Leakage Prevention and Real-Time Internal Detection in Pipelines Using a Built-In Wireless Information and Communication Network
Summary A series of recent pipeline leakage incidents created severe societal concerns to a point of impeding, or even completely preventing, building new pipelines in North America. Various systems have been proposed to identify and locate leakages. However, despite the fact that pipelines remain the safest means of oil and gas transportation, incidents still persist and pipeline acceptance from the public has become compromised. In order to address the need for early leakage detection, while providing comprehensive leakage prevention, a novel pipeline system is proposed. This concept builds on the already existing pipe-in-pipe design by segmenting the pipeline system with segmentation rings and embedding a linear wireless network in the annular airgap between the two pipe layers. Presence of fluid in the case of a leakage into the interpipe space causes degradation of the wireless network to a point of interrupting the communication in a particular pipeline segment well before any external leak occurs. Thus, the internal leak is detected in real time by an external central unit connected to the linear wireless network, as demonstrated with a 6 ft 8 in. experimental pipeline setup.