RU2605779C1 - System for early detection of leakage of underwater pipeline - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: oil industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to devices for monitoring underwater parts of oil pipelines and oil product pipelines in areas of crossing water obstacles: rivers and water reservoirs, lakes and other water bodies, dry land, for purpose of early location of leaks from underwater part of oil pipeline; invention can also be used for monitoring offshore oil pipelines near their exit to dry land with same purpose. Proposed device comprises a monitoring system, intended for detection and monitoring of oil contamination of water samples in a cell installed on shore, in which water sample is automatically refreshed with a water intake device with two or more input ports, arranged along underwater part of oil pipeline.

EFFECT: technical result is continuous monitoring of sealing of a pipeline, early detection of leaks and reduction of costs for monitoring of underwater parts oil pipelines and oil product pipelines in areas of crossing water obstacles.

8 cl, 1 dwg

Description

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

The invention relates to devices for monitoring the underwater parts of oil pipelines and oil products pipelines at the places where they cross water barriers: rivers, reservoirs, lakes and other water bodies of land, with the aim of early detection and location of leaks from the underwater part of the pipeline; can also be used to monitor offshore oil pipelines near their landfall for the same purpose.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Methods and devices for detecting an accident of an underwater pipeline and an oil product pipeline include means for monitoring the aquatic environment along the route of the underwater pipeline. From [1], in the embodiment according to claim 7, a leak detection system for an underwater offshore oil pipeline with automatic monitoring systems (CM) installed along the pipeline containing a set of sensors in contact with water and located in a floating or submersible, in particular under ice position. However, this monitoring system is quite expensive to operate at the intersection of oil pipelines with water barriers, the number of which in Russia is several thousand.

Partially this disadvantage is deprived of stationary remote monitoring posts installed on the shore, bridges, berths and other structures and using reflection of visible or infrared radiation from the water surface [2] or UV-induced fluorescence of the surface water layer to record oil pollution [3]. Remote detectors of oil pollution are reliable, relatively cheap, characterized by compactness and fairly low cost of operation. However, the sensing distance usually does not exceed 10 m, which limits the possibility of their use for detecting leaks in long objects, such as subsea oil pipelines.

Monitoring over extended water areas is possible when using a floating platform as carriers [4]. The environmental monitoring complex located on it, which, in addition to the remote pollution detector, includes an immersion module with a set of sensors in contact with water, allows you to automatically receive and process a wide range of data on surface water quality. However, floating platforms with a monitoring complex are not intended for use in ice conditions.

Partially, this device and method [5] are free from this drawback for determining oil pollution of water near an underwater pipeline by measuring the optical and hydrological characteristics of the marine environment using a fluorimeter and an acoustic Doppler current profiler placed on an unmanned underwater vehicle. In the process of monitoring, the acoustic characteristics of bottom sediments are measured and, when they are atypical for a given water area, they perform maneuvering of the underwater vehicle and carry out control measurements of the content of petrochemical impurities in the bottom layer at the location of the pipeline using a fluorimeter. The technical result is the ability to increase the reliability of detection of low-intensity leaks from an underwater offshore oil pipeline.

However, this device is expensive and ineffective for use at the intersection of pipelines with water barriers in the form of rivers, reservoirs and lakes. Hereinafter, a pipeline is understood to mean an oil pipeline or an oil product pipeline.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The basis of the invention is the task of monitoring the aquatic environment along the route of the underwater oil product pipeline through one reliable and relatively inexpensive stationary monitoring complex.

The task is carried out using the proposed system for early detection of underwater pipeline leak, which includes a monitoring complex (CM), designed to detect and control oil pollution of water samples in a cuvette installed on the shore, in which the water sample is automatically updated by means of a water intake device with two or more inlet ports located along the underwater part of the pipeline.

Preferably, the oil pollution detection complex comprises a remote oil pollution detector, for example, a compact fluorescent lidar and / or IR lidar, which probes the surface of the water in a cuvette.

Preferably, the CM is made to minimize background illumination of the sensing zone and the receiving channel of the remote oil pollution detector.

Preferably, the remote oil pollution detector is located at a small, preferably not exceeding 1.5 m, distance from the water surface.

In embodiments of the invention, the CM contains at least one water contacting oil pollution detector.

