Frequently asked questions

A sand monitor, such as the ClampOn DSP Particle Monitor, is a non-intrusive, non-invasive instrument used to detect and measure sand in the production line / sand from production wells. It utilizes ultrasonic intelligent sensor technology to monitor sand production in oil and gas wells, which is a significant challenge for operators.

The sensor is clamped to the outside of the pipe and detects ultrasonic pulses generated by particles impacting the inside of the pipe wall. These signals are processed internally by a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) engine, allowing operators to monitor sand production in real-time and make informed decisions to ensure safe and efficient operations. Sand production can cause significant damage to the pipelines, so monitoring is crucial for maintaining safe and efficient operation of you wells.

A sand monitor, like the ClampOn DSP Particle Monitor, works by using ultrasonic intelligent sensor technology to detect and measure sand in the production line. The sensor is non-intrusive and is clamped to the outside of the pipe. It needs to be placed after a bend for the particles to hit the innerside of the pipewall. It detects ultrasonic pulses generated by particles impacting the inside of the pipe wall. These signals are processed internally by a Digital Signal Processing (DSP) engine, which filters the data before sending it to a control system. This allows operators to monitor sand production in real-time and make informed decisions to ensure safe and efficient operations.

The ClampOn sand monitor, such as the DSP Particle Monitor, is widely used in the oil and gas industry for several applications. It is primarily used to detect and measure sand production in real-time, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity and efficiency of operations. The applications include:

• Finding Maximum Sand-Free Production Rate: Helps operators determine the maximum production rate without sand production, optimizing well performance.
• Well Optimization and Testing: Assists in optimizing well operations by providing real-time data on sand production.
• Sand Management: Provides essential data for managing sand production, preventing damage to equipment, and ensuring safe operations.
• Alarm Strategies: Enables operators to set alarms for sand production, allowing timely interventions to prevent equipment damage.
• Subsea and Topside Monitoring: Used in both subsea and topside environments to monitor sand production, ensuring the safety and efficiency of subsea operations.

Applications: Sand monitors are used in various stages of oil and gas production, including drilling, completion, and production phases. They are essential for maintaining the integrity of pipelines and ensuring safe and efficient operations

Sand monitoring is the process of detecting and measuring sand production in oil and gas wells / pipelines. This is crucial because sand can cause significant damage to production equipment and pipelines, leading to costly repairs and downtime.

Sand monitoring is crucial in the oil and gas industry for several reasons. It helps in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of operations by preventing damage to equipment and ensuring safe operations. If not controlled, sand can compromise wells, fill up pipes, damage reservoirs, and cause unnecessary wear on equipment, leading to serious incidents. Real-time monitoring allows operators to make informed decisions, optimize production, and prevent potential damage.

Sand management is a critical aspect in the oil and gas industry, particularly for maintaining the integrity and efficiency of operations. It involves monitoring and controlling sand production to prevent damage to equipment and ensure safe operations. ClampOn's sand monitoring systems, such as the DSP Particle Monitor, are used to detect and measure sand in real-time, helping operators manage sand production effectively. This allows for optimizing well performance, setting alarm strategies, and ensuring the safety and profitability of operations. Sand Management provides essential data for managing sand production, preventing damage to equipment, and ensuring safe operations

A sand detector and a sand monitor is basically the same. Just being named different. sand monitor, particle monitor, sand detector, particle detector, ASD, acoustic sand detector are all names being used for the same instrument.

The ClampOn DSP Particle Monitor uses ultrasonic technology. The sensor is installed after a bend. Particles/Sand will impact the inside of the pipe wall, generating ultrasound. The ultrasonic signal is transmitted through the pipe wall and picked up by the acoustic sensor.

Non-intrusive sand monitoring, like the systems provided by ClampOn, involves using sensors that are clamped onto the outside of the pipe. These sensors detect and measure sand particles without needing to penetrate or alter the pipeline structure. This method is advantageous as it avoids potential leaks and maintains the integrity of the pipeline.

On the other hand, intrusive sand monitoring involves inserting a device directly into the flow of the pipeline. This can potentially disrupt the flow and may require more maintenance due to wear and tear from direct contact with the sand particles.

