Engineering Standard

SAES-Z-003 30 April, 2002

Pipelines Leak Detection Systems
Process Control Standards Committee Members
Alqaffas, S.A., Chairman
Al-Assiry, N.Y., Vice Chairman
Al-Ansari, J.A.
Al-Awami, L.H.
Al-Bawardi, K.M.
Al-Brahim, R.A.
Al-Eisa, J.F.
Al-Ghamdi, H.M.
Al-Khalifa, A.H.
Al-Marhoon, W.K.
Asiri, B.M.
Busbait, A.M.
Chen, G.C.
Dunn, A.R.
Fadag, I.H.
Grainger, J.F.
Green, C.M.
Hirezi, G.J.
Jansen, K.P.
Rajab, A.A.
Rambo, Z.A.
Trembley, R.J.

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents

1 Scope............................................................. 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations................................ 2
3 References..................................................... 2
4 Terms and Definitions.................................... 3
5 Design............................................................ 4
6 Testing........................................................... 9

Previous Issue: New Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005

Revised paragraphs are indicated in the right margin Page 1 of 10
Primary contact: Abdulla H. Bin Saleh on 874-7220
Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

1 Scope
This Standard defines the minimum mandatory requirements governing the scoping,
design, installation, performance and online testing of pipelines Leak Detection Systems
(LDS).
This standard applies to liquid and gas hydrocarbon pipelines excluding flowlines,
trunklines, and test lines. New pipelines projects shall install appropriate LDS based on
pipelines application and classification as detailed in this standard.
2 Conflicts and Deviations
2.1 Any conflicts between this standard and other applicable Saudi Aramco
Engineering Standards (SAESs), Materials System Specifications (SAMSSs),
Standard Drawings (SASDs), or industry standards, codes, and forms shall be
resolved in writing by the Company or Buyer Representative through the
Manager, Process & Control Systems Department (P&CSD) of Saudi Aramco,
Dhahran.
2.2 Direct all requests to deviate from this standard in writing to the Company or
Buyer Representative, who shall follow internal company procedure SAEP-302
and forward such requests to the Manager, Process & Control Systems
Department (P&CSD) Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
3 References
The selection of material and equipment, and the design, construction, maintenance, and
repair of equipment and facilities covered by this standard shall comply with the latest
edition of the references listed below, unless otherwise noted.
3.1 Saudi Aramco References
Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure
SAEP-302 Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a
Mandatory Saudi Aramco Engineering
Requirement
Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards
SAES-A-102 Air Pollutant Emission Source Control
SAES-B-064 Onshore and Nearshore Pipeline Safety
SAES-J-002 Technically Acceptable Instruments
SAES-J-003 Basic Design Criteria
SAES-J-100 Process Flow Metering
SAES-J-200 Pressure
SAES-J-400 Temperature

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Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

SAES-J-601 Emergency Shutdown and Isolation Systems

SAES-J-902 Electrical Systems for Instrumentation
Saudi Aramco Materials System Specifications
23-SAMSS-030 Remote Terminal Units
34-SAMSS-820 Instrument Control Cabinet-Indoor
34-SAMSS-821 Instrument Control Cabinet-Outdoor
3.2 Industry Codes and Standards
American Petroleum Institute
API PUBL 1130 Computational Pipeline Monitoring
API PUBL 1149 Pipeline Variable Uncertainties & their Effect on
Leak Detectability
API PUBL 1155 Evaluation Methodology for Software Based Leak
Detection Systems
Environmental Protection Agency
EPA530/UST-90/010 Standard Test Procedure to Evaluating Leak
Detection Method: Pipeline Leak Detection
Systems

4 Terms and Definitions

This section contains definitions for acronyms, abbreviations, classes as they are used in
this document.
4.1 Acronyms and Abbreviations
API American Petroleum Institute
DCS Distributed Control System
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
G Sweet Gas
GS Sour Gas
ISA The International Society for Measurement & Control
L Sweet liquid
LDS Leak Detection System
LS Sour Liquid
LV Volatile Sweet Liquids
LVS Volatile Sour Liquids
SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

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Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

