METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAL TIME ENHANCING OF THE OPERATION OF A FLUID TRANSPORT PIPELINE
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of real time monitoring a pipeline network to identify possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network, comprising:
- sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network at predetermined locations within the pipeline network; and
determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves by detecting variations in the sensed pressure waves, and determining whether or not the detected variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation.
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Abstract
A real time method and dynamic logic-based system for enhancing the operation of a pipeline network is disclosed. The system and method perform monitoring of the operation of a pipeline network, generate alarms in response to differing levels of destabilized pipeline operations, manage the generation of alarms based upon known operating events and operating conditions, diagnose potential source of the detected destabilized events and manage the operation of the pipeline.
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Citations
57 Claims
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1. A method of real time monitoring a pipeline network to identify possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network, comprising:
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sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network at predetermined locations within the pipeline network; and determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves by detecting variations in the sensed pressure waves, and determining whether or not the detected variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of real time monitoring a pipeline network to identify possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network, comprising:
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sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network at predetermined locations within the pipeline network; and determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves by determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed a predetermined stable operating threshold, wherein the predetermined stable operating threshold is automatically adjusted based upon at least one of the current operating mode, current operating conditions and current operating events. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of managing the generation of alarms for possible destabilizing events in a pipeline network, comprising:
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sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network at predetermined locations within the pipeline network; automatically adjusting a predetermined stable operating threshold for the pipeline network at the predetermined locations based upon at least one of the operating mode of the pipeline network, current operating conditions in the pipeline network and current operating events in the pipeline network; determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network by determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed the adjusted predetermined stable operating threshold; and generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event when the sensed pressure waves exceed the adjusted predetermined stable operating threshold. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 43, 44, 45)
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34. A system for monitoring a pipeline network, wherein the pipeline network having a first facility, a second facility, at least one pipeline segment connecting the first facility and the second facility such that the fluid can flow between the first facility and the second facility, and at least one pumping station connected to the at least one pipeline segment, whereby fluid flowing through the at least one pipeline segment flows through the at least one pumping station, the system comprising:
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a plurality of pressure sensing devices for sensing the presence of one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network; a plurality of remote monitoring devices operatively connected to the first facility, the second facility and the at least one pumping station, wherein the remote monitoring devices monitor the operation of the pipeline network and collect operating data of the pipeline network, wherein each of the plurality of pressure sensing devices being operatively connected to at least one remote monitoring device; and a control unit operatively connected to the plurality of remote monitoring devices for monitoring the operation of the pipeline network based upon signals received from the plurality of remote monitoring devices, wherein the control unit detects the presence of possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network by determining whether or not variations in the sensed pressure waves are present and whether or not the variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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46. A pipeline network for transporting fluids, comprising:
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a first facility; a second facility; at least one pipeline segment connecting the first facility and the second facility such that the fluid can flow between the first facility and the second facility; at least one pumping station connected to the at least one pipeline segment, whereby fluid flowing through the at least one pipeline segment flows through the at least one pumping station; and a monitoring system for monitoring the operation of the pipeline network, wherein the monitoring system comprising; a plurality of pressure sensing devices for sensing the presence of one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network; a plurality of remote monitoring devices operatively connected to the first facility, the second facility and the at least one pumping station, wherein the remote monitoring devices monitor the operation of the pipeline network and collect operating data of the pipeline network, wherein each of the plurality of pressure sensing devices being operatively connected to at least one remote monitoring device; and a control unit operatively connected to the plurality of remote monitoring devices for controlling the operation of the pipeline network based upon signals received from the plurality of remote monitoring devices, wherein the control unit detects the presence of possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves based upon determining at least one of (i) whether or not detected variations in the sensed pressure waves exceeds an accepted standard deviation, (ii) whether or not a subsequential decompression characteristic is present following the detection of the variation in sensed pressure waves, and (iii) whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed a predetermined stable operating threshold, where the predetermined stable operating threshold is adjusted based upon at least one of the current operating mode, current operating conditions and current operating events. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification