above-ground pipeline monitoring and surveillance drone reactive to attacks

Above-Ground Pipeline Monitoring and Surveillance Drone Reactive To Attacks

Eluwande Abayomi David; Ayo Olayinka Omowunmi Department of Electrical and Information Engineering

Covenant University Ota, Nigeria

[email protected]; [email protected]

Abstract— With Pipeline infrastructures vastly distributed across Nigeria, to ensure continuous supply at the places needed, the monitoring of these pipelines for protection and operational safety has become very important given the numerous cases of vandalization and crude-oil theft. This has proven to be a challenging task considering the numerous security infrastructures and agents required, hence expensive in nature. This concept paper shows a proposed solution using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology for real-time monitoring and surveillance of the entire pipeline network. The overall aim was to build a drone (quadcopter) together with a pipeline monitoring system which acted as a surveillance system and reacted to attacks on above-ground oil pipelines, majorly for areas not easily accessible by security personnel. With an already designed quadcopter, the pipeline monitoring system was designed using a software called Fritzing which allowed for the use of breadboards and electrical components. The pipeline monitoring system comprised of microcontrollers, sensors and a GPS module. The system was tested using the sensors to sense attacks (excessive impact on the body of the surface platform), once it determined the impact was enough to be considered as an attack, it sent a message to the control center. The message consisted of the attack and the GPS coordinates. The GPS coordinates was then used to direct the quadcopter to fly to that location autonomously and inspected and reported via a live video feed. This system provided a working method to monitor pipelines and provide a first-line response solution to the problems of vandalization and crude-oil theft of pipelines in Nigeria.

Keywords— Pipeline Monitoring, Pipeline Vandalization, Surveillance Drones, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

I. INTRODUCTION Pipeline attacks are a very serious thing in Nigeria and in

other countries of the world. It is a very desperate and insensible act that only causes wastage and maybe even death as a result of oil spillage. While some security agencies have been deployed to areas where there are pipelines, some pipelines exist in inaccessible areas with even security agencies but still suffer attacks on pipelines. Many times, when oil pipelines are attacked, it’s very hard for these security agencies to take action based on their location in riverine areas, or in an area too secluded for them to notice the vandalization.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, recently stated that whenever there are pipeline attacks, there is a loss of about 60,000 barrels of crude oil daily and this causes condensation. This in turn means, millions of naira wasted and this is bad business for all its stakeholders involved.

Research by survey has shown that pipeline failure is often caused by third-party external damage, like ploughing of buried lines, or the impact of trawl gear against (unburied) sub-sea lines. Moreso, many areas in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, has shown that the impacts of sabotage or vandalism must never be neglected [1].

This problem is particularly interesting because, after all these years, there seems to be not one single solution and it even appears that the criminals who commit this act are growing in confidence due to a lack of action.

Based on this, this concept paper proposed a solution using the technology of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The aim was to build a drone that acted as a surveillance system and reacted to attack on above-ground oil pipelines based on information from a pipeline sensor system. This served as a custom built drone to monitor oil pipelines and acted as a first line of response to attacks on pipelines among other applications. This was to curb and reduce the number of occurrence of above-ground oil pipeline attacks and also aid other existing solutions towards eradicating pipeline attacks in Nigeria, given the importance of Oil flow to its economy.

II. OVERVIEW OF PIPELINE NETWORK Pipelines have been efficiently used overtime to convey

fluids over long distances, from production locations to the consumer end. They are essential structures for oil and gas production and required for carrying, storing and selling of natural gas, crude oil, and refined petroleum products in every country.

A petroleum pipeline is a very unique infrastructure for transport as when compared to other types of transport systems like roads, does not enhance access for people in communities to move around [2]. They relatively inhibit interactions and if situated near houses, are potentially hazardous to lives.

