gas for energy Power to Gas (Vorschau)

02–2012 

www.gas-for-energy.com 

gasforenergy 

ISSN 2192-158X 

Magazine for Smart Gas Technologies, 

Infrastructure and Utilisation 

Oldenbourg Industrieverlag 

Preliminary 

Report 

WGC 2012 

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A CLOSE-UP VIEW 

OF THE INTERNATIONAL 

GAS BUSINESS 

This new magazine for smart gas technologies, infrastructure 

and utilisation features technical reports 

on the European natural gas industry as well as results 

of research programmes and innovative technologies. 

Find out more about markets, enterprises, associations 

and products of device manufacturers. 

Each edition is completed by interviews with major 

company leaders and interesting portraits of key 

players in the European business. 

READ MORE ABOUT 

Gas applications 

Gas quality issues 

Biogas injection 

Grid infrastructure 

Pipeline construction 

Corrosion protection 

Measurement 

Regulation 

Smart metering 

KNOWLEDGE 

for the 

FUTURE 

gas for energy is published by Oldenbourg Industrieverlag GmbH, Rosenheimer Str. 145, 81671 Munich, Germany 



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Editorial 

gas for energy – a publication 

International Gas Industry 

tailor-made for the international 

gas industry 

Dear Readers, Customers and Business Partners, 

What you are looking at now is the second issue of our new 

English-language magazine specifically aimed at the European 

and international gas industry: gas for energy – Magazine for 

Smart Gas Technologies, Infrastructure and Utilization. 

As a partner for those involved in the gas industry, industrial 

associations and research, we provide our readers with precisely 

the sort of up-to-date, conveniently structured information 

that is needed when making entrepreneurial decisions. 

Our reporting also provides detailed coverage of state-of-theart 

developments, as well as highlighting innovative trends in 

the field of gas technologies. As publishers, we are committed 

to ensuring that the content of all articles is subject to careful 

and critical examination in order to achieve the highest possible 

standards and reliability. In addition, our aim is to present 

our painstakingly researched data within a multimedia context, 

while ensuring that it is available to our readers in a modern, 

easy-to-read form. 

In tandem with the launch of our new journal, the g4e Internet 

site has also been restyled and modernized. From today, 

www.gas-for-energy.com ensures that you have 24/7 access 

to the latest industry news, along with details of upcoming 

events and, of course, the contents of the latest edition of g4e. 

We also intend to pursue new paths via our electronic journal: 

from now on, readers can obtain g4e not only as a printed 

journal, but if they prefer, can also access it in e-journal form. 

gas for energy – A Publication Tailor-Made for the 

Dear Readers, Customers and Business Partners, 

What you are looking at now is the second issue of our new English-language magazine specifically 

aimed at the European and international gas industry: gas for energy Magazine for Smart Gas 

Technologies, Infrastructure and Utilization. 

As a partner for those involved in the gas industry, industrial associations and research, we provide 

our readers with precisely the sort of up-to-date, conveniently structured information that is needed 

when making entrepreneurial decisions. Our reporting also provides detailed coverage of state-of-theart 

developments, as well as highlighting innovative trends in the field of gas technologies. As 

publishers, we are committed to ensuring that the content of all articles is subject to careful and critical 

examination in order to achieve the highest possible standards and reliability. In addition, our aim is to 

present our painstakingly researched data within a multimedia context, while ensuring that it is 

available to our readers in a modern, easy-to-read form. 

This means that g4e now offers its readers not only a new and 

sophisticated print product, but also totally new perspectives 

with respect to browsing comprehensive databanks on a 24/7 

basis. Also, advertisers can now access their target groups with 

a high degree of accuracy by means of our integrated communication 

and advertising facilities. In short: from this edition 

onward, g4e offers a high-power combination of both print 

and digital communication! 

In tandem with the launch of our new journal, the g4e Internet site has also been restyled and 

modernized. From today, www.gas-for-energy.com ensures that you have 24/7 access to the latest 

industry news, along with details of upcoming events and, of course, the contents of the latest edition 

of g4e. Information about a broad range of related book titles, along with comprehensive search and 

archive functions, are further useful additions to our new Internet facility, which now guarantees 

maximum depth of coverage. We also intend to pursue new paths via our electronic journal: from now 

on, readers can obtain g4e not only as a printed journal, but if they prefer, can also access it in e- 

journal form. Furthermore, our on-line archive feature means that it is possible to consult and 

systematically research all back issues. 

This means that g4e now offers its readers not only a new and sophisticated print product, but also 

totally new perspectives with respect to browsing comprehensive databanks on a 24/7 basis. Also, 

advertisers can now access their target groups with a high degree of accuracy by means of our 

integrated communication and advertising facilities. In short: from this edition onward, g4e offers a 

high-power combination of both print and digital communication! 

May I take this opportunity to invite you personally to visit us on our new website. I hope that you find 

plenty to interest you in this issue and that much of what you read will provide you with helpful 

impulses for your professional work. 

May I take this opportunity to invite you personally to visit us 

on our new website. I hope that you find plenty to interest you 

in this issue and that much of what you read will provide you 

with helpful impulses for your professional work. 

Stephan Schalm 

Head of Editorial Department 

Stephan Schalm 

Head of Editorial Department 

gas for energy 

Stay informed and follow us on Twitter

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Oldenbourg Industrieverlag

Table of Contents 2 – 2012 

6 Hot Shot 

Natural gas liquefaction project 

8 Trade & Industry 

Rotor of a SGT6-8000H gas turbine 

20 Interview 

Marc Hall 

Reports 

gas quality 

28 Power to Gas, gas quality and the GERG hydrogen project 

by Dave Pinchbeck an d Klaus Altfeld 

gas pipelines 

32 Case study – constructing a gas pipeline to the Dead Sea 

"the deepest point on earth" 

by Haim Mosckovich 

Gas pipelines 

38 Development of a new tool to avoid unnecessary excavation 

of buried gas pipelines: MobiZEN 

by Yves Van Ingelgem, Daan De Wilde, Leen Lauwers, Raf Claessens and Annick Hubin 

gas pipelines 

42 Soil friction along HDD’s – the influence of a refined model 

on expansion 

by Frigco Kwaaitaal 

Columns 

1 Editorial 6 Hot Shot 

2 OIV Website 51 Diary 

4 gas for energy Issue 2/2012

orizontal direction. Finally we found a solution 

ags filled with sand mixed with cement and 

e in order to allow him to move in the horizontal 

ulty in access of heavy equipment forced the 

ork manually. 

2 – 2012 Table of Contents 

32 R e p o r t 


52 R e p o r t 

Energy supply 

Unbenannt-2 1 

72 Products & Services 

Diehl Metering 

gic fracture 

lng 

48 New opportunities for gas through small scale LNG 

by Dr. W.P. Groenendijk 

Energy supply 

52 The grid as the basis for the energy turnaround 

by Stephan Kamphues 

asset management 

56 Asset management demands in regulated markets 

by Jens Focke 

natural gas vehicles 

60 Influence of compressor oil from natural gas filling 

stations on the operation of CNG vehicles 

by Hans-Jürgen Schollmeyer and Manfred Hoppe 

compressor mix 

67 Compressor operating at underground gas storages 

by Jan Steinhausen 

News 

8 Trade & Industry 

14 Personal & Events 

16 7 th Pipeline Technology Conference 

70 Associations 

72 Products & Services 

Interview 

20 “gas for energy” has 

interviewed Marc Hall, 

chairman of the IGU 

Marketing Committee in 

the Special of WGC 2012 

visit us at our website: 


Issue 2/2012 gas for energy 5

Hot Shot 



Sakhalin II, Russia’s first commercial 

natural gas liquefaction project, with 

a proprietary natural gas liquefaction 

process. 

Source: gazprom.

Trade & Industry 

The picture shows the rotor of a 

SGT6-8000H gas turbine in the Berlin 

gas turbine manufacturing plant. 

Siemens receives third order for state-of-the-art power 

plant technology from South Korea 

iemens receives a third order for its state-of-the-art 

S power plant technology from South Korea. For the 

Andong combined cycle power plant (CCPP) Siemens is 

supplying the turnkey power plant in cooperation with its 

partner GS E&C comprising one H-class gas turbine, one 

steam turbine, one generator and one heat recovery 

steam generator as well as the Balance of Plant (BoP), and 

I&C technology in a single shaft configuration. This third 

order for the H-class technology from South Korea fol- 

lows orders for the Bugok III and Ansan CCPPs. Purchaser 

is the power utility Korea Southern Power Co. Ltd. The 

natural-gas-fired plant will have a gross installed electrical 

capacity of 416 megawatts (MW) and a gross efficiency of 

over 61 percent. The new power plant is designed for 250 

starts per year, and will need only 30 minutes for a hot 

start. It will therefore feature a high degree of operational 

flexibility. Start of commercial operation is scheduled for 

April 2014 after only 25 months of construction. 

WINGAS hives off storage activities into 

independent company 

he natural gas supply company WINGAS is hiving off 

T its storage activities into an independent company. 

In future, the storage division of WINGAS, which was 

already unbundled within the company in 2006, will 

trade under the name of astora GmbH & Co. KG. 



GE aeroderivative gas turbine to power new 

district heating project in Italy 

Ge announced that it will provide an LM6000-PF 

Sprint aeroderivative gas turbine and related services 

to Enipower S.p.A. (Eni) for its Bolgiano district heating 

plant in San Donato Milanese, near Milan, Italy. The 

Bolgiano cogeneration plant (CHP) produces thermal 

energy both for district heating and cooling for Eni headquarters, 

municipal buildings and residential users. The 

Bolgiano CHP currently produces more than 267,000 MW 

hours of thermal energy per year using four GE gas turbines. 

The network extends for about 56 km and is providing 

heat and hot water for 20,000 Italian families. Due 

to the IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) 

prescriptions and the age of the plant, Eni is taking the 

opportunity to upgrade the CHP by installing a new aeroderivative 

gas turbine and other new equipment to 

increase plant flexibility and efficiency. Energy savings for 

the new Bolgiano district heating plant are estimated at 

181,000 MW hours of thermal energy per year, equal to 

approximately 15,600 TOE (tonne of oil equivalent) per 

year. When completed, the plant anticipates an 84% 

reduction of NOx emissions and a 20% reduction of CO 2 

emissions. 

GL Noble Denton wins Pipeline 

Industries Guild Award 

GL Noble Denton has won the coveted Utilities category 

of the 2012 Pipeline Industries Guild Awards. 

The award honours an innovative Beam Drilling System, 

which is used by UK gas network operators to secure 

drilling equipment onto gas pipelines more safely and 

efficiently. 

The Beam Drilling System initiative was developed 

jointly with National Grid, one of GL Noble Denton's largest 

clients, and gas network maintenance specialist ALH 

Systems Ltd. It challenges more than three decades of 

traditional pipeline drilling practice and saves time and 

resources by removing the need to dig large holes in the 

ground to secure drilling equipment onto gas pipelines. 

The System uses specially-designed beams, which 

allow operatives to undertake a wide range of drilling 

tasks without having to enter the excavation they are 

working on. It was specifically recognised by the Pipeline 

Industries Guild for the role that it plays in improving the 

safety of working practices, reducing the environmental 

impact of pipeline drilling, delivering significant cost savings 

to operators and reducing road traffic disruption. 

The Pipeline Industries Guild Utilities Award is the 

second accolade GL Noble Denton, National Grid and 

Les Dawson, president of the Pipeline Industries Guild (left), 

and Richard Price, chairman of the Pipeline Industries Guild, 

present the 2012 Utilities award to GL Noble Denton senior 

engineer Dave Gregory (centre) for the development of the 

Beam Drilling System. 

ALH Systems have won jointly for the Beam Drilling System. 

In May 2011, industry trade association (SBGI) and 

the Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) 

awarded the Beam Drilling System their Innovation of the 

Year award at the UK Gas Industry Awards in London. 



Siemens is European 

patent champion 

iemens is again the uncontested leader in patent 

S applications in Europe. According to the 2011 Patent 

Applicant Ranking of the European Patent Office (EPO), 

the company submitted 2,235 patent applications 

(excluding Osram: 1,994) to the EPO in calendar year 

2011 to capture first place in the European patent statistics. 

Siemens also increased its lead over its next-ranked 

rivals. Siemens President and CEO Peter Löscher confirmed 

that Siemens will continue to invest in research 

and development at the current high level. In fiscal 

2011, the company channeled nearly €4 billion into 

research and development, of which over €1 billion 

went to develop green technologies. 

Increased interest in the 

trading platform store-x 

he store-x Storage Capacity Exchange GmbH presented 

itself at the beginning of 2012 as an attrac- 

T 

tive market place for many acknowledged storage 

operators. In February, a total capacity of 927.74 million 

m³ was placed. The participants used the following 

types of procedures: Multi-auction Procedure, Keyed 

and Search Procedure. The enhanced interest in store-x 

has also been taken from the increase of the user registrations 

since the beginning of the year. The trade-fair 

appearance at the E-world 2012 and the positive 

response from national and international visitors played 

an important role for the further improvement of the 

market positioning of the trading platform store-x. 

Petrochemical feedstock supply in the middle east 

affected by natural gas scarcity 

ecuring natural gas feedstock in the Middle East has 

S become increasingly difficult in the last few years, 

threatening the region’s dominance as the most economical 

petrochemicals producer, according to a new 

report by business intelligence company GlobalData. 

The new report* found that the Middle East is now 

facing a natural gas scarcity due to increasing demand 

and inefficient utilization of subsidized natural gas by the 

energy intensive industries, which has led to the restriction 

of supplies and posed a subsequent threat to the 

global petrochemical market. 

Huge natural gas resources and cheaper feedstock 

availability turned the Middle East into the hub of the 

global petrochemical industry over the last decade by 

making the region the most competitive in the world. 

Middle Eastern petrochemical producers use natural gas 

as a key feedstock due to the availability of subsidies. This 

means that natural gas in Middle Eastern countries can be 

as much as 60-70% cheaper than natural gas found in 

Europe and North America. 

However, the subsidies on natural gas production 

offered by countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran and Qatar 

has led to the inefficient utilization of the available 

resources, leading to a decline in the supply of ethane 

feedstock. Feedstock costs determine the success of petrochemical 

producers, as they represent the majority of 

production costs. As natural gas is the primary feedstock 

used in the Middle East, its scarcity will affect the petrochemical 

producers significantly. 

In addition, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting 

Countries (OPEC) quota limits crude oil production, 

thereby also limiting associated natural gas production. 

Despite all Gulf countries producing more than their 

allotted quota, production is insufficient to meet burgeoning 

demand from the power, transportation and 

petrochemical sectors. 

Saudi Aramco, the sole supplier of ethane in Saudi 

Arabia, stopped allocating ethane to new petrochemical 

projects in 2006, and pre-existing supply agreements 

have not received their allocated limits since 2009. Lack of 

development of Iranian non-associated gas reserves has 

also led to the scarcity in ethane supplies, and Qatar have 

imposed a moratorium upon further development of gas 

reserves, in order to assess sustainable rates of gas production, 

halting allocation of the country’s gas for industrial 

projects until 2014. 



South Stream project documents ready for Southern 

Corridor Phase 1 construction 

azprom completed preparation of the project documents 

for Phase 1 of the Southern Corridor gas 

G 

transmission system (GTS). The documents were submitted 

to the State Expert Review Board (Glavgosekspertiza) 

for consideration. 

The Southern Corridor will convey gas, inter alia, into 

South Stream planned for construction ahead of schedule 

– in December 2012 as assigned by Vladimir Putin, 

Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Timely submission 

of the documents to Russian Glavgosekspertiza is a 

milestone in Gazprom's stagewise activities aimed at 

synchronized construction of the two interrelated gas 

transmission systems. According to the schedule, Phase 1 

of the Southern Corridor GTS will start as early as in 

December 2012 to be accomplished in 2015 in parallel 

with the launch of the South Stream first stage. 

Phase 1 of the Southern Corridor project stipulates 

building a 834 km linepipe between the Pisarevka compressor 

station (CS) in the Voronezh Oblast and the Russkaya 

CS in the Krasnodar Krai including construction of 

four CSs (Shakhtinskaya, Korenovskaya, Kazachya and 

Russkaya). A 57 km interconnector from the Kubanskaya 

CS to the Korenovskaya CS will also be constructed within 

Phase 1. Besides, the existing corridor connecting Petrovsk 

with Pisarevka will be retrofitted. 

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NetConnect Germany increases transparency in the 

control energy market 

CG will extend the previously existing indication 

N for the external control energy demand on its 

website by adding a quantified flow rate for needed 

control energy. Thereby, buy- and sell-demands for 

external control energy will be differentiated into quality-specific 

and global demands on a “Within-Day” and 

“Day-Ahead” basis and accordingly displayed. It can be 

expected that the actual procurement of control 

energy will be conducted shortly after publishing specific 

demands. Customers also have the opportunity to 

get informed automatically about emerging demands 

via a cost-free e-Mail push-service. This allows market 

participants to react faster and to improve the management 

of their offers. 

Start-up of production of offshore Greater Bongkot 

South field 

otal and the partners of the Bongkot 

T Joint Venture announce the start of the 

production from the Greater Bongkot 

South (GBS) gas and condensate field in the 

Gulf of Thailand. The Joint Venture is operated 

by PTTEP (44.45%), alongside partners 

Total (33.33%) and BG Group (22.22%). 

The offshore GBS field is located in the 

Gulf of Thailand’s blocks B16 and B17, approximately 

200 kilometres East of Songkhla. This 

new standalone development consists of a 

central processing platform, a living quarter 

platform and 13 wellhead platforms. 

The processing platform has a capacity of 

350 million cubic feet of gas per day and 

15,000 barrels of condensate per day. Gas is 

exported via a new build spur line to the PTT 

grid while condensate is exported to the 

existing Floating, Storage and Offloading 

(FSO) vessel at the Greater Bongkot North 

field, which is located 80 kilometres to the 

north. 

The Greater Bongkot North field (33.33%) 

is Total’s only E&P asset in Thailand. In 2011, 

this field contributed 41,000 barrels of oil 

equivalent per day to the Group’s production. 

Total is also active in power in Thailand 

and holds a 28% interest in Eastern Power 

and Electric Company Ltd (EPEC). Since 2003, 

EPEC has been operating the combined 

cycle gas power plant of Bang Bo, with a 

capacity of 350 Mega Watts. 



