Gasnetz Hamburg using hi-tech car to track down leaks

11 January 2023

Pilot project on grid integrity using artificial intelligence

Gasnetz Hamburg’s measurement vehicle with probes on the roof and bumper took to roads across the city in December to track down leaks. The urban network operator and the U.S. company Picarro are testing the effectiveness of these measurements in a pilot project in a bid to secure to protect the environment. The method should make it easier to check parts of the 7,900-kilometre network more frequently and to ensure its integrity constantly.

Safe gas network thanks to modern measurement

"We want to operate our network even more reliably and in a climate-friendlier manner using modern digital analysis technology," says Michael Dammann, Managing Director of Gasnetz Hamburg. The current energy crisis shows that a dense and reliable network can contribute to security of supply and save resources and the environment at the same time. Until now, Gasnetz Hamburg has walked along the pipelines and inspected them every four years. During the pilot test in December, the measuring vehicle allowed several checks of around 250 kilometres of the pipeline to be done. The data collected is currently being evaluated, Gasnetz Hamburg said.

Picarro's measuring vehicle outside Elbphilharmonie

Probe, software and algorithm

Several devices and technologies are used in the vehicle. The data from the probes is linked to the location and weather data by software. The vehicle checks mainly for methane, which can be measured down to the smallest molecule. Methane is also released by vehicle exhausts and the sewer system necessitating the use of an additional algorithm to evaluate the data. The best measurement conditions are at night, when the wind is not too strong and temperatures are lower. If the vehicle detects potential damage to the network, specialists check the possible fault and repair the corresponding leak, according to Gasnetz Hamburg.

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