Securing and monitoring a crude oil pipeline

In January of 2011, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) invoked a requirement for Chevron to secure and monitor their remote block valve sites for pipeline leaks. PHMSA is a U.S. Department of Transportation agency that develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the nation’s 2.6-million mile pipeline transportation system and the nearly one million daily shipments of hazardous materials by land, sea, and air. Pipeline leaks can have a devastating cost in terms of lost production and cleanup effort, not to mention the environmental impact.

Chevron began investigating the options for security, monitoring, and leak detection. Their initial investigation included technologies ranging from 24-hour manned surveillance to radioactive isotope tracers for leak detection. After the evaluation, they decided on a remote video monitoring solution that included advanced video management software and a new hazardous area thermal sensor.

Chevron utilized an advanced video management solution that included the following system components:

• Control Room: Video control center software for integration of video into operator SCADA/HMI screens.
• Remote Site:  Remote DVR appliance for on-site recording, alarming, and direct communication to the PLC.
• Cameras:
  • Thermal imaging camera for pipeline leak detection
  • Pan-tilt-zoom camera for overall site surveillance

A new type of sensor

The solution provided integrates a thermal imaging used to detect hydrocarbon leaks and spills. The camera is optimized for persistent, 24-hour leak detection in locations where pipes rise above ground. The camera is used to detect thermal anomalies present when fluid or high-pressure gaseous leaks occur. The system provides spill detection over the full range of temperature conditions.

Smarter and faster alarm verification

When the thermal camera senses a leak detection event, it immediately alerts the PLC at the remote site via Modbus TCP. The PLC will then send a prioritized alarm message back to the control center. The Longwatch video engine simultaneously records a ten-second video clip surrounding the leak event. This snippet of video is sent over the control network back to the operator’s console. The operator now has the ability to have more information about the event in the form of video. This allows smarter and faster decision-making and gives the operator the information needed to respond to the event appropriately.

*The Article is from InTech