Saudi Arabian Oil Company

Ali N Meshaikhis

Ayman Amer

Ali AlShehri

Hamad Alsaiari

Mohammad R Khunaizi

Luay H Al-Awami

Techniques for determining a thermal condition of a pipeline include identifying a pipeline that carries a first fluid at a first temperature that includes a tubular conduit that includes a bore that carries the first fluid, and a layer of insulation installed over the tubular conduit; circulating a second fluid at a second temperature from a bypass conduit that is fluidly coupled to the tubular conduit through the layer of insulation into the bore; based on circulating the second fluid into the bore, detecting a thermal gradient between the first fluid carried in the bore and the tubular conduit or the layer of insulation at a particular location of the pipeline; and based on the detected thermal gradient, determining a presence of at least one of water or water vapor between the tubular conduit and the layer of insulation at the particular location of the pipeline.

Determining thermal conditions in a pipeline

Techniques for determining a thermal condition of a pipeline include identifying a pipeline that carries a fluid at a steady-state temperature, where the pipeline includes a tubular conduit that includes a bore that carries the fluid, and a layer of insulation installed over an exterior surface of the tubular conduit; changing the steady-state temperature of the fluid by applying a thermal contrast to the pipeline; based on changing the steady-state temperature, detecting a thermal gradient between the fluid carried in the bore and at least one of the tubular conduit or the layer of insulation at a particular location of the pipeline; and based on the detected thermal gradient, determining a presence of at least one of water or water vapor between the exterior surface of the tubular conduit and the layer of insulation at the particular location of the pipeline.

A valve system includes a bellows-type pressure relief valve and an attachment assembly. The bellows-type pressure relief valve includes a main housing defining a main chamber, an inlet opening, and an outlet opening, a bonnet housing defining a bonnet chamber and a bonnet vent in the bonnet housing, and a bellows structure defining a bellows chamber fluidly connected to the bonnet chamber. The attachment assembly is coupled to the bonnet vent to selectively plug the bonnet vent. The attachment assembly include a coupling to couple to the bonnet vent, a pressure sensor to detect a pressure in the bonnet chamber, and a vent structure including a vent valve to selectively open in response to an applied force or in response to the pressure sensor detecting a pressure in the bonnet chamber reaching a pressure threshold.

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Qatif, Saudi Arabia

Ali N Meshaikhis