Continuous Real-Time Pipeline Deformation, 3D Positioning and Ground Movement Monitoring Along the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok Pipeline

Abstract

Operating in remote regions, Russian pipelines not only are subjected to harsh environmental conditions, but also in some of their sections to seismic activity. In order to secure these assets’ integrity, monitoring is mandatory. Due to the long distances to be monitored and to the linear nature of these pipelines, distributed fiber optic sensing is the only solution to provide remote monitoring operation with accurate localization of events. In some cases, it can even take advantage of the telecommunication fibers laid along the pipelines to minimize installation cost. A complete and commercially available solution based on the DITEST Asset Integrity Monitoring (AIM) system combines strain and temperature measurement over 100’s kilometers at meter spatial resolution with dedicated fiber optic cables specifically developed for strain, temperature and ground movement measurement to provide continuous information on any abnormal pipeline behavior, including leak, intrusion, excessive tube deformation and seismic activity. This scalable monitoring solution was adopted to monitor the most critical areas of the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok pipeline route, which crosses 32 Active Tectonic Faults (ATF) zones. A combination of pipeline deformation monitoring, ground movement detection and leak detection is used to monitor these critical pipeline regions. The early knowledge of abnormal events allows the pipeline owner/operator to take preventive mitigation measures in response to these critical geohazards.