IRO 2026: EMPIT Presents Innovative Inspection Solutions
The Oldenburger Rohrleitungsforum, hosted by the Institute for Pipeline Construction at the University of Oldenburg, is one of the most important platforms for professional exchange on current developments in pipeline construction and the maintenance of pipeline infrastructure. This year's event once again provided space for intensive discussions on aging assets, recent advances, innovative technologies, and emerging challenges in the industry.
Lively Exchange at the EMPIT Booth
EMPIT would like to thank all visitors to the booth for their strong interest and constructive conversations. The exchange reflected the growing visibility of Current Magnetometry Inspection (CMI) in the industry: alongside new contacts who became acquainted with EMPIT and the technology for the first time, a notable number of visitors had already heard about CMI and came to the booth to learn more and to get to know the team behind it. Equally valuable was the continued dialogue with long-standing partners and industry colleagues who stopped by.
Innovative Inspection Solutions in Focus
Both technical presentations on current projects and technologies generated significant interest:
Autonomous Deep-Water Inspection in Lake Constance with Ganeos AG
EMPIT presented the successful inspection of a water crossing in Lake Constance at depths exceeding 30 meters, performed fully autonomously using an inspection boat. This pioneering project for the inspection of underwater pipelines delivered a three-dimensional pipeline trajectory as well as data on bending strain, coating condition, and corrosion assessment. In bending strain scenarios, CMI serves as an alternative to In-Line Inspection (ILI), as it also reliably captures non-piggable sections. Furthermore, CMI adds the value of distinguishing between active corrosion and passivated defects, even on assets that are difficult to access for conventional inspection methods, such as pipelines under water bodies.
Drone-Based Methane Emission Measurement
The presentation on methane emission surveys and leak detection using a SAIL-III certified, BVLOS-operated drone (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) demonstrated how the airborne solution supports network operators in complying with the new EU Methane Regulation across all terrains – a highly relevant topic in light of the tightened regulatory requirements.
NEMEK Research Project: Validation of CMI Technology
The Oldenburger Rohrleitungsforum, hosted by the Institute for Pipeline Construction at the University of Oldenburg, is one of the most important platforms for professional exchange on current developments in pipeline construction and the maintenance of pipeline infrastructure. This year's event once again provided space for intensive discussions on aging assets, recent advances, innovative technologies, and emerging challenges in the industry.
Lively Exchange at the EMPIT Booth
EMPIT would like to thank all visitors to the booth for their strong interest and constructive conversations. The exchange reflected the growing visibility of CMI (Current Magnetometry Inspection) in the industry: alongside new contacts who became acquainted with EMPIT and the technology for the first time, a notable number of visitors had already heard about CMI and came to the booth to learn more and to get to know the team behind it. Equally valuable was the continued dialogue with long-standing partners and industry colleagues who stopped by.
Innovative Inspection Solutions in Focus
Both technical presentations on current projects and technologies generated significant interest:
Autonomous Deep-Water Inspection in Lake Constance with Ganeos AG
EMPIT presented the successful inspection of a water crossing in Lake Constance at depths exceeding 30 meters, performed fully autonomously using an inspection boat. This pioneering project for the inspection of underwater pipelines delivered a three-dimensional pipeline trajectory as well as data on bending strain, coating condition, and corrosion assessment. In bending strain scenarios, CMI serves as an alternative to In-Line Inspection (ILI), as it also reliably captures non-piggable sections. Furthermore, CMI adds the value of distinguishing between active corrosion and passivated defects, even on assets that are difficult to access for conventional inspection methods, such as pipelines under water bodies.
Drone-Based Methane Emission Measurement
The presentation on methane emission surveys and leak detection using a SAIL-III certified, BVLOS-operated drone (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) demonstrated how the airborne solution supports network operators in complying with the new EU Methane Regulation across all terrains – a highly relevant topic in light of the tightened regulatory requirements.
NEMEK Research Project: Validation of CMI Technology
Complementing the booth presentations, Dr. Markus Büchler shared results from the NEMEK research project (G 202329), conducted under the auspices of the DVGW together with six European gas transmission operators. The findings underlined the performance of Current Magnetometry Inspection (CMI) in direct comparison with established inspection methods such as Intensive Measurement (IM) – the German equivalent of Close Interval Potential Survey (CIPS). Key findings of the project include:
- CMI demonstrated a superior probability of detection compared to other above-ground inspection methods.
- The determination of the IR-free potential – a parameter used to assess the efficiency of cathodic protection in accordance with ISO 15589-1 – was more accurate than with conventional techniques.
- Corrosion risk assessment can be carried out based on surface layer formation analysis, enabling each detected coating defect to be evaluated independently of size, bedding, or other external influences.
- The correct determination of cathodic protection effectiveness delivered by CMI was verified on 37 of 37 excavations.
These results show that, alongside its sensitivity, a key differentiator of CMI is its ability to assess the active corrosion state at coating defects and to distinguish actively corroding defects from those under passivating conditions – information that is also not available from conventional ILI methods. CMI therefore adds critical value as an augmentation to any ILI-based integrity program.
Looking Ahead
Thanks to everyone for an awsome event! We look forward to continued collaboration and ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders across the pipeline industry!