Transforming pipeline efficiency: 2023 highlights

2023 was a landmark year for Klarian – undoubtedly our most successful year to date.

We’ve made remarkable strides, from pinpointing energy and cost savings for British Pipeline Agency (BPA) to achieving ISO 9001 certification. It’s been a significant year and the outlook for 2024 promises it’s only going to get better.

To mark the end of the year, we thought we’d share some of our highlights with you:

1. Identifying efficiency gains for British Pipeline Agency (BPA)

We started working with BPA at the end of last year. So far, our analysis of BPA’s operations has identified multiple ways for them to boost efficiency and throughput while saving energy and lowering costs.

For example, we identified:

• Optimal routes with an average potential energy savings of 18.8%.
• BPA’s average mainline pump would consume over £5,000 less energy each month if its efficiency were brought to as-new optimal levels. For booster pumps, this is almost an £8,000 monthly saving.
• A hydraulic throttling issue that, when fixed, will net BPA a saving of over £10,000 per month.

You can read more about our work with BPA here.

2. Completing a project with one of the UK's leading gas pipeline operators

In 2023, we deployed our AI and big data capabilities to develop an anomaly detection solution for orifice plates. Inaccurate orifice plate measurements can lead to a wide range of problems, such as over-pressurisation or incorrect billing. Our solution to detect anomalies in flow rate data ensures safe, reliable, and cost-effective operations. You can read more about this project here.

3. Publishing our first paper in the Pipeline Technology Journal (PTJ)

If you want to learn more about the machine-learning and physics-based techniques we use, you should give our paper from the Pipeline Technology Journal in November 2023 a read. In it, we explain how we identify and quantify anomalies in pump performance and orifice alignment accuracy in relation to BPA and the gas operator.

The paper argues for our standpoint that “machine-learning is no replacement for engineering and physics expertise, so delivering physics-based insights overlaid with machine-learning is the best and most practical approach.”

You can read more here.

4. Completes our Innovate UK project on non-ideal flow dynamics in pipelines

In our pursuit of enhancing flow analysis accuracy, particularly in challenging locations for improved pipeline monitoring, we successfully executed a project as part of Round 7 in Innovate UK's Analysis for Innovators (A4I) grant funding programme.

Collaborating with Astute, renowned experts in computational fluid dynamics, we meticulously modelled the influence of bends on flow turbulence within pipelines. In the words of Innovate UK, it was 'a perfect example of a three-month project,' showcasing our commitment to innovation.

You can read more about our project here.

5. Published our first article in World Pipelines Magazine

In October 2023, we had an article published in World Pipelines Magazine. We discuss how harnessing your data to optimise your assets, will help you make your operations more efficient and less energy intensive.

Here’s a sneak peak of the article: “For immediate impact, operators can harness the power of AI and data analytics to optimise their pumps and compressors.”

If that caught your interest, you can get your hands on your own copy of the article here.

6. Achieved ISO 9001 certification

In August, we proudly announced that we had achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification, a globally recognised and leading standard for quality management systems. We were awarded by the British Standards Institute (BSI), an accredited body under the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). ISO 9001 is not just a certificate, it is proof of our unwavering commitment to efficiency, quality and innovation.

To stay up to date on what we get up to in 2024, make sure you’re signed up to our newsletter: See more with Klarian. Every month, we share timely insights that move with industry trends and leading topics as well as informed perspectives from our team of experts and partners. If you want to be the first to know what progress we’ve made with our clients, it’s the place to be: