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Genesis Pipeline Crawlers: Pigging the Unpiggable

Andy Kenney / Subsea Integrity Group

Copyright 2011, Offshore Technology Conference

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Offshore Technology Conference held in Houston, Texas, USA, 25 May 2011.
This paper was selected for presentation by an OTC program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Offshore Technology Conference and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Offshore Technology Conference, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Offshore Technology Conference is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of OTC copyright.

Abstract

Description
The paper reviews the work of SIG Ltd. to deploy appropriate sensor systems for inspections in pipelines hitherto considered
unpiggable.
Application
Many pipelines cannot be internally inspected because of reductions/changes in ID, extreme angles, 90-degree mitre bends, Tand Y-junctions or simply having access for pigs without a recovery point. They may be empty, gas filled, without flow or
flow in the "wrong" direction and so large sections are unpiggable.
SIG's range of high-powered, tethered, brush-tractor crawlers are delivery systems for applications including internal
inspection, cleaning and, later, repair. The first 16" and 10" units of this game-changing technology start operations in Q3/4
2010 but this innovative drive-system can be configured to power units from 4-6" and to 42" or beyond.
The brush-drive system copes with internal pipeline irregularities caused by corrosion, sedimentation and changes in ID.
Articulated propulsion and sensor-carrying modules allow the vehicle to negotiate 90 deg bends. Only one access point is
needed for both insertion and recovery as crawlers can reverse.
Crawlers are designed as internal pipeline cleaning and delivery systems with extremely high traction (5-20 tonne pull) and
long-range capability (4 -8 miles, depending on pipeline geometry). They operate independently of pipeline flow; with the
flow (at the vehicle's own speed), against it and also with no flow in empty pipelines.

High traction power allows them to work in vertical pipelines, allowing examination of risers, and to remain stationary for
extended periods in any attitude to monitor regions of high stress, such as pipeline touchdown points, over time.
Integrated operational payloads carried are designed to best address clients' requirements; multiple sensor packages can
include MFL, UT, electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT) or other pulsed EM and acoustic systems plus optical/laser
systems and so reduce operational time and cost by performing several tests in one single pass.
Results
Full scale field trials/operations start October/November 2010; results will be incorporated into the final paper for OTC 2011.
Significance
Full operational capabilities of these vehicles will be detailed in the final paper confirming their usefulness in inspecting
hitherto unpiggable pipelines.

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Introduction
Conventional intelligent pigging (ILI) of pipelines is usually a single directional process (unless flow can be reversed) that
requires sufficient product flow to drive the pig, a consistent bore size to allow the drive cups to efficiently occlude the
pipeline and a launch and receive trap at either end of the run.
In excess of 50% of the global pipeline network (for various reasons) does not enable conventional pigging to be undertaken
and these pipelines are collectively identified under the heading of unpiggable. As ongoing development technology
progresses to market ready technology, additional capability becomes available to reduce the percentage of pipelines that
cannot be inspected. One such technology that falls into this category is high power brush drive pipeline crawlers.
Pipeline crawlers that use reciprocating brushes as their source of grip and motive force have been in development for over 10
years. Fully developed tethered production tools are now at the stage of field trials and early operations with a number of
IOCs. Self powered and with high grip and high pull loads at the crawlers disposal they are capable of operating in a pipeline
independently of most flow conditions, can operate in complex geometries, can be deployed and recovered from a single
access point and can be integrated with existing ILI inspection tools and cleaning equipment. In esscence an enabling
technology that can transport existing and established technology used in conventional pigging into hitherto unpiggable part of
the pipeline network.
The following paper outlines the work carried out in recent years on tethered crawlers that have adopted brush drive
technology and the development of associated equipment necessary to enable them to operate in unpiggable pipelines.
Design and Operational Challenges
In bringing to market pipeline crawlers that are designed to operate in unpiggable pipelines certain challenges need to be
overcome. Some of those challenges are the same as those already faced by conventional pigging systems but there are
however, a number of unique challenges that also need to be addressed.
Some of the key issues include:
1) Negotiating built in pipeline features With the majority of pipelines, there are major features such as bends, tees and
wyes to traverse. In addition, as the pipeline crawler is tethered, it must be able to traverse all these features in both
directions, and maintain load capability.
2) Determining a maximum safe deployment distance With some tethered pigging systems, it is possible to travel
further into a pipeline than the pig can safely be recovered. In this situation, a reliable method of ensuring safe
recovery of the pig must be identified and used.
3) Detection of pipeline features obstructions In any pipeline intervention (unpiggable or otherwise) there is a potential
for the bore of the pipeline to be occluded in some way by debris / wax deposits / etc. In this event, there is a
significant risk for the crawler becoming damaged or stuck if collision with the occluding material occurs. To prevent
collision from occurring during an intervention, the crawler system must not only be able to detect occlusions but
allow the operator to respond appropriately and in a timely fashion.
4) Crawler support infrastructure The launching and ancilliary equipment that accompanies a tethered crawler is
somewhat different to a pressure driven pig system. The infrastructure must not only be designed to suit the
operational requirements of the crawler but also adhere to client and regulatory safety codes and standards.
5) Cleaning and inspecting pipelines One of the primary directives for the crawler is to possess the ability to clean
pipelines to a sufficient level that allows existing MFL and UT tools operate. The crawler must therefore be able to
integrate with both cleaning and inspection tools.

