A TEAM that's facing new challenges - Applus RTD

J a n u a r y I s s u e 2 0 1 2
A TEAM that’s facing
new challenges

2
C o l o p h o n
Impulse is a publication of
the Applus RTD Group
With every edition of Impulse, it is our aim
to both surprise and stimulate you. In this
issue, we examine how solutions have been
created, often working in close collaboration
with our clients and major centers of
learning. Solutions that meet inspection
challenges that are often found in locations
in, above, or below water, and that are often
inhospitable and sometimes dangerous.
Maybe you too have ‘a tale to tell’ and would
like to share your experiences with our many
global readers? If you do, just contact your
local Applus RTD representative or the
Impulse Editorial Team... we look forward to
hearing from you.
For further information on any of the
articles, please contact the Editorial team.
We will arrange for you to receive that
information via the author of the article.
Other questions, comments and
suggestions should be sent to:
Impulse Editorial Team
Applus RTD Group
P.O. Box 491
2900AL Capelle aan de IJssel
The Netherlands
T +31 10 716 61 13
F +31 10 716 63 73
impulse@applusrtd.com
www.ApplusRTD.com
Anouska Kroon
Group Journalist
Applus RTD Group
Care has been taken to ensure that all
information contained in Impulse is correct
and up-to-date. However, Applus RTD
accepts no liability for any inaccuracies
or changes to published material.
5
7
10
12
13
14
16
17
18
C o n t e n t s
ToFD inspection during
EDF nuclear power plant shutdown
First IWEX 3D Imager Portable Ultrasonic
Imaging System
Teamwork... the key to effective
customized solutions
News in Brief
Award winners in Rio!
New faces. Familiar faces.
All with new challenges
A focus on safety
Growth through acquisition
ROTOSCAN... testing over 60 km of the
Bunde–Etzel Pipeline
1937 – 2012
Applus RTD... celebrating 75 years
of teamwork and commitment

I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2
A TEAM that’s facing
new challenges
Since the last issue of Impulse, Iain Light has joined the organization in the capacity of
Applus RTD CEO. He takes this opportunity to introduce himself while also providing a
business and personal background to Impulse readers. At the same time he looks ahead
to his aims and ambitions for the future.
I am delighted to have joined Applus RTD in the position of CEO, located in the Capelle
aan de IJssel office. This post became effective as of July 1st, and since then, whilst the
timing might have been better (with many colleagues on holiday at that time), I have kept
myself busy meeting people and learning about our company and the challenges that lie
before it from colleagues all over the world.
The history of Applus RTD (and before that RTD) is well known to me, having joined from
Lloyd’s Register where I was Group Energy Director for 4 years. In that position I was
well aware that at one point in the recent past, RTD was closely connected to that
organization. Prior to being with Lloyd’s Register I spent nearly 15 years with DNV where I
held a number of roles – my last position being COO of DNV Consulting. Before that I was
that I was responsible for all of DNV’s Oil and Gas business on a global scale. I spent nearly
7 of those years living in Norway.
On the personal front, this year I will have been married to my wife Jane for 32 years. We
have 3 children. The eldest son is a surgeon based in Newcastle, England, my daughter is a
trainee lawyer in Aberdeen, Scotland and my youngest son is relocating to Perth, Western
Australia to take up a post of field geologist with a mining company. My wife is a medical
doctor, and at one stage when the three children were all under 5 years old, we gained a
lot of experience in managing two careers and all the associated childcare issues! Busy
and complicated lives are not a new invention of course, but nevertheless I do recognize
that today’s challenges of balancing family and work are not getting any easier.
It is of course essential that I become as deeply involved with the company as possible,
and as such I have now relocated from Aberdeen to The Netherlands.
3

4
Iain Light
If I can find any spare time something I learned during my stay in Norway was cross-country
and downhill ski-ing. It could however be a challenge to pursue those two sports in The
Netherlands! Fortunately I am aslo a very keen cyclist, so there is no doubt that I will be able
to keep that going. In June of last year, I cycled 350 miles (nearly 600 kilometres) in 4.5 days
through the hills of England. I also avidly watch the Tour de France and in previous years,
I have trekked down to the Alps for the mountain stages.
For the future of Applus RTD and vitally for our commitment to the development of our
clients’ own businesses, I believe that the heritage of our company, the strength of its
brand, the technical domain knowledge of very skilled people, together with improving market
conditions present a series of great opportunities. A very busy and highly challenging period
lies before us. To succeed, we cannot lose sight of the fact that there are projects to deliver
and clients to satisfy. As such I want to become more closely involved with our clients...
asking the key questions whose answers could contribute to the development of our own long
term strategies.
There are great opportunities ahead, and the key to success will be making the right
decisions and choices. To help achieve this success, I am convinced that teamwork...
between colleagues and with clients, will play a vital role. Because at the end of the day,
success is brought about by winning teams. Individuals alone do not produce the results and
perfomance levels we demand. I like to remember this philosophy by the acronym TEAM...
Together Everyone Achieves More!
Pleasant reading.
Iain Light
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Applus RTD Group

