IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,650,359
Granted Patent B2
US 12,650,359 · App. 18/463,934 · Granted Jun 9, 2026

Probability-based pipeline leak monitoring tool

Inventors: Joseph Eli Patterson (Houston, TX); Jennifer Michelle Cain Meyer (Houston, TX)
Assignee: Chevron U. S. A. Inc.
G01M3/2815F17D5/02
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,650,359
App. No.
18/463,934
Granted
Jun 9, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Pressures of fluid inside a pipeline are measured at one or more locations along the pipeline. Pressure change rates at the location(s) along the pipeline are determined using the measured pressures, a moving average of the measured pressures, and sampling intervals for the measured pressures. Pressure change rate cumulative distribution function(s) for the location(s) along the pipeline are generated based on the pressure change rates over time. The pressure change rate cumulative distribution function(s) are then used to generate probabilities of leaks along the pipeline, and/or to convert the pressure change rates over time to probabilities of leaks along the pipeline. The probabilities of leaks along the pipeline are used to monitor the pipeline for leaks.

Claims (32)

1 . A system for monitoring pipeline leaks, the system comprising: one or more physical processors configured by machine-readable instructions to:

obtain pressure information for a pipeline, the pressure information defining pressures measured at one or more locations along the pipeline at a pace of one or more sampling intervals;

determine a moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline, the moving average of the pressures being an average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline at the pace of the one or more sampling intervals for a duration of time;

determine pressure change rates at the one or more locations along the pipeline based on the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline, the moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline, and the one or more sampling intervals for the one or more locations along the pipeline;

generate a pressure change rate cumulative distribution function for individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline based on the pressure change rates at the individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline, the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function being a function that defines or describes distribution of the pressure change rates determined at the individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline over time;

determine leak probabilities at the one or more locations along the pipeline based on the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function for the individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline; and

facilitate leak monitoring for the pipeline based on the leak probabilities at the one or more locations along the pipeline.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline includes an exponentially weighted moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the leak monitoring for the pipeline includes detection of a leak along the pipeline based on a given leak probability at a given location along the pipeline.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the given leak probability at the given location along the pipeline is compared to a leak probability threshold for the detection of the leak along the pipeline.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the leak along the pipeline includes a rupture along the pipeline.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the leak monitoring for the pipeline includes detection of a leak along the pipeline based on multiple leak probabilities at multiple locations along the pipeline.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the detection of the leak along the pipeline based on the multiple leak probabilities at the multiple locations along the pipeline is performed based on timing of the multiple leak probabilities at the multiple locations along the pipeline.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the detection of the leak along the pipeline based on the multiple leak probabilities at the multiple locations along the pipeline is performed further based on distance between the multiple locations along the pipeline.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a given pressure change rate is converted into a given leak probability by using the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function as a lookup table.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the use of the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function enables separate pressure measurements at separate locations along the pipeline to be converted into same probability basis.

11 . A method for monitoring pipeline leaks, the method comprising:

obtaining pressure information for a pipeline, the pressure information defining pressures measured at one or more locations along the pipeline at a pace of one or more sampling intervals;

determining a moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline, the moving average of the pressures being an average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline at the pace of the one or more sampling intervals for a duration of time;

determining pressure change rates at the one or more locations along the pipeline based on the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline, the moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline, and the one or more sampling intervals for the one or more locations along the pipeline;

generating a pressure change rate cumulative distribution function for individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline based on the pressure change rates at the individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline, the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function being a function that defines or describes distribution of the pressure change rates determined at the individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline over time;

determining leak probabilities at the one or more locations along the pipeline based on the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function for the individual ones of the one or more locations along the pipeline; and

facilitating leak monitoring for the pipeline based on the leak probabilities at the one or more locations along the pipeline.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline includes an exponentially weighted moving average of the pressures measured at the one or more locations along the pipeline.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the leak monitoring for the pipeline includes detection of a leak along the pipeline based on a given leak probability at a given location along the pipeline.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the given leak probability at the given location along the pipeline is compared to a leak probability threshold for the detection of the leak along the pipeline.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the leak along the pipeline includes a rupture along the pipeline.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the leak monitoring for the pipeline includes detection of a leak along the pipeline based on multiple leak probabilities at multiple locations along the pipeline.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the detection of the leak along the pipeline based on the multiple leak probabilities at the multiple locations along the pipeline is performed based on timing of the multiple leak probabilities at the multiple locations along the pipeline.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the detection of the leak along the pipeline based on the multiple leak probabilities at the multiple locations along the pipeline is performed further based on distance between the multiple locations along the pipeline.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a given pressure change rate is converted into a given leak probability by using the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function as a lookup table.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the use of the pressure change rate cumulative distribution function enables separate pressure measurements at separate locations along the pipeline to be converted into same probability basis.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2025
From: PATTERSON, JOSEPH ELI; MEYER, JENNIFER MICHELLE CAIN
To: CHEVRON U.S.A. INC.
Reel/Frame 072237/0707 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250085184A1 · Mar 13, 2025
References Cited (7)
US 11274797B1 · Zhu · 2022 [cited by examiner]
CN 113446519A · 2021 [cited by examiner]
Machine Translation of CN 113446519-A (Year: 2021). [cited by examiner]
“Tahiti Subsea Operating Procedures”; Tahiti; Jun. 27, 2018; (6). [cited by applicant]
Leimkuhler, J., Olivier, J., & Seah, H. H.; “Technical Solutions for Subsea Leak Detection”; OOC Subsea Leak Detection Working Group, Advanced Monitoring Subcommittee; Aug. 9, 2018; (18). [cited by applicant]
Leimkuhler, J.; “Subsea Leak Detection”; LLOG Exploration; May 17, 2018; (15). [cited by applicant]
Seah, H.H.; “Conditional Rate of Change (C-ROC) Alarm Technical Specifications”; Shell Global; Jul. 18, 2018; (27). [cited by applicant]