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CIG aggiornamenti normativi sulle methane emissions

CIG for Automa: regulatory updates on methane emissions

By Cristiano Fiameni, Technical Director Italian Gas Committee
From the presentation ‘Methane emissions: regulatory updates’
SMART GRID DAYS 2024, 18 – 19 September 2024.

What are the new regulations regarding Methane Emissions that have been finalised and are becoming operational?
In the spring of 2024, Regulation 2024/1787 on the reduction of methane emissions in the energy sector was approved first by the Parliament, then by the Council, and finally published in the Official Journal on 15 July 2024, entering into force on 4 August 2024.

This Regulation has a huge impact: it is directly applicable and does not require national transposition.

The whole gas supply chain is covered, because the Regulation deals with very different industry sectors (just think, for example, of the storage or regasification system and how completely different it is from a city distribution system) and this leads us to foresee some elements of difficulty from the application point of view, because it is difficult to have a single rule that works for all situations.

Let us look in detail at some highlights to better understand the state of affairs.

Enforcement of the Regulation on Methane Emissions

Regulation 2024/1787 lays down standards for accurately measuring, quantifying, monitoring, reporting and verifying methane emissions in the EU energy sector, as well as for reducing them.

The reduction can be achieved through investigations to detect and repair leaks, repair obligations and restrictions on venting and flaring. The Regulation also establishes standards on tools that ensure transparency with regard to methane emissions.

The Regulation apply:

  • the exploration and production of oil and gas, as well as the collection and processing of gas;
  • the transport and distribution of natural gas, except for measurement systems at the points of final consumption and the parts of the service lines between the distribution network and the measurement system located on the property of the final customers, as well as to underground storage and operations in LNG terminals and plants.
CIG per Automa gli aggiornamenti normativi sulle methane emissions

This applies to the entire supply chain concerning the distribution sector, therefore to the pipelines on public land, while measurement stations at the final customer are excluded.

With regard to utility connections, there are critical issues from an application point of view, because the Regulation apply to connections, butfrom the property boundary to the meter are excluded, whereas on public land they are included.

Applications: Article 15

With regard to Article 15 – Restrictions on Venting and Flaring, the Regulation remains structured as before: there is a substantial ban except for emergency or safety reasons.

This approach may be correct in an industrial environment, but in a city network the situation becomes more complicated. So, in this case, it will be necessary to pay the utmost attention to safety and, in some routine activities, it will be necessary to do a flaring instead of a venting.

The competent authorities: appointments and critical issues

One or more competent authorities must be appointed by the Member State six months after the entry into force of the Regulation (i.e. by 5 February 2025). The competent authority will have to monitor and ensure compliance with the Regulation. In some cases, it may also intervene in inspection programmes and may impose sanctions with respect to compliance or non-compliance with the requirements of the Regulation.

On the other hand, operators must submit the report containing the first quantification of emissions to the competent authorities within one year.

The situation becomes more complicated because Article 12 of the Regulation talks about how this quantification activity should be carried out with respect to the technical standards currently being developed and to the provisions of Article 32, stating that ‘Until the date of application of these technical standards or regulations, operators and companies shall follow the most advanced industrial practices and use the best available technologies for measuring and quantifying methane emissions’. It goes on to state that ‘operators and companies established in the Union may use for these purposes the latest OGMP 2.0 technical guidance documents approved by 4 August 2024’.

Harmonised standards: drafting and approval

In Article 32 of the Regulation, the Commission asks CEN (European Standardisation Organisation) to work towards harmonised standards for:

  • the measurement and quantification of methane emissions referred to in Article 12(5);
  • the Leak Detection and Repair investigations referred to in Article 14(1);
  • the necessary equipment, as referred to in Article 15(3) and (5);
  • the quantification of methane emissions referred to in Article 18(3);

Once CEN has completed its task, the Commission assesses whether or not the draft standard it has received complies with its request and, if so, the standards are published in the Official Journal. However, the Commission may still adopt delegated acts to establish further standards or parts thereof. The deadline for drafting these standards is spring 2027.

Leaks detection and repair: critical issues (and positive aspects)

By 5 May 2025 for existing sites (and within 6 months from the date of entry into operation for new sites) operators must submit a leak detection and repair programme (LDAR programme) to the competent authorities.

The timeframe is therefore a bit tight, because the authority must be appointed by February 2025, then in May operators must present the programme and by August they must have carried out the first inspection.