A corrosion monitor, like the ClampOn Corrosion-Erosion Monitor (CEM), is a non-intrusive device designed to measure and monitor the wall thickness loss in pipes and other metal structures. It uses ultrasonic technology, specifically Acoustic Guided Lamb Waves, to detect changes in wall thickness over a large area. This allows operators to receive real-time data on corrosion and erosion, providing early warnings of potential failures and helping to ensure the integrity and safety of their operations

Corrosion monitoring is the process of tracking and assessing the rate and extent of corrosion in materials—typically metals—used in industrial systems, infrastructure, or equipment. It's a critical part of maintenance and safety in sectors like oil and gas, maritime, chemical processing, and water treatment.
Corrosion monitoring can involve the use of non-intrusive devices to measure and monitor the wall thickness loss in pipes and other metal structures. The ClampOn Corrosion-Erosion Monitor (CEM) uses ultrasonic technology, specifically Acoustic Guided Lamb Waves, to detect changes in wall thickness over a large area. This allows operators to receive real-time data on corrosion and erosion, providing early warnings of potential failures and helping to ensure the integrity and safety of their operations.

There are several tools for monitoring and detecting corrosion. There are electrochemical techniques, physical probes and sensors, visual and surface inspection, non-destructive testing (NDT) and online non-intrusive monitoring systems.

Yes, Guided Ultrasonic Waves (GUW), specifically Acoustic Guided Lamb Waves, are used in corrosion monitoring. This technology allows for the measurement of wall thickness loss over a large area, providing an average reading for sections of the pipe. The ClampOn CEM (Corrosion-Erosion Monitor) is using GUW, and the instrument is non-intrusive and can cover large areas with fewer transducers, making it more efficient than traditional methods. The ClampOn topside and subsea Corrosion-Erosion Monitor utilizes this technology to provide real-time data on corrosion and erosion, helping operators ensure the integrity of their operations.

Non-intrusive corrosion monitoring refers to techniques used to detect and assess corrosion in pipelines, vessels, or other industrial equipment without physically penetrating or altering the structure. This approach is especially valuable in industries like oil & gas, where maintaining the integrity of pressurized systems is critical.

Non-intrusive corrosion monitoring involves using sensors that are clamped onto the outside of pipes or metal structures to measure and monitor wall thickness loss due to corrosion and erosion. The ClampOn Corrosion-Erosion Monitor (CEM) utilizes Acoustic Guided Lamb Waves technology to detect changes in wall thickness over a large area, providing real-time data without the need for drilling or welding. This method is advantageous as it maintains the integrity of the pipeline and provides early warnings of potential failures.

Key Features:

• No direct contact with the process medium (e.g., oil, gas, chemicals)
• No need to shut down operations for installation or monitoring
• Safe and cost-effective, especially for hazardous or hard-to-reach environments

Monitoring changes in wall thickness can be effectively achieved using ClampOn's Corrosion-Erosion Monitor (CEM). This non-intrusive device uses ultrasonic technology, specifically Acoustic Guided Lamb Waves, to measure wall thickness loss over a large area. The system employs a grid of signal paths generated by multiple transducers, which can detect changes as small as 0.1% in wall thickness in real-time. The data is processed to provide a 3D visualization of the monitored section, allowing operators to receive early warnings of potential failures and ensure the integrity of their operations.

Corrosion monitoring and erosion monitoring both involve measuring metal loss in pipes and metal structures, but they focus on different processes. Corrosion monitoring is concerned with the chemical or electrochemical reaction that causes metal loss over time, often due to environmental factors like moisture and chemicals. Erosion monitoring, on the other hand, deals with the physical wear and tear of the metal surface caused by the flow of particles, such as sand or other solids, impacting the pipe walls.

Pig detection involves using a device, such as the ClampOn DSP PIG Detector, to detect when a pig passes a specific point in a pipeline. This non-intrusive system is clamped onto the outside of the pipe, eliminating the need for welding or drilling during installation. It uses ultrasonic technology to detect the passage of pigs, providing reliable information that enhances pipeline integrity and reduces costs. PIG detection ensures operators know when the pig enters or exits the pipeline, and whether the pig has passed key checkpoints.

The difference between magnetic and ultrasonic pig detection lies in the method of detecting the passage of pigs in pipelines.

Ultrasonic Pig Detection: This method uses ultrasonic technology, specifically passive acoustics, to detect the noise made by the pig as it passes the point where the sensor is installed. The ClampOn DSP PIG Detector is an example of this technology, which is non-intrusive and clamped onto the pipe surface. It does not require any magnet inserts in the pig and can detect all types of pigs, scrapers, and spheres. The system is capable of operating in multiple frequency ranges simultaneously, thanks to its Digital Signal Processing (DSP) capabilities, which help filter out unwanted noise and improve detection accuracy.