ToFD inspection during
EDF nuclear power
plant shutdown
Applus RTD is committed to supporting its clients
worldwide with expertise and technologies that
are designed to help ensure successful and safer
pipeline maintenance and inspection... and thus a more
productive and cost-effective operation. Throughout
France, the EDF organization operates 58 nuclear
plants at 19 different locations, and to meet their
demands for an optimum balance between productivity
and safety, it requires a close understanding and cooperation
with Applus RTD’s specialists. At the EDF
NPP Cattenom, Patrick Celli, who has been in charge of
their NDT work since 2003, provides the vital link that
helps ensure those aims are continually met.
EDF Cattenom... a major energy supplier
Lying on the river Moselle in the French region of
Lorraine, and close to both Luxembourg and Metz, is
the EDF Cattenom Nuclear Power Station. Featuring
four pressurized water reactors which each have an
output of 1300 MWe, in 2006 the plant generated the
third biggest electricity output (34TWh) of all France’s
nuclear sites. It employs some 1200 full time personnel
and around 1000 more during outage periods. During the
plant’s annual shutdown a main part of the inspection
program carried out by Applus RTD was inspection of
the weld seams for weld root erosion on the installations
in the turbine engine room. To ensure speed, accuracy
and reliability of results, the four- or five-man Applus
RTD team used one of today’s most advanced inspection
technologies... ToFD (Time of Flight Diffraction).
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2
5

6
ToFD... keeping safety high and costs low
ToFD is a computerized and automated ultrasonic
inspection technology that is invaluable in nondestructive
testing for weld defects. Inspections using
this technique are carried out by ultrasound technicians
with advanced training and qualifications. Originally
developed in the 1970s for the nuclear industry by Dr.
Maurice Silk, ToFD enables crack sizes to be measured
with extreme accuracy, thus promoting a longer working
life and a reduced risk of failure of costly components.
supplemented by a conventional pulse-echo examination
of near and far walls using probes which are also mounted
on the buggy. This is because the technique has two blind
zones which are less sensitive to defects.
EDF... advanced inspection programs
For the surveillance of Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC),
EDF has developed a tailor-made prediction tool for
pipeline components. This program which is called BRT-
Cicero, does not however cover weld seams and for this
Applus RTD acts as a business partner, carrying out ToFD
inspections on some 80 welds at the Cattenom NPP.
The inspection program is mandatory in each one of EDF’s
nuclear power stations and is certified by the Steam
Pressure Vessel law- March 2000. Using this law all
pipelines are monitored over a 12-month period, and once
every 10 years a 100% inspection is carried out using the
technical expertise and support from Applus RTD. Should
an indication arise that something might be wrong, a
ToFD inspection is immediately carried out to assess the
situation and to indicate what requires to be done.
The ‘all-seeing eye’!
With ToFD even the smallest defects can be readily
In operation, ToFD uses the time of flight of an
spotted... sometimes where the weld defects occurred
ultrasonic pulse to determine the position of an
during the original installation. These need not of course,
indication. When searching for sizing defects, this
be serious defects which may demand repair of the weld
technique is more accurate than measuring amplitude in question. However, with ToFD inspections other aspects
of a reflected signal, as this heavily depends on the can also arise like local wall thickness discrepancies at the
orientation of the defect. Accurate measurements are welds from between 30% and 40%, which could well indicate
obtained by locating a pair of probes on a buggy that
travels along a weld, recording data as it moves. The
that replacement is needed
probes are on opposite sides of a weld and in operation, Applus RTD has been a business partner with EDF, and used
one of these emits an ultrasonic pulse which the probe ToFD inspections in most of its locations in France, since
on the other side of the weld picks up. In an undamaged 2005. In 2010 for example, an inspection required some 300
pipe, the signals picked up by the receiver probe are from welds to be checked and this was carried out by a
two waves – one travelling along the surface and the combination of both Dutch and French specialists from
other which reflects off the far wall (back wall). Where Applus RTD. The inspection scope in 2011 concerns some
a crack is present, there is diffraction of the wave from 750 welds. In the future it is anticipated that inspection
the tip(s) of the crack, and using the measured time of requirements for all the EDF nuclear power stations will
flight of the pulse, the crack depth can be automatically
calculated. This method is highly sensitive to cracks
and measures their dimensions with great accuracy.
As such it is even more reliable than weld testing using
grow to around 1000 welds..
radiography. For optimal results, ToFD should always be At the EDF nuclear plant, Applus RTD
demonstrates that by combining its latest
technologies and the global expertise of
specialist teams, productivity and operational
safety can be maximized.