Traversing pipelines and pipeline features

Propulsion - The brush drive system
The crawler tool uses a free-running brush drive attached over the body of a reciprocating device (Fig 1a), attached to a
fixed brush section. The brushes are designed to be larger than the internal diameter of the pipe and so they will bend to
conform to the pipe bore. In this condition, the brushes possess a griping force in one direction that is much larger than its
sliding force in the opposite direction. When the brush drive is moved backwards by the reciprocator (drive motor) the grip
force of the brush allows the crawler tool along the pipe (Fig 1b). When the brush drive is moved backwards by the
reciprocator the fixed brush grip force exceeds that of the drive brush and the drive brush moves forward (Fig 1c). By
repeating this process, a brush driven crawler can travel forwards.

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In order to change direction, the crawler can either react against sufficient tension within the umbilical cable strain member or
at any point in the pipeline by overcoming the grip force of an individual drive brush in sequence. Either method will reverse
the direction of the brush tips and allow the crawler tool to propel itself in the opposite direction (Fig 1d).
Modular assembly for complex motion profiles and higher loads
Each crawler tool is made up of a number of separate drive modules that are based on COTS technology. In utilizing COTS
equipment as the basis of design for permanent magnet machines (motion) and drives (control) significantly increases
reliability due to existing empirical data. In addition, the use of an all-electric drive and control system allows a fine level of
control of the motion of each individual reciprocator and allows complex motion profiles to be adopted.
To allow inter-connection of crawler modules, each one is fitted with identical female and male connectors and common
communication buses run throughout the length of the tool. Each module is independently pressure balanced to withstand high
ambient pressures.
The crawlers are assembled (depending on the required application) with up to four independently controllable reciprocator
modules (Figure 2). When two or more reciprocators are used in the crawler assembly, the operator has fine control over the
speed, power and position of the crawler. The design of the crawler is such that the operator can choose between slower high
load modes (that can provide up to 4.8 tonnes of pulling capacity for a 10 tool) or faster modes with reduced pulling
capability.
Negotiating standard pipeline features
Successful traversing of pipeline features such as tees, wyes and valves is associated mainly with the suspension system used
as part of the crawler design. Wheels have been replaced with shorter and stiffer brushes than those used as part of the drive
system. The stiff brushes act as suspension and keep the crawler central in the pipe, optimising the function of the drive
brushes.
The design of the crawler is such that there are three sets of brushes on each drive module, two static and one moving. For the
crawler to maintain centrality within the pipe, two of these brush units must be in contact with a significant portion of the
pipewall. As any individual module within the overall tool encounters a feature such as a tee or wye, the suspension is
designed to span the gap and maintain sufficient contact with the other modules, maintaining drive. The number of modules
used in any tool is therefore subject to the geometry of the pipeline and in most cases it is recommended to use at least two to
ensure that propulsion and load capability is not lost during an intervention.
With features such as bore restricting valves, the crawler must be able to pass those reductions in a pipe bore. When
negotiating features such as these, the brush suspension system is capable of deforming to allow the crawler to pass bore
restrictions down to 80% of the nominal pipeline bore. This allows passing of most standard pipe bore restrictions. If however,
a larger bore reduction change is evident, it is possible to utilise tools with smaller core sizes and fit longer more compliant
brushes to provide sufficient drive and pass the restriction.
To allow traversing of bends (3D on 10, 1.5D on larger bores at the time of writing) the crawler uses custom double universal
joints that allow transmission of large loads and torsions that may be experienced during deployment.
Determining a point of no return
One of the most important factors surrounding the deployment of the crawler is the safe distance limitations imposed by the
geometry of the pipeline. As the crawler travels further into a pipeline and traverses more bends, the friction between the
umbilical and the pipe wall significantly increases the back tension on the crawler. The effect of this friction, inclusive of the
sliding load of the crawler itself, can impose the risk that the crawler will be able to travel further into the pipe than the winch
can safely recover it in the event of a total system electrical failure. With this in mind, a load model of the pipeline was
developed to allow the prediction of loads experienced by the crawler during the deployment and the loads imposed on the
winch during recovery.
Load modeling of the pipeline
With any tethered pig travelling in a pipeline, the load experienced by the crawler can be derived as a function of the
following:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

