Introducing the Work of WOC 4 on Gas Distribution

Chaired by: Jeremy Bending, United Kingdom

Objectives
The primary role of WOC 4 is to support the promotion of safety, efficiency and sustainability across the gas distribution community. The success in achieving this objective also serves as a driving force towards achieving the other strategic objectives of promoting gas as the fuel of choice, and ensuring the industry’s role as a responsible corporate citizen. Public safety and security of supply have always been the key drivers of distribution integrity management. However environmental, economic and other sustainability issues are becoming increasingly important as energy markets develop.

Content
• Study Group report presentation on Gas Distribution Asset Management, by Andreas Hennig, Germany, which will review the processes and methodologies used to develop strategies for operating, maintaining and replacing gas distribution networks. This will build on the Distribution Integrity study from the previous triennium. The study will recognise the influence of differing regulatory frameworks both in defining local good practice and assessing the applicability of “best”
international practices. The report will reference the definition of distribution integrity performance measures; the use of available information systems, data and the management of data quality; the availability and applicability of cost/benefit calculations; the influence of national and international technical standards; the infl uence of economic regulation and competitive markets; the range of approaches within legal frameworks; legislated prescription vs. risk-based approaches to
asset management.

• Asset management case study presentations
• Panel session:
  • Moderator: Alessandro Soresina, Italy
  • Panellists:
• Andreas Hennig, Germany
• Barbara Jinks, Australia
• Robert Steven, Argentina
• Jean-Yves Pollard, France

Review of Leakage Reduction Strategies and Practices

Chaired by: Steve Vick, United Kingdom

Objectives
Methane is a significant greenhouse gas and leakage is perceived to contribute to depletion of the ozone layer. Leakage also presents safety, economic and operational challenges to distribution operators. This report will describe the evaluation and determination of leading practices used in the industry for the management of leakage from gas distribution systems.
These leading practices will be based on reviewing commonly defined metrics of operational performance. The report will reference leakage management strategies across member countries, assessment of the ability to quantify leakage from distribution systems, the effectiveness of leakage survey methodologies, identification of best practices in leakage management systems, and existing and emerging technologies for leakage control.

Content

• Study Group report presentation
• Leakage management case study presentations
• Panel session:
  • Moderator: Alessandro Soresina, Italy
  • Panellists:
• Steve Vick, United Kingdom
• William Kearney, Republic of Ireland
• Other panellists to be confirmed

Prevention of Third Party Interference Damage to Distribution Assets

Chaired by: Kevin Knapp, USA

Objectives
To describe how IGU member countries approach the reduction of third party interference damage to gas distribution systems.
This emerged as a major integrity issue from the 2003 - 2006 triennium study. It is important to determine the various approaches, funding levels, legal requirements and collaborative efforts currently in place. The report will provide a review of damage control activities systems including: provision of plant records and information to enable location, legal/regulatory requirements driving plant location, measures of effectiveness of plant protection systems, resourcing requirements for site attendance where provided, review of existing and emerging technologies for damage control, identification of best practices in plant and damage location
systems across all utilities.

Content

• Study Group report presentation
• Third Party damage management case study presentations
• Panel Session:
  • Moderator: Alessandro Soresina, Italy
  • Panellists:
• Kevin Knapp, USA
• Tomoaki Yokoyama, Japan
• Other panellists to be confirmed

Asset Management Topic Papers

Chaired by: Alessandro  Soresina, Italy

Objectives
Asset management practices will be discussed with relation to some of the contributions from the Call for Papers. Some examples could include:

• The development of asset management strategies and systems to develop an optimum balance between cost and performance
• The influence of legislation and regulation on gas distribution operators’ approach to system operation and management
• Innovative developments in gas distribution practice contributing to improve asset management

Leakage and Third Party Damage Management Topic Papers

Chaired by: Robert Steven, Argentina

Objectives
Leakage and third party damage management practices will be discussed with relation to some of the contributions from the Call for Papers. Some examples could include:

• Intelligent use of historic leakage data to manage distribution leakage performance to predict leakage and inform leakage
  management priorities
• Proactive measures to prevent third party damage to distribution systems and the promotion of understanding of the risks
  of damage, aimed to reduce third party damage by taking actions to identify construction activities that present a high
  damage risk and providing information to inform and educate operatives and the public of the risks arising from damage
  to gas distribution systems
• Innovative developments in gas distribution practice contributing to improved leakage and third party damage
  management