Locating Leaking Buried Pipes Based on Ground Microseismic Records in 3D Space

Abstract

Pipelines are a safe energy-efficient mode of transporting fluids and gases. However, risks of pipe leaks still exist. Various pipe leak detection methods are in use; some traditional methods rely on acoustic receivers that must be located on the pipe, thereby restricting their implementation. Microseismic monitoring resolves this restriction because the ground rather than the pipe is monitored. However, microseismic monitoring has, thus far, only been applied using 2D methods for pipeline leak detection, and its accuracy is limited. To address this problem, a new 3D leak detection and location method for buried pipelines is proposed. First, using a 3D staggered-grid finite-difference method for acoustic equations, we simulated a microseismic wave field generated by a leaking pipeline, and recorded it with a ground surface geophone array. Then, a generalized cross-correlation technique was used to extract the time difference. Finally, the simulated annealing method was used to obtain the leak location in 3D space. Simulation and field data results show that the proposed method can locate the leakage point and has good anti-noise capability. Accurate 3D leak location requires at least two survey lines. Non-parallel survey lines can locate the approximate plane position of the leakage. Parallel line and orthogonal line pairs can be used to obtain the leak position accurately; the parallel line pair is the most accurate. The proposed method was concluded to be effective and accurate at detecting and locating leakages in buried pipeline networks.