LNG MONITORING

Fiber Optic Sensing
for Liquified Gases

QUICKLY LOCATE THE SMALLEST LEAKS AND CONTROL JETTY COOL-DOWN AND BASE SLAB HEATING

Maximize safety and minimize risks at facilities managing LNG and other liquified gases (LPG, Ammonium, Hydrogen etc.) with leading-edge technology

Due to the extreme temperatures needed to keep gas in its liquid state, small leaks can have devastating consequences. With Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS), the temperature information is analyzed in real time with just a single passive fiber optic cable. This enables efficient leakage detection while lowering cost of ownership and providing gapless temperature monitoring of the critical assets of an entire plant, such as pipes, tank annulus, impounding basins or jetties.

DISTRIBUTED TEMPERATURE SENSING (DTS)

DTS technology is recommended for spillage detection in liquefied natural gas facilities in section 13.4 of EN 1473:2007-06. With optical fibers used for sensing, our system is non-corrosive and intrinsically safe in explosive atmospheres. It accurately measures the temperature over multiple kilometers every minute and is also suitable for the operation under extreme conditions. With this real-time information, automatic countermeasures can be taken in the case of an emergency such as automatic system shut down, which minimizes environmental and economic consequences.

Leak Detection

A leak of a pipe or tank leads to very low temperatures that are precisely detected and located within a few meters with the fiber optic sensor cable that is installed along the pipe, in the tank annulus or around impoundment basins. Various alarm thresholds can be individually set in different alarm zones offering pre- and main alarms. AP Sensing’s smart alarm features cover maximum, minimum and three gradient alarms to ensure best performance. Our DTS solution offers the lowest false alarm rate in the industry; alarms are transmitted to the DCS system through standard protocols like Modbus TCP and/or hard-wired relay contacts.

Temperature Monitoring

Additionally, optimized control of cool-down operations, e.g., for load and unload procedures, are easily enabled with the continuous thermal information provided by the DTS system. With the high coverage of several kilometers per measurement unit, full temperature monitoring makes it possible to pinpoint the exact locations of any thermal anomalies. This feature is helpful for the control of base slab heating systems – not only to identify hot spots, but also to reduce overall energy consumption and the amount of blow-off gas.

AP Sensing’s DTS solutions are compliant to various regulations around the world. The operator receives all critical information, such as temperature, even for inaccessible locations inside the tank. Our system is certified for highly explosive atmospheres (ATEX /IECEx), and according IEC 61508 SIL2. It is virtually maintenance-free and suitable for remote areas which are difficult to access. This ease-of-use comes with highly reliable performance, a low-power laser for safe use and a long product life (MTBF > 33 years). Part of our offering includes sensor cables that fit to the needs of the application: robustness and a wide temperature measurement range (-196 °C to 300 °C).

SMARTVISION^TM

Our sophisticated SmartVision™ software features asset visualization and alarm management with a central database plus reporting and analysis capabilities. Intuitive graphic user interface (GUI) software provides an overview of all critical assets and points of interest. Critical data is visualized, and the operator can identify the exact alarm trigger spot. Pinpointing multiple events simultaneously, the operator is enabled to react quickly and initiate appropriate countermeasures before severe damage and down-times occur. SmartVision provides easy integration with other monitoring solutions, such as CCTV, DAS, DTS and other sensor solutions via Modbus and SCADA.

AP Sensing is your long-term partner and offers world-class support for the design, installation and commissioning and project management phases. This includes through-life and hotline support, maintenance and training.

KEY FEATURES

OUR KEY FEATURES FOR LNG MONITORING

Why you should choose AP Sensing!

Feature	Benefit
Fiber-optic distributed optical sensing technology	…accurate, continuous and continual leak detection and temperature measurement.
Robust passive sensor cables with specially coated fibers	…safe operation and quick detection; suitable for cryogenic temperatures.
SIL and ATEX-approved safety solution	...form an integral part of plant's DCS systems.
Accurate temperature measurement in a wide measurement range	…precise cool-down monitoring and energy saving control of base slab heating systems.
Comprehensive software solutions	...SmartVision™ for asset visualization, alarming, analyzing reporting and integration.

APPLICATION FIELDS

APPLICATIONS

Fiber optic distributed optical sensing is uniquely suited to a variety of monitoring tasks within an LNG facility, including:

Impounding basins
Cool-down monitoring on the jetty
Leakage detection in liquefaction and process areas
Leakage monitoring in the tank annulus
Monitoring of the spill containment area
Base slab monitoring
Monitoring of LNG terminals (for re-gasification or transportation)
Monitoring of containments, foundations, pumps and piping

DOCUMENTATION

LNG MONITORING DOCUMENTATION

Fiber-optic leakage detection system

Download LNG Monitoring information in the language of your choice:

AP SENSING SUCCESS STORIES

We have hundreds of satisfied customers worldwide!

Pipeline Leakage Detection Crude Oil Updated Case

Mittelplate is Germany's largest oilfield and is located in the ecologically-sensitive Wadden Sea (a national park). The highest level of safety standards needs to be met to monitor 2 specialty pipelines between the island and the mainland. The operators selected a Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) solution from AP Sensing for monitoring and leakage detection.

DTS Monitoring system identifies pipeline issue Updated Case

Pipeline transportation of sulfur requires heated pipelines, so that the sulfur remains in liquid form. At the Q8 Kuwait refinery in Rotterdam a reliable and well-performing DTS (Distributed Temperature Sensing) system was needed to diagnose a heating issue in a sulfur pipeline.

