Pipelines and boreholes

How does fibrisTerre’s fiber optic distributed sensing help you manage risk in pipeline and borehole projects?

Pipeline right of way and condition monitoring

Pipelines often pass through remote, geologically unstable terrain.
Helicopter fly-overs and right of way inspections may detect leaks and visible threats to the pipeline.

But the earth moves, the climate changes, the weight of the soil above the pipeline varies – what impact do these have on the pipeline, and how do you detect them, remotely and continuously?

Including distributed fiber optic sensing either when the pipeline is installed, or as a retrofit using microtrenching means that small changes in strain due to ground movement or settlement can be detected, located and reported. Small temperature events are located, which may indicate a leak.

Why monitor strain on a pipeline right of way?

Buried on the pipeline right of way they provide continuous, real time and cost-effective geotechnical monitoring over many kilometers, alerting you to potential threats to the pipeline.

Threats detected by fiber optic strain monitoring include:

• soil or rock settlement
• ground heave, deformation
• landslide, seismic activity, earthquakes
• traffic increase (live loads)
• change in ground water levels (pipeline buoyancy, sinkhole)
• pipeline operational changes (thermal loads) or
• other ground movement.

These may cause the pipeline to deflect, become unsupported or even rupture, putting people, our environment and reputations at risk.

When distributed fiber optic sensing detects a strain event on the pipeline right of way the operator knows the location and can immediately investigate and mitigate the event.

What does a temperature event on the pipeline right of way tell you?

A small temperature event may be a leak or change in the state of the pipeline. Distributed fiber optic sensing indicates the location to within a few meters, so you know where to investigate.

What about monitoring the pipe’s structure?

Distributed fiber optic sensing can be attached to the pipe itself to monitor deformation, such as bending and buckling. Useful in areas of faults and extreme weather. Sensors attached to the surface of the pipe provide information on three-dimensional deformation of the object, especially in critical sections.
Borehole strain and temperature monitoring

Borehole strain and temperature monitoring

Monitoring the strain and temperature of a borehole detects casing elongation and shortening, creep and other deformation early on- you can respond before damage escalates.
Strain events and temperature are detected all along the borehole, thanks to continuous detection and location of small events, without interrupting operations.

You can detect fluid ingress from measured temperature data.

• Helps ensure safe operations
• Provides condition monitoring

Sewerage system

Sewers, wastewater tunnels and pipes can be instrumented with fiber optic sensors to monitor water ingress and levels, and deformation. Ideally suited to long linear assets, the robust, inert, cost effective sensor monitors continuously in real time, providing data for condition monitoring as well as detecting unforeseen events.

Embedded fiber optics provide remote sensing and monitoring of structural integrity so critical when other construction works are underway in the vicinity, or in areas of seismic activity.
A fiber-optic based tunnel integrity monitoring system relies on sensing cables as a medium to obtain data for the structural assessment of the tunnels and typically guarantees uninterrupted operation for many decades.

PROJECT: Structural testing and monitoring in Singapore’s Deep Tunnel Sewerage System