Aerial pipeline leak detection and early warning
Most pipeline leaks start small, and the AER notes that leaks typically cause the largest spills because they can go undetected for long periods. APS Drone Services flies frequent drone patrols so the visible signs of a leak are found before a release spreads into soil or water.
Early warning is the product: fly the corridor, review the video as soon as the flight lands, and alert you immediately if something looks wrong. Every leak on an AER-licensed pipeline must be reported, so the sooner you know, the sooner you can report, contain and repair it.
What video can and can’t see
Each patrol records high-resolution video of the right-of-way. We look for:
- Staining or pooled fluid on the right-of-way
- Dead or stressed vegetation
- Sheen or bubbling at water crossings
- Dark or melted patches in snow
Video shows what a leak does to the surface, not the product itself. A small liquid leak appears once fluid reaches the surface, and a gas leak appears through its effects, such as vegetation die-off. That is why a visual patrol works alongside your pressure and volume monitoring rather than replacing it. The AER lists visual and vegetation surveys among the methods a leak detection program can use.
Where leaks tend to start
Internal corrosion caused 38% of Alberta pipeline failures in 2025, and 77% of those failures were on steel with no internal coating or liner. Water crossings and remote segments are the hardest to watch from the ground, and a release at a crossing reaches water quickly.
- Internally uncoated steel, especially lines carrying oil-well effluent
- Older pipe with tape-wrap coatings that degrade over time
- Segments that cross or run near a water body
- Remote right-of-way that is rarely visited on the ground
What happens after a flight
We review the video as soon as each flight lands. If we see signs of a leak, we contact your designated person immediately with screenshots of what we saw and where. You also receive all of the footage and a map confirming which sections were flown.
If a leak is confirmed, the licensee must report it to the AER immediately through the Energy and Environmental Emergency 24-Hour Response Line and start containment. APS stays on call 24/7: when a leak is suspected, we can fly the area as soon as daylight, weather and airspace allow and send video to your incident commander to help size the response.
Leak detection flights are one part of your integrity program. See what Alberta requires for right-of-way inspection. For a first cut of where risk sits in a company inventory, use the risk assessment tool.
If you want drone leak detection on high-risk Alberta pipe, request a quote.