The back tension applied by the reeler, stuffing box and spit out force in a pressurised line;
The drag load produced by differential pressure produced by product flow;
The sliding load of the crawlers drive brushes (inclusive of the tools weight);
The frictional load due to the weight of the umbilical in straight sections of pipe;
The tensional increase experienced by the crawler passing around bends, also known as the capstan effect.

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The effects of the friction based variables depend very much on the geometry of the pipeline and the coefficient of friction
between the umbilical and the pipe wall. As such, the accurate predication of load on the crawler requires an accurate
geometric model of the pipeline. The frictional effects can be segregated into two areas: the friction applied in a straight line
and the friction applied around bends.
For every bend that the crawler encounters the backtension (load) on the crawler increases and this is known as the capstan
effect. The increase in load experienced around a bend can be calculated using Eulers equation for tension transmission:

In relation to the crawler, the above equation shows that when a back tension is applied prior to the entry of a bend, upon the
exit of the bend, the load experienced by the crawler will have increased by a factor depending on the angle of the bend and
the friction between the umbilical and the pipe wall. In practice, for an umbilical in a dry pipeline, the load upon exit of a 900
bend will be between 1.3 and 1.5 times that prior to entry of the bend, depending on the coefficient of friction.
In addition to the increase in tension around a bend due to the above equation, the increase in load experienced by the friction
and weight of the umbilical being dragged along the surface of the pipeline must be taken into account. The equation used for
calculating this load is:

With regards to the crawler, the above equation shows that the frictional load increase in a straight section of pipe will depend
on the friction between the umbilical and the pipe wall; the weight of the umbilical per metre; the length of the straight section
and the angle of the pipe section from the horizontal plane.
The above two equations are then used with reference to the geometric model of a specific pipeline and by applying the
appropriate equation for each feature, will result in a frictional model of the pipeline and define the effect of the umbilical
upon that pipeline.
To complete the load model for the crawler or winch, the back tensions, weights, and drag load detailed earlier can be added as
constants to produce a complete predictive model. As part of a feasibility study for any intervention, this model should be
completed to ensure that the crawler is capable of reaching the distances required by the client to achieve the necessary
deployment distances.
Example of a pipeline load model
An example of the construction of a crawler load model is shown. Using the geometric model shown in Figure 3, the base
equations are constructed as follows. The example pipeline consists of three bends and four straight sections. As such, the load
expected on the crawler can be defined as:
Using the example values of length and force, the load experienced by the crawler at the end of straight section S4 would be
calculated as:
5000
The calculation shows that in this situation, the frictional load experienced by the crawler is approximately 2/3 of the overall
load experienced by the tool. The overall load is still half of the capability of the crawler with this configuration of brushes. As
such, a crawler with this grip and pull capability could quite easily traverse this complete 940m pipeline.
Upon recovery however, a separate model must be created that rebuilds the calculation based on a reverse of the pipeline
geometry, and uses the grip load of the crawler as the original back tension that must be overcome:

