Abstract: There are described methods and systems for deploying optical fiber within a conduit. In one aspect, an optical fiber injector comprising a pressure vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid outlet is engaged with an open end of the conduit. A length of optical fiber is provided within the pressure vessel. The optical fiber is then jetted into the conduit by injecting a fluid into the pressure vessel via the fluid inlet. The optical fiber injector is configured such that the fluid is directed from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, and urges the optical fiber to move through the conduit, thereby deploying the optical fiber within the conduit. In a further aspect, there is provided a modular assembly comprising a pipeline and a line of two or more conduits arranged end-to-end. Each pair of opposing ends of adjacent conduits is connected together by a separate splice box. The line is positioned along and adjacent to a length of the pipeline.

Abstract: A method for non-intrusive pipeline testing involves constructing the pipeline at a construction location that is above ground, affixing an optical fiber along a surface of a length of the pipeline that is at the construction location, measuring dynamic strain experienced by the length of the pipeline by performing optical interferometry using the optical fiber, and moving the length of the pipeline from the construction location to a different installation location. The optical fiber includes at least one pair of fiber Bragg gratings (“FBGs”) tuned to reflect substantially identical wavelengths with a segment of the optical fiber extending between the FBGs.

Abstract: A device and system for detecting dynamic strain. The device comprises a longitudinally extending carrier and an optical fiber embedded along an outer surface of a length of the carrier. The optical fiber comprises at least one pair of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) tuned to reflect substantially identical wavelengths. The system comprises the device and an interrogator comprising a laser source and a photodetector. The interrogator is configured to perform interferometry by shining laser light along the optical fiber and detecting light reflected by the FBGs. The interrogator outputs dynamic strain measurements based on interferometry performed on the reflected light.

Abstract: Coated optical fibers and uses of such fibers as sensors in high temperature and/or high pressure environments. The coated optical fiber has improved sensing properties at elevated pressure and/or temperature, such as enhanced acoustic sensitivity and/or a reduced loss in acoustic sensitivity. The use of the coated optical fibers in various sensing applications that require operation under elevated pressure and/or temperature, such as, acoustic sensors for various geological, security, military, aerospace, marine, and oil and gas applications are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for estimating a distance between an acoustic sensor and an acoustic reflector in a conduit are disclosed. One such method includes using the acoustic sensor to measure a combined acoustic signal that comprises an originating acoustic signal propagating along the conduit and an echo signal. The echo signal is generated by the originating acoustic signal reflecting off the acoustic reflector after propagating past the acoustic sensor. A frequency domain representation of the combined acoustic signal is determined and the echo signal is identified by identifying in the frequency domain representation periodic oscillations having a peak-to-peak difference between 0.75 Hz and 1500 Hz. The distance between the acoustic sensor and the acoustic reflector is determined from the velocity of the echo signal and a time required for the echo signal to propagate between the acoustic sensor and the acoustic reflector.

Abstract: Various embodiments provide a method of simulating a leak in a pipeline. The method includes: receiving a fluid stream from a fluid supply; and outputting the received fluid stream through an outlet such that the received fluid stream hits an outer surface of the pipeline at a location opposite the outlet such that a vibration is caused in the pipeline. Some other embodiments provide a corresponding system for simulating a leak in a pipeline, and a corresponding outlet for coupling a conduit to a pipeline.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of providing access to interferometric system data stored in a data repository. A query that includes a data parameter identifier is received. The data repository is accessed and the interferometric system data is stored in the data repository using a data structure that has one or more data parameter arrays and one or more corresponding data group members. Each data group member includes one or more data arrays each associated with a data parameter in the corresponding data parameter array. Using the data parameter identifier, one or more target data parameters are determined from among the one or more data parameter arrays. One or more target data arrays that correspond to the one or more target data parameters are determined from among the one or more data arrays. The interferometric system data, which is in the one or more target data arrays, is extracted.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for determining whether an event has occurred from dynamic strain measurements involve determining, using a processor, at least one event parameter from a signal representing the dynamic strain measurements, and then having the processor use the at least one event parameter to determine whether the event has occurred. The at least one event parameter is any one or more of a measure of magnitude of the signal, frequency centroid of the signal, filtered baseline of the signal, harmonic power of the signal, and time-integrated spectrum flux of the signal.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for determining whether an acoustic event lias occurred along a fluid conduit iliat lias acoustic sensors positioned along its length. For each of the sensors, a processor is used to determine a linear relationship between a measured acoustic signal measured using the sensor and a white noise acoustic source located along a longitudinal segment of the fluid conduit overlapping the sensor. From the linear relationship, the processor determines an acoustic path response that includes an acoustic response of the longitudinal segment and an acoustic source transfer function dial transforms the white noise acoustic source. Over time, variations in the acoustic path responses and/or acoustic source transfer functions are monitored. When the event threshold is exceeded, the acoustic event is identified as having occurred along the longitudinal segment corresponding to the acoustic path response or acoustic source transfer function that varied in excess of the event threshold.

