Frequency Domain Analysis for Detecting Pipeline Leaks

Lee, Pedro; Vítkovský, John P.; Lambert, Martin F.; Simpson, Angus R.; Liggett, James A.

doi:10.1061/(asce)0733-9429(2005)131:7(596)

Cited by 152 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Frequency domain diagnosis has been used to detect water pipeline leaks by analyzing pressure responses to steady-oscillatory flows, during which process oscillatory flows are induced into a problematic pipeline section by opening/closing an upstream valve periodically. The power spectra of such fluid transients are affected by pipeline anomalies (e.g., leaks and blockages), thus giving clues that can be used for locating such anomalies [Ferrante and Brunone, 2003;Lee et al, 2005;Mpesha et al, 2001]. Unlike the time domain diagnosis, frequency domain diagnosis is less prone to interference by noise and has long been used as an alternative analysis tool in reservoir characterization (see section 1.2).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A harmonic pulse testing method for leakage detection in deep subsurface storage formations

Sun

Hovorka

2015

Water Resources Research

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Detection of leakage in deep geologic storage formations (e.g., carbon sequestration sites) is a challenging problem. This study investigates an easy-to-implement frequency domain leakage detection technology based on harmonic pulse testing (HPT). Unlike conventional constant-rate pressure interference tests, HPT stimulates a reservoir using periodic injection rates. The fundamental principle underlying HPTbased leakage detection is that leakage modifies a storage system's frequency response function, thus providing clues of system malfunction. During operations, routine HPTs can be conducted at multiple pulsing frequencies to obtain experimental frequency response functions, using which the possible time-lapse changes are examined. In this work, a set of analytical frequency response solutions is derived for predicting system responses with and without leaks for single-phase flow systems. Sensitivity studies show that HPT can effectively reveal the presence of leaks. A search procedure is then prescribed for locating the actual leaks using amplitude and phase information obtained from HPT, and the resulting optimization problem is solved using the genetic algorithm. For multiphase flows, the applicability of HPT-based leakage detection procedure is exemplified numerically using a carbon sequestration problem. Results show that the detection procedure is applicable if the average reservoir conditions in the testing zone stay relatively constant during the tests, which is a working assumption under many other interpretation methods for pressure interference tests. HPT is a cost-effective tool that only requires periodic modification of the nominal injection rate. Thus it can be incorporated into existing monitoring plans with little additional investment.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A harmonic pulse testing method for leakage detection in deep subsurface storage formations

Sun

Hovorka

2015

Water Resources Research

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“…1). Details concerning the extraction of the FRD can be found in Lee et al (2004bLee et al ( , 2005. The FRD of a pipeline system contains a series of regular harmonic peaks, spaced according to the fundamental frequency of the system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discrete Blockage Detection in Pipelines Using the Frequency Response Diagram: Numerical Study

et al. 2008

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This paper proposes the use of fluid transients as a noninvasive technique for locating blockages in transmission pipelines. By extracting the behavior of the system in the form of a frequency response diagram, discrete blockages within the pipeline were shown to induce an oscillatory pattern on the peaks of this response diagram. This pattern can be related to the location and size of the blockage. A simple analytical expression that can be used to detect, locate, and size discrete blockages is presented, and is shown able to cater for multiple blockages existing simultaneously within the system. The structure of the expression suggests that the proposed technique can be extended to situations where system parameters may not be known to a high accuracy and also to more complex network scenarios, although future studies may be required to verify these possibilities.Keywords: Frequency response; Linear systems; Transients; Water pipelines; Resonance; Numerical analysis. IntroductionThe increasing industrial reliance on pipeline systems for the transport of materials has led to the recent emphasis on technologies for the fast detection and location of faults within such systems. Amongst the types of problems that can occur in a pipeline system, the formation of blockages within the pipe poses a most elusive problem for existing fault detection technologies. Unlike leaks within piping systems, a blockage does not generate clear external indicators for its location such as the release and accumulation of fluids around the pipe. Often intrusive procedures, such as the insertion of a closedcircuit camera or a robotic pig, are required to determine the location of blockages. The creation of nonintrusive techniques for fault detection that gives a clear picture of the internal conditions of the pipeline is desirable, and the use of fluid transients for this purpose is a promising development.

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“…Lee et al ͑2005͒ has shown that this is the optimum system configuration and will lead to the maximum signal to noise ratio in the measured transient signal. In cases where this configuration cannot be met, a similar oscillation pattern will still be evident in the FRD, although the equation describing this pattern will deviate from Eq.…”

Section: Challenges In Real Systemsmentioning

confidence: 93%