The key difference in this calculation is that the resistive load of the tool is now embedded within the equation. During normal
operation, the resistive load of the umbilical is zero, given the fact that the crawler is driving back under its own power. In this
situation, the winch has only to recover the umbilical, and the resultant load is calculated at:
2200
While this number insinuates that the recovering winch need only be fairly small in capability, the contingency must be
available for the winch to be able to recover a dead crawler. In the event of a dead recovery, the full 10000N capability of the

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crawler would need to be overcome by the winch. This load would be multiplied by each bend by a factor of 1.37, with
additional loads added by the friction imposed by the friction between the umbilical and the pipewall. In this situation, the
momentary load required by the winch to overcome the crawler grip load is calculated as:
27000
Once the grip load of the crawler has been overcome and the brushes have flipped, the slide load of the crawler becomes the
prominent back tension in the system, with the 10000N reduced to 3000N, the load requirement of the winch is:
9500
While the load on the winch due to the sliding resistance of the crawler is approximately a third of the grip resistance, the
winch still must be able to overcome this load.
The above example demonstrates that with a sufficiently capable crawler and length of pipe, it may be possible to overcome
the limits of the recovery winch by travelling too far. By producing a crawler load and recovery model, it is possible to limit
the travel distance of the crawler by the capability of the winch, or to reduce the grip capability of the crawler to complete a
pipeline run while keeping the recovery load under the limit of the crawler.
Updating the load model during an intervention
While the theorised load model is useful in determining the feasibility of the crawler to meet client requirements, it may not
provide a completely accurate definition of the loads that the crawler will experience during deployment. Variables such as the
coefficient of friction that will be experienced; the pipeline media viscocity and flow or the pipe bore may vary in such a way
as to render the model inaccurate.
To ensure that the load model remains accurate during an intervention, the model should be updated by on-board
instrumentation (detailed later) prior to and after any bends or significant features. By using direct measurement of the load the
crawler is experiencing, a very accurate measurement of the coefficient of friction can be determined. This will allow the
derivation of the point of no return for the crawler very accurately, allowing a safe and predictable crawler deployment and
recovery.
On-board Instrumentation
During any pigging intervention, there is a good chance that the pipewall will be contaminated with deposits, scale or other
debris. This is especially true in pipelines that are classified as unpiggable because in many cases they may not have been
cleaned previously due to the difficulty of being accessed. Furthermore, there may be pipelines where the operator may not
know or fully understand the geometrical layout of the pipeline or be able to identify where specific features are.
To provide real time crawler integrity information, to detect features and potential collisions, and monitor the crawlers
progress through a pipeline, a suite of instrumentation has been integrated into the crawler design which includes the
following:
Crawler load cell
The variance in frictional load imposed upon the crawler can be quite significant, depending on the media in the pipeline and
the composition of deposits on the pipewall. When producing a predictive load model for any given intervention, the
coefficient of friction used will in general be based on experience, or on generally accepted published values of co-efficient of
friction quoted between the umbilical material and the pipewall. This theoretical value of friction can provide an educated
assessment of the crawlers capability of the pipeline for feasibility study purposes. However, the actual surface friction of the
pipeline may only be accurately calculated once the crawler is in the pipeline. In order to do this, a load cell is fitted at the
strain termination of the crawler. In conjunction with the predictive model of the pipeline, it is possible to update the
coefficient of friction based on the variance between the predicted loading expected at the crawler and the actual load
measured. By doing this at various key points during an intervention (before and after a bend for example), it is possible to
more accurately predict the point of no return the point at which recovery by pulling on the winch solely may not work,
thus extending the range of the crawler.
The load cell uses a strain gauge array fitted to a data acquisition board in the crawlers strain termination. Data from the strain
gauge is transmitted to the operator through the CANBus network that runs throughout the length of the crawler.

