Use of Communication Cable for Geohazard Monitoring and Event Early Detection: The Transportadora Del Perú Case Study

Abstract Optical fiber cables (OFC) are well known for their long distance and high-speed transmission capabilities. OFC are often the communication backbone of hydrocarbon transportation systems that carries the operating companies Information Technologies and SCADA services. In some cases, part of the fibers is also used to bring internet services to isolated communities. As an example, the Transportadora de Gas del Perú (TGP) system has about 790 km of cables laid in its Right of Way (ROW) that have been in use since the beginning of its operation in 2004. More recently, OFCs have started to be used as sensors. In these applications, an Optical Fiber Communication Cable (OFCC) can be applied as a continuous temperature sensor to detect intrusion, leak and erosion. A dedicated Strain Measuring Cable (SMC) can also be spliced to the OFCC for monitoring landslides and subsidence in areas of special interest. In case of large ground displacements, it is common to observe induced deformation on the OFCC. Integrated to a pipeline integrity monitoring system, the OFC solution improves the early detection of potential risks and allows the implementation of protection or mitigation measures. The current work describes the retrofitting of 256km of the TGP backbone which included a pilot project over 18 km of ROW section composed of a mix of OFCC and SMC. In addition, a detailed and experimental study of the sensitivity of OFCC to environmental stresses was conducted to validate the approach. The full-scale installation of the system along the 256km stretch comprising the geographical area of the Amazon rainforest and part of the Andes Mountain range was completed at the end of 2022. The installation of this technique was timely to increase monitoring and surveillance during the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 rainy seasons, which is the most complicated season for infrastructures crossing the Andes. Several events have been detected early enough to allow the implementation of preventive measures. The system demonstrated its effectiveness in operability, complementarity with other geotechnical monitoring systems and follow-up of the stability condition of the ROW in the instrumented section.