GE Oil & Gas Introduces ThreatScan™ System To Boost Pipeline Security

Houston, TX - GE Oil & Gas, through its PII Pipeline Solutions group, has commercially launched its new "ThreatScan™" technology, which will be deployed to monitor pipelines threatened by third-party damage.

Of the threats to which pipelines are exposed, third-party damage is the world's leading cause of failures in both gas and liquid pipelines, according to GE. GE's ThreatScan system has been designed to specifically address some shortcomings of alternate monitoring methods to guard against third party damage: firstly, by providing a cost-effective means to reliably monitor the entire pipeline length 24 hours a day; and secondly, by ensuring fewer false calls and rapid notification of the location of any impact, according to the company. In addition to immediately notifying operators of specific impacts in a given pipeline, GE's system offers monthly summaries of dates, times and locations of all impacts, further enhancing the operators' risk analysis and ability to establish long-term, third-party damage mitigation plans, adds GE.

According to GE, ThreatScan is extremely sensitive and can filter out incidental noise while still detecting even the most minor pipeline strikes that otherwise might go unnoticed. Onboard processing and subsequent signal analysis provides detection of real events, sparing operators from needlessly deploying their resources. In short, ThreatScan quickly notifies operators of all potentially harmful impacts to their pipelines, adds the company.

Using ATEX-certified sensors, an on-site processor, satellite communications equipment and, when appropriate, a solar-based autonomous power supply, GE's ThreatScan is easily installed on existing above-ground pipeline structures and fittings. This allows pipelines to be retrofitted without excavation and makes the new product suitable for deployment in "high-potential areas" even on a temporary basis, according to GE.

SOURCE: GE Oil & Gas