BP has selected Qinetiq’s OptaSense technology as the security system for the Turkey section of the 1,770 km Baku Tbilisi Ceyhan (BTC). The optical fiber pipeline intrusion detection system detects and identifies potential threats to buried pipelines. An initial 100km of pipe was protected by OptaSense last year and successfully detected incidents including vehicular approach, footsteps and digging next to the pipeline. The system raised alarms allowing control center operators to alert the police with the exact location of the incident, preventing a potentially significant environment and business impact.
OptaSense can be retrofitted into existing block valve stations, using existing communications fiber adjacent to the pipeline as an acoustic array to monitor sound and seismic activity. Over 100km of pipe can be monitored from a single station. Qinetiq is now partnering with Future Fibre Technologies to cross market OptaSense and FFT’s ‘Secure Fence’ solution fence mounted perimeter protection. More from www.optasense.net.
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