ASI Group

Small Town Adventures in Eastern Canada

rov in pipeline for inspection

While wrapping up the summer and welcoming the first day of fall, ASI personnel travelled to New Brunswick, Canada for a familiar inspection project. Each year, since 2014, ASI inspects a pipeline to record changes on the general condition and areas of prior damage. However, the inspection did not occur in 2020 or 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Repeat inspection programs monitor change over time, which can identify anomalies such as sediment or debris, cracking, joint separation, ovality and erosion in a pipeline. ASI performs these inspections to document areas of interest at specific locations.

Tropical storm Fiona made for some unpleasant weather during inspection operations and bumpy travel from the site. Regardless of the weather, the project proceeded without issue. This pipeline was unique in that it was not just steel or concrete, but rather a steel pipeline encased in concrete and lined with a fiberglass interior. ASI’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) swam the length of the pipeline, collecting video of known areas of interest along the way. The data was compared to previous inspections and compiled into comprehensive deliverables: a written report, edited inspection video, and annotated video and sonar stills.

ROV inside a removed section of the pipeline for inspection access (left); topside control station (right)

The crew spent one week in the town of Saint John exploring the local nooks on their downtime. The hotel accommodations were a brief walk from the downtown area where they explored local shops and restaurants. Some of their favorite dining experiences included: an Indian bar/eatery serving Asian fusion plates and local beer, an Italian restaurant providing a homey dining experience and classic dishes, a casual stop basement eatery for creative local cuisine, and the last highlight, an uptown eatery and pub where the crew had breakfast on their standby day and then enjoyed views of the harbour with massive cruise ships. One of ASI’s technicians said, “All in all, for a little town, it had an awesome downtown environment, and I would suggest a visit.”

Images from Port City Royal restaurant

Curious where ASI visited? Here’s the list of their top restaurant recommendations:

  • Thandi | 33 Canterbury St, Saint John, NB E2L 2C6, Canada
  • Italian by Night | 97 Germain St, Saint John, NB E2L 2E5, Canada
  • Britt’s Pub and Eatery Uptown | 42 Princess St, Saint John, NB E2L 1K2, Canada
  • Port City Royal | 45 Grannan St, Saint John, NB E2L 0E9, Canada

To learn more about ASI’s pipeline inspection services, click here.