AP Sensing

AP Sensing GmbH
IndustryDistributed Fibre-optic sensing (DFOS) technology
FoundedNovember 2007[1]
Headquarters
Böblingen
,
Germany[1]
Area served
Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa
Key people
Clemens Pohl (CEO),[1] Henrik Hoff (Business Director), Uwe Keppler (Director of Operations),[2] Wieland Hill (Director Instruments R&D),[3] Martin Strohbach (Director R&D Software Solutions & AI) [4]
ProductsDistributed Temperature Sensing (DTS),[5] Distributed Acoustic/Vibration Sensing (DAS/DVS) [6][7][8]
Websitehttp://www.apsensing.com

AP Sensing GmbH is a developer and manufacturer of distributed fibre-optic sensing (DFOS) technology products. It is headquartered in Böblingen, Germany.[1] The company was founded in 2007 after spinning off from Agilent Technologies. AP Sensing operates in Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. AP Sensing is a member of the Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA). The technology is used for fire detection in assets (i.e. tunnels, conveyor belts and special hazard buildings) and in power cable-, pipeline-, well & reservoir- and rail-monitoring systems as well as in geo- and hydrological monitoring applications.

History and leadership

AP Sensing corporate headquarters in Böblingen, Germany

AP Sensing was founded in November 2007 and is based in Böblingen, Germany.[1] The company originated as a part of Hewlett-Packard, which had begun investing in fibre-optic technology before spinning off Agilent Technologies in 1999. Clemens Pohl, one of the founders of AP Sensing, establishing the fibre-optic sensing business of Agilent before spinning off AP Sensing as a separate business in 2007.[9][10] At its founding, its managing directors were Clemens Pohl and Gerd Koffmane.[1] Clemens Pohl is the CEO,[1] and the CTO is Gareth Lees.[11] The Director of Operations is Uwe Keppler, and the Business Director is Henrik Hoff.[2]

It is a member of the Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA),[12] an industry organization that promotes the use of fibre-optic sensing technology.[13] Gareth Lees of AP Sensing was elected to a board seat in 2021.[14] According to Focus business magazine, they rank among the best mid-sized employers in Germany in the electronics industry as of 2022.[15] AP Sensing partners with WeForest, a conservationist group,[16] and Care International.[17]

Products and implementation

Distributed fibre-optic sensing (DFOS) technology is in use in the Americas,[18] Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East,[19] as well as in Africa.[20]

AP Sensing designed its Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) technology to monitor assets such as power cables and pipelines over large distances[5] as well as for fire detection in tunnels,[21] industrial conveyor belts and special hazard buildings.

In the United Kingdom, AP Sensing's Distributed Acoustic Sensing/Vibration Sensing (DAS/DVS) technology is used by the Department for Transport to collect data from rail lines in order to boost safety and security.[6][7][8] AP Sensing has worked with the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton on the Sofia Windfarm project.[22] The company has collaborated with the University of Darmstadt and DB Net AG to create the FOSSIL (Fibre Optic Sensing for Safety Integrity Level) 4.0 project. Partially funded by the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport, the project investigates whether FOS-based digital twins can be used to improve railway security.[23][24]

The company operates in Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East.[25] Distributed fiber-optic sensing technology can be used for leak detection through DAS and DTS.[26] AP Sensing has a regional office in Bahrain, and operates throughout the Middle East.[27] Their Distributed Fibre Optic Sensing is designed to monitor pipeline leaks, and is used by the Kuwait Oil Company and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. In Saudi Arabia, AP Sensing technology used for cable monitoring by the Saudi Electricity Company, and water pipeline monitoring and leak detection by the Saline Water Conversion Corporation.[27]

