Zero Leakage for New Large Diameter Pipelines

Water utilities across the world are now demanding zero leakage allowances in their new pipeline project specifications to help expedite the commissioning process and protect their long-term assets.

Fluid

Water and wastewater pipelines

Pipe Materials

All

Pipe Diameters

6" (150mm) and larger

Pipeline commissioning services from Pure Technologies enable water utilities and pipeline engineers to achieve zero leakage in new water transmission pipelines and sewer force mains. Achieving a leak-free pipeline has a direct effect on pipeline sustainability, operational efficiency and conservation of a valuable natural resource.

Pass Your Hydrostatic Pressure Test

Today’s standard hydrostatic pressure test attempts to verify both the pressure capacity and the joint tightness of a pipeline. Sahara® leak detection technology pinpoints leaks to within inches allowing operators to eliminate leaks that may fall within current hydrostatic pressure test allowances.

Leak free pipelines have always been a goal in the construction of new water mains. Since the early 1900s, the water industry has attempted to standardize test procedures in order to minimize leakage on new pipelines. These standards provide test allowances to account for factors such as liner saturation, air entrapment, thermal expansion, pipe swelling, restrained joint take-up, pipe and soil movement. Unfortunately, the factors considered when developing these test allowances, often referred to as apparent leakage, tend to mask true pipeline defects in the form of leakage.

When proper pipeline test preparations are followed to evacuate air, saturate internal liners, stabilize temperatures and fully engage restrained joints, these factors are minimized. As a result, these test allowances inadvertently become "allowable leakage" and is often mistakenly referred to as such during testing.

Unintended leakage, as a result of test allowances, can be substantial. For example, on a two mile 60-inch diameter pipeline operating at 150-psi, leakage can amount to as much as 36,000 gallons per month (or 438,000 gallons per year) and still pass a standard hydrostatic leakage test. These leaks may be evenly distributed as small leaks over the entire pipeline or a few very large leaks in isolated locations.

Sahara® Leak Detection

Until recently, the water industry has relied solely on hydrostatic pressure testing as its only means of leakage testing, albeit indirectly and inaccurately. However, due to Sahara® leak detection technology, new pipelines can now be accurately surveyed to assure a leak-free pipeline. Sahara® pipeline commissioning service is a convenient, economical, and minimally intrusive method of locating leaks as small as 0.004 gallon per minute at internal pressures of 90-psi or greater.

Sahara® uses an ultra-sensitive tethered acoustic sensor to detect leaks in pipelines (6-inches or greater) in conjunction with a standard hydrostatic pressure test. The sensor is inserted into the pipeline through a 2-inch tap (minimum) and passes through the pipe with the aid of high tensile strength pull-tape. Pure customarily works with pipeline design engineers to recommend optimal access points. The location of all leaks detected are marked at ground level above the pipeline, in real-time, and a GPS coordinate is recorded.

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Featured Project

Dallas Water Utilities

Due to population growth in the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, DALW is bringing additional water sources on-line. Normally used as a condition assessment tool that identifies leaks in in-service pipelines of any material construction type, Sahara® was adapted to pinpoint the leaks in uncommissioned pipelines..

Contact Us

Contact Pure today to find out how we can help you to commission a zero leak pipeline.