Baker Hughes Acquires Qi2 Elements
Qi2 Elements will extend Baker Hughes’ asset inspection technology offering across a wider range of critical customer equipment, including pipelines and storage tanks.
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Edited by Margo Ellis
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Baker Hughes has announced the acquisition of Qi2 Elements, a designer and manufacturer of advanced robotic sensor systems that inspect, assess and monitor the integrity of critical energy infrastructure. The acquisition complements Baker Hughes’ existing capability in gas pipeline inspection, while also delivering new technology to support storage tank inspection.
Baker Hughes’ range of asset inspection solutions includes pipeline inspection services that detect, characterize, locate and size defects that can compromise pipeline integrity. The company’s Electro Magnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) technology enables the detection and measurement of cracks and crack related features that may occur in gas pipelines. Qi2 Elements’ EMAT capability will extend Baker Hughes’ technology to serve customers with small and medium diameter pipelines up to 24 inches, including transmission, distribution, gathering and process pipelines. The combined expanded EMAT capability directly supports energy operators’ requirements to ensure asset safety and integrity on a regular basis, and supports future hydrogen infrastructure inspections.
The acquisition also includes Qi2 Elements’ robotic inspection technology, delivering the capability to inspect above ground liquid tank storage facilities without the need for personnel to enter confined hazardous spaces. The technology monitors and provides data on the integrity of the tank floor while the tank remains in service. This technology is currently used to support oil and gas customers but has the potential to be deployed in adjacent industries, such as power generation and pharmaceuticals, where liquid storage tanks are utilized.
“As we continue to partner with operators to drive enhanced environmental and public safety, the acquisition of Qi2 Elements significantly expands our asset inspection offering,” said Michael Bellamy, vice president, Process and Pipeline Services at Baker Hughes. “As an energy technology company, Baker Hughes delivers a broad range of inspection services for critical infrastructure, and Qi2 Elements is another example of how we continue to invest for growth in this space.”
The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022 and will be integrated into the Process & Pipeline Services product line within Baker Hughes’ Digital Solutions segment.
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