Following a successful project off the coast of Angola, pipeline leak detection visionary PipeSense has expanded its capabilities to support offshore operations.
Working with a multinational oil and gas operator, PipeSense deployed PipeScan, its pressure-pulse technology, to locate obstructions in two offshore pipeline networks that export crude oil and natural gas globally.
The projects relied on PipeSense's team of experienced operators, engineers, and data scientists to monitor a 20 in. natural gas pipeline and a 16 in. offshore crude and multiphase pipeline that was flooded with seawater.
On the natural gas pipeline, PipeSense completed repeated pressure pulse testing to identify an obstruction approximately 11 km downstream of the client's launch facility despite constraints.
For the second project, PipeSense installed instrumentation on both ends of the offshore crude and multiphase pipeline. Controlled pressure releases from both locations generated repeatable reflection signatures that identified the obstruction within approximately 700 m of the launcher, with a location accuracy of approximately ±30 m under field conditions.
PipeSense's actions demonstrated how induced pressure pulse testing, high-speed pressure acquisition, and dynamic pressure wave reflection analysis can be used to accurately determine obstruction location in offshore environments, without interrupting normal pipeline operations or requiring specialised tracking tools.
After building up a portfolio of breakthroughs and milestones working with onshore energy and utilities operators over the last three years, this latest success marks another new accomplishment for the Houston-based company. Already this year, PipeSense has expanded its reach into the South American mining market, launched a new pig tracking system and dashboard, and provided advanced leak detection for emerging CO2 applications and networks.
Josh Holmes, PipeSense's VP of Business Development, commented: "This project is a clear and concise demonstration that our approach to obstruction locating can provide a practical addition to the pipeline integrity toolkit for locating stuck pigs, hydrate plugs, debris, and other flow restrictions across a wide range of offshore pipeline applications.
Offshore and subsea pipeline operators undertake highly complex work every day to safely operate, maintain, and protect critical infrastructure in some of the world’s most challenging environments. This requires a continued focus on asset integrity, operational reliability, and the ability to identify and respond to changing pipeline conditions with confidence.
Our goal is to support operators in that mission by providing advanced technologies that deliver greater visibility into pipeline performance and help teams make faster, more informed decisions. Having demonstrated our capabilities across a range of onshore applications and complex flow conditions, we are excited to bring that experience into offshore and subsea environments. This project in Angola represents an important first step in what we believe will be a strong and exciting future supporting offshore operators around the world.”