Applications of Thermal Imagers and Industrial Endoscopes in the Oil and Gas Industry

Overview

The oil and gas industry involves exploring, extracting, refining, and distributing fossil fuels, such as crude oil and natural gas. It is vital for global economies, providing the main energy source for transportation, industry, and homes. The sector includes complex processes from locating and drilling for hydrocarbons to refining and delivering final products. Companies range from multinational corporations with extensive operations to refining and marketing entities. The industry’s impact extends to geopolitics, economic development, and environmental concerns, making it globally critical and closely monitored.

Depending on specific features and functions, GAO Tek’s thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes are sometimes referred to as infrared cameras, thermographic cameras, IR cameras, thermal imaging devices, infrared imaging systems, heat vision cameras, thermovision cameras, IR thermometers, borescopes, inspection cameras, endoscopic cameras, video endoscopes, flexible fiberscopes, pipe inspection cameras, rigid borescopes, and articulating borescopes.

Furthermore, GAO Tek’s thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes are further grouped into:

handheld, high-resolution, multi-application, outdoor, rugged, and wireless.

GAO Tek’s thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes have the following applications in the oil and gas industry:

• Pipeline Inspection: GAO’s thermal imagers can be used to detect leaks and anomalies in pipelines by identifying temperature variations along the length of the pipe.
• Tanks and Vessels: GAO’s thermal imagers help in monitoring the temperature of tanks and vessels to ensure proper storage conditions and identify potential issues.
• Preventive Maintenance – Electrical Systems: GAO Tek’s thermal imagers are employed for scanning electrical panels and equipment to identify overheating components, loose connections, or faulty insulation, reducing the risk of electrical fires.
• Rotating Equipment: GAO’s thermal imagers are used to monitor the temperature of rotating machinery, such as pumps and motors, and help in identifying abnormal heat patterns indicative of impending failures.
• Gas Leak Detection: GAO Tek’s thermal imagers can be used to identify and locate gas leaks, enhancing safety measures in the oil and gas facilities.
• Personnel Safety: GAO Tek’s thermal cameras are used for monitoring and ensuring the safety of personnel in potentially hazardous areas.
• Drone Inspections: Drones equipped with GAO’s thermal cameras are employed for aerial inspections of large areas, such as refineries and offshore platforms, to identify thermal anomalies and assess equipment integrity.
• Internal Inspection – Pipelines and Tubes: GAO’s industrial endoscopes enable the inspection of internal surfaces of pipes and tubes, allowing for the detection of corrosion, blockages, or other defects without the need for disassembly.
• Weld Inspections: GAO Tek’s endoscopes help inspect the quality of welds in pipes and other components, ensuring they meet industry standards and regulations.
• Internal Component Inspection: GAO Tek’s endoscopes are used to examine the internal components of equipment, such as valves and heat exchangers, for signs of wear, corrosion, or other issues.
• Equipment Maintenance: GAO Tek’s industrial endoscopes are used for routine maintenance inspections, facilitating the identification of problems before they escalate.
• Repair Verification: After repairs or maintenance work, GAO’s endoscopes can be used to verify the effectiveness of the procedures and ensure that components are in proper working condition.
• Confined Space Inspection – Tight Spaces: GAO’s industrial endoscopes are essential for inspecting confined spaces that are challenging to access, providing visual information about the condition of equipment in these areas.

More information on thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes and their applications in other industries can be found on structural thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes. This category page lists related products and structural testers.

GAO Tek’s targeted markets are North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada.

Systems in the Oil and Gas Industry Utilizing Manometers

Here are some popular systems in the oil and gas industry using thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes:

Condition Monitoring Systems:

• GE Bently Nevada’s System 1: This widely used condition monitoring system in the oil and gas industry integrates thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for comprehensive equipment health monitoring. Utilizes thermal imagers for temperature monitoring and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The System 1 software enables real-time data analysis, trend identification, and predictive maintenance.
• Fluke Connect® Condition Monitoring: Fluke Connect® offers a robust condition monitoring solution for the oil and gas sector, incorporating thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for thorough equipment inspection. Utilizes thermal imaging cameras for temperature monitoring and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The Fluke Connect software allows remote monitoring, data analysis, and collaboration among maintenance teams.