Brine Pipeline Leakage Detection Germany (German) Updated Case

AP Sensing’s Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) system is installed at Solvay Chemicals in Germany, to monitor the integrity of an important 8 km brine pipeline. Solvay Chemicals is an international operating chemical company. It employs about 14,800 people in 40 countries and belongs to one of the ten biggest chemical enterprises worldwide.

Brine Pipeline Leakage Detection Germany Updated Case

Ammonia Pipeline France Updated Case

Ammonia is highly toxic, and needs to be carefully monitored when transported as a highly-cooled liquid through pipelines. AP Sensing’s fiber-optic based DTS system was selected to monitor an entire network of ammonia pipelines at an animal food supplement plant.

CO2 Pipeline UAE Updated Case

The operators of a 72 km CO2 pipeline wanted a fast and accurate system for leakage detection and Third Party Interference (TPI) monitoring. AP Sensing’s solution uses Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) for pipeline leakage detection and Distributed Vibration Sensing (DVS) for TPI, ensuring maximum protection of this valuable infrastructure.

Sulfur Pipeline Habshan UAE Updated Case

Pipeline transporting of sulfur requires heated pipelines, so the sulfur remains in liquid form. AP Sensing's fiber-optic based DTS (Distributed Temperature Sensing) system provides insight into the temperature along the entire length of the pipeline.

Natural Gas Pipeline Thailand September 2020

A natural gas pipeline operator in Thailand sought out a solution to protect a 27 km pipeline from Third Party Interference (TPI). AP Sensing's solution provides constant, real-time monitoring of the entire pipeline using Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS). Successful testing was conducted to detect TPI events such as excavator digging, moving and tapping, as well as manual digging and vehicle movement.

Wet Oil Pipeline May 2020

AP Sensing is monitoring a complex project involving two buried, wet oil pipelines utilizing Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) systems for leak detection for our customer, Wintershall-Dea. The project used gradient-based and machine learning transient leak detection for highest detection capabilities and a very low false alarm rate.

Reservoir Water Pipeline Germany Feb 2019

An AP Sensing DTS solution with SmartVision™ software was selected to monitor two reservoir water pipelines in northern Germany. These pipelines are used to dispose of water leftover from oil and gas production. The AP Sensing DTS is used to monitor and control the pipelines for leakages from the production facility to the bore walls.

Press Release Fiber Optic Sensing Association NOV 2017

The Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA) today released details on more than 1,300 installations of distributed fiber optic sensing (DFOS) around the world, the largest representative sample ever published. AP Sensing is proud of our global contributions for pipeline leak detection, high voltage power cable monitoring and fire detection.

DTS Technology Reduces LNG Plant Operating Costs Sept 2014

Fiber optic DTS (distributed temperature sensing) systems have been used for over 30 years on LNG terminals. From the jetty to the processing area, from the tank annulus to the spill containment area and the base slab, DTS monitoring is ideally suited to monitoring tasks at an LNG facility.

Digitization is the driver for quality, capacity and efficient railway operation for DB Netz AG. Fiber Optic Sensing is an outstanding technology that enables the improval of infrastructure capabilities at lightspeed compared to other solutions using existing cable infrastructure. AP Sensing is taking FOS-based railway monitoring to the next level with their true phase-based system and the extensive use of AI. We’re happy to work in collaboration with AP Sensing’s responsive and innovative team, helping us to get projects moving and getting FOS integrated in the daily railway operation.

Max Schubert

DB Netz AG

AP Sensing's support team has been a fantastic resource for us over the years. They have helped us with system development and implementation planning, and they are always quick to respond to our technical queries with competent advice and helpful tips.

Geoff Harris

Ausgrid

For me AP Sensing is the forerunner for distributed optical temperature sensing. You can see in their solutions a combination of experience and creativity -- an intuitive design that works just as you'd expect, yet they aren't afraid to think out of the box, or provide a customized solution. They carry on their HP/Agilent heritage and continue to develop and advance, while remaining true to their core values of quality and reliability.

Roberto Gaspari

Prysmian

When I think of AP Sensing the first thing I think of is reliability. We completely trust and rely on their performance specifications and I know that their technical support team is dedicated and passionate about solving any problems that might come up.

Paul Sanders

Petrospec Engineering

Knowing the technology and market, it is evident to me that AP Sensing is the forerunner in distributed optical sensing. Their solutions reflect a combination of experience and creativity. Experience comes from their HP/Agilent heritage, the leader in test and measurement equipment, with decades of experience in developing and manufacturing extremely reliable and high quality products. The creativity comes from their passion and commitment to solving real customer problems.

David Orr

Protex Systems

When you do business with AP Sensing you get the feeling that you are working together as partners, because they listen to you and understand the challenges of your day-to-day operations. Communication with AP Sensing is always professional and it's obvious that they have the experience and the technical know-how to answer our queries.

Marcin Cichy

Honeywell

AP Sensing's DTS is simply the best fit. We apply it together with ConveySafe in our coal power plants to protect our conveyors. The systems are rugged and completely reliable, need very little power, and can be seamlessly integrated into customer SCADA environments. Best of all, you don't just buy a box from them and that's it -- their post-sales support is outstanding.

Harald Grzybeck

STEAG

The SIL-2 (Safety Integrity Level) rating that AP Sensing has achieved on its DTS gives us the confidence that their solution is going to work as planned, day in and day out, in high-risk environments. Our LNG terminal operators sleep better at night knowing that our assets are protected and security standards are met.

Dr. Stephan Grosswig

GESO

My AP Sensing regional customer support is fantastic: competent, thorough and quick to get back to me. They have been a key player in our complex pipeline projects over the years, and they truly offer through-life product support, from installation and commissioning to training.

Dustin Bow

PENTAIR