An inspection robot incudes a robot body, at least two sensors, a drive module, a stability assist device and an actuator. The at least two sensors are positioned to interrogate an inspection surface and are communicatively coupled to the robot body. The drive module includes at least two wheels that engage the inspection surface. The drive module is coupled to the robot body. The stability assist device is coupled to at least one of the robot body or the drive module. The actuator is coupled to the stability assist device at a first end, and coupled to one of the drive module or the robot body at a second end. The actuator is structured to selectively move the stability assist device between a first position and a second position. The first position includes a stored position. The second position includes a deployed position.

A compact subsea pig launcher comprises a tubular magazine for holding a plurality of pipeline pigs in longitudinal succession ready for launching successively into a subsea pipeline. The magazine is shaped to define at least one turn such as a coil around an upright axis. Thus, a series of pigs are stored in longitudinal succession along a path that is curved in plan view around the upright axis. During launching, at least one of the series of pigs is advanced along the path with angular movement around the upright axis.

A pig system for transporting liquid or pasty substances two pig stations which are connected to one another by way of a pig line. The pig system includes a number of pigs. Accordingly, the two pig stations have a number of parking positions, to which a controllable media connection is respectively assigned. Appropriate activation of the media connections allows the effect to be achieved that only some of the pigs at a time shuttle back and forth between the two pig stations. Defective pigs or operational pigs that are being kept on standby in this case remain in corresponding parking positions of the two pig stations.

A method for cleaning a coke deposit from an internal surface of a process equipment, comprising removing at least a portion of the coke deposit from the internal surface using a flexible pig comprising a plurality of bristles, without damaging a metal protective layer of the internal surface of the process equipment. A flexible pig for cleaning a coke deposit from an internal surface of a process equipment without damaging a metal protective layer of the internal surface, comprising a flexible body formed of a polymeric material, and a plurality of bristles partially encapsulated by the polymeric material of the flexible body.

A system includes an inspection robot having an input sensor comprising a laser profiler and a plurality of wheels structured to engage a curved portion of an inspection surface, wherein the laser profiler is configured to provide laser profiler data of the inspection surface; a controller, comprising: a profiler data circuit structured to interpret the laser profiler data; determine a feature of interest is present at a location of the inspection surface in response to the laser profiler data; and wherein the feature of interest comprises a shape description of the inspection surface at the location of the feature of interest.

Pipe inspection systems including a push-cable, jetter, and camera assembly are disclosed. A jetter nozzle may be configured to spin and/or propel the camera head within a pipe or other cavity. A cutter line may be attached to the camera head to clean obstructions. A sonde may be coupled to a camera head to generate magnetic field signals for use with a buried utility locator to locate a pipe or other cavity into which the camera head is deployed.

Embodiments provide a method of controlling a flow of pipeline fluid through a pipeline pig that includes a bypass channel and at least one relief channel extending therethrough. The method includes (a) inserting the pipeline pig into a pipeline through which the pipeline fluid is flowing, (b) increasing a differential pressure established in the pipeline fluid between a trailing end and a leading end of the pipeline pig such that the differential pressure sequentially reaches a pre-selected minimum relief pressure, a pre-selected maximum relief pressure and a pre-selected minimum bypass pressure, (c) opening the at least one relief valve to permit the pipeline fluid to flow through the relief channel when the differential pressure reaches the pre-selected minimum relief pressure (d) closing the at least one relief valve to restrict the flow of pipeline fluid through the relief channel when the differential pressure reaches a pre-selected maximum relief pressure, and (e) opening a bypass valve to permit the pipeline fluid to flow through the bypass channel when the differential pressure reaches the pre-selected minimum bypass pressure.

A method for cleaning a coke deposit from an internal surface of a process equipment, comprising removing at least a portion of the coke deposit from the internal surface using a flexible pig comprising a plurality of bristles, without damaging a metal protective layer of the internal surface of the process equipment. A flexible pig for cleaning a coke deposit from an internal surface of a process equipment without damaging a metal protective layer of the internal surface, comprising a flexible body formed of a polymeric material, and a plurality of bristles partially encapsulated by the polymeric material of the flexible body.

A method for refurbishing an existing host pipe, in which an in-situ longitudinal cut is made in the interior wall of a subterranean host pipe. An expansion tool is moved along a path inside the host pipe, stopping at one or more stations on the way. At each station, responsive to isolated outward radial force from the expansion tool, the interior diameter of the host pipe is increased via separation of the longitudinal cut. A new rigid liner pipe is inserted inside the expanded host pipe to operationally replace the host pipe. In some embodiments, grout is deployed in the annular space between liner pipe and host pipe. Expansion of the host pipe via separation of the longitudinal cut optimizes the refurbishment job and enables the original host pipe, as expanded, to contribute structurally to the refurbished pipe system.