An Acoustic System for Pipeline Profile Measurement

Abstract

This paper presents an acoustic position measurement system used for precise three-dimensional flowline profile measurement. The system measures several points along the flowline using the long-baseline measurement technique and augments this measurement with depth telemetry repeaters to maintain elevation accuracy throughout the changing installation geometry. The paper discusses both the measurement system and the performance enhancement features. The paper concludes with a discussion of the hardware configuration and the accuracy that can be expected when the technique is extended into deeper operating areas.