Abstract: There is described a method of making an acoustic sensor having a frequency response approximating a desired frequency response. The method comprises wrapping optical fiber around a core according to a wrapping pattern. The wrapping pattern is determined from an impulse response of the acoustic sensor. The impulse response is determined from the desired frequency response of the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for determining whether an event has occurred from dynamic strain measurements involve determining, using a processor, at least one event parameter from a signal representing the dynamic strain measurements, and then having the processor use the at least one event parameter to determine whether the event has occurred. The at least one event parameter is any one or more of a measure of magnitude of the signal, frequency centroid of the signal, filtered baseline of the signal, harmonic power of the signal, and time-integrated spectrum flux of the signal.

Abstract: There are described methods and systems for deploying optical fiber within a conduit. In one aspect, an optical fiber injector comprising a pressure vessel having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The fluid outlet is engaged with an open end of the conduit. A length of optical fiber is provided within the pressure vessel. The optical fiber is then jetted into the conduit by injecting a fluid into the pressure vessel via the fluid inlet. The optical fiber injector is configured such that the fluid is directed from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, and urges the optical fiber to move through the conduit, thereby deploying the optical fiber within the conduit. In a further aspect, there is provided a modular assembly comprising a pipeline and a line of two or more conduits arranged end-to-end. Each pair of opposing ends of adjacent conduits is connected together by a separate splice box. The line is positioned along and adjacent to a length of the pipeline.

Abstract: A device and system for detecting dynamic strain. The device comprises a longitudinally extending carrier and an optical fiber embedded along an outer surface of a length of the carrier. The optical fiber comprises at least one pair of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) tuned to reflect substantially identical wavelengths. The system comprises the device and an interrogator comprising a laser source and a photodetector. The interrogator is configured to perform interferometry by shining laser light along the optical fiber and detecting light reflected by the FBGs. The interrogator outputs dynamic strain measurements based on interferometry performed on the reflected light.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting dynamic strain of a housing. The system includes an optical fiber linearly affixed along a surface of a length of the housing and an interrogator comprising a laser source and a photodetector. The optical fiber comprises at least one pair of fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) tuned to reflect substantially identical wavelengths with a segment of the optical fiber extending between the FBGs. The segment of the optical fiber is linearly affixed along the surface of the housing. The interrogator is configured to perform interferometry by shining laser light along the optical fiber and detecting light reflected by the FBGs. The interrogator outputs dynamic strain measurements based on interferometry performed on the reflected light.

Abstract: There is provided a method of estimating flowrate in a pipeline based on acoustic behaviour of the pipe. First acoustic data is measured from the pipeline. A flowrate of the fluid in the pipeline is then estimated. The estimation is based on the first acoustic data and based on a correlation established between second acoustic data and corresponding flowrate data from an experimental pipeline. The correlation is established by a machine learning process (which may include the use of an artificial neural network, such as an autoencoder). The second acoustic data and corresponding flowrate data are used as inputs to the machine learning process.

Abstract: Coated optical fibers and uses of such fibers as sensors in high temperature and/or high pressure environments. The coated optical fiber has improved sensing properties at elevated pressure and/or temperature, such as enhanced acoustic sensitivity and/or a reduced loss in acoustic sensitivity. The use of the coated optical fibers in various sensing applications that require operation under elevated pressure and/or temperature, such as, acoustic sensors for various geological, security, military, aerospace, marine, and oil and gas applications are also provided.

Abstract: A sound baffle device for use with an acoustic sensor deployed in a housing by a deployment line comprises a radially extending baffle plate and an affixing mechanism for affixing the baffle plate to the deployment line. The baffle plate is configured to reduce acoustic transmission between a first zone of the housing on one side of the baffle plate and a second zone of the housing on an opposite side of the baffle plate.

Abstract: A clamp for clamping optical fiber to a tube. The clamp has a body portion coupled at one end to a first arm and at an opposing end to a second arm, and a resilient portion to permit the clamp to elastically deform from a closed state in which the clamp is fastened around the tube to an open state in which the clamp is radially moveable off the tube. At least one of the body portion, the first arm and the second arm has a clamping surface to clamp a portion of the optical fiber against the tube when the clamp is fastened around the tube, and a clamping mechanism operable to extend at least part of the clamping surface towards the tube when the clamp is secured to the tube to increase a clamping force applied by the clamping surface.

Abstract: Described are methods and systems using optical fiber interferometry to sense interference causing events in a region of interest and differentiate between a strain event and a thermal event. Other methods and systems relate to the use of optical fiber interferometry for determining temperature offset in a region of interest and using the determined temperature offset for determining temperature in the region of interest.

Abstract: Coated optical fibers and uses of such fibers as sensors in high temperature and/or high pressure environments. The coated optical fiber has improved sensing properties at elevated pressure and/or temperature, such as enhanced acoustic sensitivity and/or a reduced loss in acoustic sensitivity. The use of the coated optical fibers in various sensing applications that require operation under elevated pressure and/or temperature, such as, acoustic sensors for various geological, security, military, aerospace, marine, and oil and gas applications are also provided.