Pipeline Radiography
Pipeline radiography examines the circumferential (girth) welds joining sections of pipe, along with fittings, branch connections and repair welds. Radiation is directed through the pipe wall and the weld is recorded on a detector on the far side, revealing the internal condition of a joint that is otherwise sealed and invisible once the line is in service.
Why pipeline radiography matters
A pipeline weld is a pressure boundary. A defect that survives construction becomes a leak or rupture risk for the whole service life of the line, and the cost of an in-service failure — product loss, environmental damage, shutdown — is far beyond the cost of inspecting the joint at construction. Radiography is the established method for demonstrating weld quality against the governing code before a line is commissioned or returned to service after repair.
What it detects
Where it is applied
- ●New pipeline construction girth welds
- ●Repair and tie-in welds
- ●Process and plant pipework
- ●Pressure equipment fabrication
DELIVERED USING RADIOGRAPHIC TESTING (RT)
Applicable Standards
TFR BBB Specification, ASME B31.3, SNT-TC-1A Level III Certifications
Professional Equipment
Ir-192 Gamma Sources, Digital Capture Systems, Mobile Field Units, 100XD Film
Common questions
Does the line need to be taken out of service?
It depends on the work. Construction and repair welds are radiographed before commissioning, so no service interruption arises. Inspection of an operating line is planned with the operator, since radiography requires a controlled exclusion zone around the exposure.
What percentage of welds should be radiographed?
That is set by the governing code and the client's specification — some require every girth weld, others a defined sample. The applicable specification is agreed before work starts so the inspection scope matches what the asset owner must demonstrate.
Can radiography be used on all pipe wall thicknesses?
Radiography covers a wide thickness range, with source and technique selected for the wall being examined. Where thickness or access makes radiography impractical, ultrasonic methods are generally the alternative.
Where we deliver it
MPIA Services is based in Durban (also known as eMkhomazi), KwaZulu-Natal, and carries out pipeline radiography on site across all nine South African provinces. Mobile field units travel to the asset, so the work happens in place — on live rail corridors, in yards and depots, and at industrial sites — rather than requiring components to be sent away. See where we work.
Need pipeline radiography?
Tell us the asset, the standard you need to satisfy and where the work is. We will come back with scope, timing and a quotation.
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