LOS ANGELES, Nov. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern California
Gas Company (SoCalGas) announced today that it has completed
demonstration testing of new gas detection sensors employing its
Advanced Meter communication system as part of its overall pipeline
safety efforts. The sensors can detect natural gas leaks quickly
near natural gas pipelines and serves as an extra measure to
improve the safety of SoCalGas' system.
SoCalGas has a long-standing commitment to enhancing its system
infrastructure to increase safety and reliability and reduce
methane emissions. As a result, SoCalGas' natural gas system has
one of the lowest methane emission rates in the country, despite it
being the largest in the country – a system that includes more than
100,000 miles of pipeline, spans 20,000 square miles and serves 21
million consumers.
SoCalGas installed 12 sensors at monitoring stations that are
reading methane-in-air concentration levels at various locations in
the Los Angeles basin. These
sensors read concentration levels every 5 minutes and allow
SoCalGas to measure and monitor natural gas levels near
high-pressure pipelines. The sensors detect methane in the air and
send an alarm within 15 minutes to a monitoring system. The sensors
will detect natural gas at well below the limit that most people
can by sense of smell, providing earlier detection of any unplanned
gas escape incidents and more rapid dispatch of responders to
investigate.
The sensors are solar-powered and supplemented by
battery. Each unit is contained in a small cabinet that can be
attached either to an existing SoCalGas pole, wall or other
structure.
The sensors have operated and performed as expected for nearly
one year, and no excessive methane levels have been detected at the
sensor locations. However, SoCalGas continues to periodically test
and calibrate the sensors to confirm they are operating
correctly.
"We're very pleased with the progress of this program over the
last year," said Deanna Haines,
director of gas engineering for SoCalGas. "As far as we know, no
other natural gas utility has implemented a similar methane
detection pilot program. Wider use of methane detectors will
enhance public safety."
The commercially-available methane sensors employed for this
test are safe – they use non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensor
technology that has been in use for many years. But SoCalGas
is not limited to existing sensor technology.
This testing had a larger purpose – to give SoCalGas another
credible technology option for enhancing pipeline safety. The
company can use its Advanced Meter radio system to help record and
transmit data from sensors stationed along its pipelines to improve
methane detection capability.
If SoCalGas receives timely approval to proceed from the
California Public Utilities Commission, the company will begin wide
deployment of methane sensors in 2018. The current plan calls for
installation of approximately 2,000 sensors.
The methane sensors were tested as part of SoCalGas' Pipeline
Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP), the program that identifies various
pipeline sections throughout SoCalGas' system and slates them to be
pressure-tested or replaced. Begun in 2014, PSEP also includes
provisions to upgrade, replace or retrofit hundreds of mainline
valves in the system with technology that allows them to be opened
or closed remotely by system operators from a central control
location, or that automatically shuts off the flow of natural gas
in the event of a large pressure drop.
SoCalGas dedicates significant resources to improving the safety
and integrity of its more than 101,000 miles of natural gas
pipelines. In 2016, the company plans to spend approximately
$1.2 billion for improvements to
distribution, transmission and storage systems and for pipeline
safety.
About Southern California Gas Company
Southern
California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has been delivering clean, safe and
reliable natural gas to its customers for more than 145 years. It
is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, providing
service to 21.6 million consumers connected through 5.9 million
meters in more than 500 communities. The company's service
territory encompasses approximately 20,000 square miles throughout
central and Southern California,
from Visalia to the Mexican
border. SoCalGas is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:
SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in
San Diego.
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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company