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Front end video camera

For the visual detection of standard pipeline features and potential pipeline occlusions, a modular video camera and lighting
unit can be fitted to the front of the crawler (See Figure 4). The camera images are transmitted in real time to the topside
operator via a dedicated 100BaseT ethernet bus through the crawler, and a transparent full duplex fibre link in the umbilical.
An example of the video camera image is shown in Figure 5. With a dedicated high speed link for the camera, control of
zoom, focus, and brightness of the high lux LED lights is available for the operator using a topside control interface.
Forward facing collision avoidance sonar
As a great number of pipelines will contain material that will prevent the effective use of a video camera unit, the crawler is
also fitted with a forward facing collision avoidance sonar array. The array consists of a single transducer facing directly into
the pipe with a range of approximately 4m, and four other transducers that are at an angle from the centreline of the pipe to
face the pipewall giving a range of approximately 0.4m (See Figure 6).
Each transducer provides ranging information that can provide basic information on geometry of the pipe that can allow an
operator to identify features such as bends, tees, wyes and closed valves. This low resolution but relatively large ranging array
provides an early warning system for the operator that a potential obstruction is near the crawler, giving the operator suitable
time to react appropriately.
Profiling sonar array
To allow more accurate definition of pipeline features and to determine the bore size of the pipe wall, a radial scanning sonar
array is also fitted to the front end of the crawler. The radial scanning array provides the operator with a higher resolution
profile image of the bore of the interior of the pipe (See figure 7). Information on the interior bore of the pipe can alert the
operator of any pipeline restrictions that the crawler may encounter and of any features that the forward facing sonar may have
missed. The profiling array provides ranges accurate to 1mm in fluid that will allow the operator of the crawler to determine
whether to proceed into a restricted pipe bore or not. Conversely, the profiler will also alert the operator to any substantial
increases in the pipe bore. If the bore size exceeds the specified maximum, the crawler may lose drive, and as such may
require recovery by the winch.
6 axis accelerometer/inclinometer
An accelerometer that derives and outputs inclination has been fitted as standard to the crawler instrumentation module on the
front of the tool. The accelerometer used as standard on the crawler uses MEMs based technology, and transmits all motion
data through the CANBus network to the display control software topside.
As there is a potential for the crawler to rotate within a pipe during an intervention, the camera and profiler may show
confusing data to the operator (left turns, when right are expected etc). To compensate for this potential rotation, the
inclination derived from the accelerometer of the crawler can be used to rotate the camera and profiler display data and keep
them on a constant horizontal plane. Coupled with the forward facing sonar array, the inclination of the crawler can be used to
determine the size of a bend, and provide information on the angle at which straight sections of pipe may be positioned. The
use of this information can aid in defining the pre-defined geometric models of the pipeline, and hence the load and recovery
prediction models to produce more accurate distance limits.
Furthermore, the accelerometer can be used as a definitive indentifier of direction change, where the acceleration values would
reverse when the crawler reversed in the pipe.
Proximity Sensors
To provide an absolute position reference for the linear actuators, and to prevent damage to their motors, each actuator module
has been fitted with a series of optical proximity sensors that provide a calibrated absolute position at various points through
the motors stroke. These proximity triggers can be used to trigger the motion of other actuators via the motor drive control
system, or can simply be used to verify the motors stroke position. As these proximity sensors also provide a safe end of travel
trigger for the motor controllers, a fast update rate is required for the the proximity sensors. As such, a dedicated RS485 bus
operates along the length of the crawler, and is transparently transmitted to the topside motor controller through a fibre optic
link in the umbilical.
Pressure/temperature sensors
To derive the drag load due to flow if any pressure sensors are fitted to the front and back of the tool. The differential
pressure between the two sensors is then used to calculate the drag load imposed upon the crawler, and hence update the
crawler load model. The pressure integrity of each module is monitored with an absolute pressure sensor that alerts the
operator to any deficiency in the pressure balancing system within the modules.
Internal and external temperatures are monitored throughout the crawler to ensure motor duty is not compromised and to
prevent the crawler from overheating if environmental conditions exceed stipulated limits.

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In providing a vast array of external and internal integrity monitoring instrumentation as detailed above, the operator is able to
evaluate and reliably negotiate unexpected pipeline occurances.

