Cathodic Protection

From the speech “The evolution of the distribution network”
SMART GRID DAYS 2024, 18 — 19 September 2024.

Centria is a city distributor that operates in 16 mainly Tuscan provinces (Italy), but with some excursions to Puglia and Umbria, and has collaborations with other companies in the Grosseto area (Lazio region). It has about 6,000 km of gas pipelines, managed mainly at medium and low pressure, and more than 400,000 customers.

Centria has always wondered if it is possible to make a contribution to decarbonization. Today, cathodic protection also asks itself this question. The distributor would like to make his work more efficient and advanced, despite offering an energy-intensive service.

In this case, technology comes to the aid: the case studies thatwe present are two examples of interventions carried out on the cathodic protection of two city distribution systems using impressed current. In both cases, an AUTOMA G-POWER device was installed to replace the rectifier previously in operation: in the first case, G-POWER replaced the only rectifier in the system, while in the second it replaced one of the two rectifiers.

Case 1: The starting situation and the AUTOMA solution

The system is located in the town of Montale, in the province of Pistoia. It is equipped with 13 km of pipes, of which about 50% medium pressure and 50% low pressure, and a single cathodic protection rectifier, operating at constant potential, with base current.

The adjustment was made with the Eon potential because it was the only way that that rectifier could work, that is, with a potential of -2.8 V corresponding to about an Eoff of -1.1 V. The base current was 1.30 A that had to be constantly supplied even in conditions of potential lower than that required. The current supplied varied a lot because it is a very interfered system. The variation ranged from 7 A to 12 A, with an average value of about 10.5 A.

The kilometer extension of the system is quite large, so you start from a fairly flat area and arrive at the first hills. As can be seen from the first image, the pipes are fairly distributed. While in the second image you can see the dislocations of the characteristic and remotely monitored measurement points.

From the remote control data before replacing the rectifier, you can actually see that the current has values between 7 and 12 A, with an average value around 10 A.

We removed the rectifier that was previously in operation and replaced it with AUTOMA’s G-POWER. After turning it on, we reset the parameters that were used with the previous rectifier, namely constant potential regulation with an Eon value of -2.8 V. We chose to use G-POWER with the same setting as the previous rectifier to check if there were any operating differences under the same conditions. In the table you can see the new data returned.

So we haven’t changed either the adjustment system or the system or its surrounding elements. Right from the first ignition we had a fairly unexpected surprise: the current was reduced by almost 25%, going from an average value of 8 A to just over 6 A.

We asked ourselves why and with AUTOMA we did a bit of analysis on these measures. Let me start by saying that the amount of time we had for analysis was short: the rectifiers were put into operation in the month of July-August 2024, and what you see are preliminary data about two months after the start of the system, in September 2024. But these checks give us hope that we have at least taken the right path.

Why was there this reduction in power? Going to see the measurements, we noticed that the only thing that has really changed in the data coming from the remote control is the average square deviation from the adjusted value. The difference is important: we went from 0.2 to 0.02. This variation indicates that the regulation is much more stable over time, which translates into a smaller variation in the current supplied and therefore in a more stable and lower current than it was initially.

Case 2: The starting situation and the AUTOMA solution

The second system we are talking about is in the town of Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), where Centria has two rectifiers. Of these, only one was replaced during this test because we wanted to see the interaction of G-POWER with other rectifiers.

Both starting rectifiers operated at constant potential and were both adjusted to -2 V of Eon potential, corresponding to about -1.1 V of Eoff potential. The total current was 13 A, divided more or less equally on the two rectifiers.

We have about 11 km of mainly medium-pressure network, so we had networks in the fourth species and networks in the sixth species (0.5 bar and 5 bar) in the city center of Sesto Fiorentino, which is a very interfered area with the presence of a railway.

Only the rectifier that has been replaced has been set to make the adjustment work on the Eoff potential. We did several tests and then decided to adjust the Eoff potential no longer to -1.1 V (as it was set on previous rectifiers) but to -0.95 V.

At this point, the second rectifier was turned off because G-POWER was more than enough to protect the entire connected structure. First, the two rectifiers shared the current load (about 6 A/6.5 A each), but with the introduction of AUTOMA’s G-POWER one of the two was completely stopped, while the other supplied about half of the current that was previously supplied in total by two rectifiers.

The reduction in current in this case was significant, by 50%, both for the adjustment stability of the rectifier and for the lowering of the Eoff potential. Achieving these results is an important goal for a company with environmental certification.

