Tamper and rust proof pipeline technology introduced

New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) Oil India Limited (OIL) will use the world's first technology developed for its 2000 Kms of pipeline transporting crude oil that promises to be tamper proof, anti-corrosive and much cheaper than the existing pipelines.

Developed with strategic support with ICSA (India) Ltd, an embedded solutions technology provider for the energy sector, the technology will be extended to other oil companies like ONGC, IOC etc and marketed abroad.

Under the terms of the deal, the two companies agreed to incorporate a new company within 12 months of the execution of the signed agreement between the two companies.

The terms and conditions relating to the formation of the company will be formalised soon. A Joint Venture (JV) company will be floated and established with 50:50 equity partnership and will have an authorised capital of Rs 10 crore.

The new company will be called Oil India ICSA Limited that would provide this new technology.

''It is just an extension of the technology already developed for the power sector, that would now be tailor-made for the petroleum sector,'' an ICSA official told UNI.

MD, ICSA (India) Bala Reddy said, ''The innovative technology involved in iCAP system improves efficiency of conventional Cathodic Protection, forecasts pilferages/pipelie tampering in real time and improves the the life of pipelines to achieve design life and eliminates the requirement of expensive conventional measurements.

This system is costs effective and meets international standards and compatibility.'' About two months BP's pipelines had been leaking leading to huge losses in Alaska.

Called the Intelligent Cathodic Protection (iCAP) is an innovative wireless embedded real time system developed for pipeline applications to monitor, analyse and display in real time the data of Cathodic Protection Parameters for all types of existing new and cross country pipelines.

All relevant parameters are logged in real time and transmitted through GSM, CDMA, RF and Optical Fiber network to the desired location.

The base station computer has in-built data analysiss and interpretation routines for real time forecast.

It forecasts abnormalities and trends in graphical and numerical form. It is a field compatible system and automatically acquires data from various test lead points, transformer rectifier unit and other stations spread over along the pipeline round the clock.

It also facilitates prompt action during adverse conditions.

It has field compatible sensors for detecting various corrosion parameters. ''It eliminates expensive conventional measurements, maintains statury requirements, forecast pilferage/tampering/defects and improves the life and safety of the pipes, Mr Reddy said.

Oil India, strongly believes that this unique technology offering provide sconsiderable advantages to the pipeline industry in general and has an immense business potential, said Chairman and Managing Director of Oil India Limited M R Pasrija said .

''This joint venture is the culmination of successful field testing of the new technology carried out over a 50 kms pipeline in the Jagiroad (RS-5)&Guwahati (PS-5) sector. We are certain it will enhance value to our existing pipelines and the new customer base.'' Both the companies are upbeat about the future prospects of the iCAP technologies in India and Abroad.

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