Towards Accurate Leak Detection: Finding the Missing Pieces Dr. Kaushik Parmar(kkvparma@ucalgary.ca) Inventor, Founder, Direct-C Ltd. Post-doctoral fellow, Dept. of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engg. Schulich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Canada
Situation: Pipeline Failures Kalamazoo river, US 2010 Lansing State Journal San Bruno, US 2010 (www.kmel.com) Nexen Leaks, 2015 (Edmonton Journal) Kaohsing, Taiwan explosion 2014 www.democracynow.com Extreme environmental impact & Safety Causes negative public perceptions 2
Current Situation: Finding Pieces To achieve Safe pipeline operations Asset integrity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:pipeline-scada.jpg Flow optimization and monitoring SCADA system External leak detection system Standalone leak detection system Fiber optics (temp & strain) Acoustic sensor 3
Current Solutions Internal Systems Techniques used: Flow balance and pressure difference methods Low sensitivity: Benefit: Based on the easily understood physical principle The Drawback: sensitivity During of these transients internal many false system alarms is limited to the accuracy Computationally of the intense meters real-time no Internal transient leak modelling detection (RTTM) system using 1% accuracy meters can ever detect a leak smaller than 1% of flow. For example, on a 100,000 BBL/day pipeline, any Internal system is blind to leaks of the order of 1,000 BBL/day. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:pipeline-scada.jpg 4
Current Solutions External Systems http://www.processonline.com.au Located externally to the pipe Techniques used: Acoustic: use of leak noise for detection Fiber optic sensors: Use of temperature and strain variation due to the leak for detection False alarms: Leak detection systems all generate False Alarms, simply because they actually alarm a physical effect that may be due to a leak or may be due to a number http://www.idinspections.com/?page_id=126 of other non-leak events Leak Detection Study DTPH56-11-D-00001. For the U.S. DOT PHMSA. December 10, 2012 5
The Challenge missing piece More Accurate External Detection Systems Less Accurate SCADA based internal systems less Reliability (High False Alarm) High Reliability (Low False Alarm) http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20120919/few-oil-pipeline-spills-detected-much-touted-technology Accuracy (High sensitivity) vs. Reliability (Less false alarms) 6
Our Solution As Proprietary a rule, it is difficult Nano-material to get false alarms based from DIRECT External systems that directly sample for hydrocarbons hydrocarbon Leak Detection Study DTPH56-11-D-00001. leakage For the detection U.S. DOT PHMSA. December coating 10, 2012 7
Proof of Concept Systems A. Modular prototype Capacity of integrating large number of modules B. Wireless Prototype Battery powered Onboard data recording & Alarm indication Sensor unit Installed on a 24 pipe Tablet Controller 8
Vision: Intelligent Pipe Only a sensor that covered the entire wall of the pipe and was immune to all fluids except the ones within the pipe could be expected to approach zero false alarms Leak Detection Study DTPH56-11-D-00001. For the U.S. DOT PHMSA. December 10, 2012 9
Intelligent Pipe Benefits Full pipe coverage 24/7 monitoring Capable of early detection (prevention of larger leaks) Able to detect pinhole leaks (high sensitivity) Minimum false alarms (high reliability) Localization of leaks (high accuracy) Requirements Intelligent system: Works as a Brain Leakage detection + health monitoring Cost: Affordable to industry No interference: Should not affect any of the current pipeline infrastructure 10
The missing piece More Accurate Min. False alarm Direct Sensing of Small Leaks Less Accurate less Reliability (High False Alarm) High Reliability (Low False Alarm) Accuracy (High sensitivity) vs. Reliability (Less false alarms) 11
Thank you Contact Info.: Kaushik Parmar Phone: (403)- 210-9766, Cell: (403)-993-1991 Email: kkvparma@ucalgary.ca