Does anyone know if it is feasible to bury Fiber Optic Cables in the Same Crude Oil Pipeline Trench? This could mean lots of cost savings because you will not require a second trench just for the fiber optic cables. However, I am not certain about negative aspects of this approach. There must be a reason or reasons that this approach in not normally practiced in the industry? Your shared ideas will be appreciated.

Thanks:

 

Its okay if you first lay a HDPE pipeline and then the F.G. cable is pulled through the pipe. Remember, the HDPE pipe to be used shall have sufficient dia so that the F.G. cable can be easily pulled. This protects the cable from physical damage as well as it will also identify the cable while excavating the trench in future.
Bye:

 

I have been advocating the same for decades now, without any takers. And I have noticed:

1. Handling the pipe, the coating equipment, the placing equipment - all substantial pieces, at the same time as a little cable might be a problem.

2. The pipe is uncovered in relatively small sections at a somewhat erratic schedule.

3. There is rather erratic settling of the ground near the line. Backfill does not have to be as tightly controlled as for a small cable.

4. The regulatory hurdle might be the toughest. Approval is given for one purpose by one set of agencies for the pipeline. Once the fibre was in place and then used for movement of data offered to outsiders on the open market another set of agencies would become rather interested (at least in Canada).

Hugo

 

Investigated this 15 years ago. Yes it is feasible so long as there is adequate physical separation between the pipeline and the cable. That can be lateral or vertical. Cable has different access requirements to pipeline, more frequent. If both are placed at different sides of the trench and one can be accessed without disturbing the other it will work.

Limited interest from pipeline layers, however. They don't want people exhuming their trenches once pipes are laid.

 

I know for a fact that at least one natural gas pipeline has done it.

One bit of a problem though, has to do with the right-of-way for an existing pipeline. Sharp lawyers for the landowners have successfully argued that the existing agreements specify right-of-way use for "natural gas" or "oil" pipelines.

When a pipeline tries to use it for something else not already covered without additional compensation to the landowners, they were sued and had to pay up.