Expro launches Velonix®, an automated pig velocity control system for pipeline integrity operations

Expro just launched Velonix®, an automated pipeline pig control system that pairs clamp-on SONAR measurement with digitally controlled flow adjustment to keep pigs moving at the right speed. It’s built to work across low, high, and no-flow pipeline environments — conditions that have always made consistent pig velocity a headache to maintain.

Expro unveils Velonix® automated pig control system

Expro’s commercial launch of Velonix® is a meaningful move in the company’s push toward intelligent automation for pipeline integrity work. The system goes after one of the industry’s most persistent problems: keeping a pipeline pig at a consistent, controlled speed no matter what the flow conditions are doing.

The launch comes with a public debut. Andrew McNiel, Expro’s Senior Technical Sales Manager, is scheduled to present a paper titled “Development of Velonix® by Expro” at the International Pipeline Conference & Expo in Calgary, running September 21–25.

A pig running too fast may not gather enough data at each point along the pipe; one that stalls or moves too slowly can compromise the inspection just as thoroughly.

This fits a broader strategy for Expro. The company has been investing in intelligent automation and digital technologies to improve both the safety and environmental performance of pipeline integrity operations — and Velonix® is a direct expression of that direction.

How Velonix® Works: SONAR measurement and closed-loop flow control

At the core of Velonix® is a non-intrusive, clamp-on SONAR meter. It attaches to the outside of the pipeline and continuously measures pig velocity in real time — no cutting into the pipe required. That measurement feeds directly into a digitally controlled skid, which automatically adjusts pipeline flow to keep the pig inside the optimal velocity window.

What sets this apart from conventional approaches is the closed-loop automation. The system doesn’t wait for an operator to notice a problem and react. It monitors and corrects continuously throughout the entire run, cutting manual adjustment out of the equation entirely — responding to changing pipeline conditions rather than depending on periodic human intervention to catch velocity drift after the fact.

Operational benefits: Fewer re-runs, better data quality, improved safety

Speed excursions — pigs running too fast or too slow — are one of the main reasons inspection runs fail. When a pig moves outside its target velocity range, the data it collects gets compromised, sometimes badly enough that the whole run has to be repeated. Re-runs are expensive and disruptive. Velonix® is designed specifically to prevent them by keeping the pig on target throughout the operation.

Stabilized pig velocity also means cleaner inspection data. When a pig moves consistently, the signals it records are more reliable — and that matters for operators making integrity decisions based on what the tool finds. Reducing manual intervention cuts down on opportunities for human error, so less hands-on adjustment during a live pipeline run translates directly to lower operational risk.

Andrei Ion, Expro‘s Vice President of Well Flow Management, pointed to the company’s field testing record. According to Ion, Velonix® “consistently demonstrated its ability to deliver smooth, stable pig runs across a range of pipeline environments, maintaining target velocities, avoiding speed excursions and eliminating the need for costly re-runs.”

Background: The persistent challenge of pig velocity control

Pipeline pigging has been a standard integrity practice for decades, but consistent pig velocity has always been hard to nail down in real-world conditions. Flow rates vary. Pressure fluctuates. Some pipelines have little or no flow at all. In conventional pigging, operators manage these variables by hand — adjusting flow conditions to try to keep the pig on track. It works, until it doesn’t.

Human reaction times, shifting conditions, and the complexity of juggling multiple variables all create room for error. A pig running too fast may not gather enough data at each point along the pipe; one that stalls or moves too slowly can compromise the inspection just as thoroughly. Either way, the integrity data from that run may be unreliable.

The stakes are real. Pipeline integrity campaigns exist to detect corrosion, cracks, and structural defects before they become failures. A failed inspection run doesn’t just cost money — it delays detection of potential safety and environmental hazards. That’s the context Velonix® steps into, offering a more systematic solution than conventional manual methods have been able to deliver.

Low, high, and no-flow pipeline environments

Velonix® is an automated pig velocity control system that uses clamp-on SONAR measurement and a digitally controlled flow skid to keep pigs within an optimal velocity window. It operates across low, high, and no-flow pipeline environments and removes reliance on manual operator adjustment — reducing human error and operational uncertainty along the way.

By preventing speed excursions, the system aims to improve inspection data quality and cut down on costly re-runs. Expro reports that extended field testing showed consistent performance across varied pipeline conditions. The system will be presented publicly at the International Pipeline Conference & Expo in Calgary, September 21–25. For operators running pipeline integrity campaigns, Velonix® offers an automated alternative to the manual velocity management that has long defined conventional pigging operations.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.