When Jemena Delivery Manager Bill McCloghry inherited Jemena’s Infrastructure Protection team two years ago, he proposed a solution to improve the protection and surveillance of Jemena Gas Networks pipelines.
Mr McCloghry said “The team was relying on its own knowledge and UBD street maps with hand-drawn details of gas pipelines to conduct patrols. I saw an opportunity and was given the go-ahead to proceed with developing computer-based maps to improve efficiency.”
Pipeline technicians took six months to overlay the UBD software with the precise location of primary and secondary trunk mains on the Jemena Gas Network.
This in-house mapping solution was later combined with GPS software from Sydney Helicopters, who provide aerial surveillance, to create a new navigational system for its aircraft. The aircraft’s exact location in relation to the Jemena Gas Network is displayed on a digital panel in the cockpit.
In conjunction with this new navigation system, a satellite tracking system called ‘Spidertrack’ is used to gain full transparency of aerial patrols of the pipelines.
“As the helicopter flies along the route of a gas main, the unit feeds back GPS-based information on the aircraft’s location, speed, direction and altitude. This information allows us to prioritise and respond to gas issues much faster,” Mr McCloghry said.
Jemena also employs this system in supervising excavations near high pressure gas mains.
“We can now provide third party contractors with detailed information about the precise location of these mains, which helps overcome a major safety hazard,” said Mr McCloghry.
Mr McCloghry’s map solution has been a success story for Jemena in improving gas pipeline protection and the safety of its workers.
