Sonardyne System to New Submersible Monitor North Sea Pressure Sensor CO2 Leaks from ASTSonardyne International is taking part in a new Energy Tech-nologies Institute (ETI) project within the Carbon Capture Storage (CCS) program to develop a Carbon Dioxide (CO2) marine and shallow subsurface monitoring system for under-ground CCS sites in the North Sea. The system will monitor for any CO2 leakage from saline aquifers and offshore stor-age sites such as oil and gas ? elds, both active and depleted.The development of a U.K.-based North Sea CCS industry is an important element in the government’s initiative to sig-ni? cantly cut greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, mitigat-ing against high future energy costs and for developing high value, low carbon industries. Other members of the Con-sortium are lead participant Fugro GEOS Ltd., the National Environment Research Council (NERC – as represented by the National Oceanography Centre and British Geological Society), Plymouth Marine Laboratory and the University of Southampton.Using technologies already proven in the offshore and oceanographic industries, combined with new remote sens-ing technology, the consortium will develop an integrated leak detection system that is capable of both wide area cov-The Model AST 4530 Liquid Level Transmitter from Amer- erage by AUVs/ASVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles/ican Sensor Technologies, Inc. (AST) is designed to mea- Autonomous Surface vehicles) and continuous automated sure the level of harsh liquids such as slurries, salt water and monitoring of high risk areas. For these sites, the use of oil in vented tanks or containers. Constructed with PVDF Sonardyne’s Automatic Leak Detection Sonar (ALDS) has material and a PTFE diaphragm, the AST 4530 submersible been proposed. ALDS is both an active and passive sonar pressure sensor features a submersible PVDF cable, cord capable of monitoring more than one billion cubic feet of grip and housing as well as a conduit connection for turbu- water for the smallest of leaks. The system is fully auto-lent installations such as process plants, salt water holding mated, offering reliable detection, rapid noti? cation and lo-tanks, on board ships, turbulent tanks and rail cars. Sensors calization of leaks. It provides continuous 360° coverage, are certi? ed to Class I Div 1, Groups C and D for use in in- detecting leaks after only tens of seconds. trinsically safe areas with an approved barrier. As the data is gathered from both ALDS, the AUVs/ASVs The PVDF liquid level transmitter is not affected from lid and other monitoring technologies, it will be relayed to angle or proximity to tank wells, AST said. In comparison shore using a combination of wireless acoustic and satel-to ultrasonic and radar sensor technologies, the AST4530 lite communications and existing reservoir infrastructure Liquid Level Transmitter will not have an offset in output acting as surface-to-shore relay stations. Sonardyne’s Au-due to foaming, re? ectivity as well as lid angle or proximity tonomous Monitoring Transponders (AMTs) will form the to the tank wall. In plastic tanks, a metal plate is not required core power, data logging and communications backbone for to be installed under the transmitter. Vapor and condensation this data sensing and relay. AMT’s autonomously acquire will not affect the reading or survivability, as the transmit- acoustic ranges and sensor data is then time-stamped and ter is vented through the cable to the outside of the tank or logged internally for recovery via the integrated high-speed container. For marine and water processing applications, it acoustic telemetry modem. This autonomy allows measure-offers the advantage of not requiring sacri? cial anode to re- ments to be made over long periods of time and a wide range duce corrosion over time. It will also survive longer than of sensors for the detection of CO2 can be interfaced and standard submersible transmitters in applications where integrated, providing an ultra-low power platform for up to bacteria can attack metal. ? ve years unattended deployment.www.astsensors.com www.sonardyne.comwww.seadiscovery.comMarine Technology Reporter 59MTR #5 (50-64).indd 59 MTR #5 (50-64).indd 59 6/9/2014 11:03:53 AM6/9/2014 11:03:53 AM