Industries/Midstream & Gathering
Midstream & Gathering NDT InspectionGathering systems, processing facilities and the midstream infrastructure that connects production to transmission.
Midstream is where the pipe is smallest, the spreads are shortest and the schedule is tightest — and it is still the girth weld that decides whether the line runs. Prime Inspections covers gathering systems, processing facilities and the midstream infrastructure connecting production to transmission, from the first tie-in to the in-service integrity dig years later.
Gathering is the largest single block of our project experience: 980+ miles inspected in the 2"–16" range, out of 3,400+ miles in total across all diameters (rounded estimates). Small pipe does not mean a small programme — it means more welds per mile, more tie-ins, more crossings and more crews moving at once.
- Gathering systems
- Processing facilities
- Tie-ins
- Integrity digs
- 2"–16"
What we inspect
From the gathering header to the plant fence line.
Gathering-system girth welds
Radiographic and ultrasonic inspection of girth welds and tie-ins on gathering lines and laterals — the small-diameter, high-weld-count work that makes up the largest block of our project experience.
Processing & treating facilities
RT, PAUT and TOFD on facility piping, manifolds and pressure-containing components inside processing facilities, with MT and PT on structural steel, pipe racks and supports.
Station & manifold piping
RT, PAUT and TOFD on station piping, manifolds and pressure-containing components at the pump and compressor stations along the system.
In-service integrity
UT wall-thickness surveys and MT/PT on operating systems, valve assemblies and station piping, plus in-ditch phased-array corrosion mapping documented for the operator's integrity program.
Why midstream operators and EPCs choose Prime
Keeps pace with the spread
Midstream welds out faster than mainline. Our crews and equipment are sized so inspection is not the thing the spread waits on, and 24/7 response covers the call-outs that do not wait for morning.
Audit-ready documentation
Every weld is reported against the governing code — API 1104 for construction, ASME B31.4/B31.8 for in-service — ready for the system's quality file.
One provider across the system
The same crews that shoot the mainline girth welds cover the processing facility, the station piping and the integrity digs, so one provider and one reporting format follow the asset.
Direct to the operator
Prime can be hired and paid directly by the owner/operator, which keeps the accept-or-repair call insulated from the company whose welds are being judged.
Codes of record
New construction pipeline welds are typically inspected to API 1104; in-service pipeline integrity work follows ASME B31.4 (liquids) or B31.8 (gas) and applicable DOT/PHMSA regulations. Process piping inside a processing facility is normally ASME B31.3, with in-service piping inspection following API 570. Scanning procedures are written and qualified to the examination requirements of ASME Section V and the acceptance criteria of the governing code your project specification names.
Methods we run on this work
Frequently asked questions
What midstream assets does Prime inspect?
Gathering systems, processing facilities and the midstream infrastructure connecting production to transmission — girth welds and tie-ins on gathering lines, facility and station piping, manifolds and pressure-containing components, and in-service integrity work.
How much gathering-line experience do you have?
Gathering in the 2-inch to 16-inch range is the largest block of our project experience: 980+ miles inspected, out of 3,400+ miles in total across all diameters. Those are rounded estimates.
Which methods do you use on gathering lines?
Radiography — film RT, digital radiography (DR), computed radiography (CR) and real-time radiography (RTR) — plus PAUT, AUT and TOFD, and MT, PT, UT and VT, matched to the weld, the wall and the schedule.
What code do you inspect gathering welds to?
New construction welds are typically inspected to API 1104; in-service integrity work follows ASME B31.4 for liquids or B31.8 for gas, and applicable DOT/PHMSA regulations. Process piping inside a processing facility is normally ASME B31.3.
Can you inspect the processing facility as well as the line?
Yes. The same crews cover facility piping, manifolds and pressure-containing components, MT and PT on structural steel and pipe supports, and the station piping along the system — reported in one format.
Do you do in-ditch corrosion mapping on gathering systems?
Yes — phased-array corrosion mapping with remaining wall thickness and pit depth measured and recorded, and a C-scan corrosion map documented for the operator’s integrity program. Prime supplies the measured data and the map; the fitness-for-service decision stays with the operator.
Can the operator hire Prime directly?
Yes, and we recommend it. When the owner/operator hires and pays the NDT provider there is no markup on inspection and no financial tie to the contractor whose welds are being judged.
How do I get a quote?
Use our contact form or call (281) 944-3840 with the scope, the pipe size and wall, and the governing code, and our team will follow up.
Gathering system to weld out?
Tell us the scope, the diameters and the schedule — we will put certified crews on it.