Crawler support infrastructure

To enable the successful deployment and recovery of the crawler, sufficient topside equipment must be made available. For
the first field trials planned for Q1 2011, the support equipment specified was arranged as shown in figure 8.
Launch pipework
The launch pipework used for the deployment of the crawler differs from conventional pressure driven pig launchers. In
general, pig launchers are slightly larger than the connecting pipework to allow ease of introduction and recovery of the pig
into the pipeline. The crawler tool launcher differs from conventional launchers in that it will consist of a pipe the same bore
diameter and schedule as the pipeline itself. The launcher is also fitted with a stuffing box connected at the back to prevent
pipeline pressure/media loss due to the crawler tether.
For ease of installation the crawler would normally be shipped in the launcher pipework and the pipework connected to the
pipeline for deployment. In general, the pipework required to launch the crawler is much simpler than pressure driven pigs
(See figure 8).
The pipework consists of a double block and bleed connection on the stuffing box to allow de-pressurisation of the launcher
upon recovery, and a feed and return port designed for flushing of the launcher prior to disconnection from the pipework.
Due to the bend passing capability of the crawler, it is possible to produce a launcher that contains bends to allow the crawler
to be launched from a number of locations. Furthermore, as the crawler will generally be shipped and fitted to the pipeline
within the launcher, the launching system lends itself well to conducting vertical or other non-horizontal launches.
Where conventional larger bore pig traps cannot be replaced with the crawler system, it is possible to either internally sleeve
the pig trap to temporarily reduce the bore size, or to fit a small number of longer drive brushes on the crawler to provide
sufficient drive to enter the pipeline.
Powered Winch
As shown in the crawler load example earlier, in normal operation the winch will in general only be required to apply a load
equal to the friction in the umbilical and the stuffing box only. Emergency recovery however will require the winch to use a
high load to reverse and then a reduced load to successfully recover the crawler. The key limitation on the maximum load that
can be applied for reversing the tool is the mechanical breaking strain of the umbilical.
For the purposes of the crawlers first field trails, the capability of the winch was selected at 80000N for an umbilical of
maximum breaking strain 117000N. It can be accepted that emergency recovery of the crawler would be a rare occurance and
that in most cases the winch would be able to reverse and recover the crawler. As shown in the pipeline load model example,
the initial load required to reverse the tool is quite high, and afterwards the load reduces significantly (from 27000N to
9500N). The high reversing load is only applied to the umbilical for a short period, moving the crawler by the distance it takes
to flip the crawler brushes - about a half of the pipe diameter.
With this in mind, an emergency recovery pull kit was specified to apply loads to the umbilical equal to the maximum
breaking strain of the umbilical for these short distances. By using a Chinese finger, and a sufficiently rated lever hoist, it
would be possible to pull the umbilical the short distance necessary to reverse the umbilical. Following this, it would be
expected once this high flip load was overcome, the load required at topside for recovery would be significantly reduced and
the winch could then be used for recovery.
The winch specified for the crawler field trials in Q1 2011 was hydraulically powered and manually controlled (See Figure 9).
An electrically powered Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) is used to provide the necessary hydraulic power to the winch where
necessary. To limit the force applied by the winch, a regulator is fitted to allow the pressure output from the HPU to be
selected depending on the load required by the user (limited to under the safe working load of the umbilical in normal
operation). A flow control valve provides the necessary speed control for the winch.
In future operations, the winch will be electrically controlled and managed by the crawler operator. By feeding winch speed
and load information to the operator, it will be possible in software to manage the payout and payin of the umbilical based on
the distance travelled by the crawler.

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Control cabin
The crawler control infrastructure is most closely related to subsea Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) control. For safe
control of the crawler, the motor drive cabinet and operator control system are located inside a zone rated pressurised cabin
(Figure 10).
The cabin contains an electrical distribution point to service the workshop container, motor drive cabinet, and HPU. With the
operator being given all operational data from the crawler (and the winch in the future), it is imperative that the operator can
stop all the equipment if any issues occur during a deployment. As such, in addition to stops being located on the equipment, a
single emergency stop for all equipment is located next to the operator station.

