Subsea pipeline leak detection

Patent · Tue Mar 05 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5383078

Kruka, V R; Patterson, R W; Haws, J H

This patent describes a method for the location of a leak in a subsea hydrocarbon pipeline. It comprises: transmitting acoustic waves into the pipeline, the waves traveling through a rupture in the pipeline causing the leak; towing an array of hydrophones in the vicinity of the pipeline; knowing the relative location of each of the hydrophones in the array; and correlating the intensity of the acoustic waves received by each hydrophone will the known location of each hydrophone to calculate the location of the leak.

• Assignee: Shell Oil Co., Houston, TX (USA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4996879; A
• Application Number: PPN: US 7-401274
• OSTI ID: 5383078
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 31 Aug 1989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
LEAK DETECTORS
DESIGN
PIPELINES
LEAK TESTING
TESTING
022000* - Petroleum- Transport
Handling
& Storage
032000 - Natural Gas- Transport
Handling
& Storage
440800 - Miscellaneous Instrumentation- (1990-)