Abstract: An apparatus for gathering soil data along a trajectory comprises a crawler body that houses a processor that is configured with instructions for controlling the apparatus, memory coupled to the processor, and a GPS module and motor also coupled to the processor. The apparatus also includes a pair of continuous tracks coupled to the crawler body and rotatable through a coupling with the motor, wherein the continuous tracks include planar sections, one or more of the planar sections including a plurality of flexible smart sensors that are each configured to detect and store data concerning at least one property or condition of the soil when the apparatus moves over the soil along the trajectory. The flexible smart sensors are resilient when subjected to bending forces when the continuous tracks move along the soil.

Abstract: A protective fabric jacket for placement on an object to be protected from excessive heat includes a first layer; a second layer; and an intermediate spacer fabric layer that is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The first and second layers are attached to the intermediate spacer fabric layer to form a layered structure. The intermediate spacer fabric layer comprises a flexible honeycomb or octagonal shaped spacer fabric that has a plurality of cells defined therein. The protective fabric jacket also includes a settable material that disposed within the cells and includes a cementitious mixture and one or more organic polymers and is settable to a hardened material.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method that includes: generating a corrosion risk profile for a first pipe region of at least one pipe region of a hydrocarbon pipeline configured to carry a hydrocarbon fluid, wherein generating the corrosion risk profile comprises: simulating hydraulic flow within a first sampling segment within the first pipe region using a hydraulic model; simulating water wetting within the first sampling segment using a water wetting model; interpolating between the first sampling segment and a second sampling segment using a nodal model; simulating corrosion for at least one first node between the first sampling segment and the second sampling segment using a corrosion model; and generating the corrosion risk profile for the first pipe region; analyzing the corrosion risk profile in order to calculate a corrosion risk score for the first pipe region.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems, for managing corrosions in oil and gas pipelines. One computer-implemented method includes: obtaining, by one or more hardware processors, a first dataset and a second dataset; performing, by one or more hardware processors, a feature mapping operation that matches one or more corrosion features in the first dataset to corresponding features in the second dataset, wherein the feature mapping operation comprises a joint matching process, a girth weld coordinate transformation process, and an iterative closet point (ICP) process; determining, by one or more hardware processors, a corrosion growth rate based on an output of the feature mapping operation; and outputting, by one or more hardware processors, the output of the feature mapping operation in a user interface.

Abstract: To determine severity of stepwise cracking in a pressurized vessel, a computer system receives an image collection of an area of a circumferential wall of the vessel. The image collection includes images distributed across the area, and represent respective cracks on the wall within the area. From among the images, the computer system identifies subsets of images, each including images of adjacent cracks. For the at least two images in each subset, the computer system determines multiple distances, each between an end of an image in each subset and an end of each other image in a subset. Based on the determined multiple distances, the computer system determines a probability of a crack propagating through cracks in each subset. Based on the crack intensity path determined for each subset of the multiple subsets, the computer system determines an operation to be performed on the vessel.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes methods and systems, including computer-implemented methods, computer program products, and computer systems, for determining carbon environmental impact for oil and gas pipeline leakages. One computer-implemented method includes: determining, by one or more hardware processors, an amount of Equivalent Carbon Dioxide (ECO2) associated with a pipeline leak in a hydrocarbon reservoir; determining, by one or more hardware processors, a probability of failure of the pipeline leak in the hydrocarbon reservoir; determining, by one or more hardware processors, an environmental consequence factor of the pipeline leak in the hydrocarbon reservoir; determining, by one or more hardware processors, a severity factor of the pipeline leak in the hydrocarbon reservoir based on at least one of the amount of ECO2, the probability of failure, or the environmental consequence factor; and outputting, by one or more hardware processors, the severity factor in a user interface.

Abstract: A method for testing salt formation includes heating, by a first heater of an apparatus, an anion solution arranged in a first vessel of the apparatus to a first predetermined temperature and heating, by a second heater of the apparatus, a cation solution arranged in a second vessel of the apparatus to a second predetermined temperature. The method also includes conveying, by a fluid pump of the apparatus, a volume of the anion solution from the first vessel to the second vessel and simultaneously rotating a stirrer arranged in the second vessel to form a mixed solution. The method includes conveying the mixed solution from the second vessel of the apparatus to a sampler of the apparatus.

Abstract: A method for predicting locations at risk of internal corrosion is provided. The method includes performing a pipeline condition simulation that includes segmenting a flow line into segment based, at least in part, on pipeline attributes, running a hydraulics model to calculate flow parameters along the pipeline, and modeling corrosion rate based, at least in part, on results from the hydraulics model. Segments along the pipeline that are at risk of internal corrosion are identified.

Abstract: An in situ leakage detection system for protecting and monitoring buried non-metallic pipelines is provided. The system includes flexible composite mats arranged below and above the pipeline. Sensors, including, distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) are affixed to the pipe-facing mat surfaces and extend lengthwise along the pipeline. An optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) reading unit is configured to provide optical signals to the DOFS and analyze the returned optical signal. The OTDR unit can measure frequency and amplitude of anti-Stoke components of Raman scattering signals and a time-distance of the signals to detect localized changes in temperature along the pipeline. The system is further configured to detect leaks and determine a location of the leaks from the foregoing temperature changes and time-distance information. A method of installing and operating an in situ leakage detection system is also provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides computer-implemented methods, media, and systems for automated hydrocarbon transport pipeline failure categorization using image recognition. One example method includes storing multiple pipeline images into an image library, where each pipeline image includes an image of a segment of one of multiple hydrocarbon transport pipelines, the image including one or more patterns of a failure associated with the segment, the failure is associated with one of multiple pipeline failure modes. A convolutional neural network (CNN) is trained using the image library to categorize the multiple pipeline failure modes. An image of a pipeline is received, the pipeline includes a segment with a pipeline failure. The pipeline failure is categorized according to the multiple pipeline failure modes, by processing the image of the pipeline using the CNN. The categorized pipeline failure is provided for generation of a preliminary failure analysis report of the pipeline.

