Pipeline Inspection for Germany's Aging Pipelines

Germany’s pipeline network is getting old. 

According to the German Association for Gas & Water, the average age of pipelines is 35 years. 

The aging network covering over 34,000 km, with oil and gas pipelines comprising 87%. 

Laid down between the 60s and 80s, much of the infrastructure is centralized in northwestern Germany. 

60 years later, most of these lines remain in operation.  

But they are pushing their limits. 

Pipelines built during that period had an original design life of 25 to 40 years. 

With careful maintenance, they can exceed 60 years. 

Many pipelines are now stretching their limits, and the stretch marks are showing. 

In older lines, cracks readily form due to decades of corrosion and stress. 

But operators and regulators are stuck with an uncomfortable fact: replacing entire sections is wildly expensive. 

What is left in the short-term? 

High-precision, high-resolution, high-confidence inspections. 

Just as aging increases a person’s risk for illness, older lines are more vulnerable to defects. 

Modern in-line inspection (ILI) gives operators a clear view of what is going on under the surface. 

ILI data allows operators to identify, track, and fix problems before they get serious—and safely extend asset life. 

But in the long run, replacement is inevitable. 

The future of Germany’s pipeline safety is not in ignoring its past.  

It lies in carefully managing existing infrastructure while operators slowly build long-term replacements.  

Dexon has extensive experience working with Europe and North America’s aging infrastructure, and our fleet of crack detection tools is perfectly suited for the job. 

Whether your pipelines are freshly chirstened or nearing retirement age, Dexon has you covered.