Subsea assets placed in service (i.e. structures, pipelines and risers) operate in extreme environmental conditions and may pose serious ecological and financial threats should a failure occur. Many offshore/subsea assets were fabricated and placed in service during the oil industry growth period of the 1970s and 1980s and are now approaching their end of design life. In many cases, life extensions are being sought. On land, NDE (especially automated ultrasonic methods) is used to provide vital information in support life extension justifications. Subsea components can benefit from these same advantages, but access is often hampered by visibility, water depth/pressure and ocean currents.

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