Eni starts production at Marulk field 

offshore Norway 

Eni has started production from the Marulk field in the 

Norwegian offshore located about 80 km from the 

coast. The Marulk field is the first field that Eni has directly 

operated in Norway and is part of the PL122 license held 

by Eni (20%) with Statoil (50%) and DONG (30%). Marulk is 

a gas and condensate field, with estimated reserves of 

74.7 mio. barrels of oil equivalent, and produces 20,000 

boe/d, 4,000 of which belong to Eni. The field, whose 

Plan for Development and Operation (PDO) has been 

approved by the Ministry of Oil and Energy in July 2010, 

has been developed through a “fast-track” development 

project in less than two years. Eni has been present in 

Norway since 1965 where it now produces about 135,000 

barrels of oil equivalent per day. 

Knight Oil Tools acquires Cool Group Ltd. 

night Oil Tools today the acquisition of Cool Group 

K Ltd., headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland. Terms of 

the deal were not disclosed. Cool Group Ltd. is the 

holding company that owns Global Rentals, a provider 

of downhole drilling tools such as the Megaton drilling 

jars, fishing jars, energizers, shock tools, bumper 

subs, drilling safety joints and under reamers and 

Pedem, the tool design and manufacturing unit for the 

company’s products. Global Rentals’ main operations 

are based in Stavanger, Norway. The company has a 

rental and service facility in the Netherlands that covers 

most of Europe and part of Africa and a sales office in 

Dubai. Pedem’s design and manufacturing facilities are 

located in Aberdeen, Scotland and Rotherham, England. 

Knight Oil Tools has been the exclusive licensee of the 

Megaton drilling and fishing jars in the U.S. since 2010 and 

manufactures Megaton drilling jars at its Broussard, LA 

manufacturing facility.Focused on providing “zero-failure” 

equipment and service for 40 years, Knight Oil Tools 

has grown to be the largest privately held rental and fishing 

tools business in the oil and gas industry. 

ALL-ROUNDER 

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all work relating to the verification of gas mains: 

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Schütz GmbH Messtechnik . Im Dornschlag 6 . D-77933 Lahr 

Tel.: + 49 (0) 78 21- 32 80 100 . www.schuetz-messtechnik.de 

SCH_Anzeige_GM3000_Engl.indd 1 29.03.11 13:03 


Personal & Events 

20 th EBC&E “Biogas goes Europe” 

The special event of the 20 th EBC&E on “Biogas goes 

Europe” (18.-22.6.2012, Milano Convention Centre, 

Italy) addresses the main challenges for further biogas 

development in Europe. High-level speakers from politics 

and policies, industry and research sectors present the 

latest trends. Key-stakeholders contribute in a panel discussion 

to the debate about how to boost industrial 

biogas developments in emerging European biogas markets. 

The production and use of biogas is increasingly contributing 

to the sustainability of the current energy mix in 

many European countries. Considerable developments 

for the installation of agricultural biogas plants were 

achieved e. g. in Germany, Italy, Austria, The Netherlands, 

Czech Republic, Denmark. The potential for biogas production 

in Europe is high. However, the European market 

for biogas plants is still characterised by very different 

developments in the European countries, ranging from 

very few installations up to several thousands. This mirrors 

that biogas production is hence highly dependent 

on suitable framework conditions which are set-up by 

national policy makers. 

Programme Outline 

Session 1: Overview on biogas developments in Europe 

■ Key technology trends in agricultural biogas plants? 

■ Biogas in Italy: What is the current status? The future 

perspectives 

Session 2: New industrial applications for agricultural 

biogas plants 

■ Different European markets – different stakeholders? 

■ New energy crops for Europe 

■ Improvement of the feedstock efficiency 

■ Large or “scale down“ size of biogas plants 

■ Cost competitive solutions for small scale biogas plants 

(50-150 kWel) 

■ Biogas integration in smart grids 

■ Intelligent technical solutions for excess heat use 

■ Biomethane as transport fuel – A car manufacturer’s 

perspective 

Panel Discussion: Biogas goes Europe 

■ How to develop new European biogas markets? 

■ Needed amendments on European legislation 

■ Contribution of biogas in future energy supply 

■ European biogas policies 

■ Overview on European biogas markets 

■ New market opportunities in Europe 

Information: 

WIP-Renewable Energies, Dominik Rutz, 

E-Mail: dominik.rutz@wip-munich.de 

European Forum Gas 2012 

At the European Forum Gas - EFG 2012 – organized on 

June 20th, 2012 in the heart of Dresden - organized 

by marcogaz and GERG, hosted by DVGW - company 

managers, the EU Commission, gas experts and associations 

involved in standardisation will verify that standardisation 

and gas technical harmonisation has indeed a high 

value for industries and also for the involved experts and 

companies. 

Standards provide a basis for safe and reliable products 

and systems (e.g. gas infrastructure) but they offer 

also a basis for market participation and financial advantages 

to the dedicated industries. Collaboration in standardisation 

provides knowledge and experience exchange 

among European experts and facilitates the implementation 

of the future standards in daily practice in involved 

companies. But there are 

many more reasons to be a 

part of the standardisation 

world. 

EFG 2012 aims to provide 

you with the rationale- 

in your function as company manager or as gas 

expert in person - for your involvement in standardisation 

but it also gives you a platform for constructive criticism 

and all your questions. 

The programme: Two key note speeches reflect on 

the use of standardisation as a strategic tool and its benefits 

to the economy. On the basis of these openers a 

round table gives representatives of companies the floor 

to argue on the benefits and drawbacks of standardisa- 


Personal & Events 

tion for companies. A further session considers the optimum 

route to standardisation in future. The EU Commission 

questioned the current situation of European standardisation 

and drafted an EU regulation. What are the 

new challenges? What are the consequences for gas 

standardisation and what will be the future role of purely 

national standards? 

“Standardisation – is it essential for innovation?” is the 

focus of the 3rd session of the Forum. Starting with the 

description of the general interaction of innovation, 

standardisation and regulation, further presentations give 

examples of how early standardisation activities can 

ensure the acceptance and sustainability of new technologies. 

Topics covered will include CCS, LNG and gas quality 

and more. 

On June 19th, 2012 (departure 14.00), participants of 

the conference have the opportunity to visit the accident 

and incident demonstration facilities at the gas technical 

institute, DBI Gas- und Umwelttechnik GmbH in Freiberg. 

This facility serves especially for the training of fire brigades, 

the police and emergency services to learn how to 

evaluate incidents and to manage emergencies with natural 

gas. In the evening participants are invited to join the 

celebration of 200 years gas light in Germany. 

GSE re-elects Jean-Marc Leroy GSE President and 

further boosts its transparency initiative 

Today the GSE Plenary meeting of members has reelected 

Jean-Marc Leroy, CEO of Storengy, GSE President. 

Jean-Marc Leroy has been fulfilling this function 

since March 2008. The re-election of Jean-Marc Leroy, has 

coincided with further improvement of the GSE transparency 

platform “Aggregated Stock Inventory” (AGSI). The 

AGSI platform features country-wise disaggregated data 

for the Central European countries : Austria, Czech Republic, 

Hungary, Poland and Slovak Republic. The aggregated 

data for these countries continues to be also available 

under the Baumgarten hub. 

Henning Voscherau elected as Chairman of 

South Stream Transport AG Board of Directors 

The Gazprom headquarters hosted the first meeting of 

South Stream Transport AG Board of Directors. Alexey 

Miller, Chairman of Gazprom Management Committee, 

Alexander Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Gazprom 

Management Committee, Paolo Scaroni, Chief Executive 

Officer of Eni, Henri Proglio, Chairman and CEO of EDF, 

Harald Schwager, Member of the Board of Executive 

Directors of BASF and Henning Voscherau entered the 

Board. Henning Voscherau was unanimously elected as 

Chairman South Stream Transport AG Board of Directors. 

The Board members discussed the key issues of cooperation 

among the South Stream project participants, in 

particular the budget of the project vehicle, as well as the 

action plan required for making the final investment 

decision this November. 


7 th pipeline technology Conference 

Delegations from 30 nations participating at 

Pipeline Technology Conference 2012 

More than 300 participants attended ptc 2012. 

Yukon Bay Opening: Dr. Klaus Ritter (President EITEP) and 

Detlev Schroeder (Sales Manager, ROSEN.) are opening the 

dinner at Hannover Zoo. 

How to learn from European/German solutions in 

pipeline safety 

Europeans leading Pipeline Technology Conference took 

place for the 7th time this year. For the first time it was not 

within the framework of Hannover Messe. Dr. Klaus Ritter, 

Chairman of the ptc Advisory Committee justifies this step 

with the increasing number of participants and in addition 

to that the growing internationality. “The new venue, the 

Hannover Congress Centrum, gives this event a more familiar 

character and its own exhibition hall and conference 

hotel”, he says. 

Dr. Ritter opened the conference by welcoming the participants 

from 30 different nations worldwide. He stressed, 

that with delegations from not only European countries, but 

also from South and North America, Asia and Africa this 

conference truly deserves the name ‘international’. 

The solutions for general and specific tasks and issues, 

which were presented in the plenary, in technical sessions 

and in the exhibition were highly relevant and were 

especially noticed with a great deal of attention by the 

representatives of the 28 mostly foreign operators. This 

led Mr Watzka (Open Grid Europe and ptc Advisory Committee 

Co-Chair) to say that “the operators from South 

America, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe were hoping to 

find the solutions for their issues in Germany/at the ptc.” 

The relevance of the discussed topics became apparent 

in the in-depth discussions after the sessions, as well 

as at the coffee and lunch breaks, which took place 

within the exhibition area. 

The ptc 2012 again gave the opportunity to share 

experiences, establish new contacts or strengthen existing 

contacts. Especially the evening program - a get 

together in the exhibition hall at the 1st evening and a 

dinner invitation at Hanover Zoo at the 2nd evening of 

ptc - were used by the participants for additional networking 

with other pipeline professionals. 

This year’s conference larger than ever before 

It was already the 7th time, the international pipeline community 

met in Hannover from March 28th - 30th 2012 to 

discuss recent developments and technologies from the 

viewpoint of safety in the fields of planning, construction, 

operation and maintenance of pipeline systems. The Pipeline 

Technology Conference 2012 has been larger than ever 

before. 309 participants, with more than 50% coming from 

abroad, 64 speakers, 28 pipeline operators and 27 compa- 



nies that presented innovative solutions in the accompanying 

exhibition participated at this year’s conference. 

The most discussed topics were the German energy 

turnaround, the storage of renewable energy with the 

method power to gas and the public perception of infrastructure 

projects. Even if these issues are more current 

for Europe and Germany, they led to lively discussions 

between the participants. The conference was supported 

and advised by an advisory committee, which is made up 

of international experts. 

EITEP is already planning next ptc 

After this year’s success the EITEP has already started the 

planning of next year’s conference. It will take place from 

March 18th - 20th 2013 at Hannover Congress Centrum. 

The first sponsors have already confirmed their participation. 

As well as this year the ptc will be supported by an 

international high-ranking advisory committee (www. 

pipeline-conference.com), which decided to put “Components 

and Materials” in the focus of next year’s meeting 

– in addition to traditional topics like the integrity and 

safety of pipeline systems. 

The new concept of company workshops as part of 

ptc like the Siemens Workshop “De-risking Solutions for 

Pipelines” or the KROHNE Post-conference Workshop on 

Exhibition booth of Platinum Sponsor Siemens. 

“Pipeline leak Detection” was met with a very good 

response by the attendees and will be further extended 

for the 2013 event. 

ptc Advisory Committee 

Chairmen Dr. Klaus Ritter 

(President EITEP) and Heinz 

Watzka (Open Grid Europe). 


This year’s conference larger than ever before 

It was already the 7 th time, the international pipeline community met in Hannover from March 28 th - 30 th 

2012 to discuss recent developments and technologies from the viewpoint of safety in the fields of 

planning, construction, 

7 th operation and maintenance of pipeline systems. The Pipeline Technology 

pipeline technology Conference 

Conference 2012 has been larger than ever before. 309 participants, with more than 50% coming from 

abroad, 64 speakers, 28 pipeline operators and 27 companies that presented innovative solutions in 

the accompanying exhibition participated at this year’s conference. 

The most discussed topics were the German energy turnaround, the storage of renewable energy with 

the method power to gas and the public perception of infrastructure projects. Even if these issues are 

more current for Europe and Germany, they led to lively discussions between the participants. The 

conference was supported and advised by an advisory committee, which is made up of international 

experts. 

Statements on ptc 2012 

The Pipeline Technology Conference is always accompanied with an exhibition. This year 27 international exhibitors 

presented their new and innovative technologies and solutions to the ptc visitors. According to a survey the exhibitors were 

very satisfied with the conference and the new and useful business contacts they made. The table below shows an extract 

Statements on ptc 2012 

The Pipeline of the technology Technology highlights Conference and statements is always accompanied presented at with the ptc. an exhibition. This year 27 

international exhibitors presented their new and innovative technologies and solutions to the ptc 

visitors. According to a survey the exhibitors were very satisfied with the conference and the new and 

useful business contacts they made. The table below shows an extract of the technology highlights 

and statements presented at the ptc. 

“The “The TÜV NORD TÜV NORD Systems Systems has been has involved been involved many in international many international pipeline projects. The ptc gives us 

pipeline projects. The ptc gives us the best possibility to speak to experts 

the best possibility to speak to experts and to present the special services we offer, like the support 

and to present the special services we offer, like the support with 

with authorization procedures, thermo-fluid dynamic dynamic calculation, as as well well as as the the analysis of pigging 

data analysis and the of development pigging data of and concepts the development to ensure integrity. of concepts to ensure 

On the integrity. basis of international pipeline projects, which were interrupted due to public resistance my 

On the basis of international pipeline projects, which were interrupted due 

colleague to public Ms resistance Dr. Babette my Fahlbruch, colleague TÜV Ms NORD Dr. Babette Systems, Fahlbruch, presented TÜV solutions NORD how to deal with this 

resistance.” Systems, presented solutions how to deal with this resistance.” 

Maik Bäumer, Head of Strategic Business Segment Infrastructure, TÜV 

Maik Bäumer, “At 

NORD “At this 

Systems this Head year’s year’s of Strategic ptc ptc we we Business presented presented Segment our new our Infrastructure, Thermoflex new Thermoflex TÜV pipes, NORD which pipes, Systems can which be can be 

used used for for downstream downstream (LPG) (LPG) and and upstream upstream applications: applications: flow lines, flow lines, 

gathering 

“At “At this year’s gathering lines, 

ptc we presented lines, water water injection 

our our new new Thermoflex injection lines, 

Thermoflex pipes, lines, downhole 

which pipes, downhole tubing 

can which be can tubing and steel 

be used and pipeline 

for downstream steel pipeline (LPG) 

used for rehabilitation. downstream (LPG) and upstream applications: flow lines, 

and gathering upstream rehabilitation. 

The 

lines, applications: The 

main 

water injection flow main 

advantages 

lines, lines, downhole gathering advantages 

of this 

tubing and lines, steel water of 

Thermoflex 

this 

pipeline injection Thermoflex 

pipe are 

lines, downhole pipe are 

· Corrosion resistance 

tubing and 

steel rehabilitation. pipeline · The rehabilitation. Corrosion main advantages The resistance 

of this Thermoflex pipe are 

· Corrosion 

· Rapid, 

resistance 

easy, low-cost main advantages installation of this Thermoflex pipe are 

· Rapid, easy, low-cost installation 

■ · Corrosion Rapid, · resistance easy, High low-cost performance installation 100°C – 100bar 

· High · performance High 100°C performance – 100bar 100°C – 100bar 

■ Rapid, · easy, low-cost No use installation of Polyethylene! We use a Fortron/Nylon inner liner resistant 

· No · use of Polyethylene! We use a Fortron/Nylon inner liner resistant 

■ High to performance H 2 S and to 

No 

CO H 

use of Polyethylene! We use a Fortron/Nylon inner liner resistant 

2 S 100°C and – CO 100bar 2 

· Efficient coupling method/No welding/No electrofusion 

■ No use · of Polyethylene! Efficient to H 2 S coupling and CO 

We use a method/No 2 

Fortron/Nylon welding/No inner liner resistant electrofusion to H 

· Lower pressure drop vs. steel pipe” 

2 S and CO 2 

·· Lower Efficient pressure coupling drop vs. method/No steel pipe” welding/No electrofusion 

■ Efficient · coupling Lower method/No pressure welding/No drop vs. electrofusion steel pipe” 

François Meersseman, Managing Director, TCI-Environment 

■ Lower pressure drop vs. steel pipe” 

International François N.V. Meersseman, Managing Director, TCI-Environment 

“As an 

International 

EPC-contractor François Meersseman, for 

N.V. 

oil, gas, water and Managing pipelines for chemical Director, TCI-Environment 

products, we carry out all services from planning and construction to 

François commissioning “As International Meersseman, and EPC-contractor maintenance. Managing N.V. STREICHER’s Director, for oil, gas, TCI-Environment service water portfolio and also pipelines International for chemical 

N.V. 

covers products, complex “As an river EPC-contractor we crossings, carry installation out services for of leak oil, detection gas, from systems, planning water and and pipelines construction for chemical to 

assembly fittings, underground gas storage and gas drying systems. 

“As Important EPC-contractor commissioning products, 

reference projects 

we for and oil, carry 

in pipeline gas, maintenance. out water construction 

all and services pipelines STREICHER’s 

are for example 

from for chemical planning service 

the products, and portfolio we construction carry also out all services to 

North European covers commissioning complex Gas Pipeline river (NEL) and crossings, and maintenance. the Baltic installation Sea Pipeline STREICHER’s Link of leak detection service systems, 

from planning and construction to commissioning and maintenance. STREICHER’s portfolio service portfolio also 

(OPAL).” assembly covers complex fittings, underground river crossings, gas storage installation and gas of leak drying detection systems. systems, 

also covers complex river crossings, installation of leak detection systems, assembly fittings, underground 

North gas storage 

Maximilian 

Important assembly Hofmann, 

reference 

CEO, fittings, MAX STREICHER 

projects underground in 

GmbH 

pipeline 

& gas Co. 

construction 

KG storage aA and are gas for drying example systems. the 

Important European and gas 

reference Gas drying Pipeline systems. 

projects (NEL) Important 

in pipeline and the reference Baltic projects 

construction Sea Pipeline in pipeline 

are for Link construction are 

example the 

for “The example new (OPAL).” GLD202, the North is European ultrasonic detection Gas Pipeline pig with (NEL) a 128 and channel the Baltic multi Sea Pipeline Link (OPAL).” 

spectral 

North 

analysis 

European 

system that allows 

Gas 

the operator 

Pipeline 

not only 

(NEL) 

to detect 

and 

leaks 

the Baltic Sea Pipeline Link 

but also (OPAL).” 

to make some statements about the condition of the pipe. These 

Maximilian for example Maximilian Hofmann, can be about Hofmann, CEO, the MAX tightness CEO, STREICHER of valves MAX or GmbH disposals STREICHER & Co. along KG the aA GmbH & Co. KG aA 

pipeline. 

