POST-GRADUATE RESEARCH WORK EXPERIENCE REPORT

TO THE COUNCIL FOR THE REGULATION

OF ENGINEERING IN NIGERIA (COREN)

ON

An Enhanced Multi-Agent System (MAS) Based Framework for

Pipeline Vandalism Monitoring System Niger Delta Region

PRESENTED BY

OZUE THANKGOD IZUCHUKWU

B.ENG (ELECTRICAL), M.ENG (ELECTRONIC), MNSE

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENTOFTHE REQUIREMENT FOR

REGISTRATION AS A PROFESSIONAL REGISTERED ENGINEER

MAY 2019
Abstract—This paper presents a new framework for fast and intelligent diagnosis of pipeline field sensors by Multi-Agent
Systems (MAS). The software agents are responsible for efficient operation of the pipeline sensors as well as the detection
of anomaly in the pipeline infrastructure such as presence of vandals (whose intention it to steal the crude oil and other
petroleum products) around the right of way (ROW) of the pipelines and eventual rupture of the pipelines. This framework
allows pipeline plant operator to get fast feedback from the software Agent (Distribution Agent) as either SMS, email or
real- time from a web-based interface once there is detection of presence of vandals by the Diagnosis Agent. This paper
equally presents a web-based framework using an Agent-based approach to enable monitoring of the status of the
pipelines from a friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) based web-based interface such as http.

I. INTRODUCTION
Nigeria is the largest oil producer in Africa and the sixth largest oil exporter in the world [1]. The mainstay of Nigeria‟s
economy is the petroleum sector, contributing about 90% of the nation‟s foreign exchange earnings and about 25% of the Gross
Domestic Products [2]. A significant proportion of the nation‟s oil is produced onshore, although recently oil production has
witnessed increased activities in the off-shores. The crude oil produced from oil fields located at various points in the country
including south-south, south-east and south-west are transported by pipelines to four major refineries of Alesa Eleme, Warri,
and Kaduna. Out of Nigeria‟s crude oil reserves of about 16 to 22 billion barrels, the Niger Delta bears most of this reserve
according to U.S United states Energy Information Administration (EIA). This region encompasses most of the oil fields. Most
of Nigeria's oil fields are small and scattered, and as of 1990, these small unproductive fields accounted for 62.1% of all
Nigerian production [3],[4]. This scattered nature of the oil field locations necessitated the establishment of an extensive and
well-developed pipeline network to transport the crude. Fig. 1 shows the map of Nigeria containing the oil fields and pipeline
network in Niger Delta region.
Over the years, the amount of oil produced and transported between points of production, processing and distribution or
export terminals has greatly increased as the demand and dependency on oil increased.
Although this increase in oil production level contributes to the national economic growth, studies have shown that it
presents increased potential for environmental pollution and degradation [5, 6]. It has also been observed that thousands

Fig. 1. Map showing Niger Delta Region in Nigeria with oil fields and pipeline architecture [5]

of barrels of oil have been spilled into the environment through oil pipelines and storage facilities‟ failure in Nigeria [7].
The causes of pipeline damage and leakage vary greatly from material defects, pipe corrosion and contact with ship
anchors in the offshore operations to vandalism of pipeline onshore by hoodlums and their collaborators.
Oil spillage disaster through pipeline vandalism is a phenomenon that has thrived and come to stay especially in the Niger Delta
region in Nigeria, where crude oil is produced both on-shored and off-shored. This has resulted to the loss of billions of crude
oils and corresponding loss of income every year. An average of 35,000 barrels of crude oil is stolen per day in circumstances
that threaten lives and the environment [20]. Also according to NNPC in April 2013, about five (5) billion Naira is lost by
Nigeria as a result of pipeline vandalism and crude oil bunkering [7].
Apart from the loss of lives and property through pipeline fire, the run-off from impacted sites usually degrade the quality of
the fresh water sources which serves the domestic rural water supply needs of most communities in Nigeria. The enormous oil
installations deployed in the Niger Delta region explains their vulnerability to vandalism. Presently, the Niger Delta region
plays host to 606 oil fields of which 355 fields are onshore while 251 are offshore with over 3,000 kilometers of pipelines
crisscrossing the region and linking some 275 flow stations to various export terminals.
A. Security Challenges in Niger Delta Oil and Gas prospecting
Oil and gas production facilities are critical infrastructures and as such can be targets for sabotage and terrorist attacks [8].
Such is the case in Nigeria Niger Delta Region. There is however, a serious decline in militant activities since the
inception and implementation of amnesty programme of the Nigerian Federal Government initiated by then Yar „Adua
regime but cases of oil bunkering and pipeline vandalisation in order to steal crude oil is still on the increase[9].
The dominant security challenges in Niger Delta Region ranges from pipeline vandalisation, illegal oil bunkering,
kidnapping of oil and gas workers by militants and criminals, vandalisation and destruction of oil and gas facilities such as oil
wells, flow stations, oil rigs and even theft and destruction of oil and gas installed equipment and wireless sensors that are
supposed to monitor these facilities. According to [10], vandalisation is the most serious challenge out of these whole lots.

II. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Pipeline infrastructures are critical national resources that must be protected from criminal activities of vandals and crude oil
thieves. Several works have proposed several methodologies to solve the problem of pipeline leakage and vandalisation in the
Niger Delta Region. This paper presented a holistic software implementation framework using a popular software engineering
paradigm known as Multi-Agent Systems (MAS). MAS were used in this paper to liaise with installed environmental pipeline
sensors in order to detect the activities of pipeline vandals. The paper was able to show how MAS can be used to effect
interactions between the pipelines sensors in order to send appropriate alarm messages to the oil pipeline control station so
that activities of the vandals can be nipped on the bud in order to curtail loss as a result of product loss and environmental
degradation.
The paper also showed that it is possible to use an agent- based to implement web-based monitoring platform so that from
corporate SCADA network, the personnel of the of companies can see what happens at the remote locations where the pipelines
are deployed.

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