Project Summary

as possible to protect our climate. This project has undertaken a discovery phase as a primary step to support our vision to provide a network tool and a UK assessment capability.

The aim of this project is to support a safe, environmentally conscious, and cost-effective transition in as many existing assets as possible. This can inform how much and where legacy assets need to be replaced and/or maintained, providing an operational tool for both natural gas and Hydrogen leakage management supported by a digitised inspection process. Leakage of Hydrogen into the atmosphere during the production, storage, distribution, and utilisation will partially offset some of the benefits of a hydrogen-based economy [N. Warwick Atmospheric implications of increased Hydrogen use, 2022], meaning that leakage reduction is a key priority whichever fuel a pipeline carries.

To support gas networks reductions in emissions, whether hydrogen conversion is or isn't progressed, we have developed the capability to detect leakage from within live gas filled pipelines using a prototype sensing system. This means that we can inspect pipelines for leakage under a number of scenarios, which are crucial to help achieve Net Zero targets. These scenarios could include: pre conversion leakage pinpointing, natural gas leakage detection and repair (LDAR), and Hydrogen leakage identification. This is completed in a minimally invasive way, scheduled ahead of conversion programs to minimise unplanned workloads and time off gas for consumers.

The solution uses live access sensing to analyse the internal characteristics of a pipeline transporting natural gas, and simulate changes, typically in the form of deterioration or leakage that may occur through changing factors such as gas type or pressure. Any capture data will primarily provide assurance and evidence to networks to enable a more in depth understanding of the current and future risks associated with legacy assets.

Project activities would focus on gathering any underlying condition data through sensing to support conversion strategies and build confidence in a common approach to advanced leak detection across UK networks. The project aims to test and understand the viability of leakage sensing for conversion assessment to minimise any uncertainty around pressure elevation to maximise the retention of current assets.

Innovation Justification

Networks are a mixture of metallic and Polyethylene (PE) assets which were first installed in UK gas networks in 1969. Several grades and manufacturers exist, and over the last 50 years there have been major changes in installation techniques, tooling and fitting designs. Hydrogen transition for energy, heating and transport requires assurance that current assets are capable to carry this new gas. As networks adopt hydrogen, there will be challenges including combustion ranges, combustion characteristics, and higher leakage rate potential (which may permeate and diffuse differently). Hydrogen's higher leakage potential, wider combustion range and lower ignition energy present new challenges for gas networks.

Existing LDAR methods include acoustic detection, above ground gas sensing (methane, tracer gases and above ground thermography), exploratory excavations, electrical continuity, and pressure testing. Although acoustics work well in water pipelines, they are impractical for low-pressure gas leakage which is typically silent. Iterative excavations and rock drilling usually involve multiple excavations and disruption. Gas sensing from above ground is also iterative and can miss subsurface leakage tracking. LeakVISION offers a new approach and creates a new field for academic exploration.

There are numerous projects aimed at PE / network assessment and suitability for hydrogen. Our project reinforces learning with the new sensing and digitisation capability. We are actively engaging and sharing knowledge with projects such as NGN H21 and SGN H100. The impact of not progressing this project misses an opportunity for UK technologies and industry to pioneer strategically significant hydrogen transition and net zero supporting technologies.

Identifying pipeline leakage, defects and distributions will inform the most cost and societal risk effective replacement, repair, or monitoring methodology. This brings new condition data through direct inspection and public reported escapes. This data, digital technology, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) will help prioritise and automate pipeline remediation and replacement investment strategies by enabling the evaluation of both costs and opportunities of repurposing existing asset infrastructure.

The technology is new and therefore uncertain. To build datasets a substantial body of experimental field validation work is required. This and the data that is produced has significant short- and long-term gain for UK domestic gas infrastructure, climate pledges, and UK engineering, technology, and robotics fields.

There are various risks that surround the project. These are highlighted in the risk register included in the Question 5 appendix. These risks and the large-scale requirement of data gathering and technical optimisation of a new and novel sensing technology within highly regulated business is challenging; it is not considered a business-as-usual activity. The robotics that have been prototyped are truly pioneering and do not have established commercial or business models. This is a growing field that applies cutting-edge technology and research to an extreme environment in a strategically important field.

Preparation for hydrogen and scalability of LDAR (methane/hydrogen GHG) to meet net zero goes beyond normal operations for networks. We believe that this project should be funded through the SIF mechanism as capturing and utilising the new data is not currently considered with price control decisions. The Beta pilot will generate insight with the potential at scale to help networks challenge the globally high costs associated with LDAR (IEA 2021, Methane Tracker 2021, IEA, Paris), essential to providing heat, transport, and power with minimal climate warming, irrespective of pipeline gas.

We believe that SIF and the regulatory oversight provided will better position us to propose supplementary funding and network rollout. This could be though a strategic program to stimulate cuts in LDAR costs. This highlights the UK's leading role in global climate change challenges and promotes international routes to market.

Benefits

Decreasing leakage is a climate change goal. The project advocates hydrogen transition and the decarbonisation of the distribution system. This next generation digital inspection and assessment product is a tool enabling improved planning, modelling, and forecasting of resilience, replacements, and investment risk.

Reducing the cost of conversion helps those in fuel poverty. Reduced interruption is key for vulnerable consumers. The ability to plan and prioritise replacement is in direct alignment with the UKs ambitious net zero targets and the recent COP26 methane pledge. By increasing average conversion productivity by as little as 0.5% we could save enormous levels of carbon emissions and cost. As a benchmark, traditional CCTV systems for live gas inspection for the 30/30 mains replacement program are estimated to have increased productivity by 25%.

Our discovery project developed a detailed quantified benefits framework working with a number of stakeholders across Northern Gas Networks. We have summarised assumptions and values across our range of use cases to produce a high-level set of benefits in summary annex. A detailed example is available in the annex with underling detailed on build up. We are looking to test this model across networks in the Alpha and Beta to agree acceptable central benefits cases, promote common understanding and critique.

There are four routes through which carbon is reduced by this innovation:

·       By supporting effective hydrogen transition that replaces methane

·       Maximising current asset retention for hydrogen and associated carbon

·       Pinpointing leakage internally to detect and lower methane leakage through targeted repair

·       Minimising replacement by pinpointing leakage for cost-effective repair

Customer Impacts 
Conversion cost savings by promoting asset retention

Faster and more efficient method for reactive leakage pinpointing

Potential for reduced excavation and inconvenience (repair/replacement)

End User Impacts
Increased transition productivity (and associated carbon saving)

Additional costs / material usage as networks repair detected leakage

Potential for job displacement through inspection and robotics (leakage teams diminished)

Research requires district pressure increases (risk to consumer, costly to GDN) changes to established working practices

Creation of additional innovation avenues

Wider Stakeholder Impacts
Reduces uncertainty of hydrogen conversion costs and risks

Encourages highly skilled technology job creation in Northern England

STEM field and UK climate pledges PR

Aids gas networks risk assessments (QRAs)

Environmental Impacts
Increased hydrogen conversion speed mitigates emissions

Decrease in associated carbon from repair/replacement optimisation

Methane leakage reduction (equivalent carbon saving in line with COP26 guidance)

False positives would create additional wastage to address

Inspection associated carbon cost

Material usage and waste associated with repair, R&D, and regular maintenance

Commercial Impacts 
Reduction in rework by repair pinpointing and associated cost saving Supports local and domestic manufacturing supply chains

Saves capital and risk long term (earliest possible repair)

Export opportunities

Increases short term capital use (earliest detection and repair) - pull forward