How does detection work? After carrying out a leaks search (reference is made to Annex I and II of the Regulation), operators shall repair or replace all components in which there is an emission at or above the specified levels. To understand better: in the worst cases we can be at levels that are 500 or 1000 ppm, which is a very low value.

Once leaks have been detected, repairs should be made immediately if possible. This requirement applies more easily to an industrial site than, for example, the gas network of a large city. The Regulation further state that ‘If it cannot be carried out immediately after detection, the repair shall be attempted again as soon as possible and in any case within 5 days of detection and shall be completed within 30 days of detection‘.

Any delay in the repair must be justified with a report, resulting in a major administrative burden, even disproportionate to the operational intervention required.

The Regulation does, however, leave a small window of opportunity if it can be shown that the leaks are small and difficult to repair, so that continued monitoring and repair could cause environmental damage that outweighs the benefit of repair.

Marcogaz pre-normative activity

Marcogaz, the international non-profit association that represents the European gas industry, has drawn up pre-normative documents on the best techniques to be implemented to carry out specific activities. The relative documents are available on the website https://www.marcogaz.org and can be downloaded free of charge: it’s a series of 9 BATs (Best Available Techniques) regarding ‘Venting and Flaring’.

In 2024, BAT 0 was published, ‘Introductory document to the Best Available Techniques to Reduce Methane Emissions from Venting and Flaring Activities in the Mid-downstream Gas Sector‘.

The other BATs will be:

  • BAT 1 – Reduce pressure before venting
  • BAT 2 – Mobile recompression
  • BAT 3 – Stationary recompression
  • BAT 4 – Flaring as replacement of venting
  • BAT 5 – High bleed continuous pneumatics mitigation
  • BAT 6 – Electrical or pneumatic air starters
  • BAT 7 – Use of nitrogen to purge LNG pipes
  • BAT 8 – LNG truck loading – dry coupling connectors
  • BAT 9 – Excess flow valves in new service lines

In addition, a ‘Guidance for enhancing methane emission reduction and the application of the EU regulation on methane emission’ is being prepared.

At the regulatory level, an activity that started a few years ago on the emission quantification project is coming to an end, with three focuses:

  1. Gas infrastructure (the quantification and reporting part), regulated in Article 12 of the Regulation.
  2. Leak Detection and Repair, that is, how to carry out investigations and repair programmes, Article 14.
  3. Gas Infrastructure, that is, everything related to Venting and Flaring, Article 15.

As we have seen, the technical part supporting the operational articles of the Regulation is the subject of draft standards currently being developed at CEN level. The timeframe is not immediate, as these topics present two difficulties: an objective-technical one, because not everything is already available and consolidated, and an operational one, because at European level countries have different sensitivities.

Agreeing on the content of standards when there are varying national operational practices or regulations makes it even more difficult to conclude the task.

It should be noted, however, that there are many Italian experts who participate in these activities and try to make their own contribution.

The Italian Gas Committee, established in 1953, aims to improve safety and efficiency in the use of combustible gases. In 1960, it joined UNI, the Italian national standardisation body, thus becoming the official Italian body for standardisation in the fuel gas sector.

As an association comprising institutional and non-institutional members, the IGC covers with its members the entire supply chain, from gas import to transport, distribution, storage, utilisation, equipment, devices and installations.

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Come ridurre le emissioni fuggitive agendo sulla pressione di esercizio delle reti gas

How to reduce fugitive emissions by acting on the operating pressure of gas networks

The Global Methane Tracker 2024 report published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) reveals discouraging data: in 2023, methane emissions in the energy sector rose by 3 million tonnes compared to the previous year. This brought their total to 120 million tonnes.

Despite the efforts made by the sector to reduce losses, methane emissions in the energy sector remain a significant challenge. Drastically limiting these losses is essential not only to improve the efficiency of energy networks but also to combat the climate emergency.

The problem of overpressure

An important part of gas losses is related to overpressure in plants and networks: this term refers to a condition in which the operating pressure within gas distribution networks is often higher than optimal levels while still complying with safety standards and operational management for proper functioning, creating risks for safety, the environment, and the infrastructures themselves.

Fugitive emissions, that is, the uncontrolled release of gas (such as methane) into the environment, are proportional to the operating pressure, so optimising and reducing the latter leads to an immediate reduction in emissions.

In addition to this, overpressure can accelerate the deterioration of pipes and network components, increasing the risk of structural failures and reducing overall operational efficiency.