Also the Maximilian reliability and the Hofmann, user-optimized CEO, software MAX are points STREICHER that make the GmbH & Co. KG aA 

whole system “The interesting new GLD202, for buyers. is That an ultrasonic means, it must detection not necessarily pig be with a 128 channel multi 

“The new GLD202, is an ultrasonic detection pig with a 128 channel multi spectral analysis system that 

used as spectral a service analysis product, like system most other that leak allows detection the pigs operator do.” not only to detect leaks 

allows the “The operator new not GLD202, only to detect is an leaks ultrasonic but also to detection make some statements pig with a about 128 the channel condition multi of 

but also to make some statements about the condition of the pipe. These 

Wolf Böckler, 

spectral 

Head of 

analysis 

R&D, GOTTSBERG 

system 

Leak 

that 

Detection 

allows 

GmbH 

the pipe. for These example for example can be can about be about the tightness the tightness of 

the of valves valves operator 

or or disposals not only along along 

to the the 

detect pipeline. leaks 

Also the pipeline. but reliability also and to make the user-optimized some statements software are about points the that condition make the whole of the system pipe. interesting These 

“In 2010, for Weatherford example Pipeline can be Specialty about Services the tightness (P&SS) 

for valves or disposals along the 

commissioned buyers. Also That the 

its means, new 

reliability 

generation it must and 

fleet not the 

of necessarily ultrasonic 

user-optimized 

wall be measurement used as software a service and 

are product, points like that most make other the leak 

detection crack detection whole pipeline. pigs system do.” tools. interesting for buyers. That means, it must not necessarily be 

The Weatherford 

used Also as the paper 

a service reliability at the 7product, th Pipeline and Technology the like user-optimized most 

Conference 

other leak 

in 

detection software pigs are do.” points that make the 

Hannover focused on reviewing the latest design improvements for our new 

whole system interesting for buyers. That means, it must not necessarily be 

Wolf generation Böckler, tools Head and of presented R&D, GOTTSBERG a case study on Leak a recent Detection survey conducted GmbH 

on the Wolf Adria-Wien used Böckler, as Pipeline a service Head (AWP). of product, R&D, GOTTSBERG like most other Leak leak Detection detection GmbH pigs do.” 

The projects preparation and planning, tool technology, and positive clientvendor 

collaboration contributed to a successful project. In accordance 

with the Wolf vendor’s Böckler, internal project Head management of R&D, performance GOTTSBERG indicators the Leak Detection GmbH 

scope “In was 2010, delivered Weatherford on time, within budget Pipeline forecast and and Specialty to the client’s Services (P&SS) 

satisfaction. Also, from the vendor’s perspective, this was a very successful 

commissioned its new generation fleet of ultrasonic wall measurement and 

and important project, successfully introducing the newest generation 

ultrasonic crack “In crack 2010, detection Weatherford tool tools. 

European Pipeline market.” and Specialty Services (P&SS) 

18 

The 

gas for energy Issue Mark 2/2012 commissioned Weatherford paper its new at generation the 7 th Pipeline fleet Technology of ultrasonic Conference wall measurement in and 

J. Slaughter, Global Product Line Manager – ILI, Weatherford 

Hannover 

Pipeline crack & Specialty detection focused 

Services tools. on reviewing the latest design improvements for our new 

generation 

The Weatherford 

tools and 

paper 

presented 

at the 

a case 

7 th Pipeline 

study on 

Technology 

a recent survey 

Conference 

conducted 

in

for example can be about the tightness of valves or disposals along the 

pipeline. 

Also the reliability and the user-optimized software are points that make the 

whole system interesting for buyers. That means, it must not necessarily be 

used as a service product, like most other leak detection pigs do.” 


Wolf Böckler, Head of R&D, GOTTSBERG Leak Detection GmbH 

“In 2010, Weatherford Pipeline and Specialty Services (P&SS) 

“In 2010, 

commissioned 

Weatherford Pipeline 

its new 

and 

generation 

Specialty Services 

fleet 

(P&SS) 

of ultrasonic 

commissioned 

wall 

its 

measurement 

new generation 

and 

fleet of 

ultrasonic crack wall detection measurement tools. and crack detection tools. 

The Weatherford The Weatherford paper the paper 7th Pipeline at the Technology 7 th Pipeline Conference Technology in Hannover Conference focused on in reviewing 

the latest Hannover design improvements focused on for reviewing our new generation the latest tools design and presented improvements a case study for on our a recent new 

survey generation conducted on tools the Adria-Wien and presented Pipeline (AWP). a case study on a recent survey conducted 

The projects on the preparation Adria-Wien and planning, Pipeline tool (AWP). technology, and positive client-vendor collaboration 

contributed The projects to a successful preparation project. In and accordance planning, with the tool vendor’s technology, internal and project positive management clientvendor 

indicators collaboration the scope was contributed delivered on to time, a successful within budget project. forecast and In accordance 

to the client’s satis- 

performancfaction. 

with Also, the from vendor’s the vendor’s internal perspective, project this management was a very successful performance and important indicators project, successfully 

introducing scope was the delivered newest generation time, ultrasonic within crack budget detection forecast tool to and the to European the client’s market.” 

the 

satisfaction. Also, from the vendor’s perspective, this was a very successful 

Mark J. and Slaughter, important Global project, Product Line successfully Manager – ILI, introducing Weatherford the Pipeline newest & Specialty generation Services 

ultrasonic crack detection tool to the European market.” 

“In the area of of large large transport transport pipelines pipelines or ship loading or ship plants loading the sudden plants the sudden change of flow velocities 

change Mark of flow velocities J. Slaughter, caused by emergency Global Product shutdowns or Line operational Manager – ILI, Weatherford 

caused failures may by emergency occasion excessive shutdowns pressure or rises. operational failures may occasion excessive pressure rises. 

Pipeline & Specialty Services 

The pressure relief valve UV 6.2P, that I 

presented “In the 

pilot-operated 

area at the of large ptc, self-actingly transport 

MANKENBERG 

pipelines relieves or 

pressure 

pressure ship loading 

relief 

peaks plants 

valve 

within the 

UV 

the sudden 

6.2P, that I presented at the ptc, self-actingly 

pipeline change relieves via of a flow bypass, pressure velocities for peaks example caused within by draining emergency the pipeline into shutdowns a slop via tank. a or The bypass, operational valve for is example by draining into a slop tank. 

self-acting failures may and, occasion therefore, excessive does not pressure need any rises. auxiliary energy. 

The 

Owing The valve pilot-operated is self-acting 

to the control MANKENBERG and, therefore, 

the accuracy pressure does 

of a small relief pilot valve not need 

valve UV combines 6.2P, any that auxiliary 

with I energy. 

Owing the presented high to flow-rate the the pilot of ptc, the control self-actingly big pipeline the relieves valve. accuracy The pressure inlet of a pressure small peaks pilot within force valve the combines with the high flow-rate of the 

(operating pipeline via pressure a bypass, of the for pipeline example system) by draining acts on into the a slop pilot tank. valve. The It then valve is 

big “In 

controls self-acting 

the pipeline area of 

the main and, 

large valve. therefore, 

transport 

valve The in such inlet does 

pipelines 

a way not pressure need 

or ship 

that – any with force loading 

auxiliary the (operating plants 

inlet energy. 

the sudden 

pressure pressure rising of the pipeline system) acts on the 

change 

pilot above Owing 

of 

valve. the to 

flow 

nominal the pilot 

velocities 

It then value control 

caused 

controls (response the accuracy 

by emergency 

the pressure of a 

main valve of small 

shutdowns 

the pilot 

in such valve) or operational 

combines 

a way - the pilot with 

failures may occasion excessive pressure rises. 

that – with the inlet pressure rising above the 

valve the high opens flow-rate the main of valve. the big If pipeline the inlet valve. pressure The drops inlet pressure below the force nominal 

The pilot-operated MANKENBERG pressure relief valve UV 6.2P, that I 

nominal value, (operating the value pilot pressure valve (response closes of the the pipeline pressure main system) valve.” of the acts pilot on the valve) pilot valve. – the It pilot then valve opens the main valve. If the inlet 

presented at the ptc, self-actingly relieves pressure peaks within the 

controls the main valve in such a way that – with the inlet pressure rising 

pressure pipeline via drops a bypass, below for example the nominal by draining value, into the a slop pilot tank. valve The valve closes is the main valve.” 

Sven above Kretzschmar-Hagelstein, the nominal value (response Regional pressure Sales Manager, of the pilot Mankenberg 

valve) - the pilot 

self-acting and, therefore, does not need any auxiliary energy. 

GmbH valve opens the main valve. If the inlet pressure drops below the nominal 

Owing to the pilot control the accuracy of a small pilot valve combines with 

“To value, optimize the pilot and valve improve closes the the efficiency main valve.” 

the high flow-rate of the big pipeline valve. 

of 

The 

a pipeline 

inlet pressure 

system is 

force 

nowadays a 

(operating 

key issue for 

pressure 

the success 

of the 

of 

pipeline 

a project. 

system) 

The structured 

acts on the 

approach 

pilot valve. 

during 

It then 

the 

Engineering Sven Kretzschmar-Hagelstein, Phase of a project as Regional well as the Sales opportunities Manager, within Mankenberg 

controls the main valve in such a way that – with the inlet pressure 

SCADA 

rising 

Revamp GmbH 

above the 

projects 

nominal 

have 

value 

been 

(response 

presented 

pressure 

by my 

of 

colleague 

the pilot valve) 

Jochen 

- 

Frings 

the pilot 

and 

valve 

myself “To 

opens 

optimize within 

the 

two and 

main 

different improve 

valve. 

very 

If 

the 

the 

interesting efficiency 

inlet pressure 

technical of a pipeline 

drops 

papers 

below 

system about 

the 

is 

nominal 

„SCADA nowadays a 

value, 

Revamp: key issue 

the 

The 

pilot 

for Opportunity the 

valve 

success 

closes 

to of 

the 

Improve a 

main 

project. 

valve.” 

Efficiency, The structured Safety and approach Legal during the 

Compliance” Engineering and Phase „Value of a Engineering project as well Approach as the to opportunities Increase Cost within Efficiency” SCADA 

Sven 

to Revamp the 

Kretzschmar-Hagelstein, 

ptc participants. projects have The been vital presented Regional 

discussions 

Sales by with my Manager, colleague the audience 

Mankenberg 

Jochen after Frings these and 

GmbH 

presentations myself within underlined two different the very increasing interesting demand technical to utilize papers a structured about „SCADA 

engineering approach in order to identify / classify all potential opportunities 

“To Revamp: optimize The and Opportunity improve the to efficiency Improve Efficiency, of a pipeline Safety system and is Legal nowadays a 

and to select the most appropriate ones for project.” 

key Compliance” issue for the and success „Value of Engineering a project. The Approach structured to Increase approach Cost during Efficiency” the 

Engineering to the ptc participants. Phase of a project The vital as discussions well as the opportunities with the audience within after SCADA these 

Tobias Walk, Director for Instrumentation, Automation and Telecom/IT- 

Revamp presentations projects underlined have been the presented increasing by demand my colleague utilize Jochen a structured Frings and 

Systems, ILF Consulting Engineers 

myself engineering within two approach different very order interesting to identify technical / classify papers all potential about opportunities 

„SCADA 

Revamp: 

“We and are to select a 

The 

Canadian 

Opportunity the most company appropriate to Improve 

offering ones Efficiency, 

best-in-class for a project.” Safety 

aerial 

and 

leak 

Legal 

detection 

services. 

Compliance” 

At this 

and 

year’s 

„Value 

ptc 

Engineering 

I gave a presentation 

Approach to 

highlighting 

Increase Cost 

our enhanced 

ability to image gas plumes utilizing the proprietary realSens TM Efficiency” 

to Tobias the ptc Walk, participants. Director The for vital Instrumentation, discussions with Automation the audience and Telecom/IT- technology. 

Using Gas Filter Correlation Radiometry, the realSens TM after these 

presentations Systems, ILF underlined Consulting the Engineers increasing demand to utilize 

technology 

a structured 

was 

compared 

engineering “We against a approach Canadian older 

in company ground 

order to 

deployed offering identify / best-in-class solutions 

classify all 

(Flame 

potential aerial Ionization leak opportunities detection 

Detectors, 

and services. to select 

Tuneable At the this most year’s Diode 

appropriate ptc Lasers, I gave ones a Optical presentation for 

Methane 

a project.” highlighting Detectors) our and enhanced aerial 

Engineers 

based ability attempts to image (Forward gas plumes Looking utilizing Infrared the proprietary Cameras, LIDAR, realSens etc.). TM technology. The 

highly 

Tobias Using increased 

Walk, Gas Filter Director 

reliability Correlation for Instrumentation, 

of finding Radiometry, gas anomalies 

Automation the realSens with 

and 

realSens TM Telecom/IT- technology TM was was a 

Systems, 

welcome compared development 

ILF against Consulting older to those ground Engineers 

attending deployed the solutions presentation. (Flame Increasing Ionization the 

public Detectors, safety Tuneable and environmental Diode Lasers, concerns Optical are Methane top of mind Detectors) for many and oil & 

“We are a Canadian company offering best-in-class aerial leak detection aerial 

gas 

based 

companies 

attempts 

in 

(Forward 

the current 

Looking 

market 

Infrared 

situation, 

Cameras, 

and as such 

LIDAR, 

the 

services. At this year’s ptc I gave a presentation highlighting our etc.). enhanced The 

presentation 

highly increased 

was very 

reliability 

well received.” 

ability to image gas plumes utilizing of finding the gas proprietary anomalies realSens with realSens TM technology. 

TM was a 

Using welcome Gas development Filter Correlation to those Radiometry, attending the the realSens presentation. TM technology Increasing was the 

compared 

Adrian 

public 

Banica, 

safety against and 

President 

older environmental ground 

& CEO, 

deployed 

Synodon 

concerns solutions 

Inc. 

are top (Flame of mind Ionization for many oil & 

Detectors, gas companies Tuneable in the Diode current Lasers, market Optical situation, Methane and Detectors) as such the and aerial 

EITEP is already planning 

based presentation 

next ptc 

attempts was (Forward very well Looking received.” Infrared Cameras, LIDAR, etc.). The 

After this year’s success the 

highly 

EITEP has already started the planning of next year’s conference. It will 

take place from March 18 th increased 

- 20 th reliability of finding gas anomalies with realSens TM was a 

welcome 

2013 at Hannover Congress Centrum. The first sponsors have 

Adrian Banica, development President to those & CEO, attending Synodon the presentation. Inc. Increasing the 

already confirmed their participation. 

public safety 

As 

and 

well 

environmental 

as this year the 

concerns 

ptc will 

are 

be 

top 

supported 

of mind 

by 

for 

an 

many 

international 

oil & 

high-ranking advisory committee (www.pipeline-conference.com), which decided to put “Components 

EITEP is already planning gas next companies ptc in the current market situation, and as such the 

and Materials” in the focus of next year’s meeting – in addition to traditional topics like the integrity and 

After this year’s success presentation the EITEP has was already very well started received.” the planning of next year’s conference. It will 


take place from March 18 th - 20 th 2013 at Hannover Congress Centrum. The first sponsors have 

The new concept of company workshops part of ptc like the Siemens Workshop “De-risking 

already confirmed their participation. presentation Adrian Banica, As President well was as very this & well CEO, year received.” 

the Synodon ptc will Inc. be supported by an international 

Solutions for Pipelines” or the KROHNE Post-conference Workshop on “Pipeline leak Detection” was 

met 

high-ranking 

with a very 

advisory 

good response 

committee 

by the 

(www.pipeline-conference.com), 

attendees and will be further extended 

which decided 

for the 2013 

to put 

event. 

“Components 

EITEP and Materials” is already in planning the focus next of next ptc year’s meeting – in addition to traditional topics like the integrity and 

After safety this of year’s pipeline success systems. the Adrian EITEP Banica, has already President started & the CEO, planning Synodon of next Inc. year’s conference. It will 

take The place new concept from March of company 18 th - 20 th workshops 2013 at Hannover as part of Congress ptc like Centrum. the Siemens The Workshop first sponsors “De-risking have 

already 

Bildunterschriften 

Solutions confirmed for Pipelines” their participation. or the KROHNE As well Post-conference as this year the Workshop ptc will be on supported “Pipeline by leak an Detection” international was 

high-ranking met with a very advisory good committee response by (www.pipeline-conference.com), the attendees and will be further which extended decided for to the put 2013 “Components event. 

and Materials” in the focus of next year’s meeting – in addition to traditional topics like the integrity and 


The new concept of company workshops as part of ptc like the Siemens Workshop “De-risking 

Solutions Bildunterschriften for Pipelines” or the KROHNE Post-conference Workshop on “Pipeline leak Detection” was 

met with a very good response by the attendees and will be further extended for the 2013 event. 

Bildunterschriften 

Sven Kretzschmar-Hagelstein, Regional Sales Manager, Mankenberg GmbH 

“To optimize and improve the efficiency of a pipeline system is nowadays a key issue for the success of 

a project. The structured approach during the Engineering Phase of a project as well as the opportunities 

within SCADA Revamp projects have been presented by my colleague Jochen Frings and myself 

within two different very interesting technical papers about „SCADA Revamp: The Opportunity to 

Improve Efficiency, Safety and Legal Compliance” and „Value Engineering Approach to Increase Cost 

Efficiency” to the ptc participants. The vital discussions with the audience after these presentations 

underlined the increasing demand to utilize a structured engineering approach in order to identify / 

classify all potential opportunities and to select the most appropriate ones for a project.” 