Let’s mention the ease of installation of the AUTOMA device. G-POWER has also incorporated the data logger, and therefore all its functions: cyclic switch, remote controls, transmission system. It is enough to bring it on site and attach some cables to make it immediately operational, while for the previous rectifiers it was necessary to do a wiring that perhaps in some cases required half a day to connect all the devices. Even a quick installation translates into better efficiency for the company.

In conclusion, with AUTOMA’s G-POWER we have a product that has better regulation and stability in its operation, which is certainly also due to the fact that it has very new electronics. Clearly, being a new product, its potential is still to be explored. But for the moment we can say that, in addition to a significant simplicity of installation, it also offers a great advantage in the possibility of adjusting on the local Eoff potential.

AUTOMA designs and produces innovative and Made in Italy hardware and software solutions for remote monitoring and control in the Oil, Gas and Water fields.

We were founded in 1987 in Italy, and today more than 50,000 Automa devices are installed in more than 40 countries around the world.

Do you want to know the cathodic protection advantages you could have with the AUTOMA monitoring system?

Contact our team without obligation and we’ll tell you what we can do to optimize your infrastructure control.

From the intervention “Cathodic protection. Commissioning of an impressed current system in the presence of non-stationary interference”
SMART GRID DAYS 2024, 18 – 19 September 2024.

The INRETE distribution group, part of the Hera Group, is involved in the distribution of gas and electricity in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany.

The case study we present concerns the commissioning of a cathodic protection system with impressed current for a distribution structure in the presence of non-stationary interference. Due to the morphology of the structures, this type of setup is extremely dynamic. We will see how the use of AUTOMA technologies, applied to regulation (with a G-POWER installed as the rectifier closest to the interference) and measurement techniques (a G4C-PRO device installed on the second power supply and a G4C-PRO with SOLAR BOX installed at the remote measurement point) can contribute to the efficiency of our plants, regulating them in a more effective way.

The starting situation

The system we are examining is a portion of a distribution plant in an urban neighbourhood where there is an interference caused by the nearby electrical substation of a direct current traction system.

The network, laid in predominantly sandy soil, is protected by two impressed current systems and served by a unidirectional drainage system. The architecture of the grid (qui credo ci vada grid) is mainly meshed, with an extension of about 24 km, and a surface area of slightly over 10,000 m².

Everything begins with the decommissioning of the unidirectional drainage system.

The new setup started in 2019 with: determination of the electrical state; assessment of the variability of the electric field; regulation and thus balancing of the electrical system. The new morphology places the two rectifiers (the two diamonds you see in the image – next page) in positions that are very off-center with respect to the detected interference.

This means that the urban area closest to the interference registers very evident potential attenuations. We therefore decide to design an impressed current system, determining the variability of the electric field and analysing the most anodic areas, therefore the most suitable for this implementation.

The impressed current system

In October 2022 we realised the new impressed current system. Consequently, we also moved on to the implementation across the entire network of new measurement points with polarisation probes. In November 2022, we realised the new electrical setup which, indeed, places the newly designed rectifiers closer to interference.

Following the new commissioning and the variation of monitored electrical parameters – in compliance with UNI11094 – we reclassified all measurement points. We consequently decided to redo a new commissioning of the entire system, adhering to UNI EN ISO15589-1, starting from a preliminary investigation:

• Verification of the integrity of the disconnection.
• Verification of all wiring.
• Variability of the electric field.
• Start-up of the system with a checklist of all installations and related safety devices.
• Start-up of the installations with electrical state settings.
• Verification of electrical continuity.
• Rebalancing both the installations and the resistors on our network.
• Measurements of currents on the joints.

Consequently, we proceeded to the complete mapping of the entire system.

Me moved on with the reclassification of measurement points, cartography update, and – a frequently forgotten step – the collection of all these data in a commissioning report, where we recorded the reference values of the electrical state of our system, in accordance with the ISO standard, for comparison with future measurements.

Our remote monitoring system provides us with the opportunity to report for each individual measurement point its set point following calibration, directing it towards the balancing of the system. As can be seen in the image, this means that, in case of exceeding the set point, the monitoring system creates an anomaly line, from which an intervention order can be generated.

A current impressed system is particularly dynamic and the initial interventions, in addition to the aforementioned decommissioning of the drainage system, have provided the opportunity to improve the system, reducing the current density from 2.7 mA/m² obtained with the first setup in 2017 to about 1.0 mA/m² in 2023.

