Oil & Gas Pipeline Monitoring and Leakage Detection

Pipeline systems are built to transport petroleum hydrocarbons like oil and gas over vast distances of several thousand kilometres. Their performance and reliability form the basis of uninterrupted and  timely gas supply. Although pipeline networks are optimized to withstand pressure from the liquids and  gases they transport, leaks are still considered one of the most common accidents resulting in injury,  loss of human life, financial losses, and compromising the surrounding environment. Currently,  considerable research efforts are directed towards the advancement in sustained pipeline monitoring  and early leakage detection using different methods.  

The acoustic emission method is one such method that employs the working principle of acoustic  patterns caused at the leakage point. Since pipelines are highly pressurized from carrying liquids and gases, leaks generate an acoustic frequency that can be detected. However, we have developed an  accurate leakage monitoring system for main gas pipelines that takes it one step further. Our technology  is a complex of advanced software and hardware that is not just designed to determine the appearance  of leakage from the main gas and oil pipeline but also accurately predict a leakage event. We have  developed highly sensitive, fiber-optic sensors with single-mode fiber as a sensitive element of the fiber  optic cable, as a line of transmission of the light signal. 

We have currently developed trial acoustic stands and the equipment to measure the performance of  monitoring software development in progress. Our proposed fibre optic sensors and fibre optic  networks can be readily integrated into an existing monitoring system. Our technology will also have  widespread applications in storage tanks at production facilities, the ongoing construction of new  pipelines and the expansion of existing ones. 

The aim of our project is to work alongside evolving government regulations surrounding the  implementation of leak detection systems. It can be highly beneficial to countries like Canada that have  known sociopolitical issues surrounding oil and gas pipeline construction on Indigenous territories. It is  claimed that frequent pipeline leaks caused by construction error are responsible for severe  environmental impacts of the surrounding land as faced by the Indigenous population. 

Besides being able to predict and detect leaks early and monitor pipeline conditions with high accuracy,  our technology can also be used to deter cut-ins and monitor the condition of  other technical components associated with the maintenance of the pipeline. Given that pipelines carry  non-renewables, there still are significant market growth opportunities in this industry as pipeline networks continue to expand globally. However, as pipeline networks expand, the increasing incidents  of oil and gas leakages in pipelines become important driving factors and economic opportunities of the  leak detection market, which is estimated at $2.1 billion USD in 2020 and is projected to reach $3.0  billion USD by 2025.