Back in 2002, Applus RTD’s Niels Pörtzgen was
busy in the company’s Technological Center,
working on his PhD study material together with
the Delft University of Technology. His research
led to IWEX (Inverse Wavefield EXtrapolation) for
NDT. The fundamentals of this were inspired by
seismic exploration, in which a number of ultrasonic
phenomena (like reflection, diffraction and mode
conversion) are taken into account during data
processing. The key objective of the IWEX technique
is to transmit and receive independent ultrasonic
pulses with a collection of elements, and then to
process the acquired information to reconstruct an
image of the inspected object (see Fig. 1).
Figure 1. IWEX measurement concept and resulting image
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2
First RTD IWEX
3D Imager
Portable
Ultrasonic
Imaging System
In the beginning...
The initial challenges during the research project were
to gain an in-depth understanding of the methodology,
and at the same time to develop algorithms that could
process the data in a way that would ensure an accurate
image. Conventional technologies (like Pulse Echo, ToFD
and Sectorial Scan) are based on interpretation by an
operator of signals (A-, B- C- and/or D-scans). IWEX
3D ultrasonic imaging on the other hand enables the
signals to be processed into comprehensive images that
show the details of the object without the influence of
the ultrasonic measurements like beam width. In this
way, operator analysis becomes more straightforward.
A patent for this concept was in fact, filed in 2004 and
has now been granted in the USA, Canada, Australia,
Germany, UK, The Netherlands and Spain.
With the physics understood, the next challenges were
data acquisition and fast processing... particularly
because the amount of recorded data is significantly
greater than that for Phased Array or ToFD. In
addititon, more complex data processing is required,
hence the need for more processing power. In the initial
research phase, the reconstruction of an image took
around 2 minutes. Translated into a weld inspection
requiring approximately 700 images, this meant that
while the IWEX principle was proven, it was far from a
commercial proposition.
7

8
The key challenge became one of accelerating data
processing. To do that, algorithms were optimized and
a dedicated data acquisition system was built (based
on available multi-channel ‘Paulis 2G’ technology). This
led to improvements whereby 6 images per second
could be recorded and processed. This system was
mainly used to further develop and improve the IWEX
concept under laboratory conditions, and to enable
early demonstrations to interested parties. At this
point, development of the IWEX concept was taken
over by Applus RTD’s Xavier Deleye and Dries Gisolf.
Moving towards commercial reality
To enable a system to be created that complied with
industrial requirements, focus was needed on aspects
such as miniaturization and further acceleration of
data processing. To this end, developments made in
the Paulis Program were extended further to create
the next generation electronics platform – Paulis 4G.
It has a number of advantages, including miniaturized
electronics boards (150 x 75mm), scalable system
performance and scalable processing power (each
board containing 32 parallel processsors for 32
ultrasonic channels). The algorithm processing takes
place on the board directly after digitization of each
measurement signal and produces an image of the
volume under examination. This can even be done in
parallel for all measured signals and can already be
combined into a single image in the hardware. This
drastically reduces communication with the computer
(up to 1.5 Gbyte/second). Thanks to the modular
design, these boards can be simply stacked to support
up to 1024 parallel processors in a single system,
without influencing performance.
The result of these new electronics capabilities is
a portable system (Fig. 2) that generates real-time
images 20 images per second. Because these are
generated at a high rate, visualization of data can
be carried out in 3D directly after scanning (Fig.
3 and 4), which provides an increased insight into
position, orientation and the geometry of anomalies. A
demonstration tool is currently available to show IWEX
capabilities to internal and external clients.
Figure 2. Applus RTD IWEX demo system Figure 3. Three side drilled holes
(0.5 mm diameter; 1 and 1.5 mm apart from left to right)

Making the most of opportunities
The improved quality of the inspection result made
possible by the IWEX concept offers significant
advantages. For every client and/or industry sector
these can be seen as:
New-build constructions
• Improved inspection accuracy and more
comprehensive evaluation results can lead to less
conservative NDT evaluation and as such, reduced
repair rates.
• Third party review of inspection results is
simplified through comprehensive images.
• Project logistics are also simplified as calibration
blocks are unnecessary (with system performance
and accuracy being tested on the actual test
specimens).
Maintenance inspections
• More accurate inspection results will deliver
clients more accurate data for remaining lifetime
assessments.
• Increased inspection reliability through better
visualization and evaluation of inspection results.
Figure 4. IWEX 3D result of the 3 side drilled holes
in figure 3.
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2
Looking ahead
The whole IWEX concept is literally a ‘work in progress’
with results being regularly implemented into existing
electronics and software by the IWEX team (now
expanded to include among others, Stefan Kleijer and
Lars Hörchens). With this extended image quality and
the robustness of the algorithms, the concept has
been further improved to enable inspection of welds.
For this, other advancements have been implemented
like improved 3D resolution, removal of image
artifacts etc.. At the same time close cooperation
with a number of key clients is on-going that will
enable technology validation projects and market
introduction in the very near future.
For more information on IWEX 3D developments
and the IWEX 3D demonstration tool, contact
Xavier Deleye at xavier.deleye@applusrtd.com
9

