PipeSense, a pipeline leak detection specialist, has expanded its capabilities to support offshore operations, following a successful project off the coast of Angola.
Working with a multinational operator, PipeSense deployed PipeScan, a pressure-pulse technology, to locate obstructions in two offshore pipeline networks. PipeSense’s team of experienced operators, engineers, and data scientists monitored a 20-inch natural gas pipeline and a 16-inch offshore crude and multiphase pipeline that was flooded with seawater.
With the natural gas pipeline, the company completed repeated pressure pulse testing to identify an obstruction approximately 11km downstream. For the second project, PipeSense installed instruments on both ends of the offshore crude and multiphase pipeline. Controlled pressure releases generated repeatable reflection signatures that identified the obstruction within approximately 700m of the launcher.
The projects highlighted how induced pressure pulse testing, high-speed pressure acquisition, and dynamic pressure wave reflection analysis can accurately determine obstruction location in offshore environments, all without interrupting normal pipeline operations or requiring specialised tools.
Josh Holmes, PipeSense’s VP of Business Development, said, “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.”
