Detection and localization of pipeline intrusion with distributed optical fiber acoustic sensing technology

Pipeline transportation is the most common means used in the petroleum industry, and its safety monitoring has attracted wide attention from the domestic and foreign researchers. The detection and alarm of intrusion events is one of the most important objects of pipeline research. Based on the optical fiber sensing technology, the pipeline can be monitored with the optical cables in the same trench to acquire various signals including intrusion events. However, no phase information is provided in the signals recorded by the traditional distributed fiber-optic vibration sensor, and thus the event cannot be located. Herein, the intrusion event signals at two different places along the 10 km buried pipeline were recorded with the distributed fiber-optic vibration sensor, and the signals were identified with the STA/LTA method. Based on the arrival time differences, the events were located through grid search, and the hazards of the event were evaluated according to the locating result. Additionally, the feasibility of the detection and alarm of intrusion event with the distributed optical fiber acoustic sensing technology was explored preliminarily by tests.