10
Teamwork...
the key to effective
customized solutions
As far back as 2003, Applus RTD initiated a
framework agreement with the Acergy Group (in
those days known as Stolt Offshore and since early
2011, as Subsea7). It included a mutual development
investment fund which was designed for use on
projects from which both companies could benefit.
In 2007, the Acergy Group came up with a challenge...
TOTAL had opened a tender phase for a pipe-in-pipe
construction pipeline installation project. For the
weld inspections, a new automated Ultrasonic Testing
tool had to be developed for testing the asymmetric
configured swaged welds. Using the mutual fund,
the two partners went to work... and three years
later this collaboration has borne fruit with a full
DNV system qualification for the new AUT system
and testing procedure. It is designed to be fully
operational in 2012.
Teamwork... the vital ingredient
The success of the new AUT system development relied
heavily not just on the teamwork between the two
partners Applus RTD and Subsea7, but also between
Applus RTD Pipeline Operations and the Applus
RTD Technological Center. Key members during the
whole operation included Edwin van Kessel (manager
Shared Services, who also acted as liason between
Applus RTD and Subsea7), Daphne Bantjes (project
manager Operations), Xavier Deleye (project manager
Technogical Center), Pim van de Kuilen (manager
Project Support Center) and Cesar Atin (Subsea7).
Success demanded the closest levels of collaboration
right from the start... an approach which enabled the
development of an unique and customized solution.
Pipe-in-pipe and swaged welds
Pipe-in-pipe constructions are primarily used for
undersea oil wells. Here, an outer pipe is pushed over an
inner pipe and the two are welded together with a swaged
weld... an asymmetric v-shaped weld which by its design is
difficult to effectively inspect from the outside. When a
plant pumps oil up, the process must sometimes be halted
for a period of time, during which oil stops moving. At low
temperatures the oil cools down and leaves a residue on
the pipe walls. To keep the oil warm during standstill and
to prevent residue forming, an insulation layer is needed.
For this specific project, a vacuum in the outer pipes
was created which effectively insulated the inner pipes.
To develop an inspection tool capable of investigating
swaged welds to TOTAL’s specifications, a five-phased
development project was initiated.
Phase 1 – Feasibility
The feasibility phase covered aspects like theoretical
research. It involved simulation of the swaged weld in a
computer program called Umasis (developed by TNO...
Applus RTD was the ‘launching client’ for the software)
to establish whether the concept was theoretically
possible. The project was based on experience gained
from an earlier pipe-in-pipe project for the Dutch Gasunie
organization. It indicated that the swaged welds were very

difficult to inspect because there were so many places
where defects could arise. In addition, the orientation
of the defect ensures that while an ultrasonic probe
can detect a defect from one angle... from another
it could be very difficult. The feasibility report was
presented to the Acergy Group in October 2009.
Phase 2 – Practical proof of concept
The second phase was for the method developed to be
proven in operation. For this, a number of test blocks
were produced which incorporated artificial defects.
Using these blocks, the techniques developed during
Phase 1 were tested and where necessary, optimized.
This was the first step along the road towards proving
improved inspection integrity as well as detection
capability and sizing accuracy... all according to the
Subsea7 and TOTAL specifications.
Phase 3 – Prototype development
In this phase, a prototype scanner was built and tested
for use with the Olympus Omniscan. The final version
comprised four phased array probes and two ToFD
probe pairs. To test the prototype internally, several
swaged welds (some with intended defects) were
supplied by Subsea7.
Phase 4 – DNV system qualification
Phase 4 has only recently been completed and covers
a full DNV general system qualification. Essential in
this phase was general system qualification from an
independent organization, to audit compliance with
the DNV specification. It was in fact DNV themselves
who audited the full system qualification. They had to
determine whether the concept could reliably detect all
relevant welding imperfections, and also if these could
be sized accurately, in line with the specifications laid
down by TOTAL. Qualification was carried out by testing
different specimens, all based on the specifics of the
TOTAL CLOV project.
Phase 5 – Project specific validation
Phase 5 is now about to begin... it is the phase covering
project specific qualification on specific project
materials and welding procedures. The aim is to see
if system performance as shown during the DNV
system qualification is also maintained on TOTAL CLOV
specifications.
A successful team!
All involved in the collaboration between Applus RTD
and Subsea7 were unamimous in regarding the
teamwork throughout every stage of the development
process as very successful. During the stage-by-stage
approach in creating a customized solution it became
clear that an AUT system for swaged weld inspection
has considerable potential for other projects.
Current market developments indicate a clear
demand for AUT inspection tools for pipe-in-pipe
constructions. Only through teams of dedicated
specialists working closely together at every stage
of the development process can such customized
solutions be brought to market in the minimum
time and at the lowest possible cost.
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2 11