Preferably, the CM is made with the functions of collecting, processing, storing and displaying data, its transmission to the remote interfaces of the CM, as well as with the functions of determining the excess of the established thresholds of pollution and signaling about them.

Preferably, the water intake device has inlet ports located downstream of the underwater portion of the pipeline.

Preferably, the CM, the cuvette and part of the water intake device are located in a heated container or room equipped with a thermal control device.

The technical result of the invention is continuous or with optimal periodicity monitoring the tightness of the pipeline, early detection of leaks and reducing the cost of monitoring the underwater parts of oil pipelines and oil products pipelines at the intersection of water barriers.

The specified technical result provided by the given set of features of the claimed object is realized due to the following factors:

- the ability to monitor the underwater oil pipeline by one stationary oil pipeline through sampling water from several areas along it, including in ice conditions,

- providing autonomous long-term stable operation of the device, which is practically maintenance-free, including through the use of a pollution-free remote detector, preferably in the form of a compact fluorescent lidar and / or IR lidar,

- ensuring, at low emitter power, the high sensitivity of the remote detector, since its emitter and the feedback detection system are located very close to the probed object — the water surface in the cuvette, and the background illumination of the sensing zone and the receiving channel of the remote oil pollution detector is minimized,

- reliability of the integrated detection and measurement of oil pollution by a monitoring complex, including both a remote detector and contact sensors,

- determination of exceeding the established pollution thresholds, notifying personnel of controlled facilities to make operational decisions to minimize the release of oil into the environment at the initial stage of an emergency.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and claims.

The invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing, which shows a schematic illustration of an early detection system for leakage of an underwater pipeline in accordance with the present invention.

This drawing does not cover and, moreover, does not limit the entire scope of options for implementing this technical solution, but is only illustrative material of particular cases of its implementation.

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

This description serves to illustrate the implementation of the invention and in no way the scope of the present invention.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the underwater pipeline early detection system includes a monitoring unit (CM) 1 for detecting oil contamination of water samples 2 in a cuvette 3 installed on the shore, in which the water sample 2 is automatically updated by means of a water intake device 4 with two or more inlet ports 5 located along the underwater part of the pipeline 6.

In an embodiment of the invention, the water sampling device 4 comprises a tube 7 with inlet ports 5, a pump or pump station 8, a valve system and an automatic control unit not shown in the drawing for simplicity. The valves are designed to shut off the water supply when filling the cuvette 3 to a predetermined level and to automatically drain it before the inlet of the next water sample 2. The pipe with inlet ports 5 can be attached to the bottom near the underwater part of the pipeline 6 or on the pressure plate of the underwater section of the pipeline, if any there is, or on racks of fastening of the underwater part of the pipeline. In this case, the input ports on the tube can be of different diameters, increasing with distance from the cell 3.

When performed in the indicated form, the system for early detection of leakage of an underwater oil pipeline is operable and reliable when using one stationary CM due to the sampling of water from several areas along the underwater part of the pipeline, which reduces the cost of monitoring the underwater parts of oil pipelines and oil products pipelines at the points where they cross water barriers.

In embodiments of the invention, the cuvette 3 can be made with a continuous flow of a sample of water 2. For this, it is hermetically sealed, having at least a part transparent to the sounding radiation of a remote oil pollution detector and the back radiation detected by it.

The oil pollution detection complex preferably comprises a remote oil pollution detector 9, for example, in the form of a compact fluorescence lidar and / or IR lidar probing the surface of water 2 in cuvette 3 with beam 10 and detecting the return radiation signal 11. This ensures autonomous long-term stable operation of the CM, almost maintenance-free, including through the use of a non-contaminated remote sensor in the form of a fluorescent lidar and / or IR lidar.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, KM 1 is designed to minimize background illumination of the sensing zone and the receiving channel of the remote oil pollution detector 8, for example, by placing it in a lightproof casing 12 with a window for outputting the probe beam 10 and receiving the return radiation 11. It is also preferable that remote detector 9 of oil pollution is located at a small, preferably not exceeding 1.5 m, distance from the surface of the water 2 in the cuvette 3. All this allows the use of dis antsionnogo detector simple and cheap construction.

