Innovative Technology Award 2025 THE BEST INSPECTION METHOD FOR CUPS and CUI - Corrosion Under Insulation. Winner: Phonon Diagnostic Technique.

This award recognizes outstanding achievements in the deployment and successful implementation of innovative cutting-edge technologies, including new NDT methods for CUI & CUPS. 

CUI is hard to find being hidden under the insulation and there are substantial costs and logistical issues involved in removing the coverings, inspecting and then reinstating them. Corrosion under insulation (CUI) can cause significant operational, economic and safety challenges. A large number of critical assets such as vessels, piping and tanks are insulated and CUI-targeted.

Multiple non-destructive testing methods are used to inspect for CUI which is often only detected when it is fairly advanced and there is visible leakage of fluid. Current inspection tools available have limitations in their ability to detect corrosion accurately, their ability to access susceptible locations, or require the removal of the insulation material. In practice, asset operators prefer technologies that enable inspection without necessitating the removal of the insulation coverings.

Often, due to the presence of the insulation material, identifying CUI can be challenging until it is too late, leading to extended shutdowns, expensive emergency repairs, or a loss of containment.

Phonon Diagnostics Technologies Ltd. (UK) is selected as winner manufacturer and

Shark Consulting FZ LLC is selected as winner service provider for best new NDT solution for CUI,

PHONON DIAGNOSTICS TECHNIQUE

The Industry Challenge is an initiative of program sponsors Stratum Energy and

Mercuria Energy, and led by EINDT to focus on demonstrable NDT solutions for inspection of

Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) and CUPS on piping systems. There is a relevant tendency in the oil and gas industry to replace traditional CUI inspections with new innovative NDT tools that can traverse piping racks and access problematic zonesto CUI and CUPS.

The traditional CUI inspections are expensive robotics and manual labour-intensive tools; new Advanced  solutions can reduce maintenance costs as well as safety risks

associated with piping system inspections.

From the four companies shortlisted to participate in the Industry Challenge, the UK Manufacturer Phonon Diagnostics Technologies Ltd. and its Exclusive PDT Dealer for Service Supply – Shark Consulting FZ LLC from UAE emerged as the overall winner for the best new Advanced NDT solution for inspection of Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) on piping systemsand CUPS.

As winner of the Industry Challenge, Phonon Diagnostics Technologies Ltd. (UK) and Shark Consulting FZ LLC (UAE) receive a reward 2025 and the opportunity to further their Phonon Diagnostics Technique solution as the best technique for CUI and CUPS and its application through the next phases of a multi-year CUI and CUPS development program.

All participating companies demonstrated areas of excellence within various categories and

experiments and presented innovative solutions with great potential for further development.

The solution Phonon Diagnostics Technologies Ltd. (UK) and SHARK Consulting FZ LLC presented was acclaimed for a well-engineered system that was overall very impressive.

Phonon Diagnostics Technique (PDT) system had great optimization of execution-timing avoiding a long production shutdown and reduced POB during a normal operation of piping system (in service), no preparatory work required, the complete SOW´s coverage and showed a high accuracy, as a main advantage over the other systems.

In the evaluation of PDT’s solution, it was noted that the design of their system was innovative and would prove beneficial in hard-to-reach spaces and OG Upstream. The ability to perform fast and reliable inspection helped significantly with scanning patterns and POB, and with further application of their solution could become a part of the future NDT approach for piping inspections and maintenance.

Areas where SHARK Consulting FZ LLC excelled included the fast and efficient performance and complete coverage of the piping system incl.. the bottom of a pipe and tee, from pipe to elbow to pipe, scanning patterns in straight pipes and elbow. The solution’s performance was innovative with great potential for further applications.

JR Fernandez, MD of Shark Consulting FZ LLC:

“Working with EINDT, their sponsors and other energy companies in the CUI & CUPS Challenge was an incredible opportunity. This challenge was designed with customer needs in mind and offered a real-world trial for participants. The feedback was invaluable for SHARK, highlighting where we can immediately add value in CUI & CUPS detection applying PHONON Diagnostics Technique PDT from the UK manufacturer and our key Partner, Phonon Diagnostics Technologies Ltd. We are honored at being selected as the winner and appreciate the hard work of both the sponsors and the competitors.”

For more information about the 2025 Awards Winner:

https://www.thesharkholding.com

https://www.phonondiagnostics.com