12
Safe Work Award
N e w s i n B r i e f
The Petroplus Refinery at Coryton in England is
no different to other refineries when it comes
to the importance that they place on safety
and incident-free operations right across their
site. Applus RTD was therefore particularly
pleased and honoured when Richard Elvin’s
team was presented with the Refinery’s Safe
Work Award for no less than 11 consecutive
years of operation... without a recordable
injury! This team recognition once again
confirms the importance that the company
places on teamwork throughout the
Applus RTD organization.
New offices for Region ASPA (Asia Pacific)
Under the leadership of new Regional Director Asia
Pacific Jon Bennett (see separate article in this issue
of Impulse) the Applus RTD team have recently moved
into new offices. The new premises will help enable
support for the planned growth in this important
growth area.
For more information, contact:
Applus RTD Region ASPA
70 Kian Teck Road
628798S Singapore
Tel: +65 68964046
Fax: +65 6898 9704

Award
winners
in Rio!
The Pipeline Calgary Award is a biennial accolade
presented jointly by ASME and IBP (the Brazilian
Institute of Petroleum). At the Rio Pipeline Conference
2011 the award was presented to Applus RTD for the
company’s outstanding technical contribution to the
pipeline industry.
Bringing technical excellence and knowledge to a wider
market
The Pipeline Calgary Award was received on behalf of
Applus RTD by Dr. Cesar Buque, who also presented an
important paper entitled ‘3-D ultrasonic tomography...
eliminating ToFD and phased arrays?’. The presentation
on the new Applus RTD IWEX concept (see a separate
article in this issue of Impulse), as well as the peerreviewed
paper was well received by a very knowledgeable
audience. In justifying the presentation of the award, the
ASME-IBP jury stated “This is an outstanding work with
the highest relevance to the industry, best effectiveness
in resolving well known problems, best contribution to
efficiency, reliability, operability, versatility and integrity.
The impact on public safety and welfare as well as impact
on the environment is considered highest”.
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2
Dr. Cesar Buque with award
On receiving the award Dr. Cesar Buque commented
on the outstanding innovative power of colleagues
from the Technological Center, which helps ensure
that Applus RTD does not only compete on price...
but differentiates in technology. “Innovation is the
only way to remain competitive” he says “and to
stay competitive for the long term. Projects like
IWEX, Permanent Monitoring or Automated ToFD
Interpretation are vital. Making us the reference in the
competive world of NDT providers”.
Keeping at the forefront
New Applus RTD CEO Iain Light commented on the award.
“Looking at these criteria it is clear what para meters
should drive our business, and these are very close to the
values that we all believe in, and that make us stand out in
the markets in which we operate. I am very proud that our
technical edge is recognized by the industry and we must
increase our technology development and speed of
developing advanced techniques that will ensure we retain
our number one position”.
For delegates at the Rio Pipeline Conference, IWEX
was seen as a real ‘game changer’ and a concept that
made it clear that every effort should be put behind
the acceleration, development and subsequent launch
of this exciting new technology.
13

14
New faces.
Familiar faces.
All with new challenges
To effectively manage the challenges that lie before the global Applus RTD organization, a number of changes
to personnel and function arrangements have recently been announced.
Richard Zappeij – Business Unit Area Manager France
Changes in the Business Unit Western Europe (and not
least the retirement of Frans Groos) have led to the
appointment of Richard Zappeij as BU Area Manager
for France. Thanks to the success that he has already
achieved in the Belgian market, the company is confident
that he will be able apply this experience and effectively
combine functions to cover the demands of both France
and Belgium at the same time. In his role as BUA Manager
for France, Richard will represent the interests of the
French organization directly in the management team
region Western Europe. Particularly over the coming
months he will be actively investigating opportunities to
share best practices with the French BUA management
team and help them implement business improvements
while providing additional support.
The day-to-day activities in France will remain in the
capable hands of the local French management team.
Richard Zappeij
Jon Bennett – Regional Director ASPA
Jon Bennett’s interim role with Applus RTD has been
recently made permanent. As the new Regional Director
Asia Pacific (ASPA) he sees a challenging future ahead for
his enthusiastic team. With clients bringing on-stream an
unprecedented rate of infrastructure development, he
sees big opportunities for playing a role in the delivery of
major LNG expansions in the region.
Jon brings to the ASPA region broad international
experience in resources and commodities businesses,
with a particular focus on finance and operations.
His background includes some 22 years working with
Royal Dutch Shell in a variety of roles in Australia, The
Netherlands, UK, Asia and the Pacific Islands.
Jon Bennett

