After a successful ILI and submission of the final report, operators are sometimes faced with the challenge of making important decisions to maintain the integrity of their pipelines. Due to its complexity, this is often a major challenge for the operator, which can have a huge impact on an entire asset with significant financial implications.

At this point, the operator depends on the reliability of the inspection data, analyzed in the vendor's data analysis department and often examined in detail in subsequent workshops with the operator's integrity team.

The inspection data signals recorded form the basis for a fruitful discussion of the detected features and their interpretation, whereof the number of data sets available is essential. If multiple data sets of different technologies and sensor arrays - can be analysed - and all allow the same interpretation of feature detection, identification and sizing, this provides maximum confidence of interpretation and minimises the uncertainty due to each technology’s measurement tolerances.

This paper describes the benefits of building confidence in features interpretation using 3P inspection tools that incorporate a variety of different sensor arrays and technologies in a single inspection run (or campaign).

Several examples will be reviewed, including the following cases:

- Significant metal loss identified by four individual sensor arrays such as MFL, wall-guided and stand-off magnetic DMR, and GEO sensors.

- The presence of recurring unusual geometric deformations in a pipeline confirmed by GEO and UT technology.

- Detection of pipeline movements in a presumed free-span area at maximum sea current during a tidal cycle.