Pipeline Inspection Systems:

• PII Pipeline Solutions (Baker Hughes): PII Pipeline Solutions provides advanced pipeline inspection services in the oil and gas industry, employing thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for comprehensive assessments. Utilizes thermal imaging cameras to detect temperature variations and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The associated software supports data analysis and detailed reporting for pipeline integrity.
• In-Line Services (ILS): In-Line Services specializes in pipeline inspection technologies, utilizing thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for internal assessment of pipelines in the oil and gas sector. Incorporates thermal imaging for identifying anomalies and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The inspection software facilitates real-time data analysis and reporting.

Oil Refinery Inspection Systems:

• FLIR Systems – Oil & Gas Solutions: FLIR Systems provides thermal imaging solutions tailored for oil refinery inspection, combining thermal cameras and industrial endoscopes for thorough equipment assessment. Utilizes thermal imaging for hotspot detection and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The associated software supports analysis and reporting for refinery safety and efficiency.
• Olympus IPLEX GX/GT Series: The Olympus IPLEX GX/GT series offers industrial endoscopes specifically designed for inspection in challenging environments like oil refineries. Industrial endoscopes provide high-quality internal inspection capabilities. The accompanying software enables detailed analysis and documentation of refinery equipment conditions.

Tank Monitoring Systems:

• Rosemount Tank Radar (Emerson): Emerson’s Rosemount Tank Radar incorporates thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for tank monitoring in the oil and gas industry. Utilizes thermal imaging for anomaly detection and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The tank monitoring software supports data analysis and predictive maintenance.
• Tank PAC (Honeywell): Honeywell’s Tank PAC is a tank monitoring system employing thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for assessing the condition of storage tanks. Utilizes thermal imaging for anomaly detection and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The software enables efficient data analysis and reporting for tank integrity.

Drilling Rig Inspection Systems:

• MISTRAS Group – Drilling Structures Inspection: MISTRAS Group offers drilling rig inspection services in the oil and gas industry, utilizing thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for comprehensive assessments. Incorporates thermal imaging for temperature monitoring and industrial endoscopes for internal inspections. The associated software facilitates data analysis and reporting for drilling rig safety.
• Oceaneering – Drill Riser Inspection System: Oceaneering provides a Drill Riser Inspection System that employs industrial endoscopes for internal inspections on drilling rigs. Industrial endoscopes enable thorough internal inspections. The associated software supports documentation and analysis for efficient drilling rig maintenance.

Safety and Emergency Response Systems:

• Honeywell Safety Manager: Honeywell’s Safety Manager is a comprehensive safety and emergency response system for the oil and gas industry, integrating thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for assessing critical situations. Utilizes thermal imaging cameras for detecting heat sources and industrial endoscopes for assessing confined spaces. The software enables real-time monitoring and a swift response to emergencies.
• Det-Tronic’s Emergency Shutdown System: Det-Tronic’s provides an Emergency Shutdown System incorporating thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for monitoring safety in critical situations. Utilizes thermal imaging for detecting anomalies and industrial endoscopes for inspections. The associated safety management software facilitates real-time monitoring and response.

Environmental Monitoring Systems:

• Aeroqual – Air Quality Monitoring Systems: Aeroqual specializes in environmental monitoring systems for the oil and gas industry, incorporating thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for inspections. Utilizes thermal imaging for detecting emissions and industrial endoscopes for inspections. The environmental monitoring software supports comprehensive data analysis and reporting.
• YSI Environmental Monitoring Solutions: YSI provides environmental monitoring solutions, incorporating thermal imaging and industrial endoscopes for assessing environmental impact in the oil and gas sector. Utilizes thermal imaging for detecting leaks and industrial endoscopes for inspections. The associated environmental monitoring software facilitates data analysis and regulatory compliance.

GAO Tek’s targeted markets are North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada.

