Fiber optic sensing boosts pipeline management efficiency
- York Sensors Ltd., Hamps (United Kingdom)
Of utmost importance to pipe-line operators is monitoring of pipeline activities in real-time for parameters such as maintaining oil viscosity and preventing possible pipeline leaks or material degradation and thereby circumventing expensive losses. New fiber optic-based distributed temperature sensing (DTS) equipment can monitor thousands of points along an object`s length, surface, or volume simultaneously. This means that far more precise data are presented to the operator, who then can pinpoint an exact location of any change in activity. Extensive trials with DTS equipment were conducted by Gaz de France (GDF), GDF required a reliable, accurate method of finding leaks in natural gas liquids pipelines in time to prevent potential explosions. GDF began its evaluations of DTS equipment at the Monitor gas terminal. All testing was conducted by the Cryogenic Studies department of its Nantes research division which used York Sensors` DTS system. An optical fiber was laid on an LNG pipeline in which gas had been super-cooled to {minus}160 degrees C. ({minus}320 degrees F.) In this test mode, when a leak occurs, the liquid changes to gas, blows out, and thus develops a cold spot on the pipeline. In the Monitor tests, a DTS was set up to warn operators if the temperature dropped below a certain point so that a potential leak could be investigated before it became serious. In other locations, the DTS system was used to provide long term temperature profiles of underground gas storage reservoirs. Data from these profiles were used for assistance in deciding optimum storage conditions.
- OSTI ID:
- 49308
- Journal Information:
- Pipeline and Gas Journal, Vol. 222, Issue 2; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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