Neil Hannah – Regional Director North Western Europe
Neil Hannah is a new face to Applus RTD, and brings
with him substantial management experience
of handling complex, multi-site, multinational
organizations – building success with field based
workforces in the professional services industry.
He joins the company from the BSI Group (British
Standards Institution) where he was Managing
Director of the UK business for a number of years
prior to being appointed Global Certification Director.
He has previously held positions of Managing Director
in a number of major manufacturing companies
including Thorn Lighting, Wagon plc, Landis & Gyr and
the GEC Group. Neil has a first class honours degree
in physics and has also studied finance (being a former
associate lecturer on corporate finance for the Open
University MBA programme). He is married with three
children and currently lives in County Durham in the UK.
Neil Hannah John Beekman
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2
John Beekman – Regional Director Central and Eastern
Europe
John Beekman has recently joined Applus RTD as
Regional Director for Central and Eastern Europe. In his
previous position as Sales Director for Bureau Veritas
in Germany, he was responsible for the coordination
of sales activities, managing key accounts and the
development of large contracts. Other responsibilities
included the development of client relationships and
of securing major contracts in the areas of power and
utilities, as well as oil and gas. As a senior manager in
the USA, The Netherlands and Germany his commitment
has been characterized by an unique strategy and
vision, plus an impressive track record in the field
of turnaround management and new customer and
market orientation. During some 20 years in the USA
and Germany, John was active on behalf of a number
of Technical Service (Engineering) Corporations. As
managing director for TÜV in The Netherlands and the
USA, he was responsible for new business creation.
With a degree as an Industrial Engineer from Fontys
University in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, John currently
lives in the north of Cologne in Germany with his German
wife and their two young children.
15

16
The new E.ON MPP3 is an ultra-modern coal-fired
power station which is currently under construction
on the Maasvlakte, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Building work started early in 2008 and is due for
completion in 2012. The new power station will have
a gross capacity of 1100 MW which will account for
some 7% of the total Dutch power consumption. The
E.ON MPP3 is designed to have the capacity to co-fire
biomass and will provide heat for domestic housing as
well as industry. A special feature of this new facility
is a demonstration plant for the capture of CO2. Vital,
both during the construction phase and following
subsequent commissioning, is the Project Radiation
Safety Program developed by Applus RTD.
E.ON MPP3 Radiation Safety Program
In order to be fully compliant with Dutch nuclear
energy regulations, E.ON appointed Applus RTD’s Marty
Keursten as the Radiation Protection Advisor (RPA) for
the whole project. The first key task for the new RPA
was to develop a Project Radiation Safety Program
covering all daily radiation safety issues across the
whole site. Supporting him in these activities was the
newly appointed Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS)
Teus van den Bos assisted by Aad van den Bremer. For
all aspects of the project, it was advantageous that
Applus RTD could act as an agency, providing the highly
trained personnel with the required levels of knowledge
and experience of NDT and radiation issues. Normally
such activities are covered by Applus RTD licences.
Daily RPS operations generally begin in the afternoon,
once it is clear which NDT activities are planned for
the forthcoming night. Currently there are four NDT
companies on-site and each day those that may have
involvement in the broad areas surrounding NDT
are involved in a coordination meeting. From this a
clear schedule can be developed, covering when and
where particular work may be carried out safely. The
RPS is chairman of this meeting, and because of the
wide variety of international companies involved, the
languages used are English and German. Each evening,
the RPS checks the performance of the various NDT
companies, plus aspects such as barriers and warning
signs, dose rates, permits etc..
A focus on
safety
Maximizing safety. Minimizing disruption to work
A key issue on such a busy site as the new E.ON MPP3
power station is the barrier, marking the area for
radiography. For safety reasons, radiographers tend
to make these areas as large as possible, but these
in turn are difficult to guard. Care is therefore taken
by the RPS team to keep these areas as small as
possible... but without compromise to safety or the
convenience of those who must be at a particular
location. A further challenge for the team was the
need for a radiation bunker. Due to potential external
environmental risks, the bunker could not be located
next to a boundary fence. An unusual and effective
solution was found however, by converting a gypsum
silo for the purpose.
Teamwork... vital for a complex challenge
The task of maintaining the required levels of radiation
safety throughout the E.ON MPP3 site was potentially
further complicated by the large number of specialist
contractors and subcontractors who have to work
together – their own specialties and talents
complementing each other to enable a successful
outcome. In all areas therefore, good teamwork is a
key to success. This ‘international flavour’ of
organizations who work harmoniously together is
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2