4.2 Class definition

Below are location class definitions, for treatment of location classes refer to
SAES-B-064:
Class 1: Class 1 locations are undeveloped areas for which the population
density index for any 1 kilometer segment is 10 or less.
Class 2: Class 2 locations are areas for which the population density index is
11 through 30 or which include primary or secondary highways as
defined by the Saudi Arab Government Ministry of Communications.
For pipelines near highways in populated areas, the more
conservative classification shall prevail. The portion of subsea
pipelines located between Lowest Astronomical Tide (LAT) and
points 0.4 kilometer on the seaward side of the LAT-line shall be
designated for location class 2. Location Class 2 shall be the
minimum used for the portion of these pipelines located between
LAT-line and the onshore anchor.
Class 3: Class 3 locations are areas for which the population density index is
more than 30.
Class 4: Class 4 locations are areas in which a school, hospital, hotel, prison,
or shopping mall or similar retail complex is located, as well as any
Class 3 areas which include buildings of more than four occupied
floors.
5 Design
5.1 General
5.1.1 Pipelines leak detection systems shall detect leaks if and when they
occur, estimate the size and location of a leak and generate operator
alert/alarms related to the leak and its scales. Leak detection systems
shall be selected based on one of the following:
5.1.1.1 For onshore pipelines, the selected leak detection system shall
meet the minimum performance requirement as stated in table
5 through 8.
5.1.1.2 For pipeline network or pipelines that are not classified by
SAES-B-064, a leak sensitivity study (such as risk assessment)
shall be conducted that determines the impact of the pipeline
(s) leak or rupture on the neighboring community, highway
traffic, and environment. This study considers minimum
response time and the amount of product released until total
isolation is achieved. This study determines required leak
detection system performance criteria and performance
tradeoffs for the pipeline or pipeline network under

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Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

consideration. Tables 5 through 8 outline the minimum

performance requirements.
5.1.2 Technology selections shall be considered for each specific pipeline
application to meet this standard criteria and suite a given pipeline
configuration.
5.1.3 The operating requirements of each leak detection system, including
instrumentation accuracy, repeatability and measurement precision,
communication reliability and sampling frequency should determine
whether the leak detection system would share or use compatible
instrumentations of the specific pipelines monitoring system.
5.1.4 The design shall utilize to the maximum extent possible the existing field
equipment and communication infrastructure without degrading the leak
detection system's ability to recognize potential or actual leak as a result
of inadequate data acquisition frequency or bad data quality.
5.1.5 Environmental impact should be considered for selecting LDS for cross-
country pipelines. The environmental impact analysis shall include air,
land, water, energy, and noise level.
5.2 Performance Criteria
Leak detection performance shall consider overall leak detection components
such as field instruments, communication devices and media, and LDS internal
components. Selecting proper type of Leak Detection System shall be governed
by the following performance criteria:
5.2.1 Reliability: Measure of the Leak Detection System's ability to report
possible existence of a leak on the pipeline, while operating within the
envelop established by the leak detection system design. The established
envelop includes the number of acceptable false alarms, minimum leak
size and response time. Table 1 defines the minimum ranges of
reliability for LDS selection.

Table 1 – Reliability
Range Description
High Shall not exceed one false alarm per year of 18 mm
(0.75 inch) leak size, and 15 minutes response time
Medium Shall not exceed three false alarms per year of 25 mm
(1 inch) leak size, and 30 minutes response time
Low Shall not exceed ten false alarms per year of 50 mm
(2 inches) leak size, and 60 minutes response time

Commentary Note:
The 18 mm (0.75 inch) leak size was driven using estimated pinhole to
cause incident levels (Major, Moderate, and Minor. As an example, the

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Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

leak system shall be installed to detect a leak of spill size less than 1000
BBL (Minor level). The spill flow rate and the time shall not exceed the
minor incident level spill quantity (1000 BBL within 8HRS). The time to
stop the leak should be divided between mobilization time, repair time
and leak detection instrument response time.
5.2.2 Sensitivity: A composite measure of the size of the leak that the system
is capable of detecting at steady state and the time required the system to
generate an alarm in event that a leak of that size should occur. Table 2
defines the minimum ranges of sensitivity for LDS selection.

Table 2 – Sensitivity
Range Description
High 18 mm (0.75 inch) of leak size within one minute
Medium 18 mm (0.75 inch) of leak size within 10 minutes
Low 18 mm (0.75 inch) of leak size with one hour

5.2.3 Accuracy: The validity of the estimated leak flow rate, total volume
lost, and leak location within an acceptable degree of tolerance. Table 3
defines the minimum ranges of accuracy for LDS selection.

Table 3 – Accuracy
Range Description
High 18 mm (0.75 inch) of leak size ± 33 ft of actual leak location
Medium 18 mm (0.75 inch) of leak size ± 0.5 mile of actual leak location
Low 18 mm (0.75 inch) of leak size ± one mile of actual leak location

5.2.4 Robustness: Is a measure of the Leak Detection System's ability to

continue to function and provide useful information, even under
changing conditions of pipeline operation, or in conditions where data is
temporary lost or suspected. Table 4 defines the minimum ranges of
robustness for LDS selection.

