PR-015-163766-R01 Field Testing of Distributed Acoustic Sensing Systems

Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) technology utilizes a fiber-optic cable as a distributed vibration sensor that can be installed in a right-of-way to monitor for pipeline leaks and to identify third-party interference (TPI), such as mechanized excavation, hand digging, etc. Various laboratory tests have been performed to demonstrate that DAS has the potential to be a flexible solution for pipeline operators. A key gap that needs to be assessed is the ability of the technology to serve its intended leak detection and TPI functions while not generating alarms at any other times. The most comprehensive means of performing such an evaluation is through an actual field demonstration of DAS technology on an operational pipeline.

This report documents a ten-week-long test of four commercially available DAS technologies on an operational pipeline. The pipeline segment is 25-kilometers in length, and the systems were configured to autonomously alarm to leaks and mechanical digging. This research demonstrates the real-world performance of such systems and provides qualitative information in regards to the operational requirements for sustained deployment of DAS technology.

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