Tobias Walk, Director for Instrumentation, Automation and Telecom/IT-Systems, ILF Consulting 

“We are a Canadian company offering best-in-class aerial leak detection services. At this year’s ptc I 

gave a presentation highlighting our enhanced ability to image gas plumes utilizing the proprietary 

realSensTM technology. Using Gas Filter Correlation Radiometry, the realSensTM technology was 

compared against older ground deployed solutions (Flame Ionization Detectors, Tuneable Diode 

Lasers, Optical Methane Detectors) and aerial based attempts (Forward Looking Infrared Cameras, 

LIDAR, etc.). The highly increased reliability of finding gas anomalies with realSensTM was a welcome 

development to those attending the presentation. Increasing the public safety and environmental 

concerns are top of mind for many oil & gas companies in the current market situation, and as such the 


Interview 

Marc Hall 

“Natural gas itself is a renewable 

energy source and even 

better in the combination with 

other renewable” 

„gas for energy“ has interviewed Marc Hall, chairman of the 

IGU Marketing Committee. 

Mr. Hall, the image of natural gas has 

changed over the past years. Is it the fuel of 

choice now? 

Hall: Natural gas is one energy source among 

others. It has many technological and environmental 

advantages. But it cannot substitute all 

the others. 

Climate change has become a top political 

issue, increased use of natural gas could 

help reducing greenhouse gases. Do you see 

a commitment to gas? 

Hall: Substituting all coal and oil by natural gas 

would stop any man-made climate change 

immediately, but that’s a solution we cannot 

build on. 

How would you estimate the security of gas 

supply, which kind of supply chains will we 

see in the near future? 

Hall: Gas supplies have an excellent proven 

track record. Unlocking the Caspian and Middle 

East resources for global markets should be 

a priority. 

What is the outlook for natural gas in combination 

with renewable energies, e.g. the 

possibility of storage renewable power via 

“Power-to-Gas” technologies in the gas 

grid? 

Hall: Natural gas itself is a renewable energy 

source and even better in the combination 

with other renewable. Natural gas has also 

advantages as a secondary energy source for 

transportation and storage. 

The upcoming World Gas conference will 

take place in June in Kuala Lumpur. What are 

your expectations? 

Hall: I expect high level discussions and performances 

to show that natural gas or methane 

will support both the development to and 

taking a position in a post-fossil world. 

Finally, a glance in the crystal 

ball: are we entering a 

golden age of gas? 

Hall: Definitely not! We 

are at the beginning 

of systematic and 

technological struggles 

for a better 

energy world; perfectly 

and irrevocable 

with natural gas. 

 

Mr. Hall, 

thank you very 

much for talking to 

us. 


words of welcome 

IGU – Serving the global gas industry 

for more than 80-years 

The International Gas Union (IGU) was founded in 1931. It 

is a worldwide non-profit organisation registered in 

Vevey, Switzerland with the Secretariat currently located 

in Oslo, Norway. 

The mission of IGU is to advocate for gas as an integral 

part of a sustainable global energy system, and to promote 

the political, technical and economic progress of 

the gas industry. IGU now has 116 members from 77 

countries on all continents. The members are associations 

and corporations of the gas industry representing 

over 95% of the global gas market. 

The working organisation of IGU covers the complete 

value chain of gas from exploration and production, 

transmission via pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) 

as well as distribution and combustion of the gas at the 

point of use. Separate task forces are established to 

address issues of special relevance. Every triennium the 

members provide experts to the professional committees 

which normally meet twice a year to discuss the 

study programme to be developed and presented at the 

World Gas Conferences. 

IGU encourages international trade in gas by supporting 

non-discriminatory policies and sound contracting 

principles and practices, promoting development of 

technologies which add to the environmental benefits of 

gas and further enhance safe production, transmission, 

distribution and utilisation of gas. 

IGU has the vision of being the most influential, effective 

and independent non-profit organisation, serving as 

the spokesperson for the gas industry worldwide. 

IGU has become a more active contributor to policy 

formulation with increased focus on political and strategic 

challenges in the recent years. Current priorities 

include the promotion of the long term role of gas in a 

less carbon intensive energy future, and continuous 

improvement of corporate performance towards a sustainable 

development. 

IGU has extensive cooperation with other international 

organisations such as the United Nations, the International 

Energy Agency, the Word Bank, the International 

Energy Forum, Worldwatch Institute, among many others. 

In addition to the World Gas Conference, IGU also 

organises the LNG 17 conference taking place in Houston 

16-19 April 2013, and the IGU Research Conference in 

Copenhagen, 17-19 September 2014. 

The World Gas Conference is, however, the most 

important of the world gas events under the IGU 

umbrella. Every three years the industry meets at this 

renowned conference, organised by one of the IGU Charter 

members. Several thousand industrial 

and political leaders, gas executives, specialists 

in many fields, and exhibitors will meet at 

the 25th World Gas Conference taking place 

in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 4-8 June 2012. 

The stakeholders of the gas industry will 

gather there to discuss and share ideas on 

how to meet the many global challenges 

facing the industry and the world today, 

including: 

Torstein Indrebø 

■ The role of natural gas in the mitigation of 

climate change and a low carbon energy 

future 

■ Advocacy of natural gas towards policy-makers and the 

public in general 

■ The impact of unconventional gas and large-scale LNG 

projects on global gas markets 

■ The link between global security of supply and security 

of demand 

■ Measures to improve energy efficiency 

■ Safety and environmentally responsible operations 

■ Ensure continued research and development 

■ The industry’s contribution to job creation and sustainable 

economic development. 

The number of exhibitors is large and most of the exhibition 

area is taken. We expect more than 5000 energy 

interested delegates to join us in Kuala Lumpur. 

At the conference IGU will launch the new report 

“Global Vision for Gas; The Pathway towards a Sustainable 

Energy Future” which will demonstrate how the United 

Nation’s goals for reduction of greenhouse gases can be 

reached by enhanced use of gas. Furthermore, IGU will 

launch its new IGU logo, which will replace the current 

logo which has been in use for more than forty years. 

I can assure you that the 25th World Gas Conference in 

2012 will be a fascinating event which will enrich you professionally, 

socially and culturally. 

See you in Kuala Lumpur! 

Torstein Indrebø 

Secretary General of IGU 


technical Programme WGC 2012 

Technical programme overview 

Ho Sook Wah 

The Malaysian Presidency began at a time 

when the gas industry was at important 

crossroads. The world was recovering from 

one of the worst global economic and financial 

crises since the Great Depression. Energy 

demand was growing, particularly in Asia, 

and there was a heightened concern over 

climate change and the need for clean and 

efficient energy. Although natural gas possesses 

the necessary credentials to play a 

vital role in meeting the world’s expanding 

energy needs, the perception did not match the reality. 

Renewable energy was placed at the forefront of energy 

debates and policy documents, often overlooking the 

economic and technical imperatives for renewable 

energy sources to work with a reliable, flexible and environmentally 

benign partner. At the same time, a quiet 

revolution was taking place with huge shale gas production 

in the United States, providing renewed interest in 

unconventional gas throughout the world. The dynamics 

of the geopolitical and economic developments also 

pose both a challenge and a responsibility to enable 

natural gas to make the optimum contribution in the 

future global energy mix. 

Against this backdrop, IGU initiated a worldwide 

effort on gas advocacy, building a strong case for natural 

gas and providing a toolkit for its members to engage 

with the relevant stakeholders. The effort spurred similar 

efforts in the US and Europe among industry players as 

policy makers developed new energy roadmaps and 

longer term policy documents. 

Building on the theme “Gas: Sustaining Future Global 

Growth”, the Coordination Committee has put together 

an ambitious work programme consisting of 32 studies, 

including 3 Special Studies undertaken by Task Forces set 

up by the Presidency. The special studies were based on 

two major concerns; firstly, the human resource challenge 

and secondly, the influence of geopolitics in the 

evolution of the gas industry. The remaining studies 

covered a broad range of subjects impacting the gas 

industry such as those covering the gas value chain from 

exploration & production, storage, transmission, distribution 

to final utilisation as well as other strategic aspects 

such as sustainability, strategy, gas markets, LNG and 

marketing. The studies have attracted strong interest 

among IGU members across the globe and we were fortunate 

to have more than 850 professionals, experts and 

business executives participating in the five Programme 

Committees, five Working Committees and three Task 

Forces during the course of the triennium. During the 

studies, the members dealt with complex issues and 

concerns that led to the development of important findings, 

recommendations and conclusions. In addition, 

workshops, roundtable forums and engagement sessions 

were held with different experts and organisations 

to have an intellectual discourse, build consensus and 

seek resolution to issues. Articles and publications were 

also produced to share knowledge and build shared 

understanding. 

The results of all the studies will be presented during 

the 25th World Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur. Each 

Study Report will be presented during the Committee 

Sessions by the Study Group Leader with participation 

from industry professionals. Expert Forums on selected 

topics will also be organised by the Committees, with 

invited speakers competent in the subject matter. 

The technical programme of the WGC has been 

structured along different themes for each day. Beginning 

with the theme “Foundation for Growth”, the conference 

progresses with “Securing Gas Supply”, then 

“Enhancing Gas Demand” and builds up to “A Sustainable 

Future” on the final day. A brief explanation of these 

themes is provided in the ensuing pages. The keynote 

speakers and strategic panels have been selected for 

their relevance to each theme of the day. Keynote speakers 

comprise of the top CEOs and captains of industry 

associations, IOCs and NOCs. These highly respected 

individuals from different parts of the world, are at the 

helm of global organisations and represent a cross-section 

of the industry from upstream, midstream to downstream. 

Luncheon speakers are equally high profile, from 

multilateral and multinational organisations with significant 

gas interest. 

The strategic panels represent topics of strategic and 

current significance to the gas industry. Besides the three 

special study topics, we have included key topics such as 

unconventional gas, gas advocacy, LNG, natural gas for 

transport, innovation and research and last but not least, 

renewable energy. Special consideration has been made 

to ensure that the timing of the strategic panels is not in 

conflict with the committee sessions to ensure maximum 

participation of delegates. In total, the technical 

programme for the World Gas Conference consists of the 

following: 

■ 14 Keynote Addresses 

■ 4 Luncheon Addresses 

■ 10 Strategic Panels 

■ 1 Special Session by the IGU’s incoming French Presidency 

on the 2012-2015 Technical Work Programme 

■ 31 Technical Committee Sessions 

■ 18 Expert Fora 


A separate poster session has also been planned featuring 

technical papers by selected authors who will present 

their papers at specific times during the conference. 

A unique feature of the 25th World Gas Conference is 

the inclusion of a Youth Programme for the first time in 

the history of WGC. This is a separate programme that 

runs concurrently with the main WGC event. The programme 

includes a Youth Carnival, a Youth Forum, Science 

Centre Gas Carnival and other youth activities. 

Conference delegates are welcome to participate in the 

Youth Programme events. 

We are committed to promoting a constructive intellectual 

discourse in addressing the issues affecting the 

gas industry today, to providing reference tools for decision 

makers, strengthening relationships through invaluable 

networking opportunities and adding value to all 

IGU fraternity and participants of World Gas Conference 

2012. An interesting programme awaits you. I encourage 

you to regularly visit the 25th World Gas Conference 

website to check for updates at www.wgc2012.com. 

Ho Sook Wah 

Chairman 

Coordination Committee

technical Programme WGC 2012 

Technical Programme WGC 2012 

5-8 June 2012, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 

Tuesday, 5 June 2012 – Foundation for growth 

08:35 – 08:55 Keynote Address 1 Peter Voser, CEO, Royal Dutch Shell 

08:55 – 09:15 Keynote Address 2 Rex W Tillerson, Chairman & CEO, 

Exxon Mobil Corporation 

09:15 – 09:45 Coffee Break 

09:45 – 11:45 Committee Session 1.1 WOC1: Natural gas 

exploration & production 

Committee Session 4.1 WOC4: Gas distribution 

safety management systems 

Expert Forum 5.A WOC5: How to integrate 

renewable power in the natural gas grid 

Committee Session 7.1 PGCB: World gas supply, 

demand and trade 

Committee Session 8.2 PGCC: Natural gas markets 

in North America: what’s next? 

Committee Session 9.1 PGCD: Enhance LNG 

facilities compatibility 

Task Force Session TF1: Building strategic human 

capital 

Committee Session 6.2 PGCA: Greenhouse gas 

(GHG) emissione reduction e orts 

12:00 – 13:30 Luncheon Address Maria van der Hoeven, 

Executive Director, International Energy Agency 

13:50 – 14:10 Keynote Address 3 Alexey Miller, Deputy Chairman 

of the Board of Directors & Chairman of the 

Management Committee, OAO Gazprom 

14:10 – 14:30 Keynote Address 4 Paul van Gelder, Chairman of the 

Executive Board & CEO, Gasunie 

14:30 – 16:00 Strategic Panel 1 The future of natural gas: winning 

the race for talent 

Strategic Panel 2 Youth roundtable forum: the magic 

in the young generation 


16:30 – 18:30 Committee Session 2.1 WOC2: Underground Gas 

Storage (UGS) projects for new gas markets 

Committee Session 3.1 WOC3: Strategic gas 

transmission infrastructure projects 

Expert Forum 4.A WOC4: Safety management, 

smart metering & unaccounted for gas: a technical 

perspective 

Committee Session 5.1 WOC5: Industrial utilisation: 

technologies for efficiently stimulating gas 

demand 

Expert Forum 6.A PGCA: The role of natural gas in 

the design of a hydricity model 

Committee Session 7.2 PGCB: Wholesale gas price 

formation 

Committee Session 8.1 PGCC: Asia: gas market no.1? 

Task Force Session TF2: Nurturing the future 

generations 

Wednesday, 6 June 2012 – Securing gas supply 

08:35 – 08:55 Keynote Address 5 George Kirkland, Vice Chairman & 

Executive Vice President, Global Upstream & Gas, 

Chevron Corporation 

08:55 – 09:15 Keynote Address 6 Hamad Rashid Al Mohannadi, 

Managing Director, RasGas Company Limited 


09:45 – 11:45 Committee Session 2.2 WOC2: Optimising UGS 

capacities: challenges for operators & clients 

Expert Forum 3.A WOC3: Construction of pipelines 

in extreme conditions – challenges & solutions 

Committee Session 4.2 WOC4: Smart metering 

systems: characteristics, technologies, costs 

Committee Session 5.3 WOC5: Natural gas vehicles 

(NGV): the solution for a low carbon society 

Committee Session 7.3 PGCB: Corporate strategy & 

regulation 

Committee Session 8.3 PGCC: European natural gas 

at a crossroads: where to go from here? 

Committee Session 10.1 PGCE: Energising the 

image of gas 

Expert Forum 9.A PGCD: LNG operational challenges 

12:00 – 13:30 Luncheon Address Dr Fereidun Fesharaki, 

Chairman, FACTS Global Energy 

13:50 – 14:10 Keynote Address 7 Karen Agustiawan, President 

Director & CEO, PT Pertamina (PERSERO) 

14:10 – 14:30 Keynote Address 8 Helge Lund, President & CEO, 

Statoil ASA 

14:30 – 16:00 Strategic Panel 3 Impact of geopolitics on natural 

gas market development 

Strategic Panel 4 Unconventional gas: a game 

changer or a global bubble? 

Strategic Panel 5 The future of LNG 


16:30 – 18:30 Committee Session 2.3 WOC2: Competencies & 

innovative technologies for efficient UGS 

Committee Session 3.3 WOC3: Securing sufficient 

expertise to operate gas transmission systems 

safely & adequately 

Expert Forum 4.B WOC4: Safety management, 

smart metering & unaccounted for gas: a management 

perspective 

Committee Session 6.1 PGCA: Integrating renewable 

gases into the natural gas industry 

Expert Forum 7.A PGCB: Regulatory issues & 

business cases 

Expert Forum 8.A PGCC: Open markets, security of 

supply & security of demand 

Expert Forum 1.A WOC1 Exploration & production 

challenges: finding the “Big Elephants” vs. e ective 

development 


technical Programme Wgc 2012 

Thursday, 7 June 2012 – Enhancing gas 

demands 

08:35 – 08:55 Keynote Address 9 Mitsunori Torihara, Chairman, 

The Japan Gas Association 

Committee Session 1 0.2 PGCE: New ways in marketing 

strategies – best practices leading to success 

Expert Forum 7.B PGCB: Prospects & challenges for 

gas trade 

08:55 – 09:15 Keynote Address 10 B C Tripathi, Chairman & 

Managing Director, GAIL (India) Limited 


09:45 – 11:45 Committee Session 1.2 WOC1: Current & future 

exploration & production gas developments 

Committee Session 3.2 WOC3: Integrity of gas 

transmission systems & environmental footprint 

reduction 

Committee Session 4.3 WOC4: Unaccounted for gas: 

identification, measurement, calculation & 

management 

Expert Forum 5.B WOC5: Gas quality changes, 

impact & remedies 

Committee Session 9.3 PGCD: Enhance efficiency in 

the LNG value chain 

Expert Forum 10.A PGCE: Renew your energies! 

Task Force Session TF3: Geopolitics & natural gas 

Friday, 8 June 2012 – A suistanable future 

08:30 – 09:15 Keynote Address 13 Christophe de Margerie, 

Chairman & CEO, TOTAL 

Keynote Address 14 Gérard Mestrallet, CEO, 

GDF SUEZ 


09:45 – 11:45 Strategic Panel 9 Gas & renewables partnership 

Strategic Panel 10 Special panel from the World 

Petroleum Council (WPC) 

12:00 – 13:30 Luncheon Address Dr Daniel Yergin, Chairman, IHS 

Cambridge Energy Research Associates (IHS CERA) 

14:30 – 16:00 Special Session, Triennial Work Programme 

2012 – 2015 


12:00 – 13:30 Luncheon Address Speaker to be determined 

13:50 – 14:10 Keynote Address 11 Zhou Jiping, President, CNPC & 

Vice Chairman & President, PetroChina) 

14:10 – 14:30 Keynote Address 12 Lawrence Borgard, Chairman, 

American Gas Association & President & COO, 

Utilities, Integrys Energy Group 

14:30 – 16:00 Strategic Panel 6 The case for natural gas 

Strategic Panel 7 Natural gas vehicles – sustainability 

& opportunity 

Strategic Panel 8 Innovation & new technology: the 

key to increase the gas business 


16:30 – 18:30 Expert Forum 1.B WOC1: De-risking & de-stranding 

gas resources 

Expert Forum 3.B WOC3: Pipeline integrity & the 

human challenge 

Committee Session 5.2 WOC5: Domestic & commercial 

utilisation: gas innovation roadmap for the 

new sustainable market demand 

Expert Forum 6.B/2.A PGCA/: CO 2 capture, 

transport & sequestration: technologies involved 

WOC2 & project developments to increase gas 

industry sustainability 

Expert Forum 8.B PGCC: Perspectives for regional 

gas market development 

Expert Forum 9.B PGCD: New LNG market 

developments 




WGC 2012 

Gas must recruit hundreds of thousands 

of technical professionals 

With an average industry age profile of 45 years and above, 

the gas industry is ageing, particularly in Europe and North 

America. As a result, many of the existing skilled workers 

will soon face retirement and the industry must address 

the challenge of competing for a limited pool of experienced 

professionals to secure the future of the industry. 

