Computers

& Chemical
Computers and Chemical Engineering 24 (2000) 453-456
Engineering
www.elsevier.com/locate/compchemeng
Gas pipeline leak detection system using the online simulation
method
Kenya Fukushima a~*, Reiko Maeshima b, Akira Kinoshita b, Hitoshi Shiraishi b,
Ichiro Koshijima c
a Development Department IV, Facilities Development Division, J apan Petroleum Exploration Company Ltd., Z-2-20 Higashi-Shinagawa,
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo, J apan
b Chiyoda Corporation, 2-12-1 Tsurumi-chuo, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, J apan
c Department of Project Management, Chiba I nstitute of Technology, 2-17-1 Tsudanuma, Narashino, Chiba 2750016, J apan
Abstract
Management of natural gas pipeline is an important task for economical and safety operation, loss prevention and
environmental protection from methane emission. A leak detection of gas pipeline, therefore, plays a key role in the overall
integrity management for a pipeline system. Especially for a long pipeline operated alongside of densely populated areas, a leak
detection system is an indispensable condition to allow its construction. In this paper, a leak detection method based on a dynamic
simulation with wave equations is presented. An industrial application to one of the longest gas pipeline is also presented with its
performance information. 0 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Gas pipeline; Simulation method; Methane
1. Introduction 2. Overview of Niigata-Sendai pipeline
Natural gas becomes a major energy resource in Japan,
because of its cleanness and high unit-calorie. In order to
utilize natural gas, logistics is the most important parts
after we constructed liquefaction plants and receiving
terminals. Gas pipeline is a most efficient logistics to deliver
natural gas. However, serious problems related not only to
environment but also economy will be caused if pipeline
happens to leak at any point. Accordingly, a leak detection
of gas pipeline plays a key role in the overall integrity
management for a pipeline system.
Niigata-Sendai pipeline is one of the longest natural gas
pipeline in Japan with the length of about 250 km from
Niigata to Sendai of the Main Island. This pipeline has the
maximum capacity of 4 500 000 Sm3/day and includes 30
valve stations located in mountainous and snowy districts
(over 2 m of snow in winter). Open rack vaporizer (ORV)
vaporizes native LNG as the source of this pipeline for
many users, particularly for a power plant (600000 kW)
located at Sendai area (population of 1000 000).
A lot of technologies have been reported for leak
detection with various applicability and restrictions. Tech-
nologies currently available include the following method,
such as the volume-mass balance method, the pressure
monitoring method with statistical analysis and/or pattern
matching and acoustic monitoring method. The attain-
ment of most reliable leak detection system for a long
pipeline in a densely populated district such as Japan is a
great challenge to the pipeline provider.
In the northeastern region of Japan, comparing with
other regions of Japan, natural gas has not spread so much
because of late infrastructure in spite of many advanta-
geous properties particularly in the field of environmental
protection. In this respect, it has been expected that
Niigata-Sendai pipeline initiates to make the natural gas
more widespread in this area and makes noted contribu-
tions to the prosperity and activation of this local society
along this pipeline.
In this paper, we would like to represent our installed
leak detection system and its performance using real
operational data on our Niigata-Sendai pipeline.
3. Proposed leak detection method
* Corresponding author.
3.1. Condition of detection
The leak detection is actually performed by measuring
pressure and temperature at the valve stations, which are
0098-1354/00/$ - see front matter 0 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: SOO98-1354(00)00442-7
454 K. Fukushima et al. /Computers and Chemical Engineering 24 (2000) 453-456
0
Et )$I+,
. 1
0
C:df$=+E
l&4 l&J
__+-_-+B=O
Adt Bdt
C-:%,=-B
Fig. 1. Solving of wave equations for pipeline model.
spaced each other with the average distance of 12 km, and
by measuring flow rates of gas at only inlet and outlet of
this pipeline. It should be noted that since the power plant
of Niigata-Sendai pipeline is operated on demand basis,
there is no steady state in its operation. Under the compa-
nys safety policy dictated, the leak detection system has
to automatically determine a leaking point and its leaking
rate in real-time basis.
3.2. Basis of leak detection method
Our proposed method is an extension of the volume-
mass balance method (Modisatte, 1984; Blackadar &
Massion, 1987). In this method, the mass balance is
modeled along the pipeline. The simulation model for the
pipeline is based on a transient flow model shown by the
following equations.
Continuity Eq.:
(1)
4
-rt
h
t
#up&$ w
I
Potential Leakage at VS, Potential Leakage at VS,,
= M(i-1, n) - M(i, l} =M(i, n) - M(i+l, 1)
=should be 0 =should be 0
h
b)
h
d
1
h44 A.fJpJ
I
Potential Leakage at VS, Potential Leakage at VS.,,,
= M(i -I , n) - M(i , 1) =M(i, n) - M(i+l, 7)
>Threshold >Threshold
Fig. 2. Prediction of leakage. (a) Mass balance in case of no leakage.
(b) Mass balance in case of leakage.
I I 1 Leak Detecfina Module I II
I Potential Leakage I Leakage LWI
Fig. 3. Leak detection system for Niigata-Sendai pipeline.
Momentum Eq.:
apv apv2 ap
7 at
-+t++pgsina+g=O
(2)
Fig. 4. Examples of use IF.
K. Fukushima et al. /Computers and Chemical Engineering 24 (2000) 453-456
455
Fig. 5. Verification of flow sensors.
3500 I
,
3ocQ
2500
zooo
1500
1000
500
0 3 6 9 12 15 16 al 26
a) Typical Demand Changes (24br)
68.0 ,
97. 0
39. 0
95. 0
94. 0
63. 0
62. 0
91. 0
80. 0
59. 0
58. 0 1
0 3 6 9 12 15 19 21 24
b) Typical Pressure Profiles at Valve Stations (24hr)
Fig. 6. Sample of actual operation data. (a) Typical demand changes
(24 h). (b) Typical pressure profiles at valve stations (24 h).
State Eq.:
P
-=zRT
P
(3)
These partial differential equations are solved on Gen-
sym G2. Though G2 does not have any numerical solver
for partial differential equations, G2 has to be a core engine
to manage whole system including network communica-
tion and real-time SCADA. On G2, coupled partial differ-
ential equations are converted to ordinary differential equa-
tions with the method of characteristics as shown in Fig. 1.
3.3. Real-time detection method
Leak detection is performed in two steps. In the first step,
a pressure-balance of the pipeline is simulated based on the
above model. In the second step, mismatch between simu-
lated and actual pressure-balance is evaluated to determine
a possible leakage.
._.
-vs6
- v616 _
-vs?l
A&r Tuning --vs?o
Fig. 7. Effect of parameter tuning.
3.3.1. First step
Two dependent variables of pressure and mass-flow are
estimated on the basis of the known pressure-balance and
flow rates collected through SCADA. It can be assumed
that the potential leakage is defined by mismatch of mass-
balance at each valve station. In the moment when we can
assure that there is no actual leakage, a parameter tuning
is performed for reconciliation of the pressure-balance to
minimize the potential leakage in each valve station.
3.3.2. Second step
Theoretically speaking, if we can develop a high fidelity
pipeline model, the potential leakage may be negligible
small. In actual condition, there are various uncertainties
that affect the estimation of pressure-balance, and a poten-
tial leakage has a certain value.
The leak detection, therefore, can be conducted by
comparing the potential leakage and preliminary defined
threshold in each valve station. If the potential leakage is
larger than the threshold, it can be detected as a possible
leakage as shown in Fig. 2. The location of leakage is also
predicted between two points whose thresholds are
violated.
4. Leak detection system
The implemented leak detection is illustrated in Fig. 3.
In this system, there are six modules.
4.1. SCADA I/F module
This module communicates with SCADA through Eth-
ernet. Through this I/F, operation data of each valve
station are transferred from SCADA every 30 s.
4.2. Tuning module
Data reconciliation for parameter tuning is performed
every 30 min. Tuned parameters are fed into the leak
detection module. Error in reconciliation is also fed to the
threshold module.
4.3. Leak detection module
Using tuned parameters and actual data, transient flow
456 K. Fukushima et al. /Computers and Chemical Engineering 24 (2000) 453-456
simulation is performed every 5 s. Incidentally, as the actual
data are received every 30 s, received data are interpolated
to match the calculation interval (5 s). Comparing with
simulated results and thresholds, location of leakage and
rate of leakage are predicted.
4.4. Use I /F module
As shown in Fig. 4, this module provides a graphical user
interface, which includes geographical information, re-
ceived field data readouts with trend graphs and warning
messages that shows a possible leakage with related infor-
mation.
5. Actual operation
5.1. Problems during implementation
During the implementation of this detection system,
problems listed below may be caused.
5.1. I. Unreliable data acquisition
Unreliable data are acquired due to large instrument
error on the inlet and outlet flow sensors as shown in Fig.
5. At the inlet, averaged deviation of flow rate ( = measured
flow rate/estimated flow rate) was 1.042. At the outlet,
averaged deviation of flow rate was 1.989. Accordingly, it
can be assessed that the inlet flow sensor may have an
instrument error. This instrument error could not reveal
without this leak detection system that calculates a dy-
namic mass-balance even during transient conditions.
51.2. Unexpected low resolution of pressure sensor
As for the resolution of pressure sensor in this system,
the designed rating was 14 bit, while the actual value was
12 bit. This directly affects the prediction accuracy. In
order to overcome such low resolution of pressure sensor,
the length of each segment is optimized so as to validate
pressure difference between both ends of the segment. We
optimized the length of each segment to validate pressure
difference between both ends of the segment from 23
segments to 4 segments. Even when we reduced the number
of segments, the system still shows a sufficient performance
described in Section 5.2.
51.3. Uncontrolled fluctuation
Operation mode of ORVs sometimes must be changed
according to the users demand. For example, daily de-
mand changes and associated pressure profiles in each
valve station are shown in Fig. 6a and b. In an actual
situation, large demand changes cause a reverse flow in the
downstream of the pipeline. (The pressue of VS29 is higher
than the pressure of VS15 and VS21 from 22:00 to 9:00 h,
where VS29 is located at the downstream of VS15 and
VS21). However, such change often caused uncontrolled
fluctuations in this detection system and created false
alarms. In order to suppress such false alarms and distin-
guish real faults, the threshold is automatically tuned by
forecasting the changes with an on-line learning capability.
5.2. Expected performance of leak detection
In this system, the performance of leak detection is based
on the parameter tuning. Fig. 7 shows a typical trend of
potential leakage at each valve station. The upper graph
shows the trend before tuning, and the lower shows the
trend after tuning. It is clearly understood that the parame-
ter tuning effectively compensates uncertainties even in a
transient situation and supports a reliable leak dete-
cion.This leak detection system is to be operated under the
following expected performances based on leak tests and
simulations.
52.1. Minimum leakage rate
The minimum leakage rate for detecting the leakage is
l.l%, which is equivalent to a leakage from the diameter
of 0.9 cm hole. The minimum leakage rate for estimating
the leakage point is 1.8% (equivalent to a diameter of 1.1
cm hole).
5.2.2. Average detecting time
The average detecting time under the maximum load is
8 min, and under the minimum load is 4 min. On the other
hand, the average detecting time under the largest transient
situation is 4 min.
5.2.3. Average location error
The average location error under the maximum load is
4% and under the minimum load is 20%. The average
location error under the largest transient situation is 6%.
6. Concluding remarks
A leak detection framework based on a wave equation
has been presented. It is clear from the foregoing that the
presented leak detection method was successfully imple-
mented to one of the longest gas pipelines in Japan. Since
1997, this leak detection system has been inspecting leakage
troubles. Fortunately there are no signs of leakage to
validate its real performance. It is believed that the user of
this system prevents serious troubles and increases integrity
of the pipeline system.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express sincere appreciation to
Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd. and Chiyoda Cor-
poration for supporting the present study and for permit-
ting the publication of this paper.
References
Modisatte, J. L. (1984). A comparison of transient pipeline flow models
and features, PSI G Annual Meeting, Chattanooga, TN, October
l&19, 1984.
Blackadar, D. C., & Massion, R. V. J. (1987). Implementation of a
real-time transient model for a batched pipeline network, PSI G Annual
Meeting, Tulsa, OK, October 20-23, 1987.