Dynamic Model of Hydrocarbon Pipeline Leak Location Pinpoint

Abstract

Pipeline is the means of transporting natural gas product from distribution terminal to the end users. It comprises several millions of networks and still in expansion. The global challenge of the natural gas pipeline is leaks, which leads to environmental degradation, economical treats due to product loss and above all treat to human existence. This work infuses analytical dynamic mathematical model of isothermal of steady state methodology. To pinpoint accurate leak location, a horizontal cylindrical pipe of inlet and outlet sections, were used to carry out the leak location incidents. Two equations were generated, describing the pipeline sections under affected and unaffected leak areas of the pipeline, with trivial modified Weymouth’s equation fluid flow of a straight cylindrical pipeline. The field data of nine (9) cases were used in the model simulation with their respective leak location pinpoints ( ), gas leak constant of proportionality ( , the gas flowrate in the pipeline ( ) and the gas pressure at leak point ( were ascertained. The comparison of the field experimental result of leak location pinpoint and the gas flowrate in the pipeline with their MATLAB simulated results has mean square error of 0.735% and 0.356% respectively, showing high accuracy level below signal to leak percentage minimum acceptable limit. The model made a significant impact for accurate leak location pinpoint in natural gas pipeline with distributed strain/pressure sensory as the key parameter.