Remember the Magic 8 Ball? You ask it a question, shake it, and accept your fate. Or you kept shaking until it answered more favorably. While you may have trusted your future to the novelty toy once upon a time, you can count on us to use today’s tools and technology to maintain a natural gas system that safely delivers when you need it most.
Magic 8 Ball, why are we talking about natural gas in the spring?
Keeping our communities safe means regularly assessing our system, identifying and evaluating potential weak spots along a pipeline, and performing repairs when required.
When steel pipes weaken, they can be prone to leaks, corrosion and even devastating ruptures. So, the work of the System Integrity team never stops. And spring is the start of pigging season. Leis not included.
Pigging out on reliability
Magic 8 Ball, how are pipelines inspected?
We PIG out. Not exactly, but we use a pipeline inspection gauge (PIG) or pigging to get the job done. These inspection tools, weighing up to several thousand pounds, travel inside a pipeline to
identify cracks, dents, corrosion, or other abnormalities.
Now, to track the whereabouts of the PIG, it was once common practice for gas workers to drive along the route and listen for the tool by putting an ear to a valve or blowdown stack connected to the pipeline.
We now use satellite remote geophones to track PIGs. These devices are placed over the pipeline at approximately 1-mile intervals. They’ll capture a signal when the pig passes, sending information via satellite to a computer showing its speed and location. This provides the team with real-time visuals of the inspection progress and keeps gas workers off the pipeline and roads while tracking and reducing traffic safety hazards.
Unfortunately, there are areas of pipe where PIGs just aren’t allowed. The team uses above-ground surveys, or the direct assessment method, to identify flaws in these segments, then dig and complete visual inspections.
No stress, just system integrity
Magic 8 Ball, how are pipelines kept safe and reliable?
After inspections are complete, the team reviews its findings and develops a remediation plan as necessary. It’s during the summer and fall months when pipeline repairs or upgrades happen.
However, before improvements can begin, the pipeline must be removed from service and the pressure reduced to zero psi. To ensure the safety of our communities and reduce the amount of
methane released, gas is transferred from one pipeline to another instead of being blown off into the atmosphere. This is all done with temporary compressors.
Within the last few years, we’ve also invested in strain gauges to help monitor the health of our pipelines. These gauges are placed on lines where stress was previously identified. When stress levels go above the risk threshold, a strain gauge alerts the System Integrity team for remediation.
Similar tools, such as UT sensors, are placed on pipelines to monitor levels of corrosion. This allows additional Gas team members to make more informed decisions and determine when digging is required.
A probable forecast
Magic 8 Ball, where will our pipelines be in 10 years?
Psst, we have a secret: the eight-ball doesn’t know. But the System Integrity team does, thanks to probabilistic risk models. These advanced models enable us to take preventive measures to strengthen our gas system, based on data analysis that identifies pipeline risks and 10-year forecasts.
Many of the tools and technologies built into the team’s processes help us mitigate potential risks to our system. Simply put, we don’t toy around when it comes to the safety of our neighbors, gas workers, and the reliability of our natural gas system. No luck of the Magic 8 Ball needed.