Supporting cleaning and inspection

Cleaning of pipelines with the crawler
Prior to any inspection work taking place, pipelines in general will require to be cleaned to remove deposits such as wax, scale
and any other debris from the pipewall. With pressure driven pigging cleaning solutions, a number of pigs starting with small
diameters and progressively increasing are launched through a pipeline until the quantity of debris removed from the trap is of
a sufficiently low level. During this cleaning process however, the actual condition and cleanliness of the pipeline can only be
determined from what the last cleaning pig run removed from the pipewall. In addition, this process may lead to cleaning pigs
becoming stuck in the pipeline if the pig encounters an obstruction that it was incapable of dislodging.
With the crawler technology however, cleaning pipelines can be approached differently. As the unit uses a series of inspection
equipment at the front of the tool, it is possible to first drive the tool into the pipeline and assess the amount and type of
cleaning that will be required. In addition, the inspection spread on the front of tool will be able to detect obstructions,
allowing a reliable and safe approach to delivering pipeline cleaning services.
To actually perform the cleaning, the crawler can adopt a number of approaches. The suspension and drive brushes on the
crawler will, by default, perform a small amount of cleaning within the pipe, and certainly dislodge loose debris or soft wax. If
a more aggressive cleaning approach is required, a separate module can be fitted at the front with rotary brushes for cleaning
instead of propulsion.
For the delivery of other cleaning processes such as jetting and chemical, the crawler will be used purely as a delivery tool and
interface to a cleaning module fitted to the front of the crawler.
Delivering inspection systems
To deliver inspection systems to pipelines, the GPC crawler modular design lends itself well to either push or pull ILI
modules as required by the manufacturer, and deliver power and communications where appropriate.
ILI tools for pressure driven systems in general behave as autonomous units, providing their own power and recording data
that will be retrieved upon recovery of the ILI. To allow simple interfacing to units such as these, the collision avoidance front
module would be removed, and the ILI would be fitted to the crawler via. a custom interface plate. With an ILI being used in
this configuration, it is most likely that an initial visual inspection run will be conducted as a minimum to verify the conditions
within the pipeline before pushing through an ILI.
The above interfacing solution does provide a simple method of connecting to an ILI and delivering inspection capabilities
inside the pipe. However, with the ILI being used as an autonomous unit, if the pipewall is not clean enough to be inspected, or
the ILIs to develop a fault, this would not be known until after the ILI data was recovered and assessed.
By providing a power supply and completely independent Ethernet data bus to topsides, there is potential for ILI tool
makers to utilise the benefits of having real time data recording topside, and remove the battery packs fitted to the units. By
being able to view the ILI recorded data in real time, the ILI operator can instantly be alerted to any faults or problems with the
ILI tool, and have the crawler reversed and recovered to repair their tool, potentially saving days of lost time. Furthermore,
with the potential to transmit all the raw inspection data to topside, the processing for the ILI tool data can commence as soon
as the ILI tool begins deployment, which may considerably reduce the delay in processing time.

Conclusions
To provide inspection and cleaning services to hitherto unpiggable pipelines, Subsea Integrity Group has produced a series
of brush driven pipe crawlers. The challenges faced in producing this service included:
1) Constructing a robust and reliable crawler that was capable of achieving high loads and was capable of traversing most
pipeline features;

