Apparatus to Monitor Flow Assurance Properties in Conduits

摘要

A combination of sensors are strategically placed along a pipeline to measure critical properties such as temperature and pressure of the flow product. The sensors are a combination of fiber optic sensing devices that are specifically designed to measure a range of properties within particular bandwidth, with a method to reduce light attenuation over the long pipeline distances. The pipeline is typically subsea and can range widely in diameter. In many cases the pipeline has a coating that acts as a barrier to the corrosive sea water and additional thermal barriers.

主权项

1. A method for monitoring the flow characteristics of hydrocarbons in a subsea pipeline comprising the steps of:
a. Collecting hoop deflection data on the exterior pipelines via a series of fiber optic sensors located on the exterior of the pipeline; b. Transmitting the collected hoop deflection data to a monitoring station for translating hoop deflection into pressure levels within the pipeline.