A telecommunication fiber optic cable for gas pipeline application has a
built-in leakage detecting device. The cable has an optical core
including a number of telecommunication optical fibers, an outer jacket
covering the optical core, and one or more gas leakage detector optical
fibers. One or more gas leakage detector optical fibers are enclosed
within the outer jacket. Preferably, the cable has a linearly extending
rod reinforcing system having strength rods that force the cable to bend
in a preferential bending place. Preferably, the leakage detector optical
fibers are located at, or close to, a plane that is substantially
orthogonal to the preferential bending plane and passing through the
cable neutral axis.