According to the International Gas Union, the industry 

lacks both young profiles in the distribution segment as 

well as experienced mid career profiles in the whole value 

chain. Hundreds of thousands of technical professionals, 

particularly in non-OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation 

and Development) markets are needed to provide 

human resources to meet increasing global gas 

demand. The most required technical skills being in Engineering, 

Construction, Projects and Operations. 

In response to these issues, the IGU Malaysian Triennium 

for the World Gas Conference 2012 (WGC2012), created 

Task Force 1 (TF1), "Building Strategic Human Capital," 

to deliver a comprehensive analysis of the key human 

talent issues impacting the gas industry and address its 

future. What can the industry do to attract and retain talent 

and what is the role of governments and educational 

institutions? 

In order to deliver its objectives, TF1 put a comprehensive 

programme of surveys and interviews in place with 

energy industry experts and young professionals. Additionally, 

TF1 initiated a collection of case studies on best practices 

and regional workshops with participation of companies 

from Asia, Europe, Middle East and Latin America. 

The findings of TF1 

will be presented at 

World Gas Conference 

2012 (WGC2012), 4-8 

June in Kuala Lumpur. 

Recommendations are 

derived from interviews 

with 18 energy 

experts and 13 young 

professionals and graduates, 

providing a qualitative 

overview of the 

future of the gas industry, 

the energy mix of 

the future and key selling points to attract talent in the 

face of competition from other industries. 

One of the surveys, which was carried out with 80 

companies, looks specifically at demographics of the gas 

industry, gender diversity, retirement, supply and demand 

of key staff, recruitment challenges, competency development, 

career management practices, regional issues 

and talent attraction. 

WGC2012 will feature speakers who will address some 

of these related topics and who will engage in a constructive 

debate with the audience. Key topics will 

include: diversity & inclusion policies, regional talent 

pools, nationalisation of the work force and developing 

talent for the gas industry of the future. 

www.wgc2012.com 

Geopolitics of gas in the new world of energy 

The geopolitics of energy – competition for, control of, and 

securing reliable access to those supplies – has been a driving 

factor in global prosperity and security. The term geopolitics 

reflects the interplay between power and interests, 

strategic decision-making, and geographic space. While 

for much of the 20th century it was oil that took centre 

stage in the high-stakes game of geopolitical power play, 

the growing prominence of natural gas has seen this commodity 

rapidly gaining in geopolitical importance. 

In the past three years, this IGU Task Force has engaged 

with the industry, academia, political and key global 

organizations to solicit input on the key regional geopolitical 

issues in the areas of Asia-Pacific, Middle East & 

North Africa (MENA), South America and Europe-CIS. 

With this, the IGU commissioned a study to examine 

the highly complex interplay between economic and 

political factors in the development of natural gas 

resources, and to analyse the main political challenges 

and trends that may shape the future in a natural gasintensive 

world. “This should enable us to grasp how 

political challenges impede or stimulate the expansion of 

the international gas sector,” says Ydreos. 

Recommendations from this study will be presented 

at the 25th World Gas Conference in Kuala Lumpur, 4 to 8 

June 2012. It will be aimed at improved co-operation 

between the relevant policy makers, institutions, and the 

gas industry, and towards mitigation of geopolitical risks 

in the context of global energy security in each region. 


Wgc 2012 

Gas majors to address 

World Gas Conference 2012 

Some of the world’s most influential gas producers, including 

Shell, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, RasGas and Qatargas will 

participate as keynote speakers, sharing rare and insightful 

views on the sustainability and future growth of natural gas, 

at the 25th World Gas Conference (WGC2012) in Kuala 

Lumpur, Malaysia, held 4 - 8 June, 2012. Utilising WGC2012 as 

a platform to generate discussion and debate on some of the 

most pressing issues within the natural gas industry today, 

these gas captains will also share prospects and challenges 

on the future of the industry. “The conference, themed ‘Gas: 

Sustaining Future Growth’, has drawn a huge following, with 

a record of 712 abstracts from International Gas Union (IGU) 

members. From this, we’ve selected 352 papers from 46 

countries,” said Datuk Dr Rahim Hashim, IGU President, 2009- 

2012 Triennium. Day One will begin with a strong line up of 

speakers addressing its theme around ‘Foundation for 

Growth.’ Chaired by Datuk Anuar Ahmad, Executive Vice 

President, Gas & Power Business, PETRONAS, the first keynote 

address will be presented by Peter Voser, CEO, Royal Dutch 

Shell on, “Natural Gas for Sustainable Global Growth,” followed 

by a keynote presentation on “A New Outlook for 

Natural Gas,” by Rex W Tillerson, Chairman & CEO, Exxon 

Mobil Corporation. On the same day, with demonstrated 

leadership on energy policy at a national, regional and global 

level, Maria van der Hoeven, Executive Director, International 

Energy Agency, will deliver a luncheon address on “The 

Energy Challenge & the Role of Natural Gas.” The theme for 

Day Two is ‘Securing Gas Supply’, with morning keynote 

addresses presented by George Kirkland, Vice Chairman & 

Executive Vice President, Global Upstream & Gas, Chevron 

Corporation on “Securing Future Gas Supplies,” and Hamad 

Rashid Al Mohannadi, Managing Director, RasGas Company 

Limited on “The Next Phase for Global LNG.” Day Three will 

cover the theme ‘Enhancing Gas Demand’, with keynote 

speakers from KOGAS, The Japan Gas Association, CNPC and 

American Gas Association who together with others speakers, 

will discuss the strong appetite and demand for gas at a 

national and global level. 

On the final day, to wrap up the conference and 

address the critical goal of “A Sustainable Future,” Christophe 

de Margerie, Chairman & CEO, TOTAL will present a 

keynote address on “Challenges Along the Gas Chain,” 

and Gérard Mestrallet, CEO, GDF SUEZ will present on 

“The Natural Choice for a Sustainable Future.” Also providing 

invaluable insight will be Dr Daniel Yergin, Chairman, 

IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates (IHS CERA), a 

highly respected authority on energy, international politics 

and economics, who will deliver a luncheon address 

on “The Paradox of Gas.” 

In addition to a powerful line up of 14 keynote speakers, 

WGC2012 hosted by PETRONAS, will also feature 10 Strategic 

Panels, four Luncheon Addresses, 42 Technical Sessions, 

135 Poster Sessions, 17 Expert Forums and Three Task Force 

Sessions. Designed to be fully integrated into the conference 

facility and programme, the 10,800sqm exhibition 

floor at WGC2012 will also unite major players and suppliers 

featuring over 200 exhibitors. Further information for the 

conference and exhibition: 

www.wgc2012.com. 

Myths versus facts on 

shale gas at WGC2012 

he shale gas revolution in the United States has been 

T described as a game changer, especially in the light of 

growing climate change concerns. These developments 

have sparked intense activity across the world, with many 

countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and South America starting 

to assess their own shale gas resources. 

However, despite predictions that shale gas, along 

with other unconventional gas resources, is transforming 

the world’s energy landscape, it is still widely misunderstood. 

Recent skepticism and misconceptions concerning 

the shale gas fracking process, in terms of water contamination 

and methane emissions have even led some 

countries such as France and South Africa, to impose a 

moratorium on shale gas development. 

In response to these common misconceptions, the 

International Gas Union (IGU) has initiated a project to 

publish a report on "Myths vs Facts on Shale Gas,” which 

will attempt to educate the industry about the production 

and distribution of this unconventional gas resource. 

The report will be presented at the 25th World Gas 

Conference (WGC2012) in June and led by Michelle 

George, Union Gas’ Director of Engineering Planning and 

Support. It receives the support of IGU members from 

across the globe, and aims to capture current facts, figures 

and regulatory information. 

The 25th World Gas Conference (WGC2012), to be held 

4-8 June, 2012, in Kuala Lumpur will bring together 

energy experts in a panel session to analyse the impact of 

unconventional gas development and how it is changing 

the competitive dynamics of the globalised gas market 

and international politics. 

Moderated by Torstein Indrebo, Secretary General of 

the IGU, the Strategic Panel on “Unconventional Gas: A 

Game Changer or a Global Bubble?” will also address barriers, 

risks and opportunities that will impact the future 

global gas market. 


Reports 

Gas quality 

Power to Gas, gas quality and 

the GERG hydrogen project 

by Dave Pinchbeck and Klaus Altfeld 

Natural gas qualities in Europe will become increasingly diverse involving greater variations in combustion characteristics. 

Hydrogen produced from surplus renewable energy has a high level of purity and contributes to further 

reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Standardisation of gas quality specifications will help to ensure smooth 

natural gas trading across borders. 

1. Introduction 

With the fast pace in developments, in particular in the 

field of wind energy, the known problem of electricity 

storage has gained a new dimension. Pumped storage 

power stations have been used for decades to store electricity 

on a larger scale. But the number of power stations 

and their potential are limited in many countries. The concrete 

idea is therefore being pursued to use surplus electricity 

for the generation of hydrogen by electrolysis and to 

inject the hydrogen generated directly into the natural gas 

network. This will cause natural gas and electricity networks 

to become even more interdependent (Figure 1). 

If hydrogen from surplus renewable electricity is 

injected into the natural gas network, the enormous 

transportation capacity and the huge storage capacity of 

the existing natural gas infrastructure including underground 

storage facilities can be used directly (Germany 

as an example: approx. 500,000 km of pipelines and more 

than 20 billion m³ of working gas in storage facilities). This 

can make an important contribution to the transportation 

and storage of surplus or non-transportable renewable 

electricity and is particularly attractive if it helps to 

avoid construction of a new electricity line. 

2. Hydrogen and Gas Quality 

The volume of hydrogen that may be added to natural gas 

is limited. Studies [1] have shown that, with certain restrictions, 

admixture of approx. 10 – 15 mol% is not critical in 

most cases, except for three important applications: 

■ modern gas turbines with premixed burners (a great 

number of manufacturers currently specify a limit value 

of some 5%); 

■ steel storage tanks in NGVs and CNG fuelling stations 

(the current limit value is 2%; but activities to increase 

the value are under way); 

■ underground porous rock storage (studies have been 

initiated to determine a reliable limit value). 

Of course, hydrogen could also be used to produce 

methane, the main constituent of natural gas. But the 

process would involve further capital expenditure and 

energy losses. This option will therefore only be used to a 

limited extent for economic reasons. 

What does it mean to inject 10% of hydrogen into the 

natural gas network? The two examples below illustrate 

the situation: 

■ in Germany almost 1,000 TWh of energy in the form of 

natural gas are transported annually; this is almost 

twice as much as the electricity consumed. 10% of 

hydrogen admixed to natural gas would correspond to 

an energy quantity of approx. 30 TWh. For comparison: 

the total capacity of the pumped storage power plants 

in Germany is 0.04 TWh per cycle (40,000 MWh). 

■ a medium-sized natural gas transportation pipeline has 

a capacity of, for example, 1 million m³/h. Injection of 

10% (100,000 m³/h) of hydrogen would require an electrical 

input of more than 400 MW for the electrolysis 

reaction, which corresponds to the maximum output 

of several large wind farms taken together. 

The examples make it clear that injection of a hydrogen 

volume into the natural gas network seemingly as low as 

10% would significantly contribute to solving the problem 

of transporting and storing surplus electricity generated 

from renewable resources. 



Reports 

3. The GERG Hydrogen project: 

"Admissible hydrogen concentrations 

in the natural gas system" 

Clearly, before the gas industry can contemplate adding 

hydrogen to the European natural gas system, there are 

several major obstacles to be overcome, as referred to 

above. As a consequence, a GERG project has been 

established to consider in detail what these obstacles are 

and how to overcome them. The study will focus on gaps 

in knowledge related to addition of up to of 10% H 2 by 

volume to natural gas and will be an essential pre-cursor 

to a range of specific, targeted R&D projects. The project 

includes a large number of partners, drawn mainly from 

GERG, the European Gas Research Group, who will work 

in conjunction with a wide range of external organisations 

and companies that have a keen interest in the 

issue. In addition, a small group of experts has been contracted 

to do the majority of the specialist work and they 

will concentrate on collecting and collating already existing 

material as far as possible. However, it's very important 

to note that all of the participants will contribute to 

the data search. The outcome will be an important reference 

work which will make a major contribution to enabling 

future, larger projects involving hydrogen addition 

to natural gas. The project will start in early summer and 

is open to additional participants. If you're interested, 

please contact one of the authors. 

4. Combustion characteristics 

ranges 

The most important combustion characteristics are Wobbe 

index, relative density, superior calorific value and methane 

number. Table 1 lists these characteristics for selected 

group-H gases as used in Europe today. Table 2 shows the 

combustion characteristics for the gases listed in Table 1 

following admixture of 10% of hydrogen. The data were 

calculated with the GasCalc program [2], the methane 

numbers in line with [3, 4] (25 °C / 0 °C reference temperatures 

for calorific value/volume). 

Figure 2 shows superior calorific value as a function of 

Wobbe index including the EASEE-gas recommendations 

[5] for the Wobbe index range (49/57 MJ/m³) (red lines). The 

blue symbols stand for the gases with hydrogen admixture. 

Figure 2 confirms that, prior to hydrogen admixture, 

all gases listed comply with the EASEE-gas recommendations. 

But the very high Wobbe indices of rich LNG (just 

under 57 MJ/m³) are not acceptable in most European 

countries for safety reasons. Biomethane without LPG 

(approx. 96% methane) is in the lower Wobbe index 

range. Admixture of 10% of hydrogen reduces the Wobbe 

index for all gases. In the case of gases with very high 

Figure 1. Converging electricity and gas infrastructures. 

- 6 - 

Superior calorific value in MJ/m³ 

12,8 13,3 13,9 14,4 15,0 15,6 16,1 16,7 

48 

13,3 

46 

44 

42 

40 

38 

36 

Wobbe Index in kWh/m³ 

34 

9,4 

46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 

Wobbe Index in MJ/m³ 

Natural Gas LNG Biomethane 

12,8 

12,2 

11,7 

11,1 

10,6 

10,0 

Superior calorific value in kWh/m³ 

Natural Gas+10%H2 LNG+10%H2 Biomethane+10%H2 

Issue 2/2012 gas for energy 29 


Figure 2. 

Superior calorific 

value as a function 

of Wobbe index for 

different gases 

with or without 

10% hydrogen 

admixture 

(25 °C/0 °C). 

Fig. 2: Superior calorific value as a function of Wobbe index for differen 

gases with or without 10% hydrogen admixture (25 °C/0 °C) 

12,8 13,3 13,9 14,4 15,0 15,6 16,1 16,7

S 

Reports 

Methane number 

34 

46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 





100 

90 

80 

70 

Figure 3. Methane number as a function of Wobbe index for 

different gases with or without 10% hydrogen 

admixture (25 °C/0 °C). 

9,4 

Fig. 2: Superior calorific value as a function of Wobbe index for different 

methane content relative densities may be slightly lower 

than the minimum value recommended by EASEE-gas 

(0.555) (see Table 2). But according to our experience and 

findings from [1] this is not problematic with respect to 

combustion behaviour in residential gas appliances. 

Figure 3 shows methane number as a function of 

Wobbe index calculated on the basis of the AVL method 

[3] using a DGC program [4]; the accuracy is within 

approx. ±2 methane numbers. AVL is short for "Anstalt für 

Verbrennungsmotoren Prof. List" in Graz, Austria which 

was responsible for developing, some 40 years ago, a 

procedure to determine methane number based on gas 

composition. The wide range, with values from 103 

(biomethane without LPG) to 62 (rich LNG with 10% of 

hydrogen), is remarkable. But even without hydrogen 

admixture, some LNG qualities and pipeline gases are in 

the range from 65 to 75. This must be taken into account 

when designing gas engines for packaged cogeneration 

plants and vehicles. The design could be based on a 

methane number of 70 while methane numbers are 

usually higher in practical operations, but can also be as 

low as 65 in some cases. 

As using gas as a motor fuel has become increasingly 

important over the past few years, methane number as a 

fuel property should be included in international gas 

quality specifications and will also be an important 

parameter in European gas quality standardisation. 

gases with or without 10% hydrogen admixture (25 °C/0 °C) 


12,8 13,3 13,9 14,4 15,0 15,6 16,1 16,7 

110 

60 

46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 




Fig. 3: Methane number as a function of Wobbe index for different gases 

with or without 10% hydrogen admixture (25 °C/0 °C) 

5. Conclusion and outlook 

The natural gas qualities in Europe will become increasingly 

diverse involving greater variations in combustion 

Table 1. Gas qualities of different natural gases (pipeline), LNG and biomethane. 

Table 1: Gas qualities of different natural gases (pipeline), LNG and biomethane 

Gas Composition Symbol Unit 

Russian 

Group H 

North Sea 

Group H 

Danish 

Group H 

Libya 

LNG (rich) 

Nigeria 

LNG (mean) 

Egypt 

LNG (lean) 

Biomethane 

Biomethane 

+LPG 

methane CH4 mol% 96,96 88,71 90,07 81,57 91,28 97,70 96,15 90,94 

nitrogen N2 mol% 0,86 0,82 0,28 0,69 0,08 0,08 0,75 0,69 

carbon dioxide CO2 mol% 0,18 1,94 0,60 2,90 2,68 

ethane C2H6 mol% 1,37 6,93 5,68 13,38 4,62 1,80 

propane C3H8 mol% 0,45 1,25 2,19 3,67 2,62 0,22 5,00 

n-butane n-C4H10 mol% 0,15 0,28 0,90 0,69 1,40 0,20 0,50 

n-pentane n-C5H12 mol% 0,02 0,05 0,22 

n-hexane n-C6H14 mol% 0,01 0,02 0,06 

hydrogen H2 mol% 

oxygen O2 mol% 0,20 0,19 

sum mol% 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 

superior calorific value H sv MJ/m³ 40,3 41,9 43,7 46,4 44,0 40,7 38,3 41,9 

superior calorific value H sv kWh/m³ 11,2 11,6 12,1 12,9 12,2 11,3 10,6 11,6 

relative density d - 0,574 0,629 0,630 0,669 0,624 0,569 0,587 0,641 

wobbe index W s MJ/m³ 53,1 52,9 55,0 56,7 55,7 53,9 50,0 52,3 

wobbe index W s kWh/m³ 14,8 14,7 15,3 15,8 15,5 15,0 13,9 14,5 

methane number MZ - 92 79 73 65 71 82 103 77 



Reports 

characteristics (Wobbe index, methane number). Except 

for rich LNG qualities, natural gases expected to come to 

the market and biomethane will not pose any utilisation 

problems in most European countries as their Wobbe 

indices are in a range from 49 MJ/m³ (13.6 kWh/m³) to just 

under 56 MJ/m³ (15.5 kWh/m³). With certain restrictions 

this also applies where up to 10% of hydrogen is admixed 

except for three important applications (CNG tanks, gas 

turbines, underground storage facilities). These areas still 

require R&D input. 

