Close Interval Potential Survey-CIPS
Analysis of the external corrosion of buried pipelines is made using pipe-to-soil potential measurements. Pipe-to-soil potentials are usually measured at fixed test points spaced between 1-5 km along a pipeline. However, since such measurements are only valid at the location of the reference electrodes, there is a lack of reliable information about the CP status elsewhere along the pipeline.
Considerable deviation in soil resistivity, interference and other factors can cause corrosion at intermediate locations even though the test points indicate favourable data. If the distance between the test points is decreased, the survey will provide more accurate data about CP conditions along the pipeline. This is why we have developed the Close Interval Potential Survey (CIPS), an intensive survey which allows potential measurements to be taken at intervals of 5 metres or less.
Reasons to use closed interval potential survey – CIPS
It is obvious that a manual survey of pipe-to-soil potentials at such close intervals can be neither practical nor economic, especially if a long distance transmission pipeline is to be inspected. Even if stripchart recorders are available, such a survey woud be extremely time consuming. Thus a faster and more reliable method is a better alternative.
CIPS overcomes such problems by automatically recording, storing, calculating and displaying measurement data. This can be presented in a table or graphic.
Our mobile mobile software package integrates/offers 4 measuring methods:
- 2-electrode method
- 3-electrode method
- Addition method
- IFO method