Gazovaya promyshlennost’ Спецвыпуск № 3 2019

The key issues of telemechanization of the Moscow ring gas pipeline are the lack of connection to power supply networks at valve stations of the dedicated communication channels and low network gas pressure necessary for controlling valve pneumatic hydraulic drives. The paper considers addressing these issues by setting up the telemechanical system by Gazprom gazoraspredelenie. The system is designed for monitoring of gas transmission modes, timely localization of emergency gas pipeline sections and damage minimization. The main advantages and disadvantages of the automated valve remote control system have been identified. It is planned to continue the work on upgrading the valve stations under the Program for upgrading and technical re-equipment of gas facilities of Gazprom gazoraspredelenie.

The paper considers the possibilities for gas distribution organizations opened up by the telemetrical data analysis technology. In the resent decade, leading national enterprises and organizations paid much attention to collection and in-depth analysis of the data on their own business processes. This paper focuses on looking for non-obvious patterns that cannot be detected by monitoring standard spreadsheets and diagrams. The ultimate goal of the study is the improvement of the company's efficiency by changing business processes based on the new knowledge. Nowadays the data have become a commodity. By analogy with the manufacturing cycle: the higher the data processing degree the higher the data cost. Due to telemetry, gas distribution companies have significant data volumes on equipment operation at serviced facilities, but this potential is wasted. To benefit from data ownership, the authors propose to apply the latest methods of analysis and artificial intellect technologies to telemetrical data processing and addressing relevant practical gas industry issues. As an alternative to the development of new programs, it is possible to use inexpensive specialized Russian software as an instrument for data processing. The paper presents examples of preventing accidents at gas distribution facilities and assessing gas losses caused by accidents, leaks and emergency discharges. The acceptable quality of forecasting and estimating losses has been achieved. The relevance of the tasks is confirmed by Rostekhnadzor data demonstrating stabilization of the accident rate at gas networks, as well as by the lack of equipment and methods for estimating gas losses in critical situations. In the final part of the paper, the authors put forward new approaches to working with data ensuring their suitability for analytical processing. The provided example is related to applying a new approach to the equipment replacement procedure, which takes into account its actual condition. This strategy allows to avoid emergency failures and at the same time premature equipment replacement.

The paper investigates the widely used worldwide technology of careful excavation by vacuum excavators. The main types of vacuum excavators are presented and their advantages and disadvantages described. The paper shows the internals of the vacuum excavator and indicates the excavation rate for different types of soils using the vacuum machine. The paper points out the benefits of using vacuum excavators for gas distribution network reconstruction in the urban conditions when there is a high risk of damaging other adjacent communication lines. Earth works in densely populated areas of the city require approval of all concerned parties whose communication lines are located in the planned working zone. For this purpose a commission to visit the site is established. The application of the vacuum excavator allows to avoid this procedure and launch works since careful excavation of the soil reduced the risk of inflicting damage to communication lines to the minimum. One of doubtless advantages of vacuum excavators is the following reclamation. The paper provides the example of introducing and applying a vacuum excavator in a gas distribution company – PeterburgGas LLC. The paper analyses the problems the company faced during the introduction of new equipment and demonstrates efficiency factors related to implementation of vacuum excavators.

The paper highlights new gas distribution technologies for timely detection of gas leaks. The main mission of gas distribution companies is to ensure reliable and safe gas supply. This mission is accomplished via providing proper maintenance, high quality equipment, modern technologies and tools applied at gas distribution network facilities at all stages of their life cycle. Currently the market encloses many technologies and equipment that allow to remarkably improve the quality of maintenance operations at gas distribution facilities as declared by the manufacturers. Pilot testing of technologies and equipment with the same function offered by various manufacturers confirms or invalidates stated specifications, as well as provides comparative analysis to choose the most technically and cost efficient one. The gas distribution industry is primarily validating and seeking for technologies and equipment able to address the most common failures and problems, as well as standard procedures that require considerable efforts for implementation.