PR764-233904-R01 Technical Best Practice for Computational Pipeline Monitoring on Liquid Pipelines

The need for pipeline operators to be able to detect leaks from their pipelines is critical for health, safety, and environmental reasons as well as for concerns of corporate reputation. It is also, in many jurisdictions, compulsory under pipeline safety regulations. An impediment to filling this need is the steep learning curve involved in establishing an effective leak detection program.

This document addresses this need by providing operators of single-phase liquid pipelines with the necessary background and guidance for developing a technical understanding of how to identify, evaluate, implement, operate and maintain Computational Pipeline Monitoring (CPM) leak detection technology in accordance with API RP 1130 (1) and related regulatory requirements. CPM is the most widely used leak detection tool in the industry and is the natural starting point for a new leak detection program.

This work is intended to provide operators with little or no prior CPM experience with fundamental background and guidance needed to prepare their infrastructure, evaluate CPM technologies, and begin development of a leak detection program. The material is intended to support early program readiness and serve as a foundational step prior to implementation of API RP 1175 (2). While less experienced operators are the primary target of this work, operators with mature leak detection programs represented on the project committee recognized that it is also useful for onboarding new leak detection staff and to aid in communicating leak detection requirements to other stakeholders in their organizations.