New Global Standard in Pipeline Monitoring?

With detection rates that are close to the speed of light, high fidelity dynamic sensing (HDS) can be seen as an almost sci-fi solution of modern sensing technology; its application in pipeline operations is beginning to revolutionize the detection and prevention of pipeline leaks. That’s why the HDS innovator, Calgary-based Hifi Engineering, was recently awarded the 2019 Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA) Foundation’s Innovation Award.

“The CEPA Foundation Innovation Award is huge validation for our work,” said Hifi’s President and CEO, Steven Koles. “We’re so proud of this technology. It’s a Canadian invention that’s creating clean tech jobs and contributing in a big way to pipeline safety and continuous improvement.”

Here’s what HDS does for pipelines:

• Specialized fiber optics (not to be confused with telecom fiber optics) are fully distributed along the pipeline, so the technology can sense every centimeter, enabling operators to know exactly where a potential leak occurred.
• HDS sensing is a 24/7 activity with a level of accuracy that can detect a pinhole leak.
• HDS also senses and alerts the operator to any activity or intrusions that could result in a leak, including third party intrusion; geotechnical events, such as earthquakes, landslides, slope movement, and changes in strain on the pipe; and very small temperature anomalies.

Koles notes that pipeline operating companies have been involved in rigorous testing of the technology. “We’ve proven ourselves,” he notes proudly. “And we’re starting to see tremendous momentum, not just in Canada and the U.S., but in other areas of the world such as Europe and Australia. We believe this technology can become the new global gold standard.”