Houston, Texas – November 2024 – A leading North American pipeline operator has successfully deployed the ABB SPFEC12-1 analog input module across 1,200km of crude oil pipelines, reducing leak detection response time by 70% and cutting maintenance costs by 28%. The deployment, completed in October 2024, addressed critical gaps in the operator’s legacy monitoring system, which struggled to provide accurate, real-time data in remote, harsh environments.
The Challenge: Blind Spots in Pipeline Monitoring
The operator’s pipeline network stretches from West Texas oilfields to Gulf Coast refineries, traversing deserts, wetlands, and urban areas. The network relies on 186 pressure and flow sensors to detect leaks, corrosion, and pressure surges—critical for preventing environmental disasters and ensuring regulatory compliance. Its 8-year-old analog modules presented three critical flaws:
- Inaccurate Remote Data: In desert sections, temperature fluctuations (-10°C to +50°C) caused the old modules to drift, leading to 15-20 false leak alarms monthly. Each false alarm required a $15,000 field inspection.
- Signal Loss in Remote Areas: The modules’ limited communication range forced the operator to install expensive repeaters, adding $2.3 million in infrastructure costs over 5 years.
- Slow Leak Detection: 3-second data sampling delay meant small leaks (≤50 liters/minute) took up to 45 minutes to detect—increasing the risk of soil and water contamination.
With the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) tightening leak detection requirements, the operator needed a rugged, reliable monitoring solution. “Our old modules were creating more problems than they solved,” said Robert Carter, the operator’s pipeline integrity director. “False alarms wasted resources, and slow leak detection put us at risk of non-compliance and environmental damage.”
ABB SPFEC12-1: The Pipeline-Grade Monitoring Solution
After rigorous field testing in Texas and New Mexico, the operator selected the ABB SPFEC12-1 for its environmental resilience, communication capabilities, and precision:
- Wide Temperature Tolerance: Operating range of -20°C to +60°C and temperature drift compensation ensure ±0.1% accuracy even in desert temperature swings—eliminating false alarms.
- Long-Range Communication: Native support for Modbus TCP/IP and Profinet enables direct data transmission to the central control center over 50km without repeaters, reducing infrastructure costs.
- 1000Hz Sampling Rate: 1ms data capture detects small leaks in under 15 minutes—3x faster than the old modules—minimizing environmental impact.
- 15-Channel Versatility: Each SPFEC12-1 module monitors 15 sensors (pressure, flow, temperature), reducing the number of modules needed by 40% compared to the old 8-channel units.
- Rugged Industrial Design: IP20 protection and corrosion-resistant components withstand dust, humidity, and vibration in remote pipeline stations—delivering a mean time between failures (MTBF) of 250,000 hours .
Deployment & Game-Changing Results
The operator partnered with ABB to deploy 13 SPFEC12-1 modules across 10 remote monitoring stations. The modules were integrated with the operator’s existing ABB Symphony Plus control system , with installation completed in 6 weeks (2x faster than planned). Key outcomes include:
- Leak Detection Response Time Cut 70%: Small leaks are now detected in 12 minutes (down from 45), reducing contamination risk and potential PHMSA fines.
- False Alarms Reduced by 95%: Temperature-compensated precision dropped false leak alarms from 18 to 1 monthly, saving $255,000 annually in field inspection costs.
- Maintenance Costs Down 28%: The SPFEC12-1’s remote diagnostic features allow technicians to troubleshoot sensor issues from the control center, reducing field visits by 35% and saving $320,000 yearly.
- Infrastructure Savings of $1.8M: Eliminating the need for 27 repeaters reduced ongoing maintenance and power costs for remote stations.
- Compliance Confidence: Real-time, accurate data meets PHMSA’s latest leak detection standards, avoiding potential $2.1M annual penalties.
“The SPFEC12-1 has transformed how we manage pipeline integrity,” Carter said. “We now have visibility into every section of the pipeline, and the reliability of the data means we can respond faster to issues—protecting the environment and our bottom line.”
James Rodriguez, ABB’s oil & gas industry solutions director, noted the module’s alignment with pipeline operators’ needs: “Pipelines require monitoring solutions that are as tough as the environments they operate in. The SPFEC12-1 delivers the accuracy, range, and durability that make it a critical tool for safety and compliance.”
The operator plans to expand the SPFEC12-1 deployment to its 1,500km natural gas pipeline network in 2025, targeting a 65% reduction in leak detection response time and $400,000 in annual maintenance savings.
