(openPR) - Since even a minor failure could cause unacceptable downtime and substantial loss of money, conducting regular condition monitoring of the piping is indispensable for detecting failures and discontinuities at the earliest stage possible.

In order to assess the condition of the piping while the plant is running, Philipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation looked for a reliable inspection, verification and testing company.

On June 3, 2011, SGS Industrial division in the Philippines and Malaysia was assigned a contract to conduct comprehensive Guided Wave Inspection, also known as Long-Range Ultrasonic Testing, of the piping in Shell’s refinery.

With Guided Wave Inspection, a Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) method, SGS inspected the piping for defects and discontinuities; to ensure their reliability and integrity to prevent leaks and possible shutdowns.

Based on their first-rate experience and know-how in projects of this kind, SGS carried out Guided Wave Inspection of closed cooling water system, deep well piping and flare lines. In order to inspect the structures for loss of metal, such as from corrosion or erosion, SGS sent low frequency guided ultrasonic waves traveling along the pipe, thereby providing 100% coverage of the pipe length. Affected areas were precisely located in terms of distance from the transducer ring.

With SGS’s assistance, the condition of the piping was evaluated, wall thinning and defects were assessed and recommendations for corrective actions were given.

About SGS Industrial Services

Industrial Services is one of the major business lines of the SGS Group, a global service provider for technical verification, inspection, testing and conformity assessment. SGS Industrial Services ensures that the customer’s installations, material, equipment, facilities and projects meet all quality and performance requirements, whether they are regulatory, voluntary or customer based. Industrial Services has decades’ worth of experience and some remarkable references in serving key industries, such as Construction, Industrial Manufacturing and Trade, the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industry, Power Generation and Transmission, Banks and Financial Institutions, as well as Renewable Energy.

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 64,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,250 offices and laboratories around the world.

SGS Industrial Services
Julian M. Bernardo
Technical Manager

SGS Philippines, Inc.
2nd Floor Alegria Building,
2229 Chino Roces Ave.,
Makati City, PO Box 2174,
Philippines

t: +63 2817-5656
f: +63 2818-2971
Email: industrial.pr@sgs.com
Web: www.sgs.com/industrial