Hydrogen produced from surplus renewable energy 

has a high level of purity and, similar to biomethane, contributes 

to further reducing carbon dioxide emissions. 

This will make natural gas an even more climate-protecting 

fuel compared with other fossil fuels. Standardisation 

(harmonization) of gas quality specifications will help to 

ensure smooth natural gas trading across borders. 

It is very important to be aware of potential problems 

that may arise from adding hydrogen to the European 

natural gas network; the GERG Hydrogen project on 

"Admissible hydrogen concentrations in the natural gas 

system" is essential to that process. 

references: 

[1] Florisson, O. et al.: NaturalHy – Preparing for the hydrogen 

economy by using the existing natural gas system 

as a catalyst; An integrated project, Final Publishable 

Activity Report: http://www.naturalhy.net/docs/project_reports/Final_Publishable_Activity_Report.pdf 

[2] www.gascalc.de 

[3] Christoph, K.; Cartellieri, W.; Pfeiffer, U.: Bewertung der 

Klopffestigkeit von Kraftgasen mittels der Methanzahl 

und deren praktische Anwendung bei Gasmotoren. 

MTZ 33, (1972) No 10, pp. 389-429 

[4] DGC – Danish Gas Technology Centre. Methane number 

calculation of natural gas mixtures. Software Version 1.0. 

[5] EASEE-gas Common Business Practice Nr. 2005-001/02, 

(harmonisation of gas quality) EASEE-gas European Association 

for the Streamlining of Energy Exchange – gas. 

Authors 

Dipl. -Ing. Klaus Altfeld 

Head of Gas Quality 

E.ON Ruhrgas AG 

Essen | Germany 

Phone: +49 201 184-8385 

E-mail: klaus.altfeld@eon-ruhrgas.com 

Dave Pinchbeck 

Secretary General 

GERG Group 

Brussels | Belgien 

Phone: +32 2 230 80 17 

E-mail: davepinchbeck@gerg.eu 

- 8 - 

Table 2. Gas qualities of different natural gases (pipeline), LNG and and biomethane with admixtures of 10 mol% of hydrogen. 

Table 2: Gas qualities of different natural gases (pipeline), LNG and and biomethane with admixtures of 10 mol% of hydrogen 

Gas Composition Symbol Unit 

Russian 

Group H 

North Sea 

Group H 

Danish 

Group H 

Libya 

LNG (rich) 

Nigeria 

LNG (mean) 

Egypt 

LNG (lean) 

Biomethane 

Biomethane 

+LPG 

methane CH4 mol% 87,26 79,84 81,06 73,41 82,15 87,93 86,54 81,85 

nitrogen N2 mol% 0,77 0,74 0,25 0,62 0,07 0,07 0,67 0,62 

carbon dioxide CO2 mol% 0,16 1,75 0,54 2,61 2,41 

ethane C2H6 mol% 1,23 6,24 5,11 12,04 4,16 1,62 

propane C3H8 mol% 0,41 1,13 1,97 3,30 2,36 0,20 4,50 

n-butane n-C4H10 mol% 0,14 0,25 0,81 0,62 1,26 0,18 0,45 

n-pentane n-C5H12 mol% 0,02 0,05 0,20 

n-hexane n-C6H14 mol% 0,01 0,02 0,05 

hydrogen H2 mol% 10,00 10,00 10,00 10,00 10,00 10,00 10,00 10,00 

oxygen O2 mol% 0,18 0,17 

sum mol% 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 

superior calorific value H sv MJ/m³ 37,5 39,0 40,6 43,0 40,9 37,8 35,7 38,9 

superior calorific value H sv kWh/m³ 10,4 10,8 11,3 12,0 11,4 10,5 9,9 10,8 

relative density d - 0,523 0,573 0,574 0,609 0,568 0,519 0,535 0,583 

wobbe index W s MJ/m³ 51,8 51,5 53,5 55,1 54,2 52,5 48,8 51,0 

wobbe index W s kWh/m³ 14,4 14,3 14,9 15,3 15,1 14,6 13,6 14,2 

methane number MZ - 83 74 68 62 67 76 97 71 


Reports 


Case study – constructing a gas 

pipeline to the Dead Sea "the 

deepest point on earth" 

by Haim Mosckovich 

The Israeli Gas transmission system is young not more than eight years old. It was born when the government of 

the State of Israel had decided in the year 2004 to start with the design and construction of the Natural Gas 

Transmission system. This includes three phases located in the centre, south and the north of Israel. All three 

phases together were 350 km most of it 24" and the rest 30" and 18". 

This section, which is the subject of discussion is 20 km long and it's part of the second phase whose goal was to 

connect the Dead sea phosphates factories to the transmission system and supply them natural gas. 

The design and the construction of this section meet some engineering and environmental problems: 

■ Steep slopes -. The difference in Level was 770 m from + 400 m to - -370 m sea level. 

■ Corrosive soil and atmosphere – the first two kilometres and the three kilometres at the end of the pipe route, 

passes-by evaporative pools that contain water with phosphates. The vapours coming of that water creates 

corrosive atmosphere that damage the uncoated edges of the pipe. 

■ Crossing a geologic fracture – All of the pipe terrain passes a geologic fracture that the Dead Sea is part of it. 

■ Working inside a nature reserve – The Israeli Natural reserve authority restrictions to the width of the right of 

way were limited in some places to 7 m. 

■ Rehabilitate the desert land – In addition the reinstatement had to follow very strict requirements that are suitable 

to desert area. 

Eventually, on June 2008, after six month of construction meeting all the difficulties mention above, the 18 Km 

pipeline was ready for use after cold commissioning. 

1. The ISRAELI Gas System 

Israel natural gas lines (INGL) is 100% government owned 

and operates under a 30 year license granted by the Minister 

of National Infrastructures in 2004. Her mission: To 

construct and operate the national high pressure natural 

gas transmission system (Figure 1). 

The design and construct of the Israeli gas system starts 

at the beginning of 2005. The system contains three main 

phases located at the center, south and the north of Israel. 

The main lines are in total of 340 km long and in diameter 

of 30", 24" and 18". This main lines feeds 15 PRMS's. 

2. The last section of the southern 

phase 

The southern phase holds 157 Km in a diameter of 24" 

and 18". The pipeline terrain crosses numerous kinds of 

areas like: agricultural fields, military firing zones and 

mainly desert area up to the Dead Sea. The last section of 

the phase is an 18 km of 18" pipeline (Figure 2). 

This section starts in a desert hilly region with an elevation 

of 370 m' above sea level. The first seven kilometer 

crosses stony areas without any significant elevation 

changes. The pipeline terrain crosses dry and not deep 


1. The ISRAELI Gas System 

wadies. The soil condition is a mixture of silt and stones in 

a size of a fist. The second part is six kilometer long and it 

is characterized with a significant drop in elevation. The 

soil condition changed to soft rock. In this part of the section 

the pipeline route crosses the boundary of a geological 

fault called the Great Rift Valley. 

The last five kilometer of this section the pipeline 

route crosses a flat area and the surface are grooved with 

shallow wadies. The soil condition is marlstone with contents 

of minerals like potassium. Additionally, beside the 

pipeline route there were several evaporation reservoirs 

that create corrosive atmosphere which influence the 

working processes. The line ends near to the Dead Sea 

supplying natural gas to the Dead Sea Factories. The 

absolute elevation is 400 meter below sea level (Figure 3). 


Reports 

Israel natural gas lines (INGL) is 100% government owned and operate 

year license granted by the Minister of National Infrastructures in 2004. 

To construct and operate the national high pressure natural gas transm 

The design and construct of the Israeli gas system starts at the beginni 

The system contains three main phases located at the center, south an 

Israel. The main lines are in total of 340 km long and in diameter of 

30",24"and18".this main lines feeds 15 PRMS's. 

3. The design and the construction 

The design and later on the construction of the mention 

section of the pipeline face some engineering problems 

that parts of them were due to the topography crossed by 

the pipeline terrain, or the geological characteristic in part 

of the route. Additionally part of the problems were derived 

from the environment itself. In the following paragraphs I 

would like expand the discussion some of the issues raised 

in connection with the design and the construction that 

most of them were unique to the present section. 

3.1 Difference in absolute height between the 

upstream and downstream - Steep slopes 

Figure 1. Israel natural 

gas transmission 

system. 

2. The last section of the southern phase. 

Fig 1.1:Israelnatural gas transmission system 

As mentioned previously the route of the pipeline passes 

topography causes a difference of approximately 800 m 

between the ends of the pipe. Additionally it should be 

noted that some of the massive differences in the elevation 

concentrated over a relatively short segment of the 

route. The problem mentioned above has caused serious 

problems during construction. We had to split the pressure 

test in to five sub-sections in order to neutralize the 

effect of level differences on the water pressure inside the 

pipe. In certain sub-sections the Contractor performed 

terraces to create work surfaces for the excavation equipment. 

In some places it was impossible to disperse the 

pipes and weld them to each other at the top of the 

trench so he uses the single pipe Laing method. After 

excavating short section of the trench the pipe was 

placed inside the trench and then took another pipe weld 

them together, and only after completing the welding 

another section of the trench was excavated and another 

pipe lowered inside the trench. The steep slopes force us 

to make changes in the equipment in order to fit them to 

perform the required activity (Figure 4a and 4b). 

Figure 2. The southern phase – last section. 

Fig 2.1: The southern phase – last section 

The southern phase holds 157 Km in a diameter of 24" and 18". The pipeline terrain 

crosses numerous kinds of areas like: agricultural fields, military firing zones and 

 

mainly desert area up to the Dead Sea. The last section of the phase is an 18 km of 

 

18"pipeline. 

This section starts in a desert hilly region with an elevation of 370 m' above sea level. 

The first seven kilometer crosses stony areas without any significant elevation 

changes. The pipeline terrain crosses dry and not deep wadies. The soil condition is 

a mixture of silt and stones in a size of a fist. The second part is six kilometer long 

and it is characterized with a significant drop in elevation. The soil condition changed 

to soft rock. In this part of the section the pipeline route crosses theboundary of a 

geological fault called the Great Rift Valley. 

Figure 2.2: NASA 3. NASA satellite satellite photo and photo a map showing and a map the northern showing part of the Syrian northern – African 

part of rift. the The Syrian Sinai Peninsula, – African Dead rift. Sea, Jordan The Sinai Valley Peninsula, 

The last five kilometer Dead Sea, of this Jordan section Valley. the pipeline route crosses a flat area and the 

surface are grooved withshallow wadies. The soil condition it is marlstone with 

contents of minerals like potassium. Additionally, beside the pipeline route there were 

several evaporation reservoirs that create corrosive atmosphere which influence the 

working processes. The line ends near to the Dead Sea supplying natural gas to the 


Dead Sea Factories. The absolute elevation is 400 meter below sea level. 

3. The design and the construction.

es the single pipe Laing method. After excavating short section of the trench 

es 

was 

the 

placed 

single 

inside 

pipe Laing 

the trench 

method. 

and 

After 

then 

excavating 

took another 

short 

pipe 

section 

weld them 

of the 

together, 

trench 

was placed inside the trench and then took another pipe weld them together, 

after completing the welding another section of the trench was excavated 

ther 

after 

pipe 

completing the welding another section of the trench was excavated 

her pipe 

Reports lowered inside 

lowered inside 

Gas the trench. 

the trench. 

pipelines Thesteep slopes force us to make 

Thesteep slopes force us to make 

in the equipment in order to fit them to perform therequired activity. 

in the equipment in order to fit them to perform therequired activity. 

3.2 Crossing a geologic fracture 

Figure 4a. Working in steep slope. 

Fig 3.1.1- working in steep slope 


3.2. Crossing a geologic fracture 

In addition to the problem created by the steep slopes that demanded 

implementation of a stiff supports for the pipe in the trench now created another 

problem derives in part from a geological fault line. During the planning it was found 

that the route of the pipeline crosses the western boundary of the Great Rift Valley- 

Syrian – African rift. Great Rift Valley is the result of displacement of two geological 

plates. the Arab plate against the African plate. The movement has cause a valley 

that its bottom is in the Dead Sea and further north the Sea of Galilee. Crossing the 

fault line on the one hand and laying pipe steep slope demanded from us to find a 

solution, on the one hand will make a stiff supports for the pipe in the trench to 

prevent vertical displacement that can caused vertical efforts that can cut the pipe 

and on the other hand allow the pipe to shifts horizontally to avoid development of 

efforts as a result of shifts on the horizontal direction. Finally we found a solution 

when the pipe was placed on the bags filled with sand mixed with cement and 

without any weight on top of the pipe in order to allow him to move in the horizontal 

direction. Needless to say, the difficulty in access of heavy equipment forced the 

contractor Figure to 4b. perform Working much in of steep the work slope. manually. 



Figure 5. Crossing the geologic fracture. 

In addition to the problem created by the steep slopes 

that demanded implementation of a stiff supports for the 

pipe in the trench now created another problem derives 

in part from a geological fault line. During the planning it 

was found that the route of the pipeline crosses the western 

boundary of the Great Rift Valley- Syrian – African rift. 

Great Rift Valley is the result of displacement of two geological 

plates: the Arab plate against the African plate. The 

movement has cause a valley that its bottom is in the 

Dead Sea and further north the Sea of Galilee. Crossing 

the fault line on the one hand and laying pipe steep slope 

demanded from us to find a solution, on the one hand will 

make a stiff supports for the pipe in the trench to prevent 

vertical displacement that can caused vertical efforts that 

can cut the pipe and on the other hand allow the pipe to 

shifts horizontally to avoid development of efforts as a 

result of shifts on the horizontal direction. Finally we 

found a solution when the pipe was placed on the bags 

filled with sand mixed with cement and without any 

weight on top of the pipe in order to allow him to move in 

the horizontal direction. Needless to say, the difficulty in 

access of heavy equipment forced the contractor to perform 

much of the work manually (Figure 5). 

3.3 Corrosive soil and atmosphere 

Both sides of this section are parallel to evaporation reservoirs 

that are used by several factories that are manufacture 

chemical products in that area. All of the reservoirs 

are full throughout all the year. Water in these reservoirs 

are seawater discharged from the plant for re-circulation 

or disposal by send it into the Dead Sea. Since this is a 

desert area dry most of the year the water evaporates at a 

greater amount and due to that fact the atmosphere 

around the reservoirs is corrosive. In addition at the subsection 

upstream it seems that the maintenance of the 

reservoirs is deficient. The bottom and the dikes of the 

reservoirs are not covered or waterproof against Absorption. 

Waste water passing through the bottom of the reservoirs 

and permeate to the soil changed the chemical 

properties and electrical properties of the soil. Tests conducted 

during construction found unusual results that 

required replacement of local soil around the pipe the 

larger amount is usually required and extra coating is 

required to improve the thickness of the coating around 

the pipe. Instead of three mm we use four and a half mm. 

The corrosive atmosphere up and down the section 

forces us changing the methods of work. If normally the 

contractor is stringing the pipes along the route then 

they stay for a few days only after several days began 

work on welding and it took more several days in order to 

shoot and approve the welds and then coat the joints in 

34 gas for energy Issue 2/2012 

Fig 3.2.1- 3.2.2 Crossing the geologic fracture

so narrow we had to block it for the purpose of carrying out the work which led th 

was impossible to travel continuously along the route but to go out one side and 

enter back at the other side. 


Reports 

these areas the contractor string the pipes in small 

amounts and immediately following day the pipes 

welded and the next day confirmed welds and performed 

the joint coating. even in both stations that were 

located at the beginning and at the end of the section 

we were force to perform during the construction sand 

blasting to all metal parts and paint them all over again in 

a more suitable paint system against corrosion. 

3.4 Working inside a nature reserve 

All the desert area that is nearby to the Dead Sea was 

declared a nature reserve in accordance with Israeli law. On 

the basis of that fact it was required by the authority that 

issues the building permit for construction to coordinate 

the design and later on the construction with the Nature 

Reserves Authority which is responsible base on the law 

for any activity from all kind in the nature reserves. The 

Nature Reserves Authority objected from the first time to 

all design requires passage of the pipeline route within the 

reserve. Later they agreed to move the pipe into a strip 

that runs along the reserve together with the pipeline 

route and has performed there pipeline works in the past. 

After completion of an update design following the 

requirements, that where imposed the new existence was 

that the contractor was facing a number of limitations 

which led to perform the work in a slow pace and inefficient. 

The new design led to conditions that it was impossible 

to travel in both directions along the work strip and if 

a truck with equipment or pipes drove into the route on 

one side of the works section the only way to go out was 

at the other side of the section. Some places and over long 

section the width of the working strip drop to less than ten 

meters. Narrowing the working strip required the contractor 

to work in some places to remove the excavated material 

arranged it in heaps along the route predetermined 

locations by the Authority. Addition to allow adequate and 

safe working space the contractor was forced to relocate 

pipeline already existed. The characters of the route and 

unequivocal demand for narrowing the working strip 

required the contractor to work inefficiently perform the 

excavation sections shorter weld the pipe to each other in 

the ditch and then return with the excavation equipment 

again to the same section to cover the pipes. It should be 

noted in several places the working strip was so narrow we 

had to block it for the purpose of carrying out the work 

which led that it was impossible to travel continuously 

along the route but to go out one side and enter back at 

the other side (Figure 6 and 7). 

