Infrared (IR) technology is widely used in the oil and gas industry as an inspection tool for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. It is advantageous over traditional visual inspection and other tools because infrared technology does not need to be in contact with the monitored equipment.

IR thermography is a non-destructive form of testing that measures the temperature variations (i.e., thermal radiation) of a component flowing towards that component, that component, or that component. IR thermography is also commonly known as IR test, thermal test, thermal imaging and IR thermometer.

Thermal radiation is directly related to changes in temperature. In other words, the amount of radiation emitted as a component temperature changes. Since this type of radiation is an electromagnetic waveform that is invisible to the human eye, the components need to be analyzed using infrared cameras. Infrared cameras can detect and display infrared energy emitted from a component, reflected and transmitted. The thermal image can be analyzed to obtain a temperature reading for the component.

The purpose of mapping the temperature levels and variances of a component is to identify any hotspots where the equipment may weaken or malfunction. IR thermography can also detect corrosion damage, delaminations, voids, inclusions and other defects that affect heat transfer. However, to detect these abnormalities, there must be sufficient temperature difference between the component and its environment.

Industry applications

IR thermography is used in many industries and applications. For example, in the oil and gas and chemical processing industries, thermography can be used to detect insulation problems, fluid levels of pipes, or to identify problem points where rotary equipment experiences too much friction. Also, the IR test is commonly used to find hotspots and anomalies, such as cavities and inclusions. The benefits of IR testing include long equipment life, reducing unplanned downtime, reducing the risk of equipment failure and increasing performance.