Pipeline Protection

Early detection and prevention of unauthorized access to critical pipelines.

The Challenge

Theft and Leakage Are Costly, and Dangerous

Oil and gas companies need to protect pipelines from theft, illegal tapping, and leakage. Beyond the direct cost to the pipeline company, the fluid leaking from a compromised pipeline can carry hazardous material that pollutes the surrounding environment.

Illegal Tapping & Theft

Pipelines running through remote, unmonitored terrain are exposed to illegal tapping and product theft.

Delayed Leak Detection

Without continuous monitoring along the full length of the pipeline, leaks can go unnoticed until damage is done.

Environmental Risk

Leaking hazardous material can pollute soil and water long before a leak is manually discovered.

Vast Pipeline Distances

Pipelines often span great distances, making constant human patrol impractical and expensive.

The Solution

Seismic Sensors Along Every Meter of Pipe

An array of seismic sensors buried above the pipeline, linked to a central hub, detects digging activity and leakage as it happens, alerting maintenance staff before theft, vandalism, or environmental damage escalates.

Underground sensor detecting digging near a pipeline
1

Detection: Seismic Sensors

Sensors buried above the pipeline detect digging activity, while sensors attached to the pipe itself detect leakage as it happens.

Central hub processing and classifying a detected event
2

Processing: Central Hub

A central hub receives messages and alarms from every sensor, using unique signal processing to differentiate between event types.

Alert sent to maintenance staff and company headquarters
3

Alerting: Maintenance & HQ

Maintenance staff and company headquarters are notified immediately, with the exact location of the threat or leak.

Why It Works

Reliable Protection Along Any Length of Pipe

Seismic Technology

Detects footsteps up to 12m/39ft and vehicle or digging activity up to 25m/82ft from the sensor cable, with per-sensor localization via an embedded DSP processor.

Low Power Consumption

Each sensor draws roughly 15mW (1.3mA at 12V), keeping power infrastructure simple across long, remote pipeline runs.

Invisible, Underground Placement

Sensors are buried alongside the pipeline itself, so there's no above-ground hardware marking the protected route.

Rugged & Weather-Proof

IP68 rated to MIL-STD-810G and operational from -40°C to 85°C, built to hold up across the same harsh terrain the pipeline itself crosses.

Adjustable Sensitivity

Sensitivity is tunable per section, so detection can be calibrated to local soil conditions and typical vehicle or foot traffic near the route.

License-Free Wireless Mesh

Up to 38 sensors run per string with unlimited, fully redundant Hub-managed sections, so a single fault doesn't take down coverage on the rest of the line.

Recommended System

SG-PPS

Pipeline Protection Plus: a buried, DSP-powered seismic sensor cable linked to Hub units over RS485, detecting digging and third-party interference along your pipeline and alerting your team with the exact location of the event.

Learn more

Enhance Your Pipeline Security

Get a custom quote and see how SG-PPS protects oil and gas pipelines.

Resources

Download detailed specifications and guidance for protecting pipelines with SG-PPS.

Sensor Cable Technical Specification

PDF Document