Inline inspection (ILI) plays a pivotal role in pipeline integrity management programs. While ultrasonic technologies (UT) have been a part of ILI vendor portfolios for decades, many operators exclusively rely on magnetic flux leakage (MFL) technology for metal loss inspection. This paper explores real-world experiences highlighting the integrity advantages gained from using UT alone or in combination with MFL, emphasizing the importance of incorporating an off-cycle technology during re-inspections that utilizes a different measurement principle.

The choice of ILI technology depends on factors such as anticipated threats, pipeline conditions, and parameters, which ultimately shape the desired outcome. Additionally, this paper elucidates the distinctions between UT and MFL ILI technologies concerning operational constraints, anomaly detection, sizing, and associated analytical differences. These insights are substantiated by extensive collaboration with a pipeline operator across multiple liquid pipeline assets.