Using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) To Detect Water Leakage From a Buried Pipeline

Summary This paper discusses conducting GPR surveys with different frequencies to detect a suspected water leakage from a buried pipeline at a gas platform. Due to the difficulty in accessing the area above the pipeline because of the fill nature of the pipeline area, the survey had to be conducted a long lines that are 1.5 meters way from the pipe line on both sides. The high-resolution 250 MHz antenna needed to identify the leakage could not provide reliable information on the location of the potential leakage due to the distance. However, the low-resolution 25 MHz antenna acquired over two lines on both sides of the pipeline captured the pipeline, in spite of the distance. At a certain location, a dimmed pipeline reflectivity is remarkable due to a regional geology, or related to leakage. Based on analysis, this location is the most probable location for leakage, however with high uncertainty. Generally, GPR managed to detect the pipeline and the host material, soil and limestone, however, confidence in its ability to capture the leakage is not that high for many reasons. This paper provides recommendations of survey designs to detect a considerable water leakage from a pipeline at similar site conditions.