This important development will provide high-pressure pipeline operators with another method of accurately and safely inspecting their pipelines to ensure that no damage has occurred since the last inspection, and to ensure that corrosion, cracking, and third-party activities are not endangering the safety or integrity of their lines. The modular design and advanced electronics of the NDT's new tool, originally introduced in 2003, have already allowed the tool to be used for metal-loss surveys as well as crack-inspection surveys, using two different configurations. The metal-loss configuration uses ultrasonic probes orientated at right angles to the pipeline wall to be inspected; the crack-detection configuration incorporates angled-beam probes, which ensure that the ultrasonic signal travels at 45º to the pipe wall. The latest addition to the range of tools is a configuration that combines these techniques, using a sensor carrier that houses metal-loss as well as crack-detection sensors: this allows both inspection tasks to be carried out during a single run through the pipeline. The first tool using this new configuration is a 40-in diameter version which will be used commercially in the second quarter this year to inspect a section of the TAL European oil pipeline, with a length of 465km. Ultrasonic in-line inspection tools provide unparalleled accuracy and sensitivity. The design of the tools ensures that the full circumference of the pipe wall is inspected, and the wall thickness of a pipeline can be measured accurately. Internal, external, and mid-wall flaws and defects can be detected and sized quantitatively. NDT Systems & Services' LineExplorer is currently available in three different configurations: wall-thickness configuration: used for metal-loss inspections, especially internal and external corrosion inspection. The tool can also detect and size mid-wall flaws such as laminations, and is available in sizes from 10 to 48in. crack-detection configuration: the tool is used for crack detection and sizing in pipelines, detecting problems such as fatigue cracks, stress-corrosion cracking, etc. A special crack configuration is available for the detection of circumferential cracks and crack-like flaws (such as girth weld inspection). It is available in sizes from 10 to 42in. combined tool: allows crack- and metal-loss inspection in a single run. The first available size is 40in (see above).