An LSU professor discovered an innovative advancement using fiber optics, that has the potential to rapidly and accurately detect pipeline leaks. This could prevent substantial environmental harm and save the oil and gas industry billions annually. 
According to the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources, Louisiana has about 50,000 miles worth of pipelines running through it more than any other state except Texas, creating greater margins for leaks and detection errors in a state already plagued by oil spills and air pollution. 
Louisiana is not alone in its pipeline complications; United States oil and gas pipeline leaks happen every 40 minutes on average. 
Jyotsna Sharma, LSU petroleum engineering professor and creator of this technology, said her invention helps Louisiana “given the dense network of subsea, surface and subsurface pipelines crisscrossing the state. A micro-leak in an underwater pipeline can quickly become an environmental disaster.”
The energy industry spends more than $3 billion on leak detection with faulty pressure gauges, which indicate a decrease in pressure if the leak is large enough. 
However, when these gauges are spaced miles apart, they may not readily detect the leak. Consequently, minor leaks often go unnoticed and unremedied, leading to environmental harm.
This is where fiber-optic leak detection can assist by catching minor leaks and preventing environmental damage. 
So, how does it work? 
“Light is sent into the optical fiber. If there is a change in temperature, strain, pressure, or vibrations anywhere along the fiber– such as at a leaking location– the light gets modulated at that location. By knowing the speed of light in fiber, which is made of glass or silica, we can calculate exactly where that leak is coming from,” Sharma said. 
Sharma noted that, though fiber-optic sensing technology has been around for about two decades, the novelty is in their algorithm that can identify the leak signature from all other background signals that are always present, minimizing false alarms. 
Sharma has a unique background in petroleum and electrical engineering. Seeing how optical fibers revolutionized the telecom industry, she became inspired to investigate the relationship between sensing applications and leak detection. 
“Leak detection is of the utmost importance for sustainable energy production and transport,” Sharma said. 
Sharma and her postdoctoral researcher Jagadeeshwar Tabjula developed this technology in only two years and are currently working on a patent. 
“LSU is thrilled to be part of unlocking new possibilities in pipeline safety,” Robert Twilley, vice president of research and economic development, told the LSU Media Center. “Precise, real-time monitoring and accurate leak detection represent a critical advance in the energy industry’s efforts to protect the environment and energy transportation and storage systems.”