How is it possible to reduce the issues related to gas network pressure without compromising the supply? A concrete and effective response comes from dynamic regulation.

What does dynamic regulation mean

Dynamic regulation allows for real-time adjustment of pressure in gas distribution networks to actual demand. In practice, the system based on the principle of dynamic regulation automatically adjusts the pressure according to variations in consumption:

  • During periods of low demand (for example, during the night), the pressure is reduced to avoid overpressure and minimise gas losses.
  • During peak consumption times, the pressure is increased to ensure that the gas flow meets the demand, always within safe limits.

In summary, adopting a dynamic pressure regulation on networks means:

1) an exponential decrease in the volume of gas lost

2) more efficient operation of the network, subjecting it to less stress, thus also reducing the frequency of failures in the long term.

Dynamic regulation occurs through data-driven technology. This, indeed, allows for the collection of real-time data that is then analysed with intelligent algorithms that calculate the necessary corrective actions to maintain the pressure at an optimal value. In the case of particularly complex systems, the system is able to anticipate changes in demand or network conditions by leveraging predictive analysis and artificial intelligence.

A system of this kind must therefore combine monitoring capabilities on one side and control capabilities on the other.

The ideal solution must consequently integrate:

– Edge Computing features, which allow for faster responses and make the system more robust and reliable.

– Artificial Intelligence for big data management, capable of finding a model to classify information, make decisions or predict the future trend of events.

– Cybersecurity, essential for the protection of this type of data.

– Ability to reduce inefficiencies related to fluctuations in gas demand and supply, to ensure service continuity.

With these characteristics, the system is able to estimate the demand required by users in each execution cycle, and to adjust the network management parameters when necessary to keep the pressure to a minimum during hours of lower demand and to increase it when user demand also rises.

The result? An optimal compensation that limits leaks while ensuring efficient network management.

The Automa solution: the GOLEM technology

The GOLEM technology of AUTOMA, developed to dynamically control regulators, also adjusts the pressure on demand in order to reduce emissions and optimise flow rates.

Simplifying to the maximum, we can say that GOLEM transforms any existing pressure regulator into an element that can be controlled remotely. In this way, it is possible to remotely control the gas pressure based on a desired value, whether it is a measurement coming from the termination point or a local measurement in the pressure reducing station (PRI).

The system allows, for example, to set daily pressure profiles, that is, to pursue target flow rates or pressures. Thanks to the built-in protections, such as mechanical limits and energy reserves, GOLEM ensures continuous and reliable operation.

GOLEM also stands out for its ability to make the regulation of gas pressure dynamic and automatic without requiring substantial modifications to existing plants, easily integrating with already present regulators, both direct and pilot-operated. Another significant advantage is that GOLEM does not require the use of venting, a noteworthy aspect especially after the new European Regulation on emissions has prohibited its use in industrial processes.

Unlike other similar solutions available on the market, the GOLEM application is not limited to the remote control of gas in natural gas distribution networks; indeed, it has been designed to also manage the injection of biomethane into natural gas networks, thus addressing the growing need to integrate renewable sources into distribution networks.

AUTOMA develops hardware and software solutions for the monitoring and remote control of gas transport and distribution networks, functional to their operational management.

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 ensure that you regulate the gas network pressure safely and efficiently?

Contact our team without obligation and we will tell you what we can do to help you limit losses and always maintain an adequate level of service.

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Quali sono i vantaggi di un sistema di monitoraggio remoto della protezione catodica

What are the benefits of a cathodic protection remote monitoring system?

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 Eoff can be measured on a coupon. To bring the IR component to zero and thus consider the Eoff 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?

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3 elementi a cui prestare attenzione per scegliere un sistema di monitoraggio e controllo remoto delle reti

3 elements to pay attention to when choosing a network remote monitoring and control system

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?

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Come ridurre i costi operativi del sistema di controllo della protezione catodica delle reti

How to reduce the operating costs of network cathodic protection control system

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.

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Sei sicuro che il tuo sistema di monitoraggio della protezione catodica ti stia dando TUTTE le informazioni che ti servono

Are you sure that your cathodic protection monitoring system is giving you ALL the information you need?

We are all well aware of the critical role cathodic protection plays in ensuring a long pipeline life cycle and pipeline integrity, mitigating risks such as structural failure, explosion or environmental contamination due to corrosion.

Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the cathodic protection system applied to the facilities works effectively and reliably. The fact that these infrastructures are often located in remote areas can complicate monitoring and control operations, unless highly performing systems are in place.

