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Lookup NU author(s): Paul Hopkins
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Third party damage is one of the major reasons for pipeline failures, and has casued many casualties and environmental disasters. Consequently, there is an worldwide effort to prevent or reduce the failures caused by this type of damage: one effort involves the development of new technologies for identifying activities that may cause damage to pipelines. A recently completed project sponsored by a number of pipeline operators has investigated the use of the new generation of high-resolution satellites for the integrity management of onshore transmission pipelines: satellites can continuously monitor pipeline routes, and alert operators to any activity that threatens the pipeline. The project started with a general review of the satellite technologies available and their potential. A study then identified the activities around a pipeline that might damage it, and the potential of high-resolution optical satellites in identifying hazardous activities. A key element of the project was a comparison with existing pipeline surveillance systems, such as aerial patrols of the pipeline route, including a cost comparison. Finally the performance of the IKONOS 2 high-resolution satellite system to detect activities along a pipeline route was tested in a controlled experiment using targets placed along a pipeline route in Western Europe. The results of this test were compared with a similar test of helicopter-based surveillance carried out by one of the sponsors.
Author(s): Hopkins P; Palmer-Jones R; Dezobry J; van Merrienboer H
Editor(s): IBP
Publication type: Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstract)
Publication status: Published
Conference Name: Rio Pipeline
Year of Conference: 2003
Series Editor(s): IBP
