Leak detection, TPI (Third Party Interference) and asset integrity are crucial topics in pipeline monitoring, although they often require costly procedures and systems. In order to support the pipeline integrity management, Eni S.p.A, in collaboration with Solares JV, developed the e-vpms® (Eni Vibro-acoustic Pipeline Monitoring System).

This technology, patented by Enis SpA, was specifically designed to detect impacts and spillages on Oil & Gas pipelines, illegal tapping and precursor events, but also to be capable of performing general-purpose integrity assessment tasks.

The evolution of the system, in terms of sensor sensitivity and algorithms, led to the development of a powerful software module for the TPI detection, classification and localization. This modul e is able to perform the recognition of the preparatory activities preceding the illegal tapping, such as digging operations.

To date, the e-vpms® is able to cope with many asset integrity issues, not related to illegal operations, ranging from the real-time PIG tracking, to the failure detection during hydraulic tests or the valve status assessment.

Scope of this work is to introduce not just the basic capabil ities offered by the system, which are Leak and Impact Detection along Third Party Interference Detection – as manual digging activities – but also show the many other capabilities which the system can fulfil, among which PIG Tracking, Valve Status Quality Assessment, Failure Detection, Earthquake Detection and more.