METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REAL TIME ENHANCING OF THE OPERATION OF A FLUID TRANSPORT PIPELINE

• US 20090322544A1
• Filed: 06/26/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Original Assignee: ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company (Exxon Mobil Corporation)
• Inventors: McDowell, Keith C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/605
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 5/06 using electric or acoustic means
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/04 by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 3/2815 using pressure measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0452 Detecting or repairing leak

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.

Claims

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.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the accepted standard deviation is an empirically determined standard deviation.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further comprising:

determining whether or not a subsequential decompression characteristic is present following the detection of the variation in sensed pressure waves.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

issuing an alarm indicating the presence of a leak when it is determined that the subsequential decompression characteristic is present.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further comprising:

determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed a predetermined stable operating threshold.

6. The method according to claim 5, 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.

7. The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining the certainty of the possible destabilizing event.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein determining the certainty of the possible destabilizing event includes comparing the determination of a possible destabilizing event based upon sensed pressure waves with one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions.

9. The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to claim 7, further comprising:

generating an alarm reporting the presence and certainty of the possible destabilizing event.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

managing the generation of alarms.

11. The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining the location of the possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves.

12. The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to claim 11, further comprising:

generating an alarm reporting at least one of the presence and location of the possible destabilizing event.

13. The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to claim 11, wherein the sensing of pressure waves within the pipeline network occurs at periodic intervals, and

wherein determining the location of the possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves comprising:

identifying which predetermined locations a sensed pressure wave is sensed at a first sensing time;

identifying which predetermined locations the sensed pressure wave is sensed at a second sensing time; and

determining the location of a possible destabilizing event based upon the location of the sensed pressure wave at the first sensing time and the second sensing time.

14. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event by comparing the character of the current destabilizing events using an expert based diagnostic subroutine with prior destabilizing events, the current operating mode of the pipeline network, the current operating conditions in the pipeline network and the current operating events in the pipeline network.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

reporting the potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising:

determining at least one corrective measure in response to the sensed destabilizing event; and

performing at least one of reporting the at least one corrective measure to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the at least one corrective measure.

17. 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 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.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

determining the certainty of the possible destabilizing event.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein determining the certainty of the possible destabilizing event includes comparing the determination of a possible destabilizing event based upon sensed pressure waves with one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising:

generating an alarm reporting the presence and certainty of the possible destabilizing event.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

managing the generation of alarms.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

determining the location of the possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

generating an alarm reporting the presence and location of the possible destabilizing event.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein the sensing of pressure waves within the pipeline network occurs at periodic intervals, and

wherein determining the location of the possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves comprising:

identifying which predetermined locations a sensed pressure wave is sensed at a first sensing time;

identifying which predetermined locations the sensed pressure wave is sensed at a second sensing time; and

determining the location of a possible destabilizing event based upon the location of the sensed pressure wave at the first sensing time and the second sensing time.

25. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

identifying a potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event by comparing the character of the current destabilized events using an expert based diagnostic subroutine with at least one of the prior destabilizing events, the current operating mode of the pipeline network, the current operating conditions in the pipeline network and the current operating events in the pipeline network.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising:

reporting the potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event.

27. The method according to claim 26, further comprising:

determining at least one corrective measure in response to the sensed destabilizing event; and

one of reporting the at least one corrective measure to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the at least one corrective measure.

28. A method of managing the generation of alarms for possible destabilizing events in a pipeline network, comprising:

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.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further includes detecting variations in the sensed pressure waves, and determining whether or not the detected variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the accepted standard deviation is an empirically determined standard deviation.

31. The method according to claim 28, wherein generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event further comprising generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event when the sensed pressure waves exceed the adjusted predetermined stable operating threshold and the detected variation exceeds the accepted standard deviation.

32. The method according to claim 28, wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further comprising:

determining whether or not a subsequential decompression characteristic is present following the detection of the variation in sensed pressure waves.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event includes generating an alarm indicating the presence of a leak when it is determined that the subsequential decompression characteristic is present.

43. The system according to claim 33, wherein the control unit further diagnoses a potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event by comparing the character of the sensed destabilizing event using an expert based diagnostic subroutine with at least one of prior destabilizing events, the current operating mode of the pipeline network, the current operating conditions in the pipeline network and the current operating events in the pipeline network.