In embodiments of the invention, the CM comprises at least one oil contaminant detector 13 in contact with water, for example, a fluorescent immersion sensor and / or fluorimeter. In addition, KM 1 can be equipped with sensors for measuring other water parameters, such as pH, Eh, О ₂ , t ° C, turbidity, etc. At the same time, due to complex measurements by both a remote detector and contact sensors, detection reliability is ensured oil pollution in water samples.

To work in automatic mode and minimize the consequences of an emergency, KM 1 is equipped with the functions of collecting, processing, storing and displaying data, as well as with the functions of determining the excess of the established pollution thresholds and signaling them using wireless data transmission. To this end, KM 1 is equipped with a programmable controller 14, which also provides synchronization of the operation of KM 1 with the device 4 for water intake.

To increase the sensitivity of the system for early detection of leaks in an underwater pipeline, the water intake device 4 preferably has inlet ports 5 located downstream of the underwater portion of the pipeline 6. In FIG. 1, the direction of flow of a water body 15 is indicated by arrow 16.

It is preferable that KM 1 and part of the water intake device 4 are placed in a heated container 17 or in a room equipped with a thermal control device to ensure a temperature in a given range, for example, not lower than 0 ° C.

Embodiments of the invention provide for the replacement or cleaning of the cuvette, as well as the replacement or implementation of a water intake device with the function of running in the opposite direction of the washing liquid to clean it after taking measures to eliminate the oil spill at its early stage, which the CM indicated.

Performed in the proposed form, the system for early detection of leaks of an underwater oil pipeline or oil product pipeline operates as follows. By means of the water intake device 4, a water sample 2 is automatically discharged from a cell 3 stationary on the shore of the cuvette 3 and, with a predetermined interval, the next water sample 2 is supplied to the cuvette 3. A water sample 2 is supplied by a pump or pump station 8 from areas near the underwater part of the oil pipeline or oil product 6 through two or more inlet ports 5 of the water intake device 4 located along it. The distance from the pipeline 6 of the input ports 5 located, for example, on the common tube 7, their frequency and number are selected optimal for determining the leakage of oil or oil from any place in the underwater part of the pipeline 6. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the number n of input ports 5 located along pipeline 6 of length L at a distance d from it satisfies the ratio: n≤L / d. Through the inlet ports 5, a sampling of water 2 is carried out, preferably from the region of the water body 15 located downstream 16 from the underwater part of the pipeline 6. When the cell 3 is filled to a predetermined level, the water supply is interrupted by a valve system and an automatic control unit of the water intake device 4, not shown in the drawing.

Using KM 1, equipped with a programmable controller 14, automatically measure the quality of the water sample 2, collect, process and store the data received periodically transmitted to the remote interfaces of KM 1. Repeat the system operation cycles. If the established thresholds for oil pollution in the water sample are exceeded, it signals them, providing information for making management decisions aimed at minimizing environmental risks.

Detection of oil contamination in water samples 2 is preferably carried out using a non-contaminated oil pollution detector 9, made, for example, in the form of a compact fluorescence lidar and / or IR lidar, which provides autonomous long-term stable operation of CM 1. As an emitter, preferably a UV-generating pulsed radiation for sensing the surface of a water sample 2 in cell 3, a compact solid-state laser with higher harmonic generation can be used and and a laser diode, an LED, or pulsed, in particular xenon lamp with an optical UV filter. The UV radiation beam 10 directed into the water causes backward radiation (OI) 11. Depending on the type of OI detection device, the number of receiving channels of the remote oil pollution detector 9 can be from several units to several hundred.

When probing with UV radiation, for greater accuracy of measurements, immediately before the sensing or immediately after it, the background signal is measured (in the absence of a probe pulse). The background radiation signal is subtracted from the return radiation signal caused by the probe pulse. Preferably, the measured signal is normalized with a reference signal, preferably an OI signal at a wavelength of Raman water scattering. Moreover, the normalized spectrum of OI does not depend on the variation in the power of the probe radiation. For sensing, polarized radiation is preferably used, which facilitates the isolation of a reference signal at very high background water pollution by dissolved organic substances not related to petroleum. The registration of the return radiation is preferably carried out for two different polarizations, which allows, in particular, selectively, compared with other fluorescent substances, to detect heavy oil fractions, the induced fluorescent radiation of which is also polarized due to the high viscosity. All this provides the registration of oil contaminants, for example, emulsified oil and / or its dissolved fraction or film fraction according to the fluorescence spectrum.

