Eni, SLB Form Pipeline Integrity Monitoring Alliance

Eni and SLB have formed an alliance to deploy Eni Vibroacoustic Pipeline Monitoring System (e-vpms) technology, both companies announced July 26 in a press release.

Eni subsidiary Enivibes, established in March, is bringing the pipeline integrity technology to the global market through its alliance with SLB. The e-vpms technology monitors the transport of hydrocarbon or water in pipelines and is aimed at protecting system integrity and detecting external events such as attempted product theft or accidental impact, corrosion related leak events and land movement events caused by earthquakes or landslides. The vibroacoustic wave detection system provides real-time analysis, monitoring and leak detection for onshore and offshore pipelines and can be retrofitted on existing pipelines.

“The e-vpms technology will equip operators with the ability to extract real-time data from even their oldest assets,” Ziad Jeha, business line director of midstream production systems at SLB, said in a release. “Operators will be able to receive reliable and specific real-time information, allowing for focused and timely responses, especially in instances of an environmental nature.”   

With e-vpms, sensors are deployed at discrete distances up to 31 miles apart along a pipeline to monitor the fluid behavior within the pipe and acoustic waves traveling along the pipe wall. The sensors have low bandwidth and power requirements and use existing facilities or fit-for-purpose power and communication solutions.

The technology has been installed to monitor more than 1,240 miles of installations in Africa, Europe and South America. According to SLB, the sensor package provides accurate event monitoring within 82 ft. 

The e-vpms has been deployed on block valve stations for buried pipelines, as well as on exposed pipelines transporting crude oil, refined products and injection water. For subsea pipelines, the system is installed topside.