Table 4 – Robustness
Range Description
High Loss of a field sensor/communication link will
not degrade performance
Medium Loss of a field sensor/communication link
may reduce accuracy and/or sensitivity of detecting
leaks by one range level of table 2 and/or 3.
Low Loss of a field sensor/communication link
may cause failure to detect leaks

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Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

5.3 Leak Detection System Type Selection

This standards does not require specific leak detection technology or product,
however, the standard sets the performance measure for pipelines applications.
5.3.1 The following pipelines applications are addressed by this standard:
G Sweet gas (treated gas, i.e., sale gas with specification A-120
(Hydrogen Sulfide, grains/100 SCF (grains/100 CM))
GS Sour gas (gas concentration H2S >1% Hydrogen Sulfide)
L Sweet liquid (stabilized crude or treated condensate <300 ppm
Hydrogen Sulfide)
LS Sour liquid (untreated hydrocarbon) >300 PPM Hydrogen Sulfide
LV Volatile sweet liquids <300 ppm Hydrogen Sulfide)
LVS Volatile sour liquids >300 ppm Hydrogen Sulfide)
5.3.2 Pipeline Leak Detection System performance requirements
The following tables (5 thought 8) state the minimum performance
measure requirements for each corresponding class of pipeline
applications.

Table 5 – Location Classes 1

Performance Service
Measure
G GS L LS LV LVS
Reliability Low Low Low Low Low Low
Sensitivity Low Low Low Low Low Low
Accuracy Low Low Low Low Low Low
Robustness Low Low Low Low Low Low

Table 6 – Location Classes 2

Performance Service
Measure
G GS L LS LV LVS
Reliability Low Medium Low Medium Low Medium
Sensitivity Low Medium Low Medium Low Medium
Accuracy Low Medium Low Medium Low Medium
Robustness Low Medium Low Medium Low Medium

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Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

Table 7 – Location Classes 3

Performance Service
Measure
G GS L LS LV LVS
Reliability Medium High Medium High Medium High
Sensitivity Medium High Medium High Medium High
Accuracy Medium High Medium High Medium High
Robustness Medium High Medium High Medium High

Table 8 – Location Classes 4

Performance Service
Measure
G GS L LS LV LVS
Reliability High High Medium High Medium High
Sensitivity High High Medium High Medium High
Accuracy High High Medium High Medium High
Robustness High High Medium High Medium High

5.4 Leak Monitoring Package-Software Engine

5.4.1 Leak monitoring software shall provide continuous operator alert and
logging functions for the pipelines including real time simulation
capability.
5.4.2 Leak monitoring software shall provide history archive of actual leak
detected and suspected or filtered events.
5.4.3 Leak monitoring software shall provide report to indicate suspected leak
details with capability to print or display on the designated operator
workstation. The report may include topographical locations
coordinates, etc.
5.5 Field Instrumentation Selection Criteria
The selection, application and installation of leak detection field instrumentation
shall meet the reliability and robustness measures for the pipeline class.
Conventional instruments such as pressure, temperature, etc shall meet
requirements referenced in section 3.1. Other instruments shall be selected
based on selected LDS recommendation.
5.6 Remote Terminal Units (RTU)
The field devices may be dedicated for the leak detection application or shared
with a DCS or SCADA. Selection of either approach will be determined by the

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Document Responsibility: Process Control SAES-Z-003
Issue Date: 30 April, 2002
Next Planned Update: 1 May, 2005 Pipelines Leak Detection Systems

application performance measures. This also may determine the use of

dedicated communication media and operator interface subsystems.
6 Testing
6.1 The Leak Detection System performance as tested, shall meet one of the follow:
• Performance measures determined by the leak detection (risk assessment)
study per pipelines' proponent approved test procedure or,
• Approved international standard procedure (i.e., API, EPA) or
• Third party approved procedure, which will be provided by vendor
supplying the LDS.
6.2 For new project where an LDS is required, the project shall develop functional
specification that contains all testing requirements, hardware selection meets this
standard performance.
3 As minimum, leak detection system shall be periodically tested per Table 9.

Table 9 – Testing Intervals

Performance Service
Measure
G GS L LS LV LVS
Class I Annual Annual Annual Annual Annual Annual
Class II Annual Annual Six Annual Annual Annual
months
Class III Three Three Six Six Three Three
months months months months months months
Class IV Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly

Revision Summary
30 April, 2002 New Saudi Aramco Engineering Standard.

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