THERMAL IMAGING PROVIDES EARLY LEAK DETECTION IN OIL AND GAS PIPELINES
Monitoring the integrity of hundreds of kilometers of oil or gas pipeline networks may seem like a daunting task at fi rst, but fortunately, technology can take over many of the labor-intensive tasks. Canadian video analytics specialist IntelliView knows the demands of oil and gas pipeline operators all too well. The company recently developed a smart camera solution, including a thermal camera from FLIR, to remotely monitor oil pump stations for leaks in an automated way.
“Pump stations, pig launchers and pig receivers present a unique challenge because a release of liquid is usually very small and this type of equipment requires a unique coverage of potential leak points,” says Chris Beadle, VP Sales and Marketing at IntelliView. “For a technology to be effective, it needs to provide suffi cient coverage of the infrastructure and maintain an acceptable level of detection accuracy, while returning very minimal nuisance alerts.”
IntelliView’s DCAM™ (Dual Camera Analytic Module) combines a visual and FLIR thermal camera with built-in proprietary leak analytics. Within its fi eld of view, the DCAM can see a leak as small as 6 liters per minute within seconds of occurrence.
Pipelines are still the safest mode of transporting oil, but the occasional occurrence of unintended leaks cannot be avoided. Human error during maintenance, sabotage, corrosion, and ageing pipes and fi ttings are all known to be contributing factors that cause leaks. Especially susceptible sections of the pipeline infrastructure include controlling valves, pig traps, pig receivers, meters, and pressure gauges.
Although pipeline leaks often start small, late detection and identifi cation of leaks can be detrimental. For an oil and gas company, delayed detections can cause millions in fi nancial losses, as well as damage to reputation and the environment.
Multi-technological approach
In an effort to avoid these loses, many pipeline operators are taking a more proactive approach to maintaining the safety of their infrastructure and securing high-risk areas from potential leaks.
Oil and gas operators typically apply a multilayered, multi- technological approach to leak detection. The most conventional methods for leak detection include manned or unmanned aerial and ground surveillance, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) by remote control rooms, and other computational pipeline monitoring systems.
A variety of leak sensors can also be deployed within facilities to aid with detection and monitoring; however, timely visual verifi cation of an alert can sometimes be a challenge for remote facilities such as pump stations and pig traps.
The FLIR A65 produces high-quality thermal images in 640 x 512 resolution, with temperature differences as small as 50 mK.
Camera-based detection
IntelliView Technologies Inc. (IVT), based in Calgary, Alberta (Canada) is a leading developer and supplier of intelligent video analytics based systems for various industrial surveillance applications, including the oil and gas, security and mining industries.
“We understand the challenges of pipeline operators very well,” says Beadle. “We knew that a fi xed, camera-based leak detection system would be an ideal approach for monitoring unmanned
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The FLIR thermal camera allows the DCAM system to provide very accurate detection results with an extremely low false alarm rate.
By design, external and internal leak detection methods widely used by the industry today are primarily intended for mainline transmission monitoring rather than pump station or pig trap environments. Acoustic cable-based sensors could be negatively impacted by valves and pumps, and use of fi ber cable may be restricted as it cannot be run through valves and pumps off of the mainline and the leak may not generate enough acoustic noise for the system to alert. Moreover, these technologies do not have the ability to send a visual picture of a leak for verifi cation, and so, would require a fi rst response team to be dispatched to confi rm an event.
pump stations. With our combined expertise of visual and thermal camera technologies, we were able to offer an effective method of detecting and alerting on very small, above-ground fl uid spills within a matter of seconds.”
IntelliView’s leak detection solution, called the DCAM (Dual Camera Analytic Module), is a compact combination of visual and FLIR thermal cameras with built-in proprietary leak analytics, wireless connectivity and automatic climate control. Within its fi eld of view, the DCAM can see an oil leak as small as 0.36 cubic meters per hour from a distance of up to 60 meters. The software then automatically analyzes the event based on user defi ned leak parameters and, if a critical condition is determined, an alert notifi cation with image and video is generated for instant verifi cation.
FLIR A65 Thermal camera
IntelliView decided to integrate the FLIR A65 into its DCAM system. The FLIR A65 is a compact IR camera that produces high- quality thermal images in 640 x 512 resolution, with temperature differences as small as 50 mK. The series offers ten fi eld of view options for greater control over the measurement area, and can operate in all weather conditions and in temperatures up to 140°F (60°C).
“The A65 is a compact thermal camera, which makes it easy to integrate into the DCAM system,” says Beadle. “It is a very complete camera with a wide range of lenses and the ability to
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