3.5 Rehabilitate the desert land 

Other aspect of working in the desert it is rehabilitate 

issue. A lot of time together with creative consideration 

Figure 6. Narrow working strip less than 15 meter. 

Fig 3.4.1-nerrow working strip less than 15 meter 

As per project design - 1st Step 

3,5 m 

Water PL Paxgol PL 

As per project design - 2nd Step 

INGL PL 

min.0,70 m 

Paxgol PL 

INGL PL 

Water PL 

SDOM 

SHFIFON 

Figure 7. Constructing the pipeline in a narrow working strip. 

Fig 3.4.2-constructing the pipeline in a narrow working strip 


3.5. Rehabilitate the desert land 

aspect of working in the desert it is rehabilitate issue. A lot of time together with 

ve consideration and of course money have been invested in order to find 

on to all the problems related to rehabilitation and cause by the construction. As 

Reports Gas pipelines 

aration for the work geotextile have been spread out along the pipe route in 

that it will be covered by the excavated material so that the original soil would 

ix with excavated soil.(see fig 3.5.1) 

and of course money have been invested in order to find 

solution to all the problems related to rehabilitation and 

cause by the construction. As a preparation for the work 

geo textile have been spread out along the pipe route in 

order that it will be covered by the excavated material so 

that the original soil would not mix with excavated soil 

(see Figure 8). 

Geo textile 

Later on during the construction the contractor was 

instructed to keep the top soil in heaps in a specific 

marked place so he can return it to same place it was 

remove from. During all the time of construction the contractor 

spray salty water on top of the road in order to 

avoid dust that can sink on top of surrounding rocks an act 

that can change their color. Finally after the completion of 

the construction two activities were taking place. The contractor 

drags a steel net along the pipeline route in order 

to blot out all traces of tires or other working equipment. 

Figure 8. Geo textile under the excavated soil. 

And thing to do was to spray on top of rocks in a certain 

places special chemical that expedite the oxidization process 

so the rocks can get back their black color not in thou- 

fig 3.5.1-geo textile under the excavated soil 

on during the construction the contractor was instructed to keep the top soil in sands years but only in few years (Figure 9). 

in a specific marked place so he can return it to same place it was remove 

During all the time of construction the contractor spray salty water on top of the 

n order to avoid dust that can sink on top of surrounding rocks an act that can 4. Summary 

e their color. Finally after the completion of the construction two activities were 

place. The contractor drags a steel net along the pipeline route in order to blot This project posed actual challenges to the pipeline 

l traces of tires or other working equipment. And thing to do was to spray on top working method. Crossing this section force us to use first 

ks in a certain places special chemical that expedite the oxidization process so at the design and later in the construction a different way 

cks can get back their black color not in thousands years but only in few years. of thinking. This success is based on the one hand on 

technical experience of the contractor and our professional 

consultant and from the other hand the land scape 

rehabilitation consultants that have been recruited to this 

mission and help us to complete the project in a reasonable 

time table. The project risks were notice from the 

design stage and they were reduced the more we progress 

with the design and later with the construction. 

 

Author 

Figure 9. Rehabilitate the desert land after construction. 

Haim Mosckovich 

Deputy director-general - 

Head of Construction Department 

Israel Natural Gas lines (INGL) 

Tel-Aviv | ISRAEL 

Phone: +972 3 6270443 

E-mail: mosckovich@ingl.co.il 


fig 3.5.2-3.5.3 Rehabilitate the desert land after construction

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PATGED2012

Reports 


Development of a new tool to 

avoid unnecessary excavation of 

buried gas pipelines: MobiZEN 

The device (patent applied) presented here is based on 

an in-house developed algorithm. A schematic presentaby 

Yves Van Ingelgem, Daan De Wilde, Leen Lauwers, Raf Claessens and Annick Hubin 

The present paper presents initial real-scale results of the use of a new device that allows detecting whether or 

not active corrosion is taking place on a buried pipeline. This information is essential to decide whether or not 

digging up of a buried pipeline is to be scheduled. Avoiding unneeded digs and optimizing the scheduling of 

future digging operations may represent an important factor of cost reduction in pipeline maintenance operations. 


Buried pipelines (Figure 1) for the transport of hydrocarbons 

are typically protected against corrosion by a double 

defense layer. At first a coating serves to separate the 

pipe’s metal from the potentially aggressive surrounding 

soil. The degree of protection this coating offers might 

however decrease during the pipe’s operational life. Coating 

degradation, soil movement, digging operations, damage 

induced during installation, imperfections during 

coating application… may all lead to a decrease of the 

coating’s protective properties. In these situations the 

coating alone cannot fully safeguard the pipeline from 

corrosion, so a cathodic protection (CP) system is installed. 

This kind of system is aimed at keeping the potential of the 

pipeline at such a level that no anodic (oxidation) reactions 

will take place involving the pipe’s metal. 

Although these systems are widely used and increasingly 

well known, along a pipeline’s trajectory certain 

sections remain where it cannot be guaranteed the CP 

will succeed in impeding all corrosion reactions. The origin 

of these phenomena may lie in soil conditions, geometry, 

imperfections during installation of the CP system, 

influences of external metallic structures including shielding, 

difficulties in assessing the state of the CP system… 

Using well-known techniques such as Direct Current 

Voltage Gradient (DCVG) and Close Interval Potential Survey 

(CIPS) it is possible to localize these sections along 

the trajectory of a buried pipe where imperfections in 

the coating can be found. Often it can however not be 

established whether or not corrosion is taking place here. 

The only conclusive approach to verify the presence of 

active corrosion involves digging up the section identified 

and visual inspection of the metal surface. Digging 

up a section of pipeline is however a risky, costly and 

time-consuming operation. Coating defect locations are 

thus not always extensively investigated for the occurrence 

of corrosion, but rather aboveground inspection 

data and historical information are re-evaluated to limit 

the number of digging operations needed. 

Recently however within the Vrije Universiteit Brussel 

(VUB) SURF research group a new method was conceived 

and developed to monitor corrosion ‘as it happens’. The 

concept is a result of years of corrosion-related research 

being conducted within the group. The result is a device 

capable of detecting whether or not active corrosion is 

taking place at the surface of buried pipelines. The new 

device is called MobiZEN. This device allows the close follow 

up of potentially dangerous zones along a pipeline in 

a cost-effective manner. The present paper will shed 

some light on the approach used and show data acquired 

in the field. 

2. Approach 


protection this coating offers might however decrease during the pipe’s operational 

life. Coating degradation, soil movement, digging operations, damage induced during 

installation, imperfections during coating application may all lead to a decrease of 

Although these systems are widely used and increasingly well known, along a 

the coating’s protective properties. In these pipeline’s situations trajectory certain the sections Gas coating remain pipelines where alone it cannot Reports cannot be guaranteed fully the CP 

will succeed in impeding all corrosion reactions. The origin of these phenomena may 

safeguard the pipeline from corrosion, lie so in soil a conditions, cathodic geometry, protection imperfections during (CP) installation system of the CP system, is 

influences of external metallic structures including shielding, difficulties in assessing 

installed. This kind of system is aimed at the keeping state of the CP the system potential of the pipeline at such 

Using well-known techniques such as Direct Current Voltage Gradient (DCVG) and 

a level that no anodic (oxidation) reactions Close will Interval take Potential place Survey involving (CIPS) it is possible the to localize pipe’s these metal. sections along 

 

tion of the installation used to investigate a section of 

buried pipeline can be found in Figure 2. The coating 

defect is represented in the figure by an orange oval. To 

perform a measurement the MobiZEN device (Figure 3) is 

to be placed in the proximity of the pipeline. One lead of 

the device needs to be connected to the buried pipeline 

itself. Preferably a connection point to perform aboveground 

inspections is used. Subsequently a number of 

external electrodes is introduced in the soil near the pipeline 

in the zone of the coating defect identified. 

The sensor device is activated and a low-amplitude 

AC signal is applied between the pipeline and the electrodes 

in the soil near the pipe. The device records coating. the 

response of the system to the signal applied. This 

response signal will have picked up any sign of corrosion 

activity along the path it travels. The sensor subsequently 

analyzes the data using the algorithm and an equivalent 

corrosion rate is determined. Data are recorded each hour 

for a prolonged period of time (multiple hours) and using 

multiple electrodes. As such MobiZEN will tell whether or 

not active corrosion of the pipeline is taking place in the 

targeted zone. If so, location and activity of the corroding 

zone can be determined. Using these data a continued 

follow-up or tailored remediation of the corroding zone 

can be put in place, including dig up and repair of the 

damaged coating. 

3. Results 

the trajectory of a buried pipe where imperfections in the coating can be found. Often 

it can however not be established whether or not corrosion is taking place here. The 

only conclusive approach to verify the presence of active corrosion involves digging 

up the section identified and visual inspection of the metal surface. Digging up a 

section of pipeline is however a risky, costly and time-consuming operation. Coating 

defect locations are thus not always extensively investigated for the occurrence of 

corrosion, but rather aboveground inspection data and historical information are reevaluated 

to limit the number of digging operations needed. 

Recently however within the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) SURF research group a 

new method was conceived and developed to monitor corrosion ‘as it happens’. The 

concept is a result of years of corrosion-related research being conducted within the 

group. The result is a device capable of detecting whether or not active corrosion is 

taking place at the surface of buried pipelines. The new device is called MobiZEN. 

This device allows the close follow up of potentially dangerous zones along a pipeline 

Figure 1. Gas transport pipeline before it is put into the trench. in a cost-effective manner. The present paper will shed some light on the approach 

used and show data acquired in the field. 

Approach 

The sensor device is activated and a low-amplitude AC signal is applied between the 

pipeline and the electrodes in the soil near the pipe. The device records the response 

of the system to the signal applied. This response signal will have picked up any sign 

of corrosion activity along the path it travels. The sensor subsequently analyzes the 

data using the algorithm and an equivalent corrosion rate is determined. Data are 

recorded each hour for a prolonged period of time (multiple hours) and using multiple 

electrodes. As such 

 

MobiZEN will tell whether or not active corrosion of the pipeline 

is taking place in the targeted zone. If so, location and activity of the corroding zone 

can be determined. Figure Using 2. Schematic these data a representation continued follow-up of a or setup tailored to determine remediation active of 

the corroding zone The can device be (patent applied) presented here is based on an in-house developed 

corrosion put in place, on including a buried dig pipeline. up and repair of the damaged 

algorithm. A schematic presentation of the installation used to investigate a section of 

buried pipeline can be found in figure 2. The coating defect is represented in the 

figure by an orange oval. To perform a measurement the MobiZEN device (Figure 3) 

is to be placed in the proximity of the pipeline. One lead of the device needs to be 

connected to the buried pipeline itself. Preferably a connection point to perform 

aboveground inspections is used. Subsequently a number of external electrodes is 

introduced in the soil near the pipeline in the zone of the coating defect identified. 

 

Results 

To validate the working principle a series of test measurements 

was performed on a section of a buried pipe To with validate a the working principle a series of test measurements was performed on a 

section of a buried pipe with a well-known coating defect. Figure 4 shows the induced 

well-known coating defect. Figure 4 shows the induced 

defect before the pipe was buried, dimensions indicated by a Euro-coin. The setup 

defect before the pipe was buried, dimensions indicated also involved a piece of Cu metal to induce corrosion and an Mg sacrificial anode 

by a Euro-coin. The setup also involved a piece (SA) of Cu to stop corrosion reactions when required. All were buried at a specific testing 

site at a depth of 60 cm under the surface. 

metal to induce corrosion and an Mg sacrificial anode (SA) 

to stop corrosion reactions when required. All were buried 

at a specific testing site at a depth of 60 cm under the 

surface. 

After the digging operations the pipe was left in the 

soil for a number of weeks for stabilization. During this 

period the pipe was continuously connected to a piece 

 

 


Figure 3. 

Mobizen device 

when deployed in 

the field. 

Figure 4. 

Part of a pipeline 

where a coating 

defect was deliberately 

induced. 

After the digging operations the pipe was left in the soil for a number of weeks for 

stabilization. During this period the pipe was continuously connected to a piece of 

Cu, cathodic with relation to steel, buried near the pipe. This connection served to

weeks the MobiZEN was brought to the location and the auxiliary electrodes were 

introduced near the pipe (Figure 5). The pipe was disconnected from the Cu 

electrode and the sensor launched. Figure 6 shows the hourly evolution of the 

corrosion rate detected using the auxiliary electrode nearest to the defect in a period 

of Reports 24 hours after Gas disconnecting pipelines the Cu electrode. In the first 4 hours an elevated 

corrosion rate is detected. After this period the rate reduces and reaches a steady 

state value as the steel is now corroding freely. The change in corrosion rate 

observed was delayed with relation to the evolution in potential of the pipe. This 

shows a certain time is required for the corrosion reactions on the pipe to reach a 

steady state. 

 

Figure 5. Array of auxiliary electrodes placed in the soil next 

to a buried pipeline. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this initial 24 h period an Mg SA was connected to the pipe to induce a cathodic 

protection effect. FIGURE 6 in turn shows the evolution of the equivalent corrosion 

Figure rate as a 6. function Evolution of time of from the corrosion connecting this rate anode detected to the after buried the pipe. buried In the initial 

After this initial 24 h period an Mg SA was connected to the pipe to induce a cathodic 

hours after pipe connecting was disconnected the corrosion rate from measured the buried equals copper the one measured rod. before 

protection 

connecting 

effect. 

this anode. 

FIGURE 

After 

6 in 

4 

turn 

hours 

shows 

the corrosion 

the evolution 

rate 

of 

starts 

the equivalent 

however to 

corrosion 

decrease 

rate as a function of time from connecting this anode to the buried pipe. In the initial 

until a figure lower than 100 is reached: corrosion reactions have stopped. Also here 

hours 

a delayed 

after connecting 

change in 

the 

reactivity 

corrosion 

can 

rate 

be 

measured 

noticed. The 

equals 

CP 

the 

setup 

one 

can 

measured 

be considered 

before 

connecting this anode. After 4 hours the corrosion rate starts however to decrease 

effective, as all corrosion reactions have ceased. 

until a figure lower than 100 is reached: corrosion reactions have stopped. Also here 

a delayed change in reactivity can be noticed. The CP setup can be considered 

effective, as all corrosion reactions have ceased. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusions 

 

 

Figure 7. Recorded corrosion rates after the buried section of pipe 

These initial 

Conclusions was tests connected show that using to a Mg the sacrificial MobiZEN device anode. the corrosion activity of the 

pipeline metal can be determined in a continuous way and in multiple situations. 

Active corrosion in a location of damaged coating as well as an inactive bare metal 

These initial tests show that using the MobiZEN device the corrosion activity of the 

surface protected by a CP setup could be identified. As such the efficiency of a 

pipeline 

remediation 

metal 

of 

can 

an active 

be determined 

corrosion site 

in a 

using 

continuous 

a CP system 

way and 

can 

in 

be 

multiple 

evaluated. 

situations. 

None of 

Active corrosion 40 in a gas location for energy of damaged Issue 2/2012 coating as well as an inactive bare metal 

surface protected by a CP setup could be identified. As such the efficiency of a 

remediation of an active corrosion site using a CP system can be evaluated. None of 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of Cu, cathodic with relation to steel, buried near the 

pipe. This connection served to ensure that corrosion 

reactions are taking place at the bare steel surface. After 4 

weeks the MobiZEN was brought to the location and the 

auxiliary electrodes were introduced near the pipe (Figure 

5). The pipe was disconnected from the Cu electrode 

and the sensor launched. Figure 6 shows the hourly evolution 

of the corrosion rate detected using the auxiliary 

electrode nearest to the defect in a period of 24 hours after 

disconnecting the Cu electrode. In the first 4 hours an elevated 

corrosion rate is detected. After this period the rate 

reduces and reaches a steady state value as the steel is now 

corroding freely. The change in corrosion rate observed 

was delayed with relation to the evolution in potential of 

the pipe. This shows a certain time is required for the corrosion 

reactions on the pipe to reach a steady state. 

After this initial 24 h period an Mg SA was connected 

to the pipe to induce a cathodic protection effect. Figure 

7 in turn shows the evolution of the equivalent corrosion 

rate as a function of time from connecting this anode to 

the buried pipe. In the initial hours after connecting the 

corrosion rate measured equals the one measured before 

connecting this anode. After 4 hours the corrosion rate 

starts however to decrease until a figure lower than 100 is 

reached: corrosion reactions have stopped. Also here a 

delayed change in reactivity can be noticed. The CP 

setup can be considered effective, as all corrosion reactions 

have ceased. 

4. Conclusions 

These initial tests show that using the MobiZEN device 

the corrosion activity of the pipeline metal can be determined 

in a continuous way and in multiple situations. 

Active corrosion in a location of damaged coating as well 

as an inactive bare metal surface protected by a CP setup 

could be identified. As such the efficiency of a remediation 

of an active corrosion site using a CP system can be 

evaluated. None of the investigations requires digging up 

of the section of the pipeline under investigation. Proper 

application of a MobiZEN setup in combination with a 

DCVG or CIPS campaign is a promising new approach for 

optimally determining the corrosion state of a buried 

pipeline. This can lead to: 

■ An increased cost efficiency: as this allows for statebased 

maintenance / optimal maintenance planning 

■ Cost reduction: reducing material cost by reducing corrosion 

allowance 

■ Increased safety: prevention of corrosion-induced failures. 

 

More details and updates available at: www.zensor.be


Stay informed and follow us on Twitter 

Available 

as print volume 

or as e-paper 

Authors 

Yves Van Ingelgem 

Vrije Universiteit Brussel 

SURF research group 

ZENSOR project 

Brussel | Belgium 

Phone: +32 2 629 35 33 

E-mail: yvingelg@vub.ac.be 

Annick Hubin 





Phone: +32 2 629 32 52 

E-mail: anhubin@vub.ac.be 

Daan De Wilde 





Phone: +32 2 629 35 33 

E-mail: dgdewild@vub.ac.be 

Leen Lauwers 





Phone: +32 2 629 35 33 

E-mail: lslauwer@vub.ac.be 

Raf Claessens 





Phone: +32 2 629 32 41 

E-mail: rclaesse@vub.ac.be 

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Reports 


Soil friction along HDD’s – the 

influence of a refined model on 

expansion 

by Frigco Kwaaitaal 

In the article the aspects influencing the built up of soil friction along HDD’s are introduced. Based on these 

aspects a proposal is done how to deal with soil friction modeling along HDD sections in a day to day engineering 

practice. After definition of this approach a quantitative assessment on the proposed model itself and its 

impact on longitudinal elongation (expansion) along the HDD section are presented. This is done for three typical 

HDD sizes: DN100, DN600 and DN1200. The assessment shows that applying soil friction significantly influences 

the expansion built up along the HDD and in the end leads to a reduction of stress in the upper bends. By 

applying soil friction, the need of taking mitigating measures to divert expansion (e.g. expansion cushions, 

expansion loops) is lower for some cases. 


