Monitoring of the position of a pipe inspection tool in a pipeline
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsArthur Hartog, Kevin Forbes, Andrew Strong, Roger Hampson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and a method for monitoring of a pipe inspection tool in a pipeline, the apparatus comprising at least one sensor carrier apparatus being locatable along and in close proximity to a pipeline, a plurality of acoustic sensors being locatable on the sensor carrier apparatus, a pipeline inspection tool which is moveable through the pipeline being detectable by means of the acoustic sensors, and the location of the pipeline inspection tool being able to be determined by means of the acoustic sensors.
Claims32
Apparatus for monitoring of a pipe inspection tool in a pipeline, comprising:
- at least one sensor carrier apparatus being locatable in close proximity to and along the length of a pipeline;
- a plurality of acoustic sensors being locatable on the sensor carrier apparatus;
- a pipeline inspection tool which is moveable through the pipeline being detectable by means of the acoustic sensors;
- and
- the location of the pipeline inspection tool being able to be determined by means of the acoustic sensors.
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor carrier apparatus is locatable in the backfill of a pipeline.
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the acoustic sensors are used to monitor the progress of the pipe inspection tool through the pipeline.
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the pipe inspection tool is instrumented.
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which further includes signal processing equipment for receiving active acoustic signals emitted from the pipe inspection tool.
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, which includes a data interpretation device for determining information on the state of the pipeline based on the acoustic signature of the pipe inspection tool as it passes through the pipeline.
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor carrier apparatus is in the form of a cable.
Apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the acoustic sensors are used to collect background data through the pipeline before the pipeline inspection tool is moved through the pipeline.
A method of monitoring of a pipe inspection tool in a pipeline, the method comprising:
- connecting interrogation electronics to a plurality of acoustic sensors located on a sensor carrier apparatus which is located in close proximity and along the length of at least a section of the pipeline;
- detecting the acoustic data of a pipeline inspection tool which is moving through the section of pipeline by means of the acoustic sensors and interrogation electronics;
- and
- determining the location of the pipeline inspection tool by means of the acoustic sensors and interrogation electronics.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.