Invited Paper: Schlumberger, Mr. Peter Edghill.

REAL TIME PIPELINE CORROSION MAPPING

WALL THICKNESS, DEFECT AND EXTERNAL STRESS EVALUATION USING FIBER OPTIC (FT) SENSORS TO ANALYSE STRUCTURAL STRAIN

Adding value to the Integriti Platinum Condition Monitoring System

Ryan Gillespie RusselSmith Group Nigeria Ltd. rgillespie@russelsmithgroup.com
ABSTRAC
This paper will explore the use of long gage-length and spiral FT fiber optic sensors (FOS) for in-service, realtime monitoring of pipeline corrosion. Key areas of concentration are wall thickness reduction and rate of corrosion, known defect monitoring, external structural stress as a result of soil displacement, data analysis, interpretation and modeling. The above technology will be evaluated with a view of adding value to the Schlumberger Integriti Platinum pipeline condition monitoring system (utilizing optical time domain reflectometry [OTDR] and distributed vibration sensor [DVS] technology) as such the solution reviewed will integrate seamlessly as both are fiber optic based systems.

1. INTRODUCTION
Asset security and corrosion are two of the major problems that affect the integrity of pipelines within Nigeria, specifically pipelines situated in the Niger Delta. In order to reduce the risk of bunkering and sabotage the majority of pipelines in the region are buried, this in itself presents additional issues with regards to integrity such as stress related corrosion cracking as a result of the surrounding soil environment and pressure fluctuations due to displacement. Buried pipelines also require specialist inspection solutions as the asset is difficult to access and evaluate by means of basic non destructive testing (NDT), the most obvious solution here would be intelligent pigging, however many of the pipelines are un piggable by way of design thus alternative measures need to be explored. In order to conform with regulatory requirements operators need to demonstrate that the corrosion rate with regards to wall thickness loss is monitored and does not exceed a set rate of deterioration per year, to resolve all of the above and provide a system that meets industry requirements we need to provide a solution that monitors the security of the asset, product flow, detects leaks and maps corrosion. The Schlumberger Integriti Platinum system provides an Asset Integrity Monitoring solution assuring the security of assets by way of detecting disturbances, third party interference, geohazards and leaks. Integrity platinum utilizes advanced proprietary fiber optic technology, if the system were to be incorporated with and advanced corrosion mapping facility that is both equal by way of technological advancement and flexibility, Integriti Platinum would be a pipeline integrity solution in high demand, a leader in pipeline integrity innovation. Historically, both basic and advanced NDT is extremely time intensive, requires additional technically trained personnel, requires access to the pipeline via excavation and in some cases disrupts operations. These methods are also utilized at great expensive due to periodic survey requirements and the need to mobilize third party equipment and personnel. A permanent corrosion mapping system is required, one that easily ties in with Integriti Platinum, a system that can be monitored and analysed by current control room staff, one that models corrosion rates and pipe wall thickness in real time by way of graphical user interface (GUI).

2. SOLUTION FT FIBER OPTIC SENSORS

The fundamental principle behind the FT sensor is the interference of low coherence light. The sensor system, as modelled in Figure 1, is comprised of two optical paths one through the sensor and one through the reference arm with a light source and a detector. Each of the optical paths has a reflective surface at the end, so that any light travelling down that path is reflected back. Initially, with no load on the sensor, the two optical path lengths are exactly equal, so that LS = LR and _LS = _LR = 0. In this instance, the light signals arrive in phase at the detector at the same time. This results in constructive interference and a peak in the magnitude of the optical signal occurs as the detector.

When the sensor is under load, it is elongated or compressed and resulting in a change in the optical path length. This change means that the two signals at the detector are no longer in phase and the signal at the detector is extinguished. If the length of the reference path is changed, then the two signals are brought into phase again and the interference peak is seen by the detector. Because the light source has a low coherence length, the interference peak only occurs when the path lengths are matched to within approximately 25 m (microns). This narrow range means that the change in length of sensors from 10 cm to over 100 m long can be accurately measured to better than 5 m (0.5 microstrain for a 10 m gage length sensor). The high accuracy is crucial in the detection of the small strain change associated with wall thinning due to corrosion or bending deformations. The FT sensor system measures total displacement over the sensor gage length, and average strains are calculated by dividing this measurement by the gage length. A plot of the sensitivity of the sensor in terms of the change in wall thickness ratio (wall thickness/original wall thickness) is shown in Figure 2. The standard sensor itself is made from single-mode optical fiber, which has a diameter of 250 m. The loaddisplacement response of the sensor is linear up to elongations of 3% (30,000 microstrain). The small diameter flexible fiber allows the sensor to be packaged into configurations, such as the coil sensor that are suitable for monitoring almost any type of local or large area defect or problem. Due to the unique way the FT sensors operate, demodulation of the optical signals requires a specialized monitoring instrument. This system allows total sensor displacements of up to 15 mm to be monitored (1500 microstrain for a 10 m gage length sensor). Remote monitoring, control, data collection, trend analysis, and alarm levels are achievable in a local mode, or over a network. Demodulation software combines the measurements of change in strain from the FT sensor monitor, with geometry information about the equipment, to convert the raw data into parameters including temperature, pressure, bending strain and pipe wall loss.

