Pipeline Hydraulic, Digital Twins, Surge Analysis and On-Site Diagnostic Experts
With over 50 years of experience and over 10,000 pipeline studies completed in over 50 countries, we are the leading global experts for the provision of pipeline Digital Twins, tailored hydraulic real-time leak detection modelling solutions, surge analysis studies and specialised on-site diagnostics.
Trusted by the world’s major water, energy, oil, gas and petrochemical companies, we are driven by our purpose to collect, analyse and provide meaningful factual data of our client’s valued pipeline assets, to ensure that critical decisions can be made with confidence.
As an independent consultancy, we are able to offer our clients unbiased advice on all aspects of pipeline hydraulic design, pressure transients and equipment selection.
Using VariSim, developed within the group by Simulation Software Limited, we model and optimise pipelines and pipe networks at the design stage and we also investigate operating problems and proposed changes in operating philosophy on existing systems to verify pipeline and control system design.
Advantages of our software when compared to other commercially available products is the use of a continually varying pipeline wave speed together with the ability to model complex control systems. When combined with our ability to model accurate temperature variations along the system, this results in truly accurate computer simulation of pipelines.
We have an extensive portfolio of validation cases to demonstrate the proven accuracy of our software, including many operational real-time liquid and gas systems. Our software typically shows just a 1% or 2% difference between recorded values on site.
World Class Digital Technology
Simulation Software Limited (SSL) supplies high performance software-based pipeline solutions to the water, oil, gas, district heating and power industries.
VariSim simulates the transient hydraulic behaviour of pipelines within the oil, gas, water, heat and power industries.
VariSim has been developed over a 50 year period and is used worldwide. It is integral to all our solutions and with its plug-in applications, it provides the ultimate support for the Engineering, Operational and Training environments that are integral components to the businesses of all pipeline owners. As a desktop product it supports the design, planning and analysis of hydraulic and control system behaviour for safety, efficiency and damage avoidance.
VariSim’s real power is opened up through its ability to operate in a real time and a desktop environment. It can provide a pipeline operator with unprecedented tools that can substantially improve safety, operational flexibility and profitability all whilst ensuring compliance with environmental requirements. Click on the image to learn more.
Acoustic Logger Artificial Intelligence to Reduce Leakage
Following Thames Water’s open source data release, we worked with HWM Global, TW’s acoustic logger supplier, to develop a Machine Learning (ML) solution to enhance leak detection performance. The objectives were to reduce false alarms, increase confidence in genuine leak alerts, and improve the identification of detached loggers.
The initiative was delivered through the development and deployment of an audio multi classification ML model. Using an ensemble learning approach, the solution combined multiple audio feature extraction methods with spectrogram based classification to improve detection accuracy while minimising false positives. The model was trained on verified leak data alongside twelve non leak profiles, followed by validation during live testing.
Over the past 12 months, the ML solution has been embedded into Thames Water’s leakage operations and has delivered strong, consistently tracked benefits. Ongoing refinements on reducing false positives near sources of electrical noise and pressure reducing valves will increase the above benefits. In addition, a secondary use case is progressing to further enhance detached logger identification and site visit efficiency.
The technology has now been adopted by multiple water companies, demonstrating its scalability and real-world impact. We are delighted that this work has been recognised with the Leakage Initiative of the Year Award at the Water Industry Awards 2026.
News Update
As part of our global expansion, in November 2025, we were delighted to welcome 4 graduate engineers to our Indonesian Office, 2 graduate engineers to our Leeds Office and 3 new employees to our Dubai Office. We are excited to start work with our new colleagues on our many projects around the world.
We are steadily growing our capabilities in sewer network modelling to reduce flooding and river spills. This includes accurately determining the operational capacity of rising mains and subsequently assessing whether the capacity can be increased through on-site flow and pressure logging. Rising mains are often neglected in sewer catchment modelling and uprating their capacity or resolving bottlenecking is often a simple and low cost solution to sewer spilling. Please get in touch if we can help.
Our acoustic logger Machine Learning technology is yielding some fabulous results in terms of reducing false alarms and identifying the cause of non-leak noises. We are looking forward to bringing this digital technology to the world.
We are seeing a huge increase in District Energy projects which are one of the most effective ways to decarbonise heating. It is great to see the UK embracing low carbon solutions to energy supply.
