Bullet slideFinding Leaks and Prioritizing Repairs

Integrating Leak Quantification into Safety Programs

Pipeline Safety Trust – 2015 Annual Conference

N. Jonathan PeressEnvironmental Defense Fund

Key Points

• EDF’s Google mapping project demonstrates that new practical methods for detecting and sizing leaks are becoming available

• For LDCs, quantification benefits customers, utilities, the environment and safety

• Explain how flow volume quantification improves safety and hazard assessment models

• Integrating quantification into safety programs and regulations for distribution and transmission

• Next steps – with utilities and regulators

Methane venting and leaks…

Gas storage tank Same tank, same time, infrared camera view

…an increasingly ‘visible’ problem

CH4 traps more heat than CO2…

EDF/Google/CSU Method

• Data is collected by driving Street View cars, specially equipped with methane sensors

• Measure: methane, wind speed and direction, GPS location

• Streets are driven multiple times to verify readings

• Colorado State University & EDF created algorithms to calculate leak rate: Allows estimation of relative leak location and magnitude

• Algorithms were validated using utilities known leaks

Results edf.org/methanemaps

Boston Indianapolis

City Miles driven/ leak found

Boston, MA 1

Indianapolis, IN 200

Staten Island, NY 1

Syracuse, NY 2

Burlington, VT 10

Big Idea – From a Smart Utility and Regulator

• Validate need for and benefits of replacement programs (before and after)

• Using quantification to prioritize and enhance cost-effectiveness

– Project management tool

• Reduce lost and unaccounted for gas

• Provide public information and education

• Consider what is happening in Chicago, New Jersey, Philadelphia and many other leak-prone systems

A small fraction of sites and components contributes the majority of emissions.

New Survey Techniques Prioritize Reasonably Well

CumulativeDistributionCurve

Key Partners• Utilities (NYSEARCH): Consolidated Edison; Central

Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation; National Grid NY; National Fuel Gas Distribution Corporation; New York State Electric & Gas Corporation; Rochester Gas & Electric; Orange & Rockland Utilities; Pacific Gas & Electric Company; Public Service Electric & Gas Company; Southern California Gas Company; Xcel Energy

• Working with other utilities who have reached out to EDF including Peoples Natural Gas (Pittsburgh)

• State PUCs; Consumer Advocates; Safety Regulators; PHMSA

Integration with and by Utilities: Why?

• US DOT “Call to Action” for leak-prone infrastructure replacement

• PHMSA DIMP Program– Use of all reasonably available information to evaluate

safety threats

– Leak management requires “evaluating severity of leaks”

• Enhanced risk identification– Use of continuously improving technology

– Emphasis on “being more predictive”

– Safety models, visualize and integrate data

– Reduce leak backlogs

Leak Quantification Enhances Hazard Assessment

Hazard Index Algorithmic Model

Quantification applies to transmission(from PHMSA Risk Management workshop)

More to do:• Operationalization

– Validating quantification methods (e.g., NYSEARCH)

– Equipment - Several providers developing

– Software Requirements and data processing

– GIS System

• Integration into IMP programs - PHMSA

• More protective than Natural Gas STAR DI&M– DI&M recognizes benefits of quantification

– But based on whether profitable to repair

EDF STUDIES BY SUPPLY CHAIN SEGMENT(roughly 30 total papers)

1. NOAA Denver-Julesburg

2. NOAA Barnett3. Coordinated Campaign

4. UT Phase 1

5. UT Phase 2• Pneumatics• Liquid

Unloadings6. HARC/EPA

7. CSU Study

• Methods• Measurements • National Scale-

up

8. CSU Study

• Measurements• National Scale-

up

13. WVU Study

14. Pilot Projects

15. Gap Filling

16. Project Synthesis

Results public

Submitted, not yet public

Almost ready for submission

Not yet submitted

12 papers

Barnett synthesis

11. WSU Multi-City

9. Methane Mapping

10. Boston Study

12. Indianapolis Study

Gathering facilities are one of the largest sources of methane.

Advancing Solutions (with information)

• Safety systems must always achieve and advance the state of the art

• Stakeholders and public benefit from information

• Resolve disconnect between infrastructure condition (leaks) and expenditures

• What leaks can and should be abated/prevented? Requires better data