44. The system for monitoring a pipeline network according to claim 43, wherein the control unit identifies remedial measures to isolate or correct the possible destabilizing event in response to the determination that a possible destabilizing event exists.

45. The system according to claim 44, wherein the control unit performs at least one of reporting the remedial measures to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the remedial measures.

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:

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.

35. The system according to claim 34, wherein the control unit empirically determines the accepted standard deviation.

36. The system according to claim 34, wherein the control unit further determines the presence of a possible destabilizing event by determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed a predetermined stable operating threshold.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein the control unit adjusts the predetermined stable operating threshold in response to at least one of the operating mode, current operating conditions and current operating events.

38. The system according to claim 34, wherein each of the at least one pumping station includes a pump, wherein the plurality of pressure sensing devices comprising:

a pair of pressure sensing devices for each pumping station,

wherein a first sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on one side of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment and a second sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on an opposite of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment, and

wherein each pressure sensing device being capable of sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network.

39. The system according to claim 34, wherein the control unit determines the certainty of the possible destabilized event by comparing the determination of a possible destabilized event based upon sensed pressure waves with one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions sensed by the plurality of remote monitoring devices.

40. The system according to claim 34, wherein each of the at least one pumping station includes a pump, wherein the plurality of pressure sensing devices comprising:

a pair of pressure sensing devices for each pumping station,

wherein a first sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on one side of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment and a second sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on an opposite of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment,

wherein each pressure sensing device being capable of sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network,

wherein the control unit determines the location of the destabilizing in the pipeline network based upon the location of the pressure sensing devices that sensed a pressure wave.

41. The system for monitoring a pipeline network according to claim 40, wherein the control unit identifies remedial measures to isolate or correct the possible destabilizing event in response to the determination that a possible destabilizing event exists.

42. The system according to claim 41, wherein the control unit performs at least one of reporting the remedial measures to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the remedial measures.

46. A pipeline network for transporting fluids, comprising:

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.

47. The pipeline network according to claim 46, wherein the control unit empirically determines the accepted standard deviation.

48. The pipeline network according to claim 46, wherein each of the at least one pumping station includes a pump, wherein the plurality of pressure sensing devices comprising:

a pair of pressure sensing devices for each pumping station,

wherein a first sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on one side of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment and a second sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on an opposite of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment, and

wherein each pressure sensing device being capable of sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network.

49. The pipeline network according to claim 46, wherein the control unit includes a real time optimizer, wherein the real time optimizer determines the presence of a destabilizing event in the pipeline network based upon the sensed pressure waves.

50. The pipeline network according to claim 49, further comprising:

at least one display operatively connected to the control unit, wherein the presence of a destabilizing is displayed on the at least one display

51. The pipeline network according to claim 49, wherein the control unit determines whether or not variations in the sensed pressure waves are present, wherein the real time optimizer further determines whether or not the variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation.

52. The pipeline network according to claim 51, wherein the real time optimizer determines the certainty of the possible destabilizing event by comparing the determination of a possible destabilizing event based upon sensed pressure waves with one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions sensed by the plurality of remote monitoring devices.

53. The pipeline network according to claim 51, wherein each of the at least one pumping station includes a pump, wherein the plurality of pressure sensing devices comprising:

a pair of pressure sensing devices for each pumping station,

wherein a first sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on one side of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment and a second sensing device of the pair of pressure sensing devices is located on an opposite of the pump in the at least one pipeline segment,

wherein each pressure sensing device being capable of sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network,

wherein the real time optimizer determines the location of a destabilizing event in the pipeline network based upon the location of the pressure sensing devices that sensed a pressure wave.

54. The pipeline network according to claim 53, wherein the control unit identifies remedial measures to isolate or correct the possible destabilizing event in response to the determination that a possible destabilizing event exists.

55. The system according to claim 54, wherein the control unit performs at least one of reporting the remedial measures to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the remedial measures.

56. The pipeline network according to claim 46, wherein the control unit identifies remedial measures to isolate the possible destabilizing event in response to the determination that a possible destabilizing event exists.

57. The system according to claim 56, wherein the control unit performs at least one of reporting the remedial measures to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the remedial measures.