The AUTOMA solution to the interference problem

All these activities have certainly mitigated the issues present in the system, but without resolving the interferences that interact with the rectifier control system.

Fortunately, technologies are on our side and the adoption of the technique of measuring the Eoff potential (Instant-off) on the most interfered rectifier will prove to be a wise choice.

The new rectifier, the G-POWER by AUTOMA, has given us the ability to control the system directly based on the Eoff Value, which is the value corrected for the IR component, allowing its PID controller to be less sensitive to potential fluctuations.

This is particularly noticeable in the standard deviation of the current output from the rectifier. In this first setup, where both rectifiers operated at variable current, it is possible to see how variable the standard deviation was throughout the day.

In the subsequent testing phase, we linked the control of the rectifier closest to the interference to a remote E-probe even closer to the interference itself, while the other impressed current system was set to constant current (the visible spikes in the image are due to maintenance activities).

In the final setup, where the interfered rectifier was set to a local Eoff potential, a flattening of the root mean square deviation can be observed. With this configuration we have effectively halved the standard deviation of the current, a factor that, although less evident but equally interesting, is also noticeable in the root mean square deviation of the DDP E-probe detected at the most characteristic point of our system. Even in this case, there is an almost halving of the value in the phase of controlling the rectifier via local Eoff, which manages to operate at less electro-negative E-probe potentials.

AUTOMA designs and produces innovative hardware and software solutions made in Italy for monitoring and remote control in the Oil, Gas and Water sectors.

We were born in 1987 in Italy, and today over 50,000 Automa devices are installed in more than 40 countries around the world.

Do you want to know the advantages for the safety of your networks that you could have with the AUTOMA cathodic protection monitoring system?

Contact our team without obligation and we will tell you what we can do to optimize your infrastructure control.

Cathodic protection has always been one of the fundamental strategies to slow down the corrosion of underground metal structures, such as pipelines. However, until recently, the techniques adopted to verify its effectiveness were often limited to manual, punctual measurements and not adequately representative of the entire system, especially in the presence of interference.

Today, thanks to the introduction of advanced technologies, big data and artificial intelligence, cathodic protection monitoring is undergoing a real revolution.

Traditionally, it was based on surveys carried out at certain points in the network: operators collected periodic readings of the ON potential and, based on these measurements, adjusted the setpoints of the rectifiers. This method, however, showed significant limitations: the values detected represented only an instantaneous measure and did not take into account fluctuations during the day or external interferences, such as stray currents generated by nearby infrastructures.

With the evolution of networks and the increase in interference, it was understood how necessary a paradigm shift was. This is how AUTOMA created the idea of an intelligent management of the cathodic protection system (Smart CP System): an ecosystem capable of monitoring every point of the network in real time, automatically regulating the current supplied by the cathodic protection rectifiers and predicting critical issues before they turn into concrete problems.

AUTOMA’s Smart CP System is an innovative approach that combines digital technology, data analysis and artificial intelligence to optimize the operation of the entire cathodic protection system in real time.

From analog to digital: the Smart CP System, the AUTOMA revolution

In the past, as we said just above, operators performed spot surveys on specific ‘points’ of the network, manually measuring the ON potential. This data was used to configure rectifiers, often with a high safety margin to compensate for measurement uncertainty and fluctuations over time. The result? Often more current was supplied than necessary, with consequent energy waste and, above all, the risk of overprotection and damage to the coatings.

In addition, the increase in ground interferences — due to stray currents, electric railway lines, industrial plants or power lines — has made the ON potential less and less reliable as the only reference parameter, or at least considerably more complicated to interpret.

The Smart CP System was created to overcome these limits. It is a centralized and intelligent management platform that continuously and dynamically controls all components of the cathodic protection system: rectifiers, measuring points, electrodes, and remote control devices. Its objective is twofold: to keep the IR-free protection potential stable and to optimize the output current of the rectifiers, avoiding waste and malfunctions.

Among the system’s key technologies:

• RDU (Remote Datalogger Unit) installed at every critical point of the network, able both to function as a remote datalogger and to transmit measurements of the On and IR-free potential in real time.
• Smart rectifiers, capable of working in a new automatic mode based on IR-free potential.
• Remote control of the rectifiers, with the possibility of modifying the operating parameters from a central platform.
• Adaptive algorithms that analyze historical data, seasonality, environmental conditions, and network status to anticipate and solve problems before they occur.

