Smart Pipeline Monitoring System: A Review

In Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria, Pipelines are the primary way of transporting liquid and gas. Oil and fuel pipeline networks have proven to be the most secure and competitively priced way of transporting petroleum products while meeting increased demand for efficiency and durability. As a consequence of the negative impact of unreliable pipeline systems on society, the demand for a credible pipeline system is increasing by the day. Failure in pipeline systems can result in pollution and explosions, which pose a threat to people, property, and the ecology. Hence, this paper presents an overview of a smart pipeline monitoring system. The review encompasses the various methods of monitoring pipeline systems, ranging from traditional systems to IoT-based systems. From the papers reviewed, it was seen that there exist numerous methods to carry out pipeline monitoring. These approaches and methods produced different degree of accuracy and efficiency when applied in monitoring pipelines, and also depends on the content or material the pipeline carries. The review identifies key features of pipeline monitoring systems to include: real-time capability, predictive capability, scalability and accuracy. This paper reveals the possibility to adopt technology-based monitoring system as opposed to traditional methods.