#889: Chris Apps: C-FER In-Ground Pipeline Leak Detection Tests

, , ,

ELDER Testing Facility for In-Ground Pipeline Leaks

Download MP3 Link

Thousands of pipelines criss-cross the landscape, most buried underground.

 But when there’s a big leak of liquid  hydrocarbons, that usually hits the news.

Chris Apps is a senior research engineer with C-FER Technologies, a subsidiary of  Alberta Innovates.

His group is working with pipeline companies to evaluate emerging technologies that will improve the detection of leaks at an early stage.

CHRIS APPS:  Two of them are fibre optic based, and one of them is distributed temperature sensing.  And so essentially what that is is taking a fibre optic cable and turning it into a series of thermometers  along the length of the fibre optic cable and inferring leaks based on  temperature changes of that fibre optic cable.   The second technology is distributed acoustic sensing where its taking that same fibre optic cable or a similar one, and measuring sound at discreet intervals along the length of that fibre optic cable.  Again, in that case, it’s looking for either sound or vibrations caused by a leak.  

Chris Apps says C-FER is also testing two other  in-ground systems, one which uses an electrical cable to detect changes  and another which senses peaks in  hydrocarbon vapours.

Thanks today to Alberta Innovates

Learn more at Innovation Anthology.com

I’M CHERYL CROUCHER

Guest

,

, , , ,

Sponsor

Alberta Innovates

Alberta Innovates is a provincially funded Corporation with a mandate to deliver 21st century solutions for the most compelling challenges facing Albertans. We do this by building on our province’s research and technology development strengths in the core sectors of health, environment, energy, food and fibre and platforms such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and omics. We are working with our partners to diversify Alberta’s economy, improve our environmental performance and enhance our well-being through research and innovation. 

The Alberta Innovates system has roots stretching back almost 90 years

In March, 2016 the consolidation of Alberta Innovates was announced and on November 1, a single, integrated innovation powerhouse, Alberta Innovates, was formed. Two applied research subsidiaries – Innotech Alberta and C-Fer Technologies –  serve public and private sector interests.

The Alberta Innovates system was first created in January 2010, as part of an overall innovation framework developed within the Alberta Research and Innovation Act. At that time, four corporations were established:

  • Bio Solutions
  • Energy and Environment Solutions
  • Health Solutions
  • Technology Futures.

The Alberta Innovates system has a 90-year legacy. Our expertise is built on the successes of:

  • Alberta Institute for Agriculture
  • Forestry and the Environment
  • Alberta Agricultural Research Institute
  • Alberta Forestry Research Institute
  • Alberta Life Sciences Institute
  • Alberta Ingenuity
  • Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research
  • Alberta Research Council
  • iCORE
  • nanoAlberta
  • Alberta Water Research Institute (AWRI)
  • Alberta Energy Research Institute (AERI)
  • Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority (AOSTRA).

 

Program Date: 2017-08-24