There is a need to understand Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) in-line inspection data and determine if it distinguishes whether a Close Metal Object (CMO) is an adjacent pipeline or independent metallic article. There have been failures associated with CMOs both in contact and in close proximity with the pipeline, specifically water lines. With the knowledge gained on the sensitivity of MFL technology to detect such objects, a process could be developed to identify those CMOs which may be a hazard to the pipeline and prioritize them for evaluation.
This report has a related webinar.