The heart of the Smart CP System is the new generation of smart rectifiers developed by AUTOMA, capable not only of operating in traditional modes, but also of working on the basis of IR-free potential. Connected to a coupon, these rectifiers constantly measure the real potential of the structure and adapt the current supplied to keep it stable.

All this is made possible thanks to a digital platform that integrates data analysis, predictive algorithms and remote control.

Not only that: currently, rectifiers in automatic operating mode base their adjustment on local feedback, but they must guarantee effective protection over the entire extension of the protected structure. For this reason, the possibility of identifying the most critical point (or points) of the network, equipping it with an RDU that allows more frequent communication during the day and connecting this point to the rectifier so that it works and varies its current supply based on the measurements taken by the critical point, opens up a completely new and much smarter opportunity to manage cathodic protection: the possibility of guaranteeing in every moment an effective protection of the entire structure to be protected, while at the same time delivering the minimum current necessary to achieve this purpose.

Scalable configurations and intelligent algorithms

The Smart CP system is extremely flexible and can be configured in different ways, depending on the complexity of the infrastructure (number of rectifiers and critical reference points identified):

• One to one: a rectifier controlled by a remote measuring point.
• One to many: a rectifier controlled by multiple critical points, with an algorithm that identifies the dominant point for regulation.
• Many to many: multiple rectifiers interact with a network of measurement points, with an intelligent balancing of the currents.

There are two main approaches to control algorithms:

1. Time-based: the platform interrogates devices at regular intervals and adjusts rectifiers based on predefined thresholds.
2. Event-driven: each measurement point actively communicates to the platform when it detects a significant deviation, triggering immediate action.

Concrete benefits

The introduction of the Smart CP system brings tangible advantages:

• Reduction of energy consumption, thanks to a more precise regulation of the current.
• Longer anode life, avoiding overprotective conditions, and generally delivering more current than necessary.
• Proactive corrosion prevention, thanks to the real-time view of the network status.
• Lower maintenance costs, with targeted and data-based interventions.
• Greater sustainability of the entire infrastructure system.

The first field applications confirm the effectiveness of the approach. The Smart CP system is not only a natural technological evolution, but a real paradigm shift: from static and reactive protection to intelligent, predictive and adaptive management of critical infrastructures.

AUTOMA designs and produces innovative and Made in Italy hardware and software solutions for remote monitoring and control in the Oil, Gas and Water fields.

We were founded in 1987 in Italy, and today more than 50,000 Automa devices are installed in more than 40 countries around the world.

Do you want to know the security advantages of your networks that you could have with the AUTOMA cathodic protection monitoring system?

Contact our team without obligation and we’ll tell you what we can do to optimize your infrastructure control.

Maintaining the integrity of gas, oil and water pipelines is in many ways a challenge. When infrastructure is located in remote areas that are difficult to reach, or urban but particularly congested, only a remote monitoring system can make realistic assessments of its health and intervene promptly when needed.

And if the area where the pipelines are located is affected by stray currents, the challenge becomes even more complex, making it essential to have an efficient remote monitoring system for cathodic protection.

However, the right remote cathodic protection monitoring system can allow you to work more accurately. Here are its benefits.

1) You can take measurements every second

A high-performance remote monitoring system gives the possibility to carry out an extremely detailed survey of cathodic protection: it makes it possible to obtain measurements every second throughout the day, every day.

This provides information that manual measurements in the field could not capture.

2) You can accurately identify the anomaly that occurred

The analysis of the data collected by the monitoring system allows you to trace the ‘problem’ that affected the infrastructure.

For example, the measurements obtained may suggest that the cathodic protection rectifier is not active or that the impressed current anode resistance is increased, or even that there has been damage to unidirectional drainage, which is unable to interrupt the flow of drained current when it reverses its direction.

Once the anomaly has been identified, taking action to resolve it is much easier and faster: you can program the intervention times and also, if necessary, evaluate how to reschedule periodic maintenance.

3) You can overcome the problems arising from stray currents

In areas with time-varying interfering currents, measurements taken on site for a short period (from a few minutes to a few hours) may have difficulty in grasping ‘out of protection’ conditions.

Remote monitoring, on the other hand, through a daily measurement per second during the 24 hours, offers a real possibility to correctly assess the effects of interfering currents.

In addition, in areas affected by stray currents, monitoring several signals at a time (On DC and AC potential, IR-free potential) becomes critical to check compliance with the thresholds indicated by the standards and to check the efficiency of all devices installed so as to reduce the effects of interference (DC and AC decouplers, drainage, etc.).

