Pipeline pressure testing accounting for measurement uncertainties

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11473275-B2
Application number	US-202016889455-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2020
Priority date	Jun 1, 2020
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

A pipeline pressure test that accounts for measurement uncertainties includes a method for performing a pressure test of a pipe section of a pipeline including receiving a desired pressure to be applied to the pipe section and a duration of time the desired pressure is to be applied to the pipe section, receiving a pressure measurement of a fluid, a temperature measurement of the fluid, a volume measurement of the fluid, and a pipe section strain measurement, determining a change in fluid pressure and a volume change, determining a pressure change uncertainty and a volume change uncertainty, checking that the pressure change uncertainty is within a pressure uncertainty threshold and that the volume change uncertainty is within a volume uncertainty threshold, determining whether the desired pressure has been applied to the inner surface of the pipe section for the duration of time; and outputting a result of the testing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for performing a pressure test of a pipe section of a pipeline, the method comprising:
receiving, at a processor, a desired pressure to be applied to an inner surface of the pipe section and a duration of time that the desired pressure is to be applied to the pipe section;
receiving, at the processor, a pressure measurement of a fluid, a temperature measurement of the fluid, a volume measurement of the fluid, and a strain measurement of the pipe section;
determining, by the processor, a change in pressure of the fluid of the pipe section and a change in volume of the fluid of the pipe section;
determining, by the processor, when the change in pressure is different from a theoretical change in pressure;
determining, by the processor, a pressure change uncertainty and a volume change uncertainty;
checking, by the processor, that the pressure change uncertainty is within a pressure uncertainty threshold and that the volume change uncertainty is within a volume uncertainty threshold;
determining, by the processor, whether the desired pressure has been applied to the inner surface of the pipe section for the duration of time; and
outputting a result of the testing, the pressure change uncertainty, and the volume change uncertainty.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the pressure change uncertainty and the volume change uncertainty is based, at least in part, on a pressure sensor uncertainty of a pressure sensor measuring the pressure of the fluid.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the pressure change uncertainty and the volume change uncertainty is based, at least in part, on a temperature sensor uncertainty of a temperature sensor measuring the temperature of the fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the pressure change uncertainty and the volume change uncertainty is based, at least in part, on a strain gauge sensor uncertainty of a strain gauge sensor measuring the strain of the pipe section.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the strain measurement is measured using:
an axial strain gauge located on an outer surface of the pipe section, oriented axially along the pipe section, and configured to measure an axial strain; and
a circumferential strain gauge located on the outer surface of the pipe section, oriented circumferentially along the pipe section, and configured to measure a circumferential strain.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the desired pressure has been applied to the inner surface of the pipe section for the duration of time while the pressure change uncertainty is within the pressure uncertainty threshold and the volume change uncertainty is within the volume uncertainty threshold.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving information representing an uncertainty associated with each of the pressure measurement of the fluid, the temperature measurement of the fluid, the volume of the fluid, and the strain measurement of the pipe section.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving geometric properties of the pipe section, the geometric properties comprising a diameter of the pipe section and a thickness of the pipe section, wherein the pressure change uncertainty and the volume change uncertainty are based on the geometric properties of the pipe section.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving material properties of the pipe section, the material properties comprising a thermal expansion of the pipe section and a yield strength of the pipe section, wherein the pressure change uncertainty and the volume change uncertainty are based on the material properties of the pipe section.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising determining when material yielding occurs in the pipe section based on, at least in part, the pressure measurement and the volume measurement.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating a notification based on the determination that the change is pressure is different from the theoretical change in pressure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein activating the notification is further based on the determination that the change is pressure is different from the theoretical change in pressure.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining when the change is volume is different from a theoretical change in volume.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising activating a notification when the pressure change uncertainty is not within the pressure uncertainty threshold and the volume change uncertainty is not within the volume uncertainty threshold.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying the desired pressure to the pipe section by pumping fluid into the pipe section.

16. A system for performing a pressure test of a pipe section of a pipeline, the system comprising:
a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of a fluid within the pipe section;
a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the fluid within the pipe section;
a volume sensor configured to measure a volume of the fluid within the pipe section based, at least in part, on a thermal coefficient of expansion of the pipe section;
one or more strain gauges configured to measure a strain of the pipe section; and
a computer comprising a processor and a storage medium, the computer configured to:
receive the pressure measurement from the pressure sensor, the temperature measurement from the sensor, the volume measurement from the volume sensor, and the strain measurement from the one or more strain gauges; and
determine whether the pipe section passes a strength test and whether the pipe section passes a tightness test by accounting for an uncertainty associated with the pressure sensor, the temperature sensor, the volume sensor, and the one or more strain gauges.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more strain gauges comprise:
an axial strain gauge located on an outer surface of the pipe section, oriented axially along the pipe section, and configured to measure an axial strain; and,
a circumferential strain gauge located on the outer surface of the pipe section, oriented circumferentially along the pipe section, and configured to measure a circumferential strain.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein the computer is further configured to determine a pressure change uncertainty of the pipe section and a volume change uncertainty of the fluid within the pipe section.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Muslim Husain M
• Al-Saleh Mansour M
• Al-Subaikhy Hani A

Classifications

• G01M5/0025

  of elongated objects, e.g. pipes, masts, towers or railways (G01M5/0058 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16L2201/30

  Detecting leaks · CPC title

• G01M5/0033

  by determining damage, crack or wear · CPC title

• E03B7/075 Primary

  Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate · CPC title

• E03B11/10

  for public or like main water supply · CPC title