Mapping oil leak flow path using Step Frequency Radar : A case study

Leakage of oil from pipelines in an oil refinery often goes unnoticed until its contamination effect is seen in the polluted ground water. In one such case study in an Indian oil refinery, the oil leak from refinery was traced only when neighbouring villagers complained of contaminated ground water. Since the source of leak was not known nor testing of leaked oil could reveal the source, this oil leak could not be arrested. In order to trace the source of oil leak, the GPR survey was done from the exit point outside the refinery and by following the flow path the survey was progressed inside the refinery campus on different benches. Finally after tracing around 700m long flow path, the particular plant was located from where leakage had originated and it was plugged. This paper describes the intricacies of GPR survey involved in this comprehensive exercise.