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Copyright © 2016 by Covenant University Press

Pipelines are vastly used in Nigeria. The nation’s network is estimated to be over 3,000km large [3]. They convey fuel products from oil plants and import-receiving docks to storage depots. In Nigeria, these pipeline spans across the whole country’s geo-political zones going from the subsea swamp, rain forest to the savannah grass lands and are faced with

different climates and soil conditions with erratic consequences like the leaky petroleum products with harmful effects for the communities and environment [4]. The map of the Nigerian pipeline network is as shown in Fig 1 below.

Fig 1. A map of Nigeria showing Pipeline Network [14]

III. IMPACT OF PIPELINE VANDALISATION IN NIGERIA Most of the pipelines, located in the Niger Delta often route

through rivers, creeks, swamps and farmland, a location known for being a waterlogged and very sensitive to stress [5]. A good example is with the Shell Petroleum Development Company which has 95 km trunk line spanning from Nembe Creek field to Cawthorne Channel field navigating thirty five communities and crossing sixty rivers and creeks with different sizes. Other areas with oil and gas pipelines linking petroleum products storage depots includes Aba, Enugu, Gombe, Gusau, Ibadan, Ikorodu, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Ilorin, Maiduguri, Markurdi, Ore and Yola, and a refinery at Kaduna [11].

Most times, the state of the pipelines being used are not in great condition due to negligence on the part of the oil companies and also due to vandalism from the outside world. It has also been observed that many pipelines are often left to rust, after long periods of not being in use by some of the Oil corporations as they aren’t prepared to maintain or repair them. Periodic monitoring are also not done as at when due after the implementation of the pipelines. Monitoring is key for maintaining the integrity of pipelines and wellbeing of the inhabitants where the pipelines are located. The oil corporations often link most oil spillage to sabotage, but the societies have argued it is to be caused by failed pipelines and leakages [10].

The mangroves of the Niger delta represents a highly endangered biologically diverse habitats as Hectares have been evacuated periodically irrespective of the local environmental legislations or global environmental best practices. This has greatly affected habitat area and natural populations, causing a reduction and distortion in biological breeding. Pipeline leaks caused by failure or sabotage are also harmful to the environment. This has led to a radical change in the distinctive biodiversity of the Niger Delta region has changed with numerous important species gone [13].

Some of the Environmental Impacts of Pipelines vandalisation are:

x Damage to seabed from dredging for pipeline installation

x Sedimentation along pipeline pathway

x Water pollution

x Pipeline Explosion due to vandalisation or sabotage

x Damage of environmentally sensitive estuaries wet lands

x Erosion and flooding

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IV. OVERVIEW OF UAVS An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), commonly (a drone),

also called a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is an aircraft without a human pilot aboard. It is maneuvered either autonomously by onboard computers or by the remote control of a pilot on the ground or in another vehicle.

Drones are used in cases where flight by humans are seen as too dangerous and have been in use since 1981. They have become increasingly popular over the years and there are various forms in which you can classify a drone:

Fixed wing drones: These are drones that have fixed wings and do not use rotors. These types of drones make use of gliders to launch.

Multirotor drones: These are also called VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) drones, because they do not need a glider to launch, instead they take off vertically. Multirotor drones are quadcopters, hexacopters, and octocopters.

Usage of drones is gradually shifting from military usage to commercial and civil applications. Some uses of drones in our modern age include:

x Aerial surveying of crops

x Search and rescue operations

x Counting wildlife

x Delivering medical supplies

x Forest fire detection

x Land surveying

x Crowd monitoring

V. OVERVIEW OF QUADCOPTERS A Quadcopter also known as a Quadrotor Helicopter or

quadrotor is a multirotor helicopter, elevated and thrusted by four motors. Quadcopters make use of two pairs of motor-mounted propellers; two propellers operating in both the clockwise and anti-clockwise. These propellers achieve control by using independent variation of the speed of each motor. Maneuvering the speed of each rotor can produce the preferred total thrust; to detect the center of thrust laterally and longitudinally; and generate a desired total torque, or turning force. An assembled quadcopter is shown in Fig 2 below.