To measure the IR-free potential, for example, the E_off can be measured on a coupon. To bring the IR component to zero and thus consider the E_off a correct approximation of the IR-free potential, the coupon must be chosen with appropriate shape, size, type and material and installed correctly with respect to the reference electrode and pipe. The best choice for correctly measuring is a device with an integrated solid state switch to manage the connection between the pipe and the coupon.

Having a remote monitoring technology of cathodic protection allows you to view different data in detail, analyse daily measurements automatically and create alarms for anomalies. The more advanced the technology, the more complete the data it provides and the more it will be possible to optimise cathodic protection system management activities, limiting on-site inspections to only those that are really necessary.

For example, Automa devices record 86,400 data samples for each channel every day (1 measurement per second). Then they send the WebProCat software a daily statistical report and if a problem emerges from the daily report, a complete data log can be requested from the software to identify its source (e.g. AC interference, stray currents, telluric currents, rectifier failures, etc.).

The WebProCat software by Automa is specifically designed for cathodic protection analysis, such as battery-powered remote monitoring devices with ultra-low power technologies, which guarantee a minimum of 48 months of uninterrupted operation in the field.

Our company is today a leader in the design and production of innovative and Made in Italy hardware and software solutions for remote monitoring and control in the Oil, Gas and Water sectors.

Currently, over 50,000 Automa devices are installed in more than 40 countries.

Do you want to know what security benefits your networks could have with Automa monitoring system of cathodic protection?

Contact our team without obligation and we will tell you how we can optimise control of your infrastructure.

What are the variables to take into account when assessing the efficiency of a network cathodic protection system? There are certainly different types and they are all important. But it is equally important to ensure effective monitoring of the system, otherwise any malfunctions may not be communicated in time to be resolved without problems.

There are three elements that are essential to pay attention to if you want to be sure that you have a remote cathodic protection monitoring and control system that allows you to accurately assess the health of the pipeline and protect it effectively.

1) Flexibility

Full adaptability to different situations and needs is an essential requirement for evaluating the efficiency of a cathodic protection monitoring system.

The connectivity options offered must be comprehensive: an efficient system must support not only mobile communication, but also wired communication and satellite communication to operate even in areas with poor coverage, and must guarantee access to data and their management in total safety, as well as with maximum simplicity and speed. Integration with pre-existing information systems, such as ERP or GIS, is also essential to maintain smooth communication.

The best monitoring devices also offer additional channels to measure corrosion rates using standard ER probes, providing complete corrosion monitoring capabilities. And the most high-performance cathodic protection monitoring solutions can be equipped with various accessories such as synchronised ON-OFF switches, solar boxes and interfaces for remote control of rectifiers, which further enhance the system’s capabilities and flexibility.

2) Maintenance

A latest-generation cathodic protection monitoring system also allows for more efficient and timely maintenance.

An example of innovative technology in this sense is the Digital Twin, a digital representation of the structure to be protected: thanks to this virtual and real-time updated reproduction of the physical infrastructure, it is possible to carry out continuous monitoring and simulation of the pipeline performance, structural integrity and operating parameters.

By integrating remote monitoring data, weather forecasts and other relevant information, you can gain insights into potential issues that threaten your facility, enabling predictive maintenance and operational optimisation.

Improved analysis of collected data allows you to identify deviations from expected patterns, flagging error conditions before they become critical.

Additionally, continuously collecting data and using it to train algorithms enables early recognition of anomalies or potential problems. This allows you to plan maintenance activities more effectively.

This translates into important benefits, such as:

• minimising downtime
• optimising the allocation of maintenance resources
• improving the overall safety and reliability of the monitored facility

3) Power supply

One of the greatest challenges in cathodic protection is to maintain the monitoring system in a continuously efficient condition. This translates not only into the need to not interrupt the collection and transmission of data in order to receive any alarm signals in real time, but also into the need to guarantee optimal data collection performance even in the event of an external power failure.

There are solutions that allow the operation of devices in the field to continue even in the event of a power failure, ensuring uninterrupted operation in the field in the absence of electrical power. This is what Automa’s G4C-PRO ensures, a remote cathodic protection monitoring device with ultra-low consumption technology that guarantees a minimum of 48 months of uninterrupted operation in the field with the integrated battery pack.

Furthermore, from a resource optimisation perspective, a notable benefit for the effectiveness of cathodic protection also comes from the use of Edge-computing, that is, the ability of devices to locally process information collected from the field to guarantee a first level of local intelligence that allows autonomous actions to be carried out even in the temporary absence of the remote communication channel.

