ACOUSTIC DETECTION AND LOCATION OF LEAKS IN UNDERGROUND NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION LINES.

Use of a Poisson distribution to project the rate of development of corrosion-induced leaks in underground natural gas distribution lines in future years leads to the expectation that the problem will increase significantly in magnitude. Results of a research program directed toward improving means of leak detection and location by using active acoustics as a diagnostic are described. Substantial agreement is demonstrated between calculations from theory and experimental data obtained using the Applied Physics Laboratory experimental pipeline facility. The prospects that this approach will lead to future improvements in the reliability of leak detection are discussed.