Since 2019, the Earthquake Research Institute of the University of Tokyo incorporates an AP Sensing DAS interrogator unit to monitor seismic activity off the coast of Sanriku.[28] In 2019, AP Sensing was selected by Energinet to monitor cables at the Kriegers Flak offshore wind farm using DTS units.[29] In 2020, Saudi Aramco approved the use of AP Sensing's DFOS technology to detect leaks in oil pipelines.[30]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Jahresabschluss zum Geschäftsjahr vom 01.01.2020 bis zum 31.12.2020". Unternehmensregister (in German). March 7, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "AP Sensing GmbH, Böblingen, Germany". NorthData. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  3. ^ "Connecting research and researchers". ORCID. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  4. ^ "Connecting research and researchers". ORCID. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
  5. ^ a b O'Reilly, Callum (May 21, 2014). "AP Sensing launches DTS instruments". Hydrocarbon Engineering. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Pyreos partners with AP Sensing for unique rail monitoring eeNews Analog". EENewsEurope. November 20, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  7. ^ a b "CSA Catapult to deliver energy-efficient intelligent rail system - News". Compound Semiconductor. November 20, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Saraogi, Varsha (November 20, 2019). "Network Rail to trial an energy-efficient predict-and-prevent maintenance system". Railway Technology. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  9. ^ Breitinger, Katja (April 2022). "Wie AP Sensing durch faseroptische Sensorik Städte smarter macht" (PDF). Europolitan. ESB Business School. p. 17. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  10. ^ Spilok, Kathleen (February 5, 2021). "Nerven aus Glas" (pdf). VDI Nachrichten (in German). p. 19. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  11. ^ "AP Sensing releases next generation of acoustic sensing technology – Energy Northern Perspective". Energy Northern. May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  12. ^ Corner, Elizabeth (January 7, 2021). "Fibre Optic Sensing Association elects 2021 officers and board members". World Pipelines. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
  13. ^ "FOSA Calling for Establishment of a U.S. Pipeline Safety Test Facility". North American Energy Pipelines. October 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  14. ^ Corner, Elizabeth (January 7, 2021). "Fibre Optic Sensing Association elects 2021 officers and board members". World Pipelines. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  15. ^ "Top-Arbeitgeber Mittelstand Elektro / Elektronik Deutschland - Empfohlen von FOCUS". Focus Business (in German). Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  16. ^ "AP Sensing - WeForest". WeForest. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  17. ^ "Partner und Unterstützende". Care International (in German).
  18. ^ Webster, Michael James; Fiorilo, Elena; Salamanca, Maria Eugenia; Lopez, Andrea Cristina; Orlandi, Carlos Pedro Rodolfo; Urmantseva, Lena (March 14, 2023). "Sustained Annulus Pressure: A Case Study into the Application and Integration of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensing". OnePetro. doi:10.2118/212919-MS. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  19. ^ "Fibre Optic Technology Beyond Traditional Linear Heat Detection". Tank Storage Magazine. 16 (16). Easyfairs: 98. November 12, 2020.
  20. ^ Mthethwa, Newton (December 7, 2015). "First Fibre Optic Linear Heat Detection system launched in South Africa - African Mining Brief". African Mining Brief. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  21. ^ Henrik Hoff; et al. (2010). "Fibre Optic Linear Heat Detection (DTS) enables Fire Monitoring in Road- and Rail-Tunnels – 4. International Symposium on Tunnel Safety and Security" (PDF).
  22. ^ "Optimised high voltage underwater cable design to support growing use of renewable energy". University of Southampton. May 14, 2021. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  23. ^ "Der Digitale Zwilling Bekommt Ein Neues Nervensystem" (PDF). Bahn Manager. DVV Media Group. September 5, 2021. p. 27. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  24. ^ "BMDV - Faseroptische Sensorik für sicherheitsrelevante (Safety Integrity Level) Bahnanwendungen – FoSSIL 4.0". Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (in German).
  25. ^ "Contact". www.apsensing.com. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  26. ^ de Joode, Alex (June 30, 2021). "Selection Criteria for Pipeline Leak Detection Methods using Distributed Fiber Optic Sensing". Pipeline Technology Journal: 38–44. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  27. ^ a b "Aramco approves new fibre optic pipeline leak detection technology". Oil & Gas News. September 2, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
  28. ^ Fukushima, Shun; Shinohara, Masanao; Nishida, Kiwamu; Takeo, Akiko; Yamada, Tomoaki; Yomogida, Kiyoshi (June 13, 2022). "Detailed S-wave velocity structure of sediment and crust off Sanriku, Japan by a new analysis method for distributed acoustic sensing data using a seafloor cable and seismic interferometry". Earth, Planets and Space. 74 (1): 92. doi:10.1186/s40623-022-01652-z. ISSN 1880-5981. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  29. ^ Skopljak, Nadja (November 14, 2019). "AP Sensing Monitoring Kriegers Flak Cables". Offshore Wind. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
  30. ^ "Aramco Approves New Fibre Optic Pipeline Leak Detection Technology". Oil & Gas News. 39 (6). September 2020.