Method and system for detecting whether an acoustic event has occured along a fluid conduit

Abstract

Methods, systems, and techniques for determining whether an acoustic event lias occurred along a fluid conduit iliat lias acoustic sensors positioned along its length. For each of the sensors, a processor is used to determine a linear relationship between a measured acoustic signal measured using the sensor and a white noise acoustic source located along a longitudinal segment of the fluid conduit overlapping the sensor. From the linear relationship, the processor determines an acoustic path response that includes an acoustic response of the longitudinal segment and an acoustic source transfer function dial transforms the white noise acoustic source. Over time, variations in the acoustic path responses and/or acoustic source transfer functions are monitored. When the event threshold is exceeded, the acoustic event is identified as having occurred along the longitudinal segment corresponding to the acoustic path response or acoustic source transfer function that varied in excess of the event threshold.