Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Ali AlShehri

Brian Parrott

Ayman Amer

Pablo Carrasco Zanini

Ali N Meshaikhis

Hamad Alsaiari

Techniques for determining a thermal condition of a pipeline include identifying a pipeline that carries a first fluid at a first temperature that includes a tubular conduit that includes a bore that carries the first fluid, and a layer of insulation installed over the tubular conduit; circulating a second fluid at a second temperature from a bypass conduit that is fluidly coupled to the tubular conduit through the layer of insulation into the bore; based on circulating the second fluid into the bore, detecting a thermal gradient between the first fluid carried in the bore and the tubular conduit or the layer of insulation at a particular location of the pipeline; and based on the detected thermal gradient, determining a presence of at least one of water or water vapor between the tubular conduit and the layer of insulation at the particular location of the pipeline.

Determining thermal conditions in a pipeline

Techniques for determining a thermal condition of a pipeline include identifying a pipeline that carries a fluid at a steady-state temperature, where the pipeline includes a tubular conduit that includes a bore that carries the fluid, and a layer of insulation installed over an exterior surface of the tubular conduit; changing the steady-state temperature of the fluid by applying a thermal contrast to the pipeline; based on changing the steady-state temperature, detecting a thermal gradient between the fluid carried in the bore and at least one of the tubular conduit or the layer of insulation at a particular location of the pipeline; and based on the detected thermal gradient, determining a presence of at least one of water or water vapor between the exterior surface of the tubular conduit and the layer of insulation at the particular location of the pipeline.

In one embodiment, a cleaning vehicle for cleaning a surface of an object includes first and second carriages (that define a frame). The vehicle also includes first and second wheels coupled to the first and second carriages to form a drive assembly and at least one motor is operatively coupled to at least one of the first and second wheels. A cleaning element extends between and is supported by the first and second carriages at a location forward of the first and second wheels. The vehicle also includes third and fourth wheels. The third wheel is adjustably mounted relative to the first wheel and the second traveler wheel is adjustably mounted relative to the second wheel. The third and fourth wheels are configured such that the object is received between the third and fourth wheels and the respective first and second carriages.

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Thuwal, Saudi Arabia

Ali AlShehri