US 12,276,574 B2
Gel pigging improvement
Ron Maurier, Stafford, TX (US); and Robert De Lorenzo, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to Quest Integrity USA, LLC, Stafford, TX (US)
Appl. No. 17/795,834
Filed by Quest Integrity USA, LLC, Stafford, TX (US)
PCT Filed Feb. 1, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/016086
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/155372, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 5, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/967,773, filed on Jan. 30, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0070754 A1, Mar. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. G01M 3/24 (2006.01); F16L 101/30 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 3/246 (2013.01) [F16L 2101/30 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for performing ultrasonic inspection of a pipe, comprising:
a) introducing an in-line inspection tool assembly into the pipe, wherein the in-line inspection tool assembly comprises an ultrasonic inspection tool that is flanked by a pair of batching pigs comprising a first batching pig and a second batching pig, wherein at least one of the first and second batching pigs includes a gel reservoir for storing a first gel couplant, and wherein the gel reservoir holds the first gel couplant; and
b) driving the in-line inspection tool assembly along the pipe while performing ultrasonic inspection;
wherein a gel slug is formed between the pair of batching pigs, and said gel slug facilitates the ultrasonic inspection.