In recent years, various applications have emerged requiring linear topologies of wireless sensor networks (WSN). Such topologies are used in pipeline (water/oil/gas) monitoring systems. The linear structure has a significant impact on network performance in terms of delay, throughput, and power consumption. Regarding communication efficiency, routing protocols play a critical role, considering the special requirements of linear topology and energy resources. Therefore, the challenge is to design effective routing protocols that can address the diverse requirements of the monitoring system. In this paper, we present various wireless communication technologies and existing leak detection systems. We review different routing protocols focusing on multi-hop hierarchical protocols, highlighting the limitations and design issues related to packet routing in linear pipeline leak detection networks. Additionally, we present a LoRa multi-hop model for monitoring aboveground oil pipelines. A set of model parameters are identified such as the distance between sensors. In addition, the paper determines some calculations to estimate traffic congestion and energy consumption. Several alternative model designs are investigated. The model is evaluated using different multi-hop communication scenarios, and we compare the data rate and energy to provide an energy-efficient and low-cost leak detection system.