Wall Thinning and Corrosion Rate Calculations

Consider a pipe under internal pressure and subject to wall thinning over some area. Assuming a plane stress state and neglecting boundary conditions, the pipe wall thickness is given by, h = 0.85 LS pR/Efor Poissons ratio = 0.3 (10) where = sensor displacement. This equation is valid for hoop and spiral wrap sensors. It is assumed that the initial value of the wall thickness, temperature and sensors reference reading are known. For a coil sensor, which consists of a long gage-length sensor wrapped in a circular or oval configuration, the displacement reading that results from uniform hoop expansion represents an integrated value of the strain around the coil. The wall thickness is given by, h = 0.525 LS pR/E(11) Note that the sensor readings include thermal variations from the install conditions that must be factored into the calculation of h. The corrected value of to be used in calculating wall thickness at any time t is given by, (t) = (t - r) LS (+ ) (Tt Tr) (12) where t = time, r = reference value at time of installation. A simple model for predicting wall thinning of the pipe as a function of corrosion rate can be described by, h(t) / hr = 1/ [1 + Ct] (13) and C = corrosion rate, is given by, C = [(t / r ) 1] /t (14) Although the long term corrosion (or erosion) rate may not be a constant, by interrogating the sensors over time intervals t, a linear interpolation can be used to estimate C, and that value used to project what the wall thickness will be at some future time. This allows predictions to be made of residual operational safe life time.

3. RELIABILITY
Implementation of any new sensor system is frequently driven by the requirement that the information must provide a clear cost benefit. Beyond providing some additional data on wall loss or temperature, such a system must operate with high reliability if the cost benefit is to be realized over time. There are many factors which affect the performance and reliability of fiber optic sensor systems. Installation. Planning of the installation is the key first element. Identification of the proper location for sensors, cable routing, junction boxes, conduit, and monitoring stations relating to the pipeline. Proper familiarization of the clients personnel with the requirements and operation of the system will ensures integration of the new sensing system. Sensor Integrity. As with most bonded or mechanically affixed sensors, full lifetime of the installation is guaranteed with proper consideration for: configuration or sensor selection; cleanliness of surface; proper adhesive selection; full cure cycle; choice of sensor-lead connector for the temperature/chemical environment; thermal/stress fatigue life of adhesive interface; cable bend radius; coating defects; maximum strain limit; thermal limit of adhesive and fiber coating. Operating Environment. Sensor systems installed on pipelines are subject to operating environments that are significantly more severe than the typical laboratory or office environment. Systems reliability hinges on the temperature limits of monitor; corrosiveness of the atmosphere/soil; humidity; seismic loads; vibration; probability of lightning strikes and proper grounding requirements for cable/instrument enclosures. Communications. Assurance of uninterrupted data from the sensors requires a robust communication system. Considerations include routing of lead cables; code/integrity requirements for armored cable; radius of cable bends, location of adjacent hazards (e.g. hot spots); quality of patch panel and connectors; availability of on-demand battery power for remote/wireless transmission; accessibility of network connection and permission to access data over a network. Software. No matter what type of sensor system is employed, the data is typically coupled to some software to predict trends, activate alarms, provide feedback to control systems, and to store/archive results of the measurements. Ideally, remote access and control of the monitoring instrumentation is also available through such a facility. Key features that impact upon reliability include no false alarms; self-check diagnostics; security of data, and ease of use. Based on past experience with FT data shows that these they can survive for more than 10 years. The environment can be described as long periods of cold-soak (~ -30C) and moderately hot conditions (~ +30C), combined with many

4. CONCLUSION
FT Fiber optic Sensors (FOS) are based on the same technical concepts as the Integriti Platinum solution, thus with further technical engineering both systems could be integrated seamlessly in order to provide a complete pipeline security and corrosion mapping/monitoring solution. Fiber optic sensors are ideally suited for monitoring corrosion and bending in areas not routinely examined due to inaccessibility, critical or single point failure areas, and where process controls can be used to mitigate damage when corrosion rates are immediately known. Such monitoring can lead to increased safety, increased productivity, reduced turnaround times, fewer unplanned shutdowns, and lower operating costs.

5. REFERENCES
1) Long Gage length fiber optic sensors for monitoring pipeline integrity. R.C. Tennyson*, W.D. Morison 2) Solving common corrosion problems, non intrusive fiber optics corrosion and process monitoring sensors. W.D. Morison, T. Cherpillod