How can you assess whether you are getting all the information you actually need toensure that your pipelines are working with maximum efficiency?

Here are some questions you should ask yourself, and the answers you should give yourself in order to work with peace of mind.

1) Can you check the functionality of your cathodic protection system?

According to ISO 15589-1, which outlines the criteria for assessing whether the cathodic protection system applied to a facility is functioning properly, you should carry out functionality inspections of all equipment, such as: impressed current stations, one-way drain stations, connections to external facilities (both direct and resistive bonding), AC and DC decoupling devices, galvanic anodes and test stations. For each of these equipment, maximum time intervals between inspections are defined, which differ depending on the device.

An on-site inspection not only requires frequent and exhausting travel, but also does not protect you from the risk of a device failing immediately after the inspection, forcing you to return to the site. All this can be avoided with remote monitoring, provided, however, that your system is able to give you real-time data on the performance of different equipment, also helping you to manage maintenance more efficiently.

2) Can you make accurate and precise measurements of ON potential and OFF potential at all measurement points?

Also according to ISO 15589-1, the verification of the effectiveness of cathodic protection can be carried out at two levels: the general evaluation is mainly based on measurements of the ON potential on all measurement points or only on representative ones, while the detailed evaluation also requires measurements of the OFF potential, preferably on all test posts.

Due to the short duration of on-site measurements (varying from minutes to hours), however, technicians may find it difficult to identify potential problems and possible unprotected conditions, particularly in areas with significant stray currents. For this reason, measurements can be performed on external test probes or coupons.

3) Is your measurement system adequate for the effect of high stray currents?

In the case of high stray currents, the potential analysis Eon may not be sufficient because it provides incomplete or sometimes misleading information.

Therefore, it becomes necessary to measure the IR-free potential, e.g. by measuring the Eoff on a coupon, which must be of a specific type and made of an appropriate shape, size and material, as well as correctly installed with respect to the reference electrode and the pipe.

Only under these conditions can the Eoff measure on the coupon bring the IR component to zero and thus Eoff can be considered a correct approximation of the IR-free potential.

The best choice for coupon measurements is a monitoring device with an integrated solid-state switch to handle remote communication.

4) Have the measurement points been selected to ensure the best monitoring coverage?

If the distribution of measurement points has not been made with the specificities of the facility in mind, the monitoring system may not perform as well as it could in detecting faults and verifying the effectiveness of cathodic protection.

The measurement points selected for monitoring can be of different types:

  • points at the boundaries of the cathodic protection system, e.g. at insulation joints
  • points where the least negative potentials were measured during commissioning
  • critical or representative points of the cathodic protection system
  • points associated with foreign facilities, so that changes can be detected.

A monitoring system that takes data from inadequate measurement points cannot give you all the information you need to ensure effective cathodic protection of the facility.

5) What happens to your monitoring system in case of power failure?

Risking being without data can be very dangerous when it comes to pipelines. Therefore, it is essential that your system transmits alarm signals in real time in the event of an external power supply failure.

But obviously receiving the warning is not enough. That is why it is essential to equip oneself with devices capable of guaranteeing optimal performance for long periods even in the event of an external power failure, calculating also that reaching them for the eventual replacement of the batteries could take a long time in which the facility would in fact be unmonitored.

It is therefore better to select a solution with ultra low power consumption technology. Automa’s G4C-PRO, for example, is a remote cathodic protection monitoring device that guarantees a minimum of 30 days of uninterrupted operation in the field, even in the absence of electricity, thanks to an integrated backup battery with a service life of more than 10 years.

6) How often do you have to replace batteries in the field?

Today there are high-performance solutions in terms of consumption. At Automa, we are experts in low power consumption technologies, such that our internal battery-powered devices have autonomies of at least four years even in adverse communication conditions. Under optimal signal conditions, the lithium battery life of our G4C-PRO can even extend up to five years without any problems. And G4C-PRO can also be powered by a small integrated solar panel with battery backup, with a replacement time of 10-12 years.

Founded in 1987 in Italy, over the years our company has established itself as a leader in the design and production of innovative Made in Italy technologies for remote monitoring and control in the Oil, Gas and Water sectors.

We develop hardware and software solutions for remote monitoring and control of pipeline integrity, in particular for cathodic protection and network operation.

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

Do you want to know whether your current monitoring system really provides you with effective cathodic protection and efficiently monitors pipeline integrity?

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

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