Rolling out Vigilant with HDS technology for Plains’ pipelines

In 2016, Plains collaborated with Hifi to deploy their fibre optic based, HDS monitoring system at some pipeline locations. The system works by monitoring high definition acoustic energy, strain, vibrations and temperature. Plains is now working with Hifi and BHGE, to deploy an enhanced presentation software system for the HDS monitoring in the Plains control centre.

The new system, called Vigilant and powered by GE Predix™, allows for real time events and alarms to be sent to the control room, including valuable multimedia data such as acoustic recordings from the specific site of the event detected. Events could include a leak event, security intrusions, as well as abnormal strain and vibrations. This allows Plains to determine potential issues on the pipeline, with improved accuracy, and in real time. On 7 July, the HDS and Vigilant system detected an earthquake event with a magnitude 5.2 (as well as a subsequent aftershock) where the epicentre was over 300 km away from the Plains pipeline being monitored.

“We are very pleased to be working with BHGE, and rolling out Vigilant with Hifi’s HDS technology for Plains,” said Steven Koles, Hifi’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Adding such a high end industrial Internet application platform integrates well with the performance of the HDS technology, and can support the industry in achieving 100% pipeline safety.”

“Plains Midstream Canada has been very pleased with the performance of the Hifi HDS systems we’ve deployed,” said Caitlin Heinen, Pipeline Integrity with Plains. “The new Vigilant interface is a further enhancement to the current monitoring applications used in our control centre, which is a key piece in the safe operations of our pipelines.”

The Vigilant product offering utilises GE’s Predix system to provide an ‘Edge to Cloud platform’ that securely brings event data to the pipeline operator’s control room in real time. The versatility and power of Vigilant will allow this product to expand its capabilities to include other applications such as pig detection and tracking, as well as other forms of process and event monitoring.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/28112017/rolling-out-vigilant-with-hds-technology-for-plains-pipelines/