The dual drivers of new construction and increased inline service work are keeping the pigging sector busy, Bill Davis, director of business development for Tulsa, Okla.-based Enduro Pipeline Services Inc., told Hart Energy’s Jessica Morales at the recent Midstream Texas Conference in Midland.

“The industry has been very sensitive to regulations and changes, and one of the big drivers has been to identify material in existing legacy pipelines,” Davis said.

A focus on innovation in the sector has led to improvements in the quality of magnets, sensors and density of sensors. That enables the equipment to identify threats more quickly and accurately so they can be addressed by the pipeline operator.

“Business has been very vibrant,” Davis said. “I would describe it as very vibrant and growing. There’s been a lot of notification and articles written talking about how regulations are causing the industry to grow. Inline inspections, or smart pigging, is the primary go-to technology for determining the integrity of pipelines. So, as regulations have evolved so too has the pigging industry evolved.”