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2) Determining the safe maximum distance of deployment and being able to monitor and update this model during any
intervention;
3) Producing a system for the detection of pipeline features and anomalies, as well as monitoring the environment within
the pipeline and the integrity of the crawler;
4) Specifying and assembling a practical deployment support infrastructure that could meet the capabilities of the
crawler;
5) Integrating the crawler with cleaning and inspection equipment.
To be able to negotiate unpiggable lines reliably, the crawler has adopted a propulsion technology that utlises high powered
off-the-shelf linear actuators and controls at its centre, and uses brushes to allow the crawler to pull high loads through a
pipeline independent of flow or pressure. The modular design approach allows the crawler to traverse most standard pipeline
features, while maintaining load capability.
To determine the safe maximum deployment distance for the crawler, a pipeline deployment and recovery load model was
produced. By reviewing the back tension from topside, and the effect of friction between the crawlers umbilical and the pipe
wall and the drag load of the crawler, the model showed that the recovery load imposed on the winch will always be
significantly higher than the deployment load experienced by the crawler. As such, it was concluded that this model should
always be produced and determine a theoretical point of no return for the crawler, thus deriving the feasibility of the crawler to
traverse the required distance by the client. To confirm the accuracy of the model during an intervention, the load on the
crawler can be measured using an on board load cell.
The detection of standard features and anomalies within the pipe was met with an array of instrumentation located
throughout the tool. A video camera and series of sonar arrays were constructed as a lead module to provide collision
avoidance information for the operator to use when driving the crawler. In addition, environmental and integrity information
was measured through a series of pressure and temperature sensors located throughout the tools interior and exterior. To allow
an appropriate feedback loop for the motor controllers, both a proximity sensor array, and a rotational encoder were fitted to
the linear actuator to allow fine level independent motor control of each module.
The crawler topside infrastructure consists of a bespoke launcher and stuffing box fitted at the end of the pipeline.
Umbilical management is provided at the time of writing by a hydraulically controlled and powered winch. The crawlers
propulsion is management by a control cabinet located within a zone rated control cabin that will also house the crawler
operator and the electrical distribution box for the entire spread.
To provide cleaning services for the future, it is expected that the selection of appropriate brushes to provide more or less
aggressive cleaning will provide a level of cleaning that may meet the needs of the client. However, this theory requires more
testing to ensure that the brush system can effectively clean various types of deposit on the pipe wall. For the integration of 3rd
party ILI and cleaning tools to the crawler, the design philosophy caters for completely independent communication and
control of these equipments to allow 3rd party providers to operate their equipment and manage their data autonomously from
the crawler system.
Nomenclature
Fexit = Tension experienced at the output of the bend (N);
Fentry = Tension applied at the input of the bend (N);
= Coefficient of friction;
= Angle of incidence within the bend (rads);
FS = Frictional and weight loading component of the umbilical in a straight section of pipe (N);
W = Weight of umbilical per metre (Kg);
l = Length of the straight section of pipe (m);
= Angle of straight section of pipe from the horizontal plane;
Fcrawler load = Total force required by the crawler to continue moving in the pipeline (N);
FS1f = Load on a forward travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 1 (N);
FS2f = Load on a forward travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 2 (N);
FS3f = Load on a forward travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 3 (N);
FS4f = Load on a forward travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 4 (N);
FS1r = Load on a reverse travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 1 (N);
FS2r = Load on a reverse travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 2 (N);
FS3r = Load on a reverse travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 3 (N);
FS4r = Load on a reverse travelling crawler due to the weight and friction of the umbilical on straight section 4 (N);
TB1 = Tension increase coefficient experienced when traversing Bend 1;
TB2 = Tension increase coefficient experienced when traversing Bend 2;
TB3 = Tension increase coefficient experienced when traversing Bend 3;
Fsliding = Force required to reverse the crawler when sliding the brushes (N);
Fcrawler resistance = Force required to reverse the crawler (N);

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Fwinch = Total force required by the winch to recover the crawler (N);
Fwinch (normal) = Total force required by the winch to recover the crawler when (N);
Fwinch (sliding) = Total force required by the winch to recover the crawler (N);
Fwinch (grip) = Total force required by the winch to recover the crawler (N);
Figures
Figure 1: Brush drive propulsion concept
Fixed Brush Module

Reciprocating Brush Module

Direction of Travel

Fig 1a: The original configuration of a simple crawler shows two brush modules, both facing in the same
direction. With brushes at the angle shown above, both modules will travel to the right with less force than
travelling left.

Fig 1b: In the first step in the propulsion cycle, the reciprocating brush extends forwards. As the grip force of
the fixed brush is greater than the sliding force of the reciprocating brush, the reciprocating brush will slide
forwards.

Fig 1c: When the reciprocating brush returns to its original position, its grip force exceeds that of the crawler
and sliding force of fixed brush. In this this situation, the crawler travels forwards.

Figure 2: A single drive module

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Figure 3: Pipeline load model example

B1

S2

B2

S1

S3
S4
B3
Direction of travel

Figure 4: Crawler video camera

Figure 5: Screen shot of video camera image

S1 = 40m horizontal;
S2 = 100m at -20O;
S3 = 500m horizontal;
S4 = 300m horizontal;
B1,B2,B3 = 90O 3D bends;
Fstuffing box = 500N;
Fsliding = 3000N;
Fgrip = 10000N;
Umbilical Wt/km = 400Kg

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Figure 6: Arrangement forward facing sonar array

Profiling
Sonar Array

Forward Facing
Sonar Array

Figure 7: Profiling sonar sample image

Fig 7: An example image from a sonar profiler. Using 80 individual acoustic transducers, features such as
voids and obstructions can be detected.

Figure 8: Topside ancilliary spread

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Figure 9: Hydraulic winch used for field trials

Figure 10: Control Cabin

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