In this way, it is possible to optimise data sending and ensure that the device transmits only the significant information, with an impact on the amount of energy used for communication.

Automa solutions for remote monitoring of cathodic protection are based on innovative ultra-low consumption technologies to ensure continuous and efficient communication. Our internal battery powered devices ensure a minimum battery life of four years even in adverse communication conditions. While under optimal signal conditions the lithium battery life of our G4C-PRO can easily reach five years.

Additionally, the G4C-PRO can also be powered by a small solar panel integrated with backup battery, with 10-12 year replacement time.

At Automa we develop hardware and software solutions for monitoring and remote control of pipeline integrity, in particular for the cathodic protection and the operational management of networks in the Oil, Gas and Water sectors. Our company was founded in 1987 in Italy, and today over 50,000 Automa devices made in Italy are installed in more than 40 countries worldwide.

Do you want to be sure that your monitoring system provides truly effective cathodic protection and monitors the integrity of your pipelines with maximum efficiency?

Contact our team without obligation and we will tell you how you can maintain maximum control over your structures!

Ensuring the integrity of pipelines (and thus their safety) has a price, like any job. But is it possible to contain operating costs and at the same time ensure extremely efficient monitoring of infrastructure and pipelines?

Fortunately, the answer is yes. Provided, however, that you equip yourself with high-performance technologies specifically designed to control the effectiveness of your cathodic protection system.

On-site activities or remote monitoring

Verification of the functionality of cathodic protection installations according to the criteria outlined in ISO 15589-1 traditionally involves the implementation of on-site procedures, which require operators to visit test stations.

In the case of Water, Oil & Gas transport and distribution infrastructures, test posts may be located in remote areas, which entails a not insignificant set of risks for the personnel in charge of physical inspections: in addition to the possibility of accidents occurring during travel, the possible burnout of operators called upon to make frequent challenging journeys to hard-to-reach locations must also be taken into account. From a technical point of view, unfortunately there is also always the risk that cathodic protection systems fail immediately after the on-site inspection, requiring a new intervention.

Checks carried out in person by operators have a significant cost, which increases if they have to be repeated several times. And they cannot be carried out on a daily basis.

On the contrary, the use of remote monitoring devices enables daily checks to be carried out on all cathodic protection installations and real-time alarms to be received promptly in the event of faults, so that on-site interventions can be optimised and their costs reduced.

More accurate verification of the effectiveness of cathodic protection at a lower cost

Detailed evaluations of the effectiveness of cathodic protection require potential-off measurements, preferably at all test points. In cases where potential-off measurements on the pipe are not meaningful – such as in areas with stray currents – potential-off measurements can be performed on external test probes or coupons.

Normally, these assessments are carried out through on-site activities. However, due to the short duration of the measurements (on-site intervention may take from a few tens of minutes to a few hours), technicians may find it difficult to identify potential problems and possible unprotected conditions, particularly in areas with significant stray currents.

To overcome these problems, a more comprehensive monitoring approach is required.

Remote monitoring offers a solution by allowing daily measurements with high frequency sampling: data can be acquired at a rate of one measurement per second throughout the day. This continuous monitoring provides ample opportunity to effectively assess the impact of stray currents on structures. In addition, it facilitates the implementation of continuous instant-off measurements on selected coupons and test points, enabling detailed daily evaluations.

But that’s not all: by using remote monitoring technology and consequently having daily updates on the status of all installations, an optimised approach to maintenance is possible. In fact, thanks to this technology, on-site checks can be carried out every three years, mainly for a visual inspection of the test point.

Remote monitoring and consumption

In order for remote monitoring technologies for Water, Oil & Gas transport infrastructures to be able to reduce the need for on-site human intervention to only essential cases, it is obviously necessary that these technologies are reliable and able to maintain constant communication of the data they collect.

This is why Automa has designed and manufactured G4C-PRO: an innovative cathodic protection remote monitoring device based on ultra-low power technology. It is a compact data logger enclosed in a small housing with very small dimensions to fit the most common test points worldwide. Even in the absence of power, the G4C-PRO ensures a minimum of 30 days of uninterrupted operation in the field thanks to an integrated backup battery with a life of more than 10 years.

Reducing the operating costs of network’s cathodic protection control systemis possible with Automa’s solutions, which enable accurate, timely and constant remote monitoring of infrastructure.

Do you want to see for yourself how Automa’s solutions work and how easy they are to use? Ask us for a free demo without obligation!