Designing a sensor optimization algorithm for the gas pipe’s condition monitoring system

Abstract

In current Singapore, about 80% of the electricity used is produced by natural gas supplied mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia. The natural gas is transferred through pipelines which are laid underground and have a total distance of 2900km. It is difficult to detect gas leakage for such a long distance pipe and soil texture changes increase the probability of hazards and uncertainties. It may causes the pipeline to be vulnerable thus reduced the reliability of the gas supply. Therefore, pipeline monitoring systems for leakage, ground movement, and intrusion detection are important. By understanding leakage detection using distributed fibre-optic sensors can have a wide-ranging solution for the continuously, in-line and real-time monitoring of all different pipelines. Currently, PowerGas Limited is the only company managing the gas transportation in Singapore is able to monitor and controls the gas pipes network with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA). This system controls the gas pressure and flow rate as well as detecting a gas leakage of the gas pipe network. However, there is a limit to the system capability. Small cracks or leakage due to corrosion or accidental intrusion or maintenance activites could shows minimum amount of changes in gas pressure for the system to detect.