The advanced science of inline inspection (ILI) is now more than 50 years old. And although the field is full of brilliant technologies, it came from humble beginnings. In the mid-1960s, Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) was one of the earliest inspection offerings, providing operators with previously unavailable corrosion detection. Even though its range was limited to inspection of just the bottom quarter of the line, operators began to realize the value of such developments and pushed for increased capabilities like the ability to assess pipeline bore.

In 1972, T.D. Williamson (TDW) began meeting those needs by inspecting its very first mile of pipeline using KALIPER® technology to detect large bore reductions in newly constructed pipelines. At the time, KALIPER inspection – which revolutionized the industry by locating large dents before pipelines were placed in service – was on the cutting edge of inline inspection technology.

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