Non-Contact Magnetometry (NCM) — Pipeline Integrity Screening

PetrolLog Oil Field Services delivers advanced Non-Contact Magnetometry (NCM), a non-intrusive, surface-based screening technology that assesses the condition of buried, aboveground, offshore, and subsea pipelines — without excavation, shutdown, pigging, or any internal pipeline access.

NCM works by detecting distortions in the pipeline caused by stress concentration, corrosion, and metal loss, pinpointing and GPS-mapping anomalies in real time from the surface (or via ROV subsea) using highly sensitive magnetometer readings. It is uniquely suited to unpiggable and inspection-restricted lines, and it is the ideal first step in any integrity program — rapidly screening entire networks to identify high-risk segments so that intrusive inspection, excavation, and repair are focused precisely where they are needed.

Technical Value

• Non-intrusive external inspection — no shutdown, no pigging, no medium or internal access required.
• Detects stress-concentration zones and stress-strain state — a key indicator conventional tools often miss.
• Identifies metal loss, corrosion-fatigue, weld defects, geometry deviations, and localized damage.
• Real-time anomaly detection with precise GPS mapping of every indication.
• Applicable to buried, aboveground, offshore, and subsea pipelines
• Ideal for unpiggable and restricted-access lines where in-line inspection cannot be run.

Commercial Value

• Eliminates production downtime and lost revenue during inspection
• Rapid, low-cost screening of entire pipeline networks
• Directs inspection and repair budgets toward genuine high-risk segments
• De-risks and reduces the cost of subsequent in-line inspection and pigging campaigns
• Supports proactive, standards-compliant integrity management, extending asset life and improving HSE performance

A Complete Integrity Strategy

NCM is a screening and prioritization tool that complements  in-line inspection. NCM rapidly surveys the network and flags where risk is concentrated; in-line inspection and direct assessment then deliver the quantitative, auditable defect sizing required for final integrity verification and regulatory compliance. Together they form a faster, safer, and more cost-effective integrity program.