pipeline operators with complete turnkey engineering solutions for some of the more critical State and Federal compliance needs, and a means to better coordinate and simplify a pipeline operator’s normal day-to-day operations.

For questions please contact our pilot, Mike Landry at 281-883-3010.

IN CONCLUSION

Just imagine how much more efficient collecting data, interpreting and acting on it is, if the equipment and personnel used have the background and knowledge needed to perform a given task. This can only be done by thoroughly studying the pipeline to be inspected before starting any assessment. Engineering Services, L.P. will strive to know and understand all information that is available before starting any inspection. They will know what problem areas exists, and to what extent. They will fully understand the equipment they choose to use and what limitations, if any, might exist for a given circumstance or environment and how best to overcome them. And most important is that they are teamed with one of Houston’s premier helicopter providers – Helicopter Services Inc.