Method and apparatus for real time enhancing of the operation of a fluid transport pipeline

Abstract

A real time method and dynamic logic-based system for enhancing the operation of a pipeline network is disclosed. The system and method perform monitoring of the operation of a pipeline network, generate alarms in response to differing levels of destabilized pipeline operations, manage the generation of alarms based upon known operating events and operating conditions, diagnose potential source of the detected destabilized events and manage the operation of the pipeline.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of real time dynamic monitoring a pipeline network to identify possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network, comprising:
 sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network at predetermined locations within the pipeline network;   determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves by detecting variations in the sensed pressure waves, and determining whether or not the detected variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation, wherein the accepted standard deviation is calculated on a rolling basis,   wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further includes determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed a predetermined stable operating threshold, wherein the predetermined stable operating threshold is automatically adjusted based upon at least one of the current operating mode, current operating conditions and current operating events,   wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further includes determining whether or not a subsequential decompression characteristic is present following the detection of the variation in sensed pressure waves; and   corroborating the presence of the destabilizing event; wherein corroborating the presence of the destabilizing event includes determining the certainty of the possible destabilizing event.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 issuing an alarm indicating the presence of a leak when it is determined that the subsequential decompression characteristic is present.   
     
     
         3 . The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to  claim 1 , further comprising: generating an alarm reporting the presence and certainty of the possible destabilizing event. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the alarm has more than one alarm level, wherein the alarm level generated is based upon the determined certainty of the possible destabilizing event. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3 , further comprising: managing the generation of alarms. 
     
     
         6 . The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining the location of the possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves.   
     
     
         7 . The method of monitoring a pipeline network according to  claim 6 , further comprising:
 generating an alarm reporting at least one of the presence and location of the possible destabilizing event.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the alarm has more than one alarm level, wherein the alarm level generated is based upon the determined certainty of the possible destabilizing event. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: reporting the potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising: determining at least one corrective measure in response to the sensed destabilizing event; and
 performing at least one of reporting the at least one corrective measure to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the at least one corrective measure.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising: identifying a potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event by comparing the character of the current destabilizing events using an expert based diagnostic subroutine with prior destabilizing events, the current operating mode of the pipeline network, the current operating conditions in the pipeline network and the current operating events in the pipeline network. 
     
     
         12 . A method of real time dynamic monitoring a pipeline network to identify possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network, comprising:
 sensing one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network at predetermined locations within the pipeline network;   determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves by determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed a predetermined stable operating threshold, wherein the predetermined stable operating threshold is automatically adjusted based upon at least one of the current operating mode, current operating conditions and current operating events, wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further includes detecting variations in the sensed pressure waves, and determining whether or not the detected variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation, wherein the accepted standard deviation is calculated on a rolling basis, wherein the determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network includes determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed the adjusted predetermined stable operating threshold, wherein determining the presence of a possible destabilizing event in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves further includes determining whether or not a subsequential decompression characteristic is present following the detection of the variation in sensed pressure waves;   determining the certainty of the possible destabilizing event;   corroborating the presence of the destabilizing event based upon at least one of (i) one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions and (ii) at least one independent process variable; and   identifying a potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event by comparing the character of the current destabilized events using an expert based diagnostic subroutine with at least one of the prior destabilizing events, the current operating mode of the pipeline network, the current operating conditions in the pipeline network and the current operating events in the pipeline network.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising: reporting the potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising: determining at least one corrective measure in response to the sensed destabilizing event; and
 one of reporting the at least one corrective measure to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the at least one corrective measure.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event when the sensed pressure waves exceed the adjusted predetermined stable operating threshold, wherein the alarm has more than one alarm level, wherein the alarm level generated is based upon the determined certainty of the possible destabilizing event.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event further comprising generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event when the sensed pressure waves exceed the adjusted predetermined stable operating threshold and the detected variation exceeds the accepted standard deviation. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein generating an alarm indicating the possible presence of a destabilizing event includes generating an alarm indicating the presence of a leak when it is determined that the subsequential decompression characteristic is present. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising: generating an alarm reporting the presence and certainty of the possible destabilizing event. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the alarm has more than one alarm level, wherein the alarm level generated is based upon the determined certainty of the possible destabilizing event. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising: managing the generation of alarms. 
     
