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Explore our Services
Across all Infrastructure

EMPIT’s service portfolio covers a wide range of inspection tasks from aboveground. Learn how Current Magnetometry Inspection (CMI) technology is applied across industries, terrains and geometries.

Corrosion Detection

Corrosion is a persistent threat to pipeline integrity—where EMPIT’s non‑intrusive CMI makes the difference. Our method delivers actionable insights for unpiggable pipelines by distinguishing active from passivated corrosion, providing a reliable basis for informed decisions.

More about this featured service

Precision Insights

Non-
Intrusive

Seamless Compatibility

Pinpoint and rank active corrosion hotspots down to <1 cm³ in one aboveground scan, enabling targeted maintenance, repair and replacement planning.

Integrates seamlessly with your External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA), Pipeline Integrity Management Systems (PIMS) and other workflows.

Aboveground CMI inspects buried, unpiggable pipelines without pigging, ILI, excavation or shutdown—dramatically reducing risk and cost.

Field-Proven Services
for Pipeline Assessment

High Resolution

Our aboveground technology delivers high‑resolution data for precise XYZ pipeline positioning, coating defect detection and corrosion assessment in a single scan.

3D Pipeline Mapping

Perform seamless 3D mapping from aboveground to document pipeline alignment and depth of cover—down to 50 m pipe depth. Detect bends as small as 2° with unmatched precision for accurate asset records, even on unpiggable lines.

Pipeline Movement Tracking

Monitor pipeline displacement, curvature and bending strain to identify early‑stage structural risks. Generate seamless out‑of‑straightness and strain profiles with advanced curvature analysis to support proactive intervention.

Right-of-Way Assessment

Identify risks along the right‑of‑way—encroachments, geohazards and ground shifts—using aboveground CMI data. Plan proactively without excavation.

How does it work?
Current Magnetometry Inspection

The AC Current Source

We couple an intelligent signal‑generator to existing CP posts and inject a multi‑frequency AC waveform (2 Hz – 2 kHz) into the line.

This creates a predictable magnetic vortex that:

  • Isolates the pipe – each frequency interacts differently with steel, soil and foreign structures, so the pipe’s signature stands out cleanly.

  • Exposes corrosion electrochemistry – frequency‑specific leakage patterns reveal whether a holiday is actively corroding or already passivated.

  • Keeps flow online – the AC drive is non‑intrusive; no pigging, no excavation, no shutdown, and the CP system remains in normal operation.

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Signal Detection

Air‑, water‑ and ground‑based arrays carry up to 70 tri‑axial sensors, sampling the magnetic field 20 000 times per second.

The wide sensor array captures the field vector in all three dimensions while simultaneously logging:

  • RTK‑grade position & altitude – centimetre‑level GNSS plus lidar / sonar give absolute XYZ of pipeline, groundlevel and depth of cover.

  • Device attitude – pitch, roll and sensor‑to‑surface distance ensure vector data are resolved correctly.

This combination makes CMI the most precise platform worldwide for 3‑D magnetic mapping, depth‑of‑cover verification and sub‑centimetre coating‑defect localisation on complex or unpiggable assets.

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Data Transfer and Processing

Every raw waveform streams through a cloud where deep‑fusion AI and machine‑learning models clean, align and interpret the data.

Key parameters feed back to the signal‑generator within milliseconds, enabling it to:

  • Auto‑tune signal‑to‑noise for changing soil and interference conditions.

  • Normalise current & field on the fly, locking each reading to its exact excitation value.

The tight time‑correlation between injected current and measured response underpins reliable corrosion‑risk grading, high‑accuracy 3‑D pipe mapping and even bending‑strain analytics—delivered before the crew leaves the right‑of‑way.

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Specialized
Applications

Soil Resistivity Testing


Girth Weld Detection


Detection of Crossing Cables


Methane Emission Regulations

Soil Resistivity Testing


Seamlessly measure bedding resistivity on‑pipe to measure corrosivity, predict asset life and bypass Wenner four‑probe limits.

Girth Weld Detection


Detect and geo-reference girth welds to assess structural integrity.

A yellow wireframed visualisation of a pipeline is in front of a black background. Highlighted are areas with successful girth weld detection.

Detection of crossing cables


Locate and visualize intersections of the pipeline with crossing cables - above and below ground.

A yellow wireframed visualisation of a pipeline is burried under a topographic ground, intersected by a crossing cable.

Methane Emission Regulations

Monitor and measure methane emissions to support environmental compliance, reduce operational risk, and meet EU methane emission regulations.

A yellow wireframed visualisation of a pipeline is burried under a topographic ground, having a punctual methane leakage detected by CMI.

Materials We Inspect
with CMI

A section of steel pipeline at a girth weld with a PE-coating.

Steel
Standard for oil, gas, and chemicals

EMPIT detects corrosion, coating defects, 3D position, and strain. Trusted by 100+ operators.

A section of a ductile iron pipeline at a socket joint.

Ductile Iron
Used in water networks

CMI enables surface-based depth of cover and geometry assessment to identify high-risk areas — including corrosion-prone zones.

A section of a grey iron pipeline at a socket joint.

Grey Iron
Still active in legacy systems

EMPIT inspects for corrosion, ramaining life time, and geometry for a safe pipeline operation strategy.


Let’s explore how it fits
your pipeline challenges.

Talk to an expert about CMI

Logo EMPIT GmbH

Inspect The Unpiggable

+49 (0) 30 51656040
info@empit.com

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