PipeSense has completed its first offshore technology deployment in Angola, using pressure-pulse technology to locate obstructions in two offshore pipelines transporting natural gas and crude oil.
The project, carried out with a multinational oil and gas operator, involved the deployment of PipeSense’s PipeScan technology across two offshore pipeline networks. The systems included a 20-inch natural gas pipeline and a 16-inch offshore crude oil and multiphase pipeline.
The technology uses controlled pressure pulses, high-speed pressure data acquisition and pressure-wave reflection analysis to identify the location of restrictions within pipelines.
Pressure-Pulse Testing Identifies Offshore Pipeline Obstructions
During testing of the 20-inch natural gas pipeline, PipeSense conducted repeated pressure-pulse tests to locate an obstruction approximately 11 km downstream of the launch facility.
The second deployment involved a 16-inch offshore crude oil and multiphase pipeline that had been flooded with seawater. Instrumentation was installed at both ends of the pipeline, while controlled pressure releases generated repeatable reflection signatures.
The resulting analysis located the obstruction approximately 700 m from the launcher, with an estimated accuracy of ±30 m under field conditions.
According to PipeSense, the technology can help operators locate restrictions without interrupting normal pipeline operations or relying on specialised tracking equipment.
Supporting Offshore Pipeline Integrity
The deployment demonstrates the potential of pressure-pulse technology for offshore pipeline integrity applications, including the identification of stuck pigs, hydrate plugs, debris and other flow restrictions.
For offshore and subsea operators, accurately identifying the location of an obstruction can support maintenance planning and reduce the need for more disruptive inspection or intervention activities.
The Angola project expands PipeSense’s experience from onshore energy and utilities applications into offshore and subsea pipeline environments. The company has also been developing technologies for pig tracking, leak detection and emerging carbon dioxide pipeline applications.
PipeSense Vice President of Business Development Josh Holmes said the Angola deployment demonstrates how obstruction-location technology can provide an additional tool for offshore pipeline operators managing complex infrastructure.
The successful deployment highlights the growing role of advanced monitoring and diagnostic technologies in improving pipeline integrity, operational reliability and asset visibility across Africa’s offshore oil and gas sector.