     
         21 . A dynamic system for monitoring a pipeline network, wherein the pipeline network having a first facility, a second facility, at least one pipeline segment connecting the first facility and the second facility such that the fluid can flow between the first facility and the second facility, and at least one pumping station connected to the at least one pipeline segment, whereby fluid flowing through the at least one pipeline segment flows through the at least one pumping station, the system comprising:
 a plurality of pressure sensing devices for sensing the presence of one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network;   a plurality of remote monitoring devices operatively connected to the first facility, the second facility and the at least one pumping station, wherein the remote monitoring devices monitor the operation of the pipeline network and collect operating data of the pipeline network; and   a control unit operatively connected to the plurality of pressure sensing devices and the plurality of remote monitoring devices for dynamic monitoring the operation of the pipeline network based upon signals received from the plurality of remote monitoring devices, wherein the control unit detects the presence of possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network by determining whether or not variations in the sensed pressure waves are present and whether or not the variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation, wherein the accepted standard deviation is calculated on a rolling basis, wherein the control unit further determines the presence of a possible destabilizing event by determining whether or not the sensed pressure waves exceed a predetermined stable operating threshold, wherein the control unit adjusts the predetermined stable operating threshold in response to at least one of the operating mode, current operating conditions and current operating events, wherein the control unit further diagnoses a potential cause of the sensed destabilizing event by comparing the character of the sensed destabilizing event using an expert based diagnostic subroutine with at least one of prior destabilizing events, the current operating mode of the pipeline network, the current operating conditions in the pipeline network and the current operating events in the pipeline network.   
     
     
         22 . The system for monitoring a pipeline network according to  claim 21 , wherein the control unit identifies remedial measures to isolate or correct the possible destabilizing event in response to the determination that a possible destabilizing event exists. 
     
     
         23 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the control unit performs at least one of reporting the remedial measures to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the remedial measures. 
     
     
         24 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the control unit empirically determines the accepted standard deviation. 
     
     
         25 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the control unit comprising:
 a plurality of remote control units, wherein each of the plurality of remote control units being operatively connected to one of the plurality of remote monitoring devices, wherein each remote control unit detects the presence of possible destabilizing events sensed by the corresponding remote monitoring devices by determining whether or not variations in the sensed pressure waves are present and whether or not the variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation, wherein the remote control unit corroborates the presence of the destabilizing event based upon at least one of (i) one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions and (ii) at least one independent process variable.   
     
     
         26 . The system according to  claim 21 , wherein the control unit further comprising:
 a master control unit operatively connected to each of the plurality of remote control units, wherein the master control unit further corroborates the presence of the destabilizing event from each of the remote control units based upon at least one of (i) one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions and (ii) at least one independent process variable.   
     
     
         27 . A pipeline network for transporting fluids, comprising:
 a first facility;   a second facility;   at least one pipeline segment connecting the first facility and the second facility such that the fluid can flow between the first facility and the second facility;   at least one pumping station connected to the at least one pipeline segment, whereby fluid flowing through the at least one pipeline segment flows through the at least one pumping station; and   a monitoring system for monitoring the operation of the pipeline network, wherein the monitoring system comprising:   a plurality of pressure sensing devices for sensing the presence of one or more pressure waves within the pipeline network;   a plurality of remote monitoring devices operatively connected to the first facility, the second facility and the at least one pumping station, wherein the remote monitoring devices monitor the operation of the pipeline network and collect operating data of the pipeline network; and   a control unit operatively connected to the plurality of pressure sensing devices and the plurality of remote monitoring devices for controlling the operation of the pipeline network based upon signals received from the plurality of remote monitoring devices, wherein the control unit determines (i) whether or not variations in the sensed pressure waves are present, and (ii) whether or not the variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation, wherein the accepted standard deviation is calculated on a rolling basis,   wherein the control unit detects the presence of possible destabilizing events in the pipeline network in response to the sensed pressure waves based upon determining whether or not detected variations in the sensed pressure waves exceeds an accepted standard deviation,   
       wherein the control unit determines the certainty of the possible destabilizing event. 
     
     
         28 . The pipeline network according to  claim 27 , wherein the control unit determines the location of a destabilizing event in the pipeline network based upon the location of the pressure sensing devices that sensed a pressure wave. 
     
     
         29 . The pipeline network according to  claim 27 , wherein the control unit identifies remedial measures to isolate or correct the possible destabilizing event in response to the determination that a possible destabilizing event exists. 
     
     
         30 . The pipeline network according to  claim 27 , wherein the control unit performs at least one of reporting the remedial measures to an operator of the pipeline network and automatically executing the remedial measures. 
     
     
         31 . The pipeline network according to  claim 27 , wherein the control unit comprising:
 a plurality of remote control units, wherein each of the plurality of remote control units being operatively connected to one of the plurality of remote monitoring devices, wherein each remote control unit detects the presence of possible destabilizing events sensed by the corresponding remote monitoring devices by determining whether or not variations in the sensed pressure waves are present and whether or not the variation exceeds an accepted standard deviation, wherein the remote control unit corroborates the presence of the destabilizing event based upon at least one of (i) one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions and (ii) at least one independent process variable.   
     
     
         32 . The pipeline network according to  claim 27 , wherein the control unit further comprising:
 a master control unit operatively connected to each of the plurality of remote control units, wherein the master control unit further corroborates the presence of the destabilizing event from each of the remote control units based upon at least one of (i) one or more sensed pipeline network operating conditions and (ii) at least one independent process variable.