Patent ID: 8005324

Claim:
Fault detection system for subsea pipeline DEH cable, comprising: fiber optic element(s) provided along a cable section located outside at least some of a cable insulation, a tubular, electrically conductive metal element, wherein said fiber optic element(s) extend along said cable inside said tubular, electrically conductive metal element, wherein said tubular electrically conductive metal element containing said fiber optic element(s) is arranged and dimensioned such that, in the case of a breach of said sub-sea pipeline cable with seawater entering said cable, said tubular electrically conductive metal element melts when a fault current flows therethrough; and wherein in the case of such a fault current, said optical fiber element(s) within said tubular electrically conductive metal element are arranged so as to be damaged by a melted portion of said electrically conductive metal element causing an optical signal in at least one of said optical fiber element(s) to indicate a fault condition.