Utility Pipelines Damage Prevention

Excavations or post digs are not under the direct control of utility operators, yet are the main cause of third-party damage to underground gas pipelines. Damage due to third-party digging may result in a minor inconvenience or an unthinkable disaster.

In 2008, began to adapt AVT234 © for third party damage prevention by working with NGA/NYSEARCH and member companies RG&E, NYSEG, and Consolidated Edison to evaluate suitability to detect TP threats to pipelines; collected test video at job sites to begin to characterize settings in PLE lab, determined critical Third Party equipment types to be considered for urban, rural gas pipeline ROW’s, assigned level of risk to equipment types by probability, ran live scenarios at RG&E Scottsville Rd. and ConED faciliies to test real-world operation ignoring benign activity and alarming on threatening events by developing new filters, algorithms to accomplish this.

Benefits

• Reliable Detection: Utility pipeline operators have to reliably detect intrusions and strikes to their pipelines to monitor and prevent encroachments when possible and track actual strikes for damage investigation after the fact. Knowledge of all near-strikes and strikes to an operators pipeline is required to reduce intrusions and repair failures.
• Continuous Monitoring: If an encroachment or actual strike occurs to a pipeline AVT234 “sees” it. Should a strike or near-strike occur you will be notified via alarms to your dispatcher, an email, even a cell phone.
• Accurate Localization: Pipeline operators are notified where a close call or actual strike is occuring with source location accuracy within + 5 meters, workshop presentation below.
• Risk Mitigation: The ability to “see” when activity by contractors or others is becoming a threat -- in time to stop them – is a key benefit of persistent video surveillance provided by the AVT234.
• Reduced False Alarms: AVT234 has been adapted for damage prevention in an R&D project and has been independently tested in cooperation with utility operators who are members of NGA/NYSEARCH to determine real world performance. See workshop presentation below.

Presentation to Northeast Gas Association Damage Prevention Workshop & Exhibit October 23, 2008.

A-GAS data sheet