This paper focuses on the detection of leakage events, particularly in buried pipelines, caused by factors such as corrosion, wear, or illicit tapping. These incidents can result in serious harm to operators and the environment, including pipeline damage, land contamination, costly remediation, and operational downtime.

Pipeline asset management aims to ensure operational reliability and integrity. To achieve this, procedures and technologies are implemented to promptly detect and mitigate hazards. Among these, Vibroacoustic Technology offers an effective solution by detecting leaks, pinpointing their location, and identifying other anomalies affecting both the pipeline and transported fluids. This technology is already operational worldwide, safeguarding thousands of pipeline kilometers, primarily underground.

Originally developed for Leak Detection (LD), Vibroacoustic Technology has proven highly effective in identifying and localizing spills and impacts in real-time. In specific conditions, it can also detect activities that precede incidents, such as illicit tapping attempts, corrosion, and wear. This paper highlights the excellent performance of the technology in detecting illicit tapping in Italy, presenting multiple real-world examples.

Prior to its implementation, Italian refined product pipelines faced frequent leaks due to fraud. The extensive adoption of Vibroacoustic Technology across the network drastically reduced illicit tapping incidents. The system evolved into a prevention tool, supported by a holistic strategy and active collaboration between the pipeline operator, local inspection teams, and law enforcement.

In conclusion, Vibroacoustic Technology provides a reliable, field-proven solution for detecting and preventing leakage events, particularly those involving illicit tapping. Its success demonstrates the value of integrated approaches and close cooperation among all stakeholders to protect pipeline assets and the environment.