typified by Hitachi Power Europe, who build the
steam generator, while Alstom handle turbine and
generator requirements. A number of other
organizations are also involved in aspects such as
the construction of piping, civil works, control
systems, and a desulphurization unit. Quality
assurance is the responsibility of the construction
companies themselves, with each being supported by
the x-ray company of their choice.
Growth through
acquisition
As part of the global Applus RTD organization’s
commitment to careful strategic growth, an important
new acquisition is announced by Applus+ CEO Fernando
Basabe. This is anticipated to make a significant
contribution to the company’s already strong focus on
international activities.
Qualitec
The Brazilian concern Qualitec is specialized in nondestructive
testing and inspection services for
(amongst others) the oil, gas, chemical and
In general, during the course of such a project,
legal requirements concerning radiation safety are
addressed in the early stages. It is however, an on-going
requirement to keep up with changing circumstances,
so an experienced and knowledgeable RPA and RPS are
vital. Applus RTD has the specialists and capabilities to
ensure a safe and problem-free operation.
pharmaceutical industries. Based in Belo Horizonte in
the south eastern Brazilian state of Mina Gerais,
Qualitec currently employs some 200 people. For
Applus RTD, the acquisition is seen as highly
important as it marks the entry of the company’s
non-destructive testing division into one of the most
challenging emerging markets in the sector. With an
anticipated growth in oil infrastructure investments
in Brazil over the coming years, the acquisition will
clearly enhance the demand for Applus RTD services
in the area.
17

18
ROTOSCAN...
testing over 60 km of
the Bunde–Etzel Pipeline
The salt dome caverns near the East Frisian
municipality of Etzel (not far from the North Sea coast)
feature some of the largest gas and oil storage sites in
the world. The salt dome has been used and expanded
for interim storage since the 1970s and now, there is a
new connection pipeline linking the natural gas storage
site with the European gas distribution system, which
runs some 60 kilometres through a landscape of
marshland, moorland and fields.
Planning the optimal route
From the cavern fields in Etzel, the B-E Pipeline runs
right across East Frisia to the Bunde transfer station
on the Dutch border. It is connected to the international
distribution system via the Oude junction in The
Netherlands. Planning the optimal route was a difficult
undertaking right from the start. It involved finding the
shortest distance that would at the same time, bypass
rivers, canals and water reserves as well as inhabited
areas. For 60 kilometres it runs through marshland and
moorland (a muddy soil having a high groundwater level,
and also the Rheiderland which has its own particular
type of soil characteristics). In addition, the route had
to cross or go under roads, waterways, gas and oil
pipelines, as well as electricity and gas supply cables.
Millimetre by millimetre... 3,600 welds tested
For the transportation pipeline alone, the Italian
company Ghizzoni S.pA. laid and welded... 2800 coated
steel tubes... each with a length of around 18 metres,
a diameter of 1200 mm and wall thicknesses varying
between 22.2 mm and 28 mm. The welds were a critical
part of the pipeline and as such had to be rigorously
checked by the most up to date methods available.
Applus RTD was solely responsible for the nondestructive
testing of the B-E Pipeline, taking care of
the 2,800 girth welds of the main pipe. Further testing
was carried out on the so-called tie-in welds for joints,
fixtures and bends, and special components like flanges
or cross ties.On top of that Applus RTD scope included
the further challenge of testing the joints at the Bunde
and Etzel terminals. All in all, more than 3,600 welds were
tested... millimetre by millimetre.
The client B-E Pipeline in Hamburg, together with the
engineering company ILF Beratende Ingenieurs from
Munich, imposed the most stringent standards – not
just that the minimum requirements of the European
DIN EN 12732 should be met, but also the stricter
German DVGW-GW 350 regulation for the testing of
weld connections on steel gas supply pipes. To meet
all these requirements 100% ultrasonic testing and
x-ray inspection were called for. The aim was to meet
environmental requirements while completing the project
as speedily, safely and as cost-effectively as possible.
ROTOSCAN... a rapid test with instant weld quality
feedback
The high standards demanded by our client were met
by one of the fastest and best welding technologies
currently available... ROTOSCAN, the unique (even on an
international basis) automatic ultrasonic test system
first developed by Applus RTD in the early 1970s. In a
single operation, ROTOSCAN carries out a phased-array
and ToFD (Time of Flight Diffraction) inspection of
automatically welded pipeline welds. It is the only device
in fact, that can perform two different ultrasonic tests
in the same cycle.
Two ROTOSCAN systems are currently available. The
ROTOSCAN Multi-Probe System for which the number of
probes can be selected, dependent on the wall thickness.
The ROTOSCAN Phased-Array System on the other hand,
has just two phased-array probes, one for each side of
the weld. If a transverse defect test is required two
additional probes can be easily installed.
In operation ROTOSCAN makes just one scan of the
weld, testing it with either the ‘Phased-Array System’
(a state-of-the-art ultrasonic test AUT), or with a
selected number (10 – 20) of highly sensitive probes.
These have also been developed by Applus RTD and they
not only scan the welds but also their lateral parts