The reason for setting up the investigations on modeling 

of soil friction was that in the new revision of the Dutch 

pipeline code a friction value of zero was introduced as a 

worst case approach. A literature survey showed that 

research generally was done on friction during installation 

(of relevance for the pull back of the pipe) but not for 

the operational phase of the pipeline. 

For pipelines under elevated temperature axial displacements 

(as a result of expansion) in longer HDD 

configuration increase quadratically and thus the loads 

on the upper bends of the HDD section also increase. In 

specific cases this may lead to stresses above the acceptable 

limits. To mitigate these stresses either the pipeline 

routing can be changed by incorporating expansion 

loops or other expansion measures can be taken such as 

placement of expansion cushions behind the bends. 

Taking into account any friction (versus no friction) along 

the HDD section seems to be crucial for a sound and 

structural reliable design of the pipeline section. Next to 

this, minimizing or even preventing mitigating measures 

will lead to a reduction of material and construction 

costs. 

2. Current soil friction model 

To model the soil friction a linear elastic behavior of the 

soil springs along the HDD is assumed. The maximum 

friction (W max ) is reached at small relative displacements. 

2 

Main 

Current 

aspects 

soil 

influencing 

friction model 

the soil friction W max are in 

general: 

. 

displacements. 

■ intergranular pressure around pipe; 

■ Main adhesion aspects between influencing pipe the soil and friction soil; W max are in general: 

■ angle • intergranular of friction pressure between around pipe pipe; and soil (dependent of 

soil • friction adhesion angle between and pipe and wall soil; roughness). 

To model the soil friction a linear elastic behavior of the soil springs along th 

assumed at which the maximum friction (W max) is reached at sma 

• angle of friction between pipe and soil (dependent of soil friction angle 

wall roughness). 

To determine W max the following basic relationship is 

available for pipelines in open trench: 

To determine W max the following basic relationship is available for pipeline 

trench: 

 

With: 

With: 

 

(1) 

W soil friction along the the pipe pipe N/m 

πD o outside pipe circumference m 

K ratio horizontal/vertical intergranular pressure, in case of 

ratio horizontal/vertical intergranular pressure, in case of 

neutral horizontal soil soil pressure pressure K equals K o 

=1 – sinφ' ′ 

- 

φ' angle of internal friction of soil ° 

′ angle of internal friction of soil 


 

 

vertical intergranular pressure at pipe axis level 

friction coefficient between soil and pipe wall (depending on 

internal friction of soil and pipe wall roughness)

(depending on the soil type) which can reduce the vertical intergranular pressure in the 

soil surrounding the pipe. 

Gas pipelines Reports 

The determination of W max differs for a pipeline in open trench from a pipeline in a HDD 

section. In Figure 1 an overview is given how W max is built up in both cases. 

Figure 1: soil friction acting on pipes in open trench compared to pipes in an HDD 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 1. Soil friction acting on pipes 

in open trench compared to 

pipes in an HDD. 

 

2.1.1 Arching in soils and determination of intergranular pressure in HDD’s 

σ k vertical intergranular pressure at pipe axis level N/m 2 

tanδ friction coefficient between soil and pipe wall 

(depending on internal friction of soil and pipe wall 

roughness) 

a adhesion (only for clay or peat, equals the undrained 

cohesion parameter, c u ) N/m 2 

Q eg deadweight of the pipe N/m 

Q vul weight of medium in the pipe N/m 

Q op buoyancy capacity of pipe N/m 

ite shell is present around the pipe. The bentonite shell 

around the pipe will stiffen and will act as a highly com- 

Under normal circumstances the vertical intergranular soil pressure is determined by the 

pressible layer. The combination of this compressible 

weight of the soil column above the pipe. layer and Just the after thickness drilling of the soil the column pilot above hole the pipe arching occurs 

and after installation of the pipe a bentonite leads arching shell of the is soil. present In compressible around soil types the pipe. The 

such as clay the arching effect fades out after installation. 

bentonite shell round the pipe will stiffen and will act as a highly compressible layer. The 

For non-compressible soil types (sand) the arching effect 

combination of this compressible layer stays and present the and thickness leads to a reduced of the vertical soil intergranular column above the 

pipe leads to arching of the soil. In compressible pressure on the pipe soil (see Figure types 2). such as clay the arching 

effect fades out after installation. For non-compressible soil types (sand) the arching 

effect stays present and leads to a reduced vertical intergranular pressure on the pipe 

The build up of friction in a HDD differs significantly from 

Figure 2: arching around borehole 

a pipe in open trench. In HDD crossings the borehole is 

filled with drilling fluid (bentonite slurry) which stiffens 

(see Figure 2). 

after installation. After a period of time the drilling fluid 

around the pipe acts as a shell. The friction distribution 

on this shell acts on two interfaces (shear planes): the 

pipe-bentonite interface and the bentonite-soil interface. 

Another difference is that due to the installation at 

large depth soil arching occurs (depending on the soil 

type) which can reduce the vertical intergranular pressure 

Soil 

in 

friction 

the soil 

modeling 

surrounding 

in HDD’s 

the pipe. 

under operational conditions – new insights in existing theories 3 

The modelling of W max differs for a pipeline in open 

trench Gas for from Energy a pipeline Publication in a HDD May section. 2012 In Figure 1 an 

overview is given how W max is built up in both cases. 

2.1 Arching in soils and determination of intergranular 

pressure in HDD’s 

Under normal circumstances the vertical intergranular 

soil pressure is determined by the weight of the soil 

column above the pipe. Just after drilling the pilot hole 

arching occurs and after installation of the pipe a benton- 

Based Figure on 2. the Arching theory of around Terzaghi borehole. it is considered that arching occurs when the thickness 

of the soil mass extending above the pipe is larger than 4 times the width of the soil 

column in shear (2B 1). The width B 1 is defined as: 

! ! = 1 2 ! ! + ! ! × tan 45° − 1 2 ! ≥ ! (2) 

With: 


! ! is half the width of the soil column in shear m

Reports 


 

Woerdt van de, Mirjam 10.4.12 15:26 

 

 

(7) Formatiert: Schriftart:Englisch 

(Vereinigtes Königreich) 

With: 

Based on the theory of Terzaghi it is considered that q r is the maximum soil reaction near the end of the 

 

(7) 

 

arching occurs when the thickness of the soil mass is the additional normal force for one bend in the borehole 

bend: 

N/m 

With: 

is the maximum soil reaction near the end of the bend: 

extending Based on the above theory the of Terzaghi pipe is larger it is considered than 4 times that arching the width occurs when the thickness 

 

of the soil mass column extending shear above (2B 1 ). the The pipe width is larger B 1 is defined than 4 times as: the width of the soil 

 

is the additional normal force for one bend in the borehole N 

column in shear (2B 1). The width B 1 is defined is the maximum as: soil reaction near the is end the of vertical the bend: modulus of sub grade reaction N/m 

k v is the maximum vertical modulus displacement of sub grade reaction N/m 3 

° (2) 

 

 

 

 

y is the pipe-soil maximum stiffness displacement characteristic m 

 

 

is the vertical modulus of sub grade 

 

reaction 

 

λ 

With: 

is is the 

bending pipe-soil (7) 

N/m 

stiffness stiffness of characteristic the pipe 3 

m- 

is the maximum displacement m 

1 

With: 

 

With: is the outside diameter 

 

is half the width of the soil column is in the shear pipe-soil stiffness characteristic is the mradius 

m -1 

of the bend 

is the outside diameter of pipeline 

 

is is 

the 

the 

additional 

m frictional 

normal 

coefficient 

force for 

between 

one bend 

the 

in 

pipe 

the 

is the bending stiffness of the pipe N·m 2 borehole 

and the borehole 

 

B 1 is half the width of the soil column in shear m 

wall 

is the outside diameter EI is the maximum soil reaction near the end of the bend: 

is the bending stiffness of the pipe m 

N∙m 2 

D 

Soil o is the outside diameter of pipeline is the radius of the bend 

 

m D 

m 

friction modeling in HDD’s under operational conditions – new insights in existing theories o is the 

outside 

diameter m 

4 

φ is the internal angle of friction is the frictional coefficient between the pipe and the borehole 

- 

° 2.1.3 Proposal new friction model along HDD’s 

Gas for Energy Publication May 2012 

wall 

R 

is 

is 

the 

the 

vertical 

radius 

modulus 

of the bend 

of sub 

grade reaction 

m 

is the maximum displacement 

R is the radius of the borehole m f 

3 Parallel is the to the frictional friction coefficient formula for between pipelines the in pipe open and trenches the and bas 

is the pipe-soil stiffness characteristic 

elaborations above a slightly adjusted friction formula 

 

2.1.3 Proposal new friction model along HDD’s borehole wall f 3 = 0,2 for HDD -techniques c 

 

A reduction of the vertical soil load due to arching results 

introduced: 

is the bending stiffness of the pipe 

 

Parallel to the friction formula for is the outside diameter 

pipelines in open trenches and based on the 

in a lower vertical intergranular pressure (σ k ) on the pipe 

 

elaborations above a slightly adjusted 

2.3 

friction Proposal is the radius 

formula new of the 

 

for HDD 

friction bend 

techniques model can along now be 

HDD’s 

 

(3) 

is the frictional coefficient between the pipe and the borehole 

and thus reduces the overall friction. introduced: 

wall 

Formula 8 represents the new approach to model friction along HDD 

For the friction model in HDD sections is assumed Parallel to the friction formula for pipelines in open 

Compared with basic friction formula (4) two new parameters are introduce 

that when arching occurs the contribution 

 

(3) 

of the vertical trenches 2.1.3 f Proposal 2: 

and new based friction the model elaborations along HDD’s above a slightly 

intergranular pressure is totally Formula neglected. 8 represents At soil covers the new H approach adjusted to model friction along HDD sections. 

Parallel to 

friction 

the friction 

formula 

formula 



HDD 

pipelines 

techniques 

in open 

can 

trenches 

now be 

and based o 

• W 

≤ 8B 1 (when arching is assumed) 

Compared 

the actual 

with basic 

vertical 

friction 

intergranular 

pressure at top of pipe level is used. For larger 

formula (4) two new T3b is parameters introduced are to take introduced into account W T3b and the friction as a result of the c 

introduced: 

elaborations above a slightly adjusted friction formula for HDD techniques can n 

f 2: 

the pipe in the elastic bends. 

introduced: 

• f 2 replaces the adhesion component and takes into account the frictio 

soil columns arching will occur • and W T3b the is introduced vertical intergranular 

pressure then is assumed to be zero. 

to take into account pipe the and friction drilling as fluid a result (bentonite). of the curvature of 

 

the pipe in the elastic bends. 

 

(4) (3) 

• f 2 replaces the adhesion component The other and takes parameters into account are identical the friction with between formula 4 but might have a diffe 

8 the new approach to model friction along HDD sec 

For pipes in multiple layer soils pipe the and drilling approach fluid (bentonite). for Formula because 4 of represents the application the on new HDD approach sections. to model friction 

Compared with basic friction formula (4) two new parameters are introduced W T 

determination of the vertical intergranular pressure is along f 2: 

The other parameters are identical with 2.1.4 

HDD 

formula Frictional 

sections. 

4 but effect 

Compared 

might pipe-drilling 

with 

have a different fluid interface 

basic friction formula 

(1) two new parameters are introduced W 

value 

similar. It should be noted that 

because 

according 

of the application 

to the theory 

on HDD sections. 

After • Winstallation T3b is introduced of the pipe to take in the into borehole account the the friction T3b and f 

drilling as fluid a result 2 : 

layer of (bentonite) the curvat 

arching will only occur in a sand layer at a depth of H≥8B 1 

2.1.4 Frictional effect pipe-drilling fluid The adhesion the pipe in 

interface at the the elastic pipe-bentonite bends. friction plane will as a result develop t 

below the layer separation. In the new approach arching ■ W • T3b 

f 2 is replaces introduced the adhesion to take component into account and takes the friction into account as a the friction be 

is assumed to be effective After as of installation the layer of separation. 

the pipe in the borehole pipe the and drilling drilling fluid fluid layer (bentonite). 

result of the curvature of (bentonite) the pipe will in the stiffen. elastic bends. 

The adhesion at the pipe-bentonite friction 

Soil friction 

plane 

modeling 

will 

in HDD’s 

as 

under 

a result 

operational 

develop 

conditions 

to 

– 

a 

new 

certain 

The other parameters are identical with formula insights 4 in but existing might theories 

■ f 2 replaces the adhesion component and takes into have a different 

because of the application on HDD sections. 

Immediately taking into account arching over this layer 

and thus neglecting the build up of vertical intergranular 

pressure over the layer depth for H


Reports 

dynamic value is assumed to be equal to the dynamic 

friction of bentonite: f 2 =50 N/m 2 and is used in formula 4 

since displacement under operational conditions are relatively 

large. 

2.5 Frictional effect pipe-borehole wall interface 

Parallel to the pipe-drilling fluid interface a friction distribution 

at the pipe-borehole interface plane must be 

taken into account (see Figure 4). 

The generated friction at this plane depends in case of 

no arching on the vertical intergranular pressure (vertical 

soil load Q n ). Independent of the occurrence of arching 

another part of the friction is also generated by the deadweight/buoyancy 

effects on the pipe in the borehole. 

Results on direct shear tests show that at low levels of 

bentonite mixed with sand the internal frictional angle δ 

(and thus friction value) drops significantly. I.e. for 100% 

sand mixture δ=22° and for a 10% sand-bentonite mixture 

δ=12°. Since no empirical values of other types of 

mixture are available and the internal friction angle seems 

to be relatively independent of the soil surrounding the 

bentonite shell this value is assumed to be generally 

applicable for pipes in HDD sections. 

also identical for all typicals: sand with a moderate density with a ground 

water table of 1 m below surface level. 

Based on the formula 4 the soil friction is calculated for each typical per 

critical cross section along the HDD: 

■ at the upper bend (R=40D o ); 

■ at the arching tipping point (soil cover = 8B 1 ); 

■ at the start of the elastic bend; 

■ at the center of the floor pipe (symmetrical point of HDD). 

To assess the differences in friction, contribution for each typical diameter in a 

plot is made of the friction along the borehole per section for each typical 

pipe diameter. 

Figure 3: additional friction due to elastic curvature in 

Δu 

 

3. Assessment of new approach 

Based on formula 4 and the approach and assumptions 

above for determining the overall friction a break down 

for each component contributing in the friction along 3 

typical HDD configuration is assessed in this paragraph 

(see Figure 5). By this the effect of each friction component 

can be evaluated per typical. 

bends 

The three typical HDD configurations are based on 

realistic engineering cases in the Dutch gas grid. Considered 

are three typical diameters, namely DN100, DN600 

and DN1200. 

The DN100 typical consists of a pipeline with a diameter 

of 114,3 mm with a wall thickness calculated of 6,0 mm. The by: 

total length of the HDD is 200 m and the elastic bend 

radius is 115 m. The exit and entry angles are 11°. 

The DN600 typical consists of a pipeline with a 

diameter of 610 mm with a wall thickness of 11,1 mm. The 



The DN1200 typical consists of a pipeline with a diameter 

of 1219,1 mm with a wall thickness of 19,1 mm. The 



The upper bends in all typicals have a radius of 40 

times the external diamater (40D o ) and the same wall 

thickness as the rest of the HDD. The soil conditions are 

 

The distribution of the soil reaction forces is based on the theory for beams on elas 

foundations by Hétenyi. Figure 3. The Additional soil reaction friction forces due to elastic will occur curvature the in bends. of each bend a 

induce additional frictional Figure 4: distribution effect acting planes on for the friction pipe. in HDD 

The additional normal force in the elastic bend as a result of this torque can 

3 Assessment of new approach 

Figure 4. Distribution planes for friction in HDD. 

Based on formula 3 and the approach and assumptions above for determining the 

overall friction a break down for each component contributing in the friction along 3 

typical HDD configuration is assessed in this paragraph (see Figure 5). By this the effect 

of each friction component can be evaluated per typical. 

The three typical HDD configurations Issue are 2/2012 based gas on for realistic energy engineering 45 cases in the 

Dutch gas grid. Considered are three typical diameters DN100, DN600 and DN1200.

Based on the formula 4 the soil friction is calculated for each typical per critical cross 

section along the HDD: 

• at the upper bend (R=40D o); 

• at the arching tipping point (soil cover = 8B 

Reports Gas pipelines 

1); 

• at the start of the elastic bend; 

• at the center of the floor pipe (symmetrical point of HDD). 

To assess the differences in friction, contribution for each typical diameter in a plot is 

made of the friction along the borehole per section for each typical pipe diameter. 

Figure 5: distribution of friction along the borehole per typical diameter 

As Figure can be noted 5. Distribution from Figure of 5Figure friction 5 the along friction the for borehole the DN100 typical is very low and 

has a uniform distribution along the HDD. For the larger diameters the built up of friction 

per typical diameter. 

Soil friction modeling in HDD’s under operational conditions – new insights in existing theories 9 


As can be noted from Figure 5 the friction for the 

DN100 typical is very low and has a uniform distribution 

along the HDD. For the larger diameters the built up of 

friction occurs between cross section A and C. The top 

soil load component over this part of the HDD is the governing 

factor. The contribution of the curvature component 

in the total friction becomes larger for smaller diameters. 

The friction along the floor pipe is largely determined 

by the buoyancy or deadweight effect of the pipe 

in the borehole. In general the influence of the adhesion 

component (between pipe and drilling fluid) on the overall 

friction is very limited. 

4. Expansion effects of new friction 

schematization along HDD 

To determine the expansion effects of applying friction 

along a HDD the three typical crossings are assessed by 

means of a dedicated finite element software package for 

subsoil pipelines (PLE 1 ). 

4.1 Calculation model HDD typicals 

In PLE the pipeline is modeled as an elastically supported 

beam in which the soil surrounding the pipe is described 

with elastic springs. The reactions (displacements, cross 

sectional reaction forