Key pipeline leak detection and theft detection updates
Building on the success of Q3, we’ve ended the final quarter of 2023 with continued pipeline leak and theft detection for our customers.
Below is a selection of success stories from a busy quarter at Atmos, including leakage in Asia and Canada, new pipeline theft trends on our radar and the invaluable knowledge we’ve delivered to new and existing customers in Q4.
Quarterly achievements
- Five thefts detected
- Two leaks detected
- 14 Site Acceptance Tests (SATs) completed
- Seven Factory Acceptance Tests (FATs) completed
- Seven training sessions delivered
- Five software upgrades
Detecting leaks in Asia and Canada
Asia
A leak was recently detected on a gas pipeline with multiple outlets and two inlets. This leak was caused by a one off operation but Atmos’ high quality and reliable leak detection system was able to accurately detect the leak.
Canada
One customer’s water distribution network had a leak in one of its water injection wells. Atmos’ leak detection system was able to detect it in 15 minutes and 25 seconds with a leak rate of approximately 4.6 m3/d.
Discover the leak detection support that’s available
Curbing pipeline theft in Asia and Latin America
Asia
We recently detected the location of a tapping point on a 265 km long 8 inch diameter crude oil pipeline in the jungle.
When a leak or theft occurs, a negative pressure wave travels in both directions along a pipeline. For this customer, Atmos Wave detected the negative pressure waves caused by the opening and closing of the theft valve on an illegal tapping point. This was a challenging task because the tapping point was well hidden.
Paired with the persistence of Atmos Theft Net engineers’ offline analysis and reporting, an accurate location of the illegal tap was pinpointed, which led to the discovery of the theft site.
Figure 1: The pressure drop caused by the opening of a theft valve and detected by Amos Wave
Latin America
In Latin America particularly, thieves have attempted to steal product from our customers’ pipelines using a range of new and existing techniques.
Hidden beneath concrete
After our theft detection systems reported theft activities on a customer’s oil pipeline, we provided a leak location with an average deviation of 963m. The tapping point was located about 2m underneath a concrete culvert.
Figure 2: A welded concrete culvert with an illegal tap inserted into it
Long hoses
A combination of Atmos’ hardware instrumentation, software and offline analysis by Atmos Theft Net engineers led to the discovery of an illegal tapping point on a customer’s pipeline, with an average deviation of 300m from the calculated locations.
Figure 3: The hoses that enabled this operation to transport and store stolen product
Long hoses were instrumental to the thieves in this case and are a characteristic of the “try and remain hidden” theft technique where theft activity is typically a larger and more organized operation.
Learn more
Download our ebook Theft detection solutions
Getting in front of customers across the world
We achieve more when we collaborate, which is why a core Atmos value involves being brilliant together.
We’ve consistently maintained a face-to-face presence for our global customer base in Q4, as well as supporting customers remotely. From factory and site acceptance testing to system upgrades, events, training sessions and more, here are the highlights from when we’ve been in front of our customers in Q4.
Knowledge is power: seven training sessions delivered in Q4
To ensure our customers benefit as much as possible from operating our hardware and software solutions, we regularly host training sessions for pipeline companies and their operators.
Our product experts recently led a five day training session for Latin American pipeline companies on best practices for Atmos Wave and theft detection to improve knowledge about the system and data analysis.
A busy quarter for Aviation events
Atmos’ Aviation team exhibited at a selection of industry specific events in Q4 to showcase the Atmos Portable Tightness Monitor (APTM) and our latest innovations in smart pit valve integrity testing technology.
At inter airport Europe in Munich the Aviation team spoke to new and existing customers and networked with industry associates including Cla-Val whom we have been collaborating with on our pit valve integrity testing solutions.
Figure 4: Atmos’ aviation team at the inter airport 2023 event
Discover how we support the Aviation industry
Aviation solutions Pit valve integrity innovations
Progress in Northumbrian Water leak detection trial
After securing investment to undertake a trunk mains leak detection pilot project with Northumbrian Water, we have successfully completed the first phase.
Phase one of the pilot project focused on two large diameter pipelines that supply clean water to the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.
It consisted of site visits to perform routine health checks on Atmos' high performance hardware instrumentation, conducting calibration leak tests and ensuring valuable data continues to be collected for analysis.
Supporting water utilities on site to reduce water leakage and minimize the risk of supply interruptions supports Atmos’ goal of supporting the UK water and wastewater industries, which is another example of our value of being brilliant together.
Figure 7: Atmos’ water team on site at Northumbrian Water
For more details about our pilot project with Northumbrian Water
Learn more about the company whose solutions have been applied to over 1,500 pipelines in more than 60 countries
Atmos International was originally founded in 1995 with a primary focus to detect pipeline leaks reliably on operational pipelines. Nothing has changed except advances in our technologies which continues to grow and adapt to the changes within the oil, gas, chemical, water, aviation and mining industries.