which have been heated during the welding process. The
variable sound beam registers defects like porosity,
slag inclusions or an incomplete root penetration. Two
more probes then perform a ToFD inspection. This
provides details on the length, depth and extent of any
weld irregularity. The ToFD inspection finds defects
which the pulse/echo rarely can, such as laminations
immediately beside the weld. Using ROTOSCAN tests are
much more precise, dependable and faster than those
using conventional systems, with an entire cycle lasting
around 5 minutes, depending on pipeline diameter.
The system’s ROTOMAP facility provides digital
documentation including a cartographical presentation.
Ultrasonic tests and x-ray inspections... safety first
Following the requirements of DVGW-GW 350, the first
B-E Pipeline welds and the ‘golden welds’ (those which
are difficult to hydro test) were double-checked. For
this, the Phased-Array and ToFD inspections were
followed by an x-ray inspection of the welds (RT). The
result... ‘200% safety’! Special components such as
flanges or connectors had already been inspected
directly after production. On the Bunde and Etzel
terminals’ joints, where pipes of a variety of diameters
come together, Applus RTD not only performed
ultrasonic tests and x-ray inspections, but also carried
out magnaflux tests. The latter are most frequently
used for detecting surface cracks on welds, or on the
pipe itself.
On top of the ‘200% safety’ level of UT inspection for
‘golden welds’, another ‘piece of test equipment’ was
also used – the human eye. The steel structure was
constantly checked by specialists, because only such
visual inspection can ensure in-time detection of cracks
or processing defects which might suddenly appear.
Over the entire construction period of one year, Applus
RTD had 15 or 16 people working on the site at any one
time. This number of people is much higher than would
have been expected in the not so recent past.
I m p u l s e - J a n u a r y 2 0 1 2
ROTOSCAN system
Total commitment... nothing more and
nothing less!
“This project required all our specialists’
expertise and the use of all available test
systems for non-destructive testing of new
pipelines” says Ricardo George, Applus RTD’s
Manager Sales & Business Development
Europe (the industrial engineer and MBA
reponsible for Central and Easter Europe and
CIS countries). “It had to be total commitment
from all involved... no more and no less”.
Clients also expressed satisfaction... Dean
Drager, B-E Pipeline Construction Manager
said “The aim of B-E Pipeline was the highest
levels of safety and that is why we chose the
Applus RTD system. Our expectations have
been entirely fulfilled”. Gerhard Weidinger,
Project Director ILF comments “Applus
RTD was convincing throughout the project
with its high standards of quality and
professionalism”.
19

20
To optimally serve our global clients, Applus RTD has
established a network of strategic locations to ensure
that the right help and advice are always available...
when and where you need them.
North & South America
Brazil T +55 71 323 533 32
Canada T +1 780 440 6600
Colombia (Barranquilla) T +57 53 301 800
Colombia (Bogotá) T +57 13 765 000
Mexico T +52 55 9138 3838
United States of America (North) T +1 517 531 8210 11
United States of America (South) T +1 832 295 5000
United States of America (East) T +1 716 853 2611
United States of America (West) T +1 661 399 8497
Europe
Austria T +43 2622 64014
Belgium T +32 3 666 32 32
Czech Republic T +420 466 530 858
Denmark T +45 7513 0050
France T +33 4 72 50 57 50
Germany T +49 234 927 980
Italy T +39 275 62 72 45
Norway T +47 51 83 92 04
Poland T +48 32 246 47 59
Slovakia T +421 904 244 253
Spain T +34 93 520 2053
Switzerland T +41 61 225 4466
The Netherlands T +31 10 716 60 00
United Kingdom T +44 1324 48 97 85
Middle East
Sultanate of Oman T +971 2 554 2929
United Arab Emirates T +971 2 554 2929
Africa
Libya T +218 214 44 540
Nigeria T +234 803 336 7195
South East Asia & Pacific
Australia T +61 8 9410 9300
Indonesia T +62 21 720 04 67
Japan T +81 6 4861 0700
Singapore T +65 6898 4046
www.ApplusRTD.com