Quadcopters generally work by obeying Newton’s third law of motion; “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. The four propellers and motors exert force on the system in a downward motion (Action) and in turn a reaction takes place, which is the quadcopter lifting itself into the air.

Fig 2. The Assembled Quadcopter (As built)

The portable size and mechanical simplicity of small-sized quadcopters makes them far cheaper and more practicable/ stronger than traditional helicopters [6]. Their smaller blades are also beneficial as it implies less kinetic energy, minimizing its tendencies to bring harm to anyone [7].

However, bigger sized quadcopters tend to have more disadvantages over traditional helicopters as increase in its blade size implies more momentum. This leads to longer times in increasing the speed of the blade, negatively affecting its control. On the other hand the increase in the blade size gives an enhancement of efficiency as it requires less energy to create thrust, but this brings about control issues. Helicopters rarely face this as changes in the rotor disk size does not expressively affect the control of the blade pitch [8].

VI. PIPELINE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEMS As established above, pipeline networks are the cheapest

and safest way for transporting oil, gases and other fluid products.

Of utmost importance is the need for pipelines to meet high demands of safety, reliability and efficiency, especially in long distance transport. With adequate maintenance pipelines be used indefinitely without leaks. Research has shown that, the most noteworthy leaks are due to intentional attacks on pipelines or nearby excavation equipment; therefore it is important to notify authorities prior to excavation to ensure no pre-buried pipelines in the locality. Lack of maintenance of pipelines can lead to its corrosion, specifically at construction joints, and low points where moisture can be found,

Though, these defects can be detected by inspection tools and modified before becoming a leak.

Pipeline leak detection systems are important as they can improve productivity and system reliability relative to minimal downtime and inspection time. This makes them key in pipeline technology.

Methods of Leak Detection Systems

A. Pressure/Flow Monitoring

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A leak in the pipeline network changes the normal state of hydraulics of a pipeline. The change above affects the pressure or flow reading after a period of time. Constant monitoring of the pressure flow can therefore serve as a simple leak detection system.

B. Acoustic Pressure Waves

This method examines the rarefaction waves generated during a leak. . A breakdown in the pipeline wall causes fluid or gas discharges, similar to high velocity jet. This causes a reduction in the pressure of the waves, detected and analyzed while moving along the directions of the pipeline.

C. Digital Oil Leak Detection Cable

The Digital Sense Cables contains semi-permeable internal conductors covered in permeable insulating molded braid. It works by having an electrical signal cross the internal conductors being examined with an inbuilt microprocessor in the cable connector. Leaky fluids permeate the external permeable braid to reach the internal semi-permeable conductors.

This brings about a variation in the cable’s electrical properties spotted by the microprocessor. The microprocessor works to as low as 1-metre resolution along its length giving a good signal to monitoring systems or operators. The Digital sense cables are often draped around the pipelines, embedded

sub-surface with other pipelines or fixed as a pipe-in-pipe configuration.

D. Fibre Optic Leak Detection

Two methods are known of fibre-optic leak detection which are: Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS).

The DTS method requires fitting the fibre-optic cable along the length of pipeline under observation. The measureable substances touch the cable during a leak, altering the cable’s temperature and causing changes in thee reflection of the laser beam pulse, to show a leak. The specific location is determined by knowing the time delay between the emitted laser pulse and the detection of the reflection. The criteria for this method is that the temperature of the substance must vary from the ambient temperature. The temperature along the pipeline can also be measured through the scanning of the whole length of the fibre. This also leads to the detection of leaks [12] [13].

The other method, DAS method, comprises of an analogous implementation of fiber-optic cable along the pipeline length under observation. Vibrations from a substance leaving the pipeline via a leak are measured. Time delays between the emitted laser pulse and the reflection are also used to determine the location of the leaks. This technique can sit well with the DTS method to give the pipeline’s temperature profile.

