Key pipeline solution updates
Building on the success of Q4 2023, we’ve ended the first quarter of 2024 with continued pipeline leak detection and theft detection for our customers.
Below is a selection of success stories from a busy quarter at Atmos, including theft detection in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America, an aviation update and progress in the water industry.
Quarterly achievements
- 11 thefts detected
- 11 SATs completed
- 10 FATs completed
- 10 training sessions delivered
- Five customers upgraded to the latest software
Multicontinental pipeline theft detection
Africa
A theft was detected during the weekly checks of a pipeline in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on January 4. We notified the pipeline operators and they were able to locate the tapping point and provide further information about the event.
A local farmer alerted a guard tower to the illegal tapping point as they were surprised to find a leak in their farm. The exact location was at 323.3 km and using our software, we calculated the location to be at 322.86 km (440 m off). We also estimated the amount of product loss accurately despite a lack of flow-rate information.
Shortly after, we identified another theft event with a unique story behind it.
After locating the tapping point following the first theft event, the customer admitted to us that they used this opportunity to test our leak detection system by “stealing product themselves” and we were successful in detecting it.
Additional thefts were detected in the DRC this quarter along with theft activity in Nigeria, where a tapping point was discovered with a 3 inch illegal connection at the location.
Asia
Using Atmos Wave Flow as part of their leak detection system, the system alarmed recently on a customer’s pipeline in India. Further analysis by engineers confirmed the leak was caused by a theft event and verified the theft location shortly after, with the tapping point being located quickly.
On a pipeline spanning over 25 km in Indonesia, offline analysis by engineers using Atmos Theft Net has been consistently reporting theft activities. After recommending that the customer patrol the theft location to investigate the issue further, an illegal tapping point was discovered only 100 m from our estimated location of the theft site.
Europe
A customer in Italy recently received a leak alarm on their pipeline. We identified the alarm as suspicious and later confirmed that it was theft activity.
After investigating the location where the product loss occurred, the customer found an illegal tapping point. The exact location of the tapping point was 28.714 km and the leak location provided by our system was 28.861 km (only 147 m away).
Latin America
In Costa Rica, one customer continues to stay ahead of thieves’ evolving techniques by locating illegal tapping points frequently. In some cases, location deviations are down to 20 m in complicated areas where thieves are using different methods that make the location of the points difficult. Below are three examples of the tapping found.
Our theft detection systems in Ecuador are also demonstrating accurate location estimates, with one illegal tapping point located at km 105.500. This was a deviation of 250m from the location reported by Atmos Theft Net’s analysis.
Even when no illegal tapping point was found, the authorities were able to find a number of trucks with stolen product close to the reported location by Atmos.
Learn more about the theft detection solutions that helped overcome multi-contintential pipeline theft this quarter
Atmos Theft Net Atmos Wave Flow
Update from aviation
Atmos’ aviation team have been conducting flying visits to customers across the globe as an increasing number of airports opt for our leak testing solutions on their hydrants.
Despite challenging weather conditions and fluctuating temperatures, the aviation team have recently completed many installations of the Atmos Portable Tightness Monitor across the Americas and provided detailed training to field operators.
Atmos Portable Tightness Monitor is a field portable version of the Atmos Tightness Monitor system. The product is supplied in two Peli™ cases and can be quickly connected to the hydrant pipeline by the operator. Following completion of the test it can be quickly disconnected and moved to other hydrant segments for further testing. The hardware can be connected to the hydrant via a coupler on a refueling point or via a low drain point.
Discover how Atmos supports hydrant fueling operations in the aviation industry
Water industry update
We’ve recently completed the data analysis of a selection of blind leak tests carried out by a UK water utility, concluding phase one of our trunk mains trial with them.
This pilot project was delivered using four pieces of Atmos’ hardware instrumentation installed on a 6 km section of one of the utility’s trunk mains transporting clean water.
For another UK water utility, we recently attended one of their pumping stations to carry out leak tests on their rising sewer mains.
With hardware installed inside the pumping station we were able to detect a range of leaks, from rupture or burst events down to slow forming leaks, some being as small as 0.3 l/s.
Learn more about the company whose solutions have been applied to over 1,500 pipelines in more than 60 countries
Atmos International was originally founded in 1995 with a primary focus to detect pipeline leaks reliably on operational pipelines. Nothing has changed except advances in our technologies which continues to grow and adapt to the changes within the oil, gas, chemical, water, aviation and mining industries.