Along with or instead of UV radiation, visible or IR probe radiation can be used. In this case, the OI signal at the wavelength of the probe radiation strongly depends on the presence of a film of oil products on water due to the sharp difference in the light reflection coefficients for oil products and water. This allows you to record oil pollution in the form of a film on the surface of the water sample with a simple inexpensive remote detector with one receiving channel.

The implementation of KM 1, minimizing the background illumination of the sensing zone and the receiving channel of the remote oil pollution detector 9, increases the signal-to-noise ratio, improves the measurement accuracy, and makes it possible to simplify the remote oil pollution detector 9.

The sounding of the water samples 2 is carried out by a remote oil pollution detector 9 located at a small, preferably not exceeding 1.5 m, distance from the surface of the water 2 in the cell 3. This simplifies the remote detector and makes it cheaper.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, simultaneously with the remote registration of the quality of water samples using a programmable controller 1, the readings of a set of water-contacting sensors 13 for measuring oil pollution, as well as physico-chemical and hydrological parameters of water, such as pH, Eh, O ₂ , are recorded t ° C, turbidity, etc. At the same time, due to complex measurements by both a remote detector and contact sensors, the reliability of detection of oil pollution in water samples is ensured.

In stand-alone mode, the power of the system for early detection of leakage of an underwater pipeline is carried out from the network and / or batteries. Management of the system as a whole is carried out using a programmable controller 14.

It is preferable that KM 1 and part of the device 4 water intake are placed in a container or room 17, heated in ice conditions. This allows for year-round monitoring, including in the Arctic zone.

Thus, the proposed invention provides continuous or with optimal periodicity monitoring the tightness of the pipeline, early detection of leaks and reducing the cost of monitoring the underwater parts of oil pipelines and oil pipelines at the intersection of water barriers.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The proposed invention is intended for use in the field of transportation of oil or oil products and relates to issues of monitoring the status of submarine oil pipelines and oil pipelines, and more specifically, the early detection of leaks during their depressurization.

INFORMATION SOURCES

1. RF patent 2522821. "System for the detection and monitoring of pollution of the offshore oil and gas field." Publ. 05/14/2014.

2. Anuchin E.N., Zurabyan A.Z., Grachev I.A., Popov A.P. Optical recorder of oil films on a excited water surface // Optical journal. Volume 72, 2005, No. 3, p. 11-13.

3. LDI Remote Oil Watcher (ROW) - http://www.1di.ee/index.php?main=400.

4. RF patent 2499248. “A complex of environmental monitoring of water bodies”. Publ. 11/20/2013.

1. RF patent 2499951. “A method for detecting low-intensity leaks from underwater oil pipelines with a mobile underwater measuring system”. Publ. 11/27/2013.

Claims (8)

1. The system for early detection of leaks in an underwater oil pipeline or oil product pipeline, including a monitoring complex (CM), designed to detect and control oil pollution of water samples in a cuvette installed on the shore, in which the water sample is automatically updated by means of a water intake device with two or more inlets ports located along the underwater part of the pipeline. 2. The device according to claim 1, in which the CM contains a remote oil pollution detector, for example, a fluorescent lidar and / or IR lidar, probing the surface of the water in the cell. 3. The device according to p. 2, in which the CM is made minimizing the background illumination of the sensing zone and the receiving channel of the remote oil pollution detector. 4. The device according to claim 2, in which the remote oil pollution detector is located at a small, preferably not exceeding 1.5 m, distance from the water surface. 5. The device according to p. 1, in which the CM contains at least one water contacting detector of oil pollution. 6. The device according to claim 1, in which the CM is made with the functions of collecting, processing, storing and displaying data, its transmission to the remote interfaces of the CM, as well as with the functions of determining the excess of the established thresholds of pollution and signaling about them. 7. The device according to claim 1, in which the CM, the cuvette and part of the water intake device are placed in a heated container or room equipped with a thermal control device. 8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the water intake device has inlet ports located downstream of the underwater portion of the oil pipeline or oil product pipeline.

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