Industries/Upstream Oil & Gas
Upstream Oil & Gas NDTWell-site and production facility piping, flowlines and the gathering tie-in that takes it away.
Upstream is where the pipe starts. Prime Inspections inspects the welds on well-site and production facility piping, flowlines and the gathering tie-ins that carry production away — the same methods, the same written practice and the same reporting our crews bring to the mainline.
Production facilities are small, scattered and built fast. That favours crews who can mobilize to a location instead of a jobsite, and radiography that does not need a darkroom parked next to it.
- Facility piping
- Flowlines
- Gathering tie-ins
- Vessels & separators
- Small diameter
What we inspect
From the pad to the gathering header.
Production facility piping
Radiographic and ultrasonic inspection of welds on production and treating facility piping, headers and manifolds — the small-diameter, high-weld-count work that goes in quickly and has to be right the first time.
Flowlines & gathering tie-ins
Girth-weld inspection on flowlines and on the tie-ins into the gathering system, reported per weld against the governing code so the line can be closed out.
Vessels & pressure components
UT, PAUT and radiographic inspection of pressure-containing components, vessel welds, nozzles and internals on facility equipment.
Structural steel & supports
MT and PT on structural steel, skids, module steel and pipe supports, and UT wall-thickness surveys on operating facility piping and valve assemblies.
Why producers and their contractors choose Prime
Mobilizes to a location, not a jobsite
Upstream work is scattered by nature. Crews mobilize from our offices in Katy and Lubbock, Texas plus field locations nationwide, with 24/7 response for the call-outs that do not wait.
No darkroom in the loop
Digital radiography puts an interpretable image on screen at the location instead of an hour later — about 10 minutes to a usable image on a representative 24-inch weld, against roughly 57 for film.
One provider from pad to plant
The same crews inspect the flowline, the gathering line it ties into, the compressor station down the system and the processing facility at the end of it — one provider, one reporting format.
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 contractor whose welds are being judged.
Codes of record
Flowline and gathering welds are typically inspected to API 1104, with ASME B31.4 (liquids) or B31.8 (gas) and applicable DOT/PHMSA regulations in service. Facility process piping is normally ASME B31.3, in-service piping inspection follows API 570, pressure vessels follow ASME Section VIII and structural welds follow AWS D1.1. Examination requirements come from ASME Section V; the acceptance criteria are whatever your project specification names.
Methods we run on this work
Frequently asked questions
Does Prime inspect upstream production work?
Yes — welds on well-site and production facility piping, flowlines and the gathering tie-ins that carry production away, plus vessels, pressure-containing components, structural steel and supports.
Do you do downhole or tubular inspection?
No. Our scope upstream is the weld and the fabricated component — radiographic, ultrasonic and surface examination above ground. We do not perform downhole, tubular/OCTG, wireline or well-integrity services.
Which methods do you use on flowline welds?
Radiography — film RT, digital radiography (DR), computed radiography (CR) and real-time radiography (RTR) — plus PAUT, AUT and TOFD where the wall or the access calls for it, and MT, PT, UT and VT.
What code do you report flowline and facility welds against?
API 1104 for pipeline construction with ASME B31.4 or B31.8 in service, and ASME B31.3 for facility process piping with API 570 in service — as your project specification calls out.
Can you cover scattered locations?
Yes. Crews mobilize from our offices in Katy and Lubbock, Texas plus field locations nationwide, with 24/7 response.
Can you qualify welders at the location?
Yes — in-field welder qualification testing, performed at the job site to the welding code your project specification names, with the tested specimens examined by an AWS Certified Welding Inspector.
Do you also cover the gathering system downstream of us?
Yes, and it is normally the same crews and the same reporting — see our midstream and gathering page.
How do I get a quote?
Use our contact form or call (281) 944-3840 with the scope, the pipe size and the governing code, and our team will follow up.
Production facility to weld out?
Tell us the locations, the scope and the code — we will put certified crews on it.