From personnel transportation to aerial methane detection, Fleet Helicopters is improving pipeline projects all around Australia.
The key to Australia’s long-term water and energy security is the expansion of pipeline infrastructure across the country. The challenges for asset owners and operators in this regard are many, but the vastness of Australia, as well as the remoteness of some of its regions, are among the most difficult to surmount .
Pipelines often traverse great distances – even interstate – to connect resources with the populations that need them most. For pipeline builders, this means finding a way to ship materials, equipment and manpower to remote locations on a massive scale.
Luckily, Fleet Helicopters is here to expedite the process at all stages of a project’s life.
“Whether it’s mapping out an easement, transporting workers and heavy equipment, or methane leak detection, we’ve got a helicopter for everything,” Fleet Helicopters CEO Mike Watson told The Australian Pipeliner.
As a family-owned business that cut its teeth in aerial agriculture, firefighting, and flood relief, Fleet Helicopters knows both flying and remote Australia like the back of its hand.
And in 1996, the company decided to bring that expertise to the pipeline industry. Since then, it has worked with some of the biggest names in gas in Australia.
“More than anything else, we deliver reliability, safety and unique solutions to our clients’ problems,” Watson said.
“It’s about more than just turning up with a helicopter; we engage with our clients to figure out exactly what challenges they face and how we can help – whatever stage of life a pipeline project is at.”
In the pre-construction phase, Fleet Helicopters can conduct aerial inspections such as easement identifications and flora and fauna surveys, expediting tedious work that would otherwise have to be done on foot.
When it comes to construction, the company can support pipeline projects with crew and equipment transport, which cuts out lengthy commutes through harsh environments.
“You don’t want your highly skilled crew bouncing around in a vehicle for two hours, losing four hours every day,” Watson said.
“Likewise, if you need emergency repairs, you need them on the spot.
“A helicopter can get them there in a fraction of the time, so not only is productivity much higher, but it also eliminates the significant safety risks involved with having workers on the road in remote areas.”
When it comes to cargo, Fleet Helicopters can transport equipment up to 1.5 tonnes, enabling the fast and efficient placement of equipment into otherwise inaccessible sites.
All Fleet Helicopters’ lifting and rigging equipment is under a scheduled testing regimen according to Australian Standards, and the aircrafts are installed with load cells to ensure all lifts are conducted in accordance with manufacturer safety standards.
Like all infrastructure, pipelines need regular upkeep to ensure they are functioning safely and efficiently. For example, a leak in a gas pipeline can have significant ramifications for an asset owner, communities, consumers, and the environment if left unchecked. Companies pour significant resources into ensuring their pipelines are leak-free, sending technicians to inspect hundreds of kilometres of pipe from the ground. But more and more pipeline operators have cottoned on to the use of aerial methane detection as a way to identify gas leaks at a fraction of the cost and time.
“It’s a very slow process to physically inspect a pipeline,” Watson said.
“You’ve got access problems through properties, biosecurity problems with vehicles transferring weeds from one property to the next, and that’s on top of the huge amount of manpower required.
“Aerial leak detection surveys are much more economical and efficient. We can do 1000km in a day, not 14km. We also don’t have all those huge ongoing labour, accommodation, and vehicle expenses, or any issues with land access.”
Fleet Helicopters utilises a Boreal GasFinderAB laser system to detect gas leaks, which measures air quality at the helicopter.
“It takes a bit of experience to know where to fly on different days and in different temperatures, wind conditions, and environments, but the result is an incredibly accurate reading,” Watson said.
“The system uses an infrared laser that’s tuned to the frequency of light absorbed by methane. So, it measures how much light it puts out, and it measures how much comes back, and the difference between the two is how much methane is in the air.
“It’s very accurate and very sensitive, measuring down to 0.5 parts per million. And by measuring at the aircraft, it’s physically reading the gas rather than trying to sense it at a distance.”
In almost 20 years of operation, Watson said, the system has never failed.
The aerial data is reported clearly and in a timely manner to clients. When a leak is detected, this critical information can be reported directly from the helicopter, allowing clients to take immediate action.
It’s no surprise that asset owners and operators are leaning on Fleet Helicopters to help overcome the challenges posed by the harsh Australian landscape. With its help, pipelines around Australia are being built faster and maintained more efficiently.
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This feature also appears in the May edition of The Australian Pipeliner.