Better pipeline leak detection

Klarian is in the protection business. We offer pipeline leak detection solutions to protect your pipelines, resources, and operations for a greener and safer planet. 

Over one million kilometres of pipeline criss-cross the globe. They transport the resources we need on a daily basis. You would be hard-pressed to get through a day without benefiting from pipelines or the resources they deliver.

Whether it's water, oil, or gas, what flows through pipelines is valuable. Pipeline theft and leakage cause significant trouble for pipeline operators, so an accurate leak detection system is a necessity. 

Why do pipelines leak?

Pipelines leak for many potential reasons, such as accidental damage from nearby works or even deliberate theft. Another significant reason is ageing; many of the world’s pipelines are decades old and therefore prone to corrosion, this being a major cause of leakage.

The scale of the leaks and losses from these different causes vary widely from large pipe ruptures that must be identified and stopped immediately to very small leaks caused by ageing that can be difficult to find. Either way, pipeline leak detection and pipeline theft detection are vital for safe, clean, and efficient operations.

Why is pipeline leak detection important?

The resources flowing through pipes are valuable. Any loss has significant financial repercussions for pipeline operators. In 2021, PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) reported 632 significant pipeline incidents in the US alone. The cost to pipeline operators was over $200 million that year alone.

When you combine the financial cost of leaks with the social and environmental risks, such as releasing pollutants into the environment or endangering human safety, it’s clear that accurate and fast pipeline leak detection and pipeline theft detection have never been more crucial.

An early warning of a leak will minimise the impact, help you comply with regulations and protect the safety of employees, local communities and the environment.

Klarian’s solutions

At Klarian, we understand the importance of early warnings. An immediate alert of a leak will minimise the impact and protect the safety of employees, local communities and the environment. A proprietary leak detection system is a core application of our Digipipe solution.

There are many different types of pipeline with multiple configurations resulting in many different types of leaks, so a single solution cannot always provide optimum protection. Typically, pipeline regulators require leaks to be identified and reported in a timely manner with a minimum of two independent techniques used.

Klarian offers a portfolio of smart leak detection methods to build pipeline-specific leak detection systems for any scenario:

• Flow Balance – comparing flow levels between metering points along the line.
• Negative Pressure Wave – detecting the sudden pressure drop caused when a leak first happens.
• AI Signature Techniques – using a neural network to build an array of results for possible operating states and comparing the current state in real-time against this library.