Abstract: An Internet of things (IoT) based system for deploying volatile corrosion inhibitor (VCI) in order to mitigate soil-side corrosion of an aboveground storage tank is provided. The system includes: a VCI tank for storing the VCI; corrosion detection sensors on a soil side of the storage tank for detecting the soil-side corrosion, generating corresponding detection signals, and transmitting the detection signals over the Internet; a control circuit including control logic for receiving the detection signals, generating a flow control signal, and transmitting the flow control signal over the Internet; and a flow control valve (FCV) for receiving the flow control signal and controlling a flow of the VCI from the VCI tank to the soil side of the storage tank in response to the flow control signal in order to mitigate the soil-side corrosion of the storage tank.

Abstract: A protective fabric jacket for placement on an object to be protected from excessive heat includes a first layer; a second layer; and an intermediate spacer fabric layer that is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The first and second layers are attached to the intermediate spacer fabric layer to form a layered structure. The intermediate spacer fabric layer comprises a flexible honeycomb or octagonal shaped spacer fabric that has a plurality of cells defined therein. The protective fabric jacket also includes a settable material that disposed within the cells and includes a cementitious mixture and one or more organic polymers and is settable to a hardened material.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided for installing in a prepared area along a ground surface a protective structural support proximate a buried pipeline in an automated manner. The vehicle includes a chassis with a plurality of wheels and a payload release mechanism coupled to the chassis and including a roller for holding the protective structural support. The payload release mechanism is configured to dispense and lay down the protective structural support in the prepared area. The vehicle includes a liquid dispensing mechanism that is coupled to the chassis and is located downstream of the payload release mechanism. The liquid dispensing mechanism includes a liquid source and a dispenser that is in fluid communication with the liquid source and is configured to dispense liquid across a spray area.

Abstract: A protective fabric jacket for placement on an object to be protected from excessive heat includes a first layer; a second layer; and an intermediate spacer fabric layer that is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The first and second layers are attached to the intermediate spacer fabric layer to form a layered structure. The intermediate spacer fabric layer comprises a flexible honeycomb or octagonal shaped spacer fabric that has a plurality of cells defined therein. The protective fabric jacket also includes a settable material that disposed within the cells and includes a cementitious mixture and one or more organic polymers and is settable to a hardened material.

Abstract: An in situ leakage detection system for protecting and monitoring buried non-metallic pipelines is provided. The system includes flexible composite mats arranged below and above the pipeline. Sensors, including, distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) are affixed to the pipe-facing mat surfaces and extend lengthwise along the pipeline. An optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) reading unit is configured to provide optical signals to the DOFS and analyze the returned optical signal. The OTDR unit can measure frequency and amplitude of anti-Stoke components of Raman scattering signals and a time-distance of the signals to detect localized changes in temperature along the pipeline. The system is further configured to detect leaks and determine a location of the leaks from the foregoing temperature changes and time-distance information. A method of installing and operating an in situ leakage detection system is also provided.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering volatile corrosion inhibitor (VCI) for protecting against external corrosion to the bottom, soil-side, surface of a storage tank is disclosed. The VCI delivery system can include a transport material buried underneath the tank and a carrier structure for containing the transport material. VCI can be supplied to the transport material from an external VCI storage tank and the supply regulated by a control valve. The transport material is configured to adaptively and controllably release VCI into the soil in response an external stimulus. The transport material can passively adjust the VCI release rate as a function of a stimulus including pH or soil potential. Additionally, a control system can monitor soil conditions and generate the stimulus that triggers the release of the VCI. Also disclosed are systems and methods for deploying the VCI delivery system under the tank using horizontal drilling techniques.

Abstract: A vehicle is provided for installing in a prepared area along a ground surface a protective structural support proximate a buried pipeline in an automated manner. The vehicle includes a chassis with a plurality of wheels and a payload release mechanism coupled to the chassis and including a roller for holding the protective structural support. The payload release mechanism is configured to dispense and lay down the protective structural support in the prepared area. The vehicle includes a liquid dispensing mechanism that is coupled to the chassis and is located downstream of the payload release mechanism. The liquid dispensing mechanism includes a liquid source and a dispenser that is in fluid communication with the liquid source and is configured to dispense liquid across a spray area.

Abstract: A protective fabric jacket for placement on an object to be protected from excessive heat includes a first layer; a second layer; and an intermediate spacer fabric layer that is disposed between the first layer and the second layer. The first and second layers are attached to the intermediate spacer fabric layer to form a layered structure. The intermediate spacer fabric layer comprises a flexible honeycomb or octagonal shaped spacer fabric that has a plurality of cells defined therein. The protective fabric jacket also includes a settable material that disposed within the cells and includes a cementitious mixture and one or more organic polymers and is settable to a hardened material.