Magnetic Pig Detection: This method involves using magnetic principles to detect the passage of pigs. The ClampOn DSP PIG Detector can optionally use a magnetic flux gate for detection. This mode is used in conjunction with the acoustic detection to provide a dual detection capability, enhancing the reliability of pig passage detection.

Both methods are non-intrusive, meaning they do not require welding or drilling during installation, and they provide reliable information about the passage of pigs, which is crucial for maintaining pipeline integrity and reducing operational costs.

No, the sensor is being clamped to the outside of the pipe, there is no need for drilling or welding, hence no need to stop producing.

There is no need to cut or modify the pipeline. The detector is mounted externally, so there is no need to interrupt operations or physically alter the pipeline structure. Installation and maintenance are quicker and easier, minimizing operational disruptions. Since the pipeline remains sealed, there is less risk of introducing leaks or compromising pipeline integrity. Avoiding hot-tapping or welding reduces labor and equipment costs.

It can be installed at various points along the pipeline without needing access to the interior.

PIGs are devices inserted into pipelines to perform various tasks, including cleaning (removing debris, liquids, or deposits), inspecting (detecting defects, corrosion, or other issues), and batching (separating different products in a pipeline).

They are also referred to as "Pipeline Inspection Gauges" or "Pipeline Intervention Gauges".

The name "pig" is believed to have originated from the squealing sound they made while traveling through pipelines in the early day.

The key benefits would be; that it is mounted externally, so there is no need to drill, weld or tap into the pipeline – preserving its integrity. It enhance safety; there is no direct contact with the flow medium of the pipeline. It can be installed without shutting down production. There are fewer moving parts and no exposure to the internal pipeline conditions, means less wear and tear. It can be installed at any point along the pipeline, even in remote oar hard-to access areas.

It is a device used to detecto the passage of a pipeline pig ( a tool used for cleaning, inspecting, or maintaining pipelines ) without penetrating or modifying the pipeline itself.

PIG (Pipeline Inspection Gauge)

It confirms the PIG’s passage. Operators need to know when a PIG passes the point of where the sensor is installed. Having the PIG detector in real time allows for adjustment of PIG receiver. It ensures smooth transitions between different pipeline sections and can prevent unplanned shutdowns.

Vibration monitoring is the process of measuring and analysing vibrations in equipment or structures to detecto early signs of wear, misalignment or potential mechanical failures. It is commonly used in predictive maintenance and condition monitoring in pipes and structures both onshore, offshore and for subsea structures.

ClampOn’s vibration monitoring systems are designed to detect and analyze 3D vibrations across a wide frequency range. The system help identify early signs of mechanical issues, such as fatigue, wear, or flow-induced vibrations, which can lead to equipment failure if left unchecked. It is a key part of predictive maintenance, helping operators prevent costly downtime, extend asset life, and improve safety.

ClampOn uses two complementary measurement principles.

1. Ultrasonic Detection:

• Captures high-frequency shear waves caused by metal friction.
• Useful for early fault detection, as many issues begin at high frequencies.

1. Accelerometer-Based 3D monitoring

• Measures vibrations from 0,125 Hz to 1000 Hz in three axes (X,Y,Z)
• Provides detailed data on vibration amplitude and frequency.

These measurements are processed using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to visualize vibration spectrum, showing both maximum and average values per axis.

Pipeline failures can have serious environmental and environmental consequences. ClampOn’s vibration monitoring solutions provide accurate measurement, which allow for safer production. Production can sometimes be restricted if there is risk of vibration that may lead to fatigue. Accurate vibration monitoring allows operators to increase the production rate without compromising the safety of the installation.

Aging subsea structures and pipework may suffer from fatigue, often caused by vibration.

They are non-intrusive, meaning they do not require drilling, welding or shutdowns to install.

ClampOn offers the combined Sand and Vibration Monitor for subsea structures and pipes. Including the vibration element in the sand detector makes it an easy choice for the operator to add the security that the vibration element gives.

• Prevent equipment failure through early detection.
• Extend asset life by identifying stress points.
• Improve safety in critical infrastructure.
• Reduce maintenance costs via predictive strategies.

ClampOn offers different solutions for vibration monitoring, as mentioned we can have the combined Sand and Vibration Monitor, often referred to as ASVD (Acoustic Sand Vibration Detector) or the stand alone retrofit installable solutions.