Production of 82Br Radiotracer and its Application on Leak Detection in Buried Pipelines

This paper represents a proper technique called a pig method technique. This technique was applied for leakage detection on the 10 inch diameter and 54 km long underground pipeline carrying the crude oil derivatives from Albrega pumping station (Alzawia) to the Tareeq Almatar distribution center (Tripoli). For this technique, a suitable radioisotope (82BR) was produced through irradiation of potassium bromide target under flux of 1014 n/cm2.sec. After 24 hours cooling of the target, 74 GBq (2 Ci) activity was achieved. The chemical reaction to get the radioactive source in a gaseous form was carried on in a special generator. A generated Methyl bromide gas was injected into the pipeline fluid stream (Light Naphtha), and then DN-1 water proof detector was lunched in the same pipeline, afterwards analysis of the obtained data from the detector passage in the pipeline indicated that no changes in the background activity a long the pipeline except the markers positions. This result proved that the pipeline was free of leaks (author)