Industrial testing guide
Pipeline Inspection Concepts
External inspection, NDT and in-line inspection as different evidence streams.
Safety boundary: this page is conceptual. It does not provide ionizing-radiation source handling, pressure-test procedures, hazardous chemical recipes, energized test instructions, machine settings or robot operation.
What this topic covers
External inspection, NDT and in-line inspection as different evidence streams.
Core testing ideas
Pipelines can experience corrosion, cracking, deformation and coating deterioration.
In-line tools, direct assessment and surface NDT serve different purposes.
Operating and excavation procedures are outside this site's scope.
Measurement and method limits
Multiple methods are often complementary because dimensional, surface and internal conditions are different.
Evidence and traceability
Acceptance and qualification requirements should come from the governing product or engineering specification.
Using the result
Testing and inspection evidence should remain connected to material, process and product history.