Leak Detection of Pipelines

The chapter provides an in-depth analysis of leak detection in pipelines, emphasizing the importance of monitoring for environmental protection and pipeline integrity. It explores the complexities of leak detection due to pipeline lengths and potential catastrophic consequences of failures. The chapter reviews technical standards, notably the American Petroleum Institute’s guidelines on computational pipeline monitoring (CPM) and leak detection systems (LDSs). It categorizes leak detection technologies based on automation, technical nature, event timing, and inspection position, and discusses various detection and localization methods, including biological, visual, acoustic, infrared, mass balance, model-based systems, and pipeline inspection gauge (PIG)-based methods. The challenges in leak localization are explored, considering factors like leak size, fluid properties, and environmental conditions. The chapter concludes with the necessity of evaluating and selecting suitable leak detection methods based on specific situations, offering a comparative analysis of different methods.