Complying with Government Regulations

GAO Tek’s thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes comply or help our customers comply with U.S. government regulations such as:

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
• American Petroleum Institute (API) Standards
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Department of Energy (DOE)

GAO Tek’s thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes comply or help our clients comply with Canadian regulations such as:

• National Energy Board (NEB)
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA)
• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP)
• Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
• Transport Canada
• Provincial Regulatory Agencies

Case Studies of Thermal Imagers and Industrial Endoscopes in the Oil and Gas Industry

Thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes are sometimes called infrared cameras, thermographic cameras, IR cameras, thermal imaging devices, infrared imaging systems, heat vision cameras, thermovision cameras, IR thermometers, borescopes, inspection cameras, endoscopic cameras, video endoscopes, flexible fiberscopes, pipe inspection cameras, rigid borescopes, and articulating borescopes.

Here are some practical examples of using thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes in the oil and gas industry:

In the Northeast Region of the U.S., a major oil refinery in the Northeast utilized thermal imagers to monitor heat distribution in critical equipment. Industrial endoscopes were employed for internal inspections of pipelines, ensuring the early detection of potential corrosion. This proactive approach significantly increased equipment reliability and reduced unplanned downtime.

In the Midwest Region of the U.S., a natural gas processing facility implemented thermal imagers to identify and rectify inefficiencies in heat exchangers. Industrial endoscopes were used for precise inspections of turbine components. The combination of these technologies led to optimized performance, reduced energy consumption, and increased overall plant efficiency.

An offshore oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico, part of the Southern U.S., utilized thermal imaging cameras for continuous monitoring of equipment temperatures. Industrial endoscopes were employed for inspections of underwater pipelines. The integrated system contributed to the early detection of potential issues, ensuring safety compliance and minimizing environmental impact.

A large oil and gas exploration company in the Western U.S. employed thermal imagers to assess the temperature profiles of drilling equipment in arid environments. Industrial endoscopes were used for inspections in confined spaces within drilling rigs. The implementation led to improved safety conditions, reduced equipment wear, and increased drilling efficiency.

A Canadian oil sands facility integrated thermal imaging for monitoring the vast network of pipelines in extreme weather conditions. Industrial endoscopes were used for inspections of equipment in sub-zero temperatures. The combined use of these technologies enhanced maintenance strategies, preventing potential failures and ensuring the integrity of the oil extraction process.

GAO RFID Inc. https://gaorfid.com, a sister company of GAO Tek Inc., is ranked as the top 10 RFID suppliers in the world. Its RFID, BLE, and IoT products have also been widely used in the oil and gas industry. Articles about related industries are given below:

• Mining, Oil Production & Gas Extraction
• Construction Industry

Use of Thermal Imagers and Industrial Endoscopes with Leading Software and Cloud Services in the Oil and Gas Industry

GAO Tek has used or has facilitated its customers to use GAO’s thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes with some of the leading software and cloud services in their applications. Examples of such leading software and cloud services include:

• Fluke SmartView® Software
• GE Bently Nevada System 1
• Emerson AMS Machinery Manager
• NI InsightCM™
• Honeywell DynAMo™ Asset Monitor
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)
• Microsoft Azure
• Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
• IBM Cloud
• Siemens MindSphere

GAO Tek’s thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes and their applications in other industries are listed on this page structural thermal imagers and industrial endoscopes.  Other related products can be found on this category page structural testers.

Meeting Customers’ Demands

Large Choice of Products

To satisfy the diversified needs of their corporate customers, GAO Tek Inc. and its sister company GAO RFID Inc. together offer a wide choice of testing and measurement devices, network products, RFID, BLE, IoT, and drones.

Fast Delivery

To shorten the delivery to our customers, GAO has maintained a large stock of its products and can ship overnight within the continental U.S. and Canada from the nearest warehouse.

Local to Our Customers

We are located in both the U.S. and Canada. We travel to customers’ premises if necessary. Hence, we provide very strong local support to our customers in North America, particularly the U.S. and Canada.

Furthermore, we have built partnerships with some integrators, consulting firms and other service providers in different cities to further strengthen our services. Here are some of the service providers in the oil and gas industry we have worked with to serve our joint customers:

• IBM
• Accenture
• CGI Inc.
• Wipro Limited
• Cognizant
• Capgemini
• Infosys
• HCL Technologies
• DXC Technology
• Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)
• SAP
• Deloitte
• KPMG
• PwC
• Microsoft Consulting Services
• Oracle Consulting
• Baker Hughes, a GE company (BHGE)
• Schlumberger
• Halliburton
• CGG