Field Signature Method - cutting edge technology in pipeline corrosion monitoring

Roxar's FSM (Field Signature Method) system has been used worldwide by leading oil, pipeline and pipeline service companies to detect corrosion in a wide range of critical pipeline applications. Today, it continues to represent the pinnacle of corrosion monitoring technology.

FSM detects metal loss, cracking, pitting and grooving due to corrosion by detecting small changes in the way electrical current flows through a metallic structure. With FSM, sensing pins or electrodes are distributed over the area to be monitored, with a typical distance between pins of 2-3 times wall thickness. An initial voltage measurement is taken, and subsequent changes in electrical field pattern are detected and compared against the initial measurement to infer structural changes in the monitored area.

The system presents graphical plots indicating the severity and location of corrosion, and calculates corrosion trends and rates. Both sensitivity and repeatability for general corrosion for on-line FSM-systems are typically better than 0.1% of remaining wall thickness, which means that the actual sensitivity increases as the corrosion attack increases.

This technology gives good results in a number of areas where UT or radiography are difficult, such as complex geometry (i.e. Y-sections), thin walls and high temperatures.

Specialized versions of FSM are available for monitoring pipes located subsea, topside, onshore and buried. It is also available as a portable inspection tool, FSM-IT.