China makes own subsea pipeline check equipment

China has developed its own subsea pipeline inspection device, which its designer says will end foreign companies' dominance in the field.

"We're the first in China to successfully develop this kind of device, for which our offshore oil industry had waited more than 20 years," says Zhou Ming, director of the Beijing Huahang Radio Measurement Institute, which developed the equipment. "Now we can proudly announce that China can inspect its subsea pipelines on its own."

Such devices use a magnetic flux leakage method to detect corrosion and pitting in pipelines and are used to inspect about 70 percent of the world's pipelines.

Previously, China depended on overseas manufacturers for this kind of equipment, resulting in high expenditures and risks like exposing sensitive information to foreigners, Zhou says.

He says the institute's device passed a series of stringent tests on pipelines in Bohai Bay in October, proving it is ready for mass production and formal operation.

"We're now working with China National Offshore Oil Corp to promote the machine as well as our inspection service in the oil and gas industry. Compared with foreign companies, our charges will be much lower and our product is competitive."

The institute specializes in radar and photoelectric equipment for spacecraft and rockets. Although its focus is still on space equipment, many of its researchers have been designated to take advantage of their expertise in the space industry to develop products to serve other business sectors.

The value of the institute's civilian businesses last year reached nearly 400 million yuan ($61.9 million; 53.9 million euros). It plans to double that figure by 2020.

CNOOC owns hundreds of subsea pipelines off China's coastline, which span more than 6,000 kilometers, according to data from the company.

A standard industry practice is to check a pipeline every three to five years to make sure it is working well with no damage or risk of corrosion.

Industry observers say for a long time several foreign firms, including General Electric and Rosen Group, have dominated the pipeline inspection services segment in China. They charge an average of $10,000 per kilometer of pipeline.

"They make millions of dollars in the Chinese market. They don't sell the machine to Chinese oil companies, but only provide the Chinese clients an inspection report," says Zheng Li, chief designer of the equipment at the institute.

"Our machine is capable of continuously inspecting about 100 km in a single mission. Moreover, we not only provide inspection service, but also offer a solutions package."

zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 05/06/2016 page30)