Fig 3. Schematic Diagram of Pipeline Sensor System designed with Fritzing

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VII. PIPELINE LEAK DETECTION SYSTEMS Pipeline Monitoring System

From the schematic in Fig 3 above, there are four main components used in the Pipeline Sensor System; the Arduino Nano, the sensors, the GPS module, and the nRF24L01 Radio Transceiver. All work in conjunction to make the Pipeline sensing system.

The Pipeline Sensor System has the following major components, the microcontroller board, sensors, radio transceivers, and the GPS module.

The microcontroller is an Arduino Nano microcontroller board that has similar characteristics with the popular Arduino Uno board but differs in size. The Nano board provides both the computing for the pipeline sensor system and power supply.

Three types of sensors are used in the design of the system. They are Force Sensitive Resistor, Sound Sensor and Piezoelectric element.

A Force Sensitive Resistor is a sensor that allows for recognition of physical pressure, squeezing and weight. It is a resistor that basically alters its resistive value with changes in force/pressure. It is made of 2 layers separated by a spacer and as force is applied, the impact of active element on the semiconductor causes the resistance to reduce.

A Sound Sensor is a small board that consists of a microphone and processing circuits. It gives an audio output and a binary indication of the presence of sound together with an analog

representation of its amplitude.

A Piezoelectric element is a device that employs the use of the piezoelectric effect, to detect and measure fluctuations in pressure, acceleration, temperature, strain, or force by converting them to an electrical charge.

The Radio Transceivers are for communication between the microcontroller boards and the GPS module broadcasts the current location via coordinates.

When in place, the pipeline sensor system consists of all the components listed above and is a compact system. The sensor system is placed on the pipeline and it listens for excessive impact/pressure on the pipeline via the sensors. When the sensors determine that the impact is above the predetermined threshold value range, it sends a message to the control center. The message is sent with the help of the radio transceiver and the message consists of the status of the pipeline and the GPS coordinates of the pipeline. A voltage of just 5V is needed to power the whole system.

Fig 4. Diagram of quadcopter deployment made by Sketch Application

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Interconnection with Quadcopter

As outlaid in Fig 4 above, the message gotten from the pipeline monitoring system helps to determine whether a pipeline is being attacked.

In a situation whereby an attack is going on, the message sent consists of the status and the GPS coordinates. The GPS coordinates gotten, plays an important part in directing the quadcopter to the location of the attack.

The GPS coordinates gotten from the pipeline monitoring system is used and entered into a software called Mission Planner. Mission Planner is an open source software that works with the flight controller used to build the quadcopter and it allows autonomous flights.

By entering the GPS coordinates into the Mission Planner software, the quadcopter can then be directed to fly to that location and inspect any activity that is going at the pipeline site.

VIII. TESTING AND RESULTS The sensor system is placed on the pipeline and it listens

for excessive impact/pressure on the pipeline via the sensors. When the sensors determine that the impact is above the predetermined threshold value range, it sends a message to the control center.

The maximum threshold value that can be attained is 1023. The reason for that is that the sensors to be used in the system are analog devices, because the microcontroller is a digital device, an Analog to Digital Converter is needed.

The pipeline sensor system was tested by placing the system on a platform which when “attacked”, the image below is a sample of how the message would be sent back to the control center.

Fig 5. Sample of Message

From Fig 5 above, a sample of the type of message sent to the control center can be seen.

Whenever an impact occurs, the GPS coordinate is sent, regardless of the type of impact.

There are three types of impact; Low Increase in Pressure which has its threshold set at less than 200 and is not considered a threat, Medium Increase in Pressure has its threshold set at less than 400 and should be monitored for immediate attacks and the last type of impact which is the

Significant Increase in Pressure and should be considered a threat in which the quadcopter should be deployed.

System Advantages and Improvements

The proposed solution has the following advantages:

1. Remote monitoring of pipelines

2. Remote deployment of UAV

3. Remote deployment of security response

4. Fast response time

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IX. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The main aim of this concept paper was to provide a

solution to the problem of attacks / vandalisation on pipelines in Nigeria. The solution employed the use of piezoelectric elements as a pipeline leak detection system, which solves it to a certain degree as messages were sent when the threshold value of the assumed pressure of flow were exceeded. From testing, it was discovered the system still requires more improvement in terms of performance and accuracy.

It is concluded that in order to provide a solution that works and provides 100% accuracy, it is advisable to employ better pipeline leak detection systems albeit expensive and used with a drone (autonomous quadcopter) so as to deploy a first-line response system to attacks on pipelines.

The following improvements are suggested:

1. The piezoelectric element used as in the pipeline sensor system can be better improved on in terms of quality and quantity.

2. Better pipeline leak detection system can be deployed e.g. Fibre Optics

3. The current quadcopter in use for the system is very limited in terms of capability and performance. This can be improved upon by using a quadcopter with better frame, flight time, cameras and sensors.

4. The flight controller used is an open source flight controller that does a lot of things. It would be a better system if a flight controller is built from scratch for this solution.

REFERENCES [1] H. Nwosu and M. Enyiche, "Communication Systems for Pipeline

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[2] W. Nnah and O. Owei, "Land Use Management Imperative for Oil and GAs Pipeline Network in Nigeria," Abuja, 2005

[3] F. Olokesusi, "Environmental Impact Analysis and the Challenge of Sustainable development in the Oil Producing Communities," NITP, Abuja, 2005.

[4] K. Agbaeze, "Petroleum Pipeline Leakages," PPMC Report for Chief Officers Mandatory Course 026, Lagos, 2002.

[5] P.R. Ogon “Oil and Gas: Crises and Controversies 1961-2000” Brentwood: Multi-Science Publishing Co. Ltd, 2006.

[6] P. Pounds, R. Mahony and P. Corke, "Modelling and Control of a Quad-Rotor Robot," in Proceedings of the 2006 Australian Conference on Robotics and Automation, ACRA, Auckland New Zealand, 2006.

[7] G. M. Hoffman, H. Huang, S. L. Waslander and C. J. Tomlin, "Quadrotor Helicopter Flight Dynamics and Control: Theory and Experiment," in AIAA Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference and Exhibit, Guidance, Navigation, and Control and Co-located Conferences, Hilton Head, South Carolina, 2007.

[8] Quora, "What makes the quadcopter design so great for small drones?" Quora, 29 January 2015. [Online]. Available: https://www.quora.com/What-makes-the-quadcopter-design-so-great-for-small-drones. [Accessed 20 January 2016]

[9] Niger Delta Development Commission “Sustainable Livelihoods and Job Creation”, Technical Committee on international conference on development of the Niger Delta, Port Harcourt, Nigeria 2001.

[10] F. A. Ogwu, "Petroleum Pipelines, Spillages and the Environment of the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria," World Environment, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 93-100, 2014.

[11] G. Geiger, T. Werner and D. Matko, "Leak Detection and Locating - A Survey," Pipeline Simulation Interest Group, no. PSIG 0301, pp. 1-20, 2003.

[12] S. Grobwig, A. Graupner, E. Hurtig, K. Kuhn and A. Trostel, "Distributed Fibre Optical Temperature Sensing Technique-A Variable Tool for Monitoring Tasks,," 8th International Symposium on Temperature and Thermal Measurements in Industry and Science, pp. 9-17, 2001.

[13] O.A. Olomola, “Nigerian Environmental Law: A Critical Review of main Principles, Policy and Practice.” Enugu: Immaculate Publication, 2005.

[14] M.E. Aluko “Sunday Musings: The case for an Energy Emergency in Nigeria – Again.” 2015. Retrieved from www.nigerianmuse.com/20150607041636zg/sections/essay/sunday-musings-the-case-for-an-energy-emergency-in-nigeria-by-bolaji-aluko/

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above-ground pipeline monitoring and surveillance drone reactive to attacks

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