What Is Natural Gas Leak Detection?
Natural gas is odorless, colorless, and tasteless in its raw form. It is also explosive at elevated levels, which can create a risk to public safety and property. To provide a first line of detection for the public, a chemical odorant is added to give it its distinctive “rotten egg” smell. This unpleasant odor is one of the most important safety features built into a home’s energy system. Anyone who smells gas or suspects a gas leak is encouraged to report the leak from a safe location. At that point, response teams are dispatched to investigate.
Natural gas leaks can occur in a variety of environments, from underground infrastructure to within customers’ properties. Distribution networks and service lines can be damaged by bad weather, excavation activities, and more. Often, leak investigations begin with incomplete information and limited visibility of the gas line itself, which is frequently underground. This can create a challenging situation, with added time pressure to quickly assess potential risks.
What Causes Natural Gas Leaks?
Corrosion Failure
Galvanic atmospheric and microbiological corrosive action can impact the integrity of natural gas distribution systems. Failures are not limited to a hole in the pipe, corrosion on fittings and glands can also lead to leaks.
Pipe, Weld or Joint Failure
Material defects within pipes, components or joints due to defects or in-service stresses can lead to failure. Natural gas pipelines are pressurized and do include relief equipment should there be a failure in operation or valve control.
Natural Force Damage
Temperature changes, heavy rain, floods, subsidence, landslides, earthquakes and even high winds blowing objects into infrastructure create stresses and the potential for leaks. Tree root systems are also a factor to consider with underground infrastructure.
Excavation Damage
Whether it’s through digging, grading, boring or drilling the installation and maintenance of other underground infrastructure can lead to damage of natural gas infrastructure, particularly in urban areas with dense underground infrastructure across gas, water, sewers and telecommunications.
Outside Force Damage
Vehicular traffic loading and contact from cars, trucks and other heavy equipment that can move can put outside forces on natural gas piping and connections leading the mechanical damage and leaks.
Intentional Damage
Willful or malicious destruction of equipment does unfortunately happen.
What Teams Need To Investigate Reported Leaks
Trusted Instrument Readings To Assess Potential Risks
Confirm If The Reported Odor/Leak Is From The Gas Network
Locate Leak Source Whether It’s Above Or Below Ground
Record Data, Grade The Leak & Prioritize Repair
WHAT WE DO
SENSIT Solutions For Natural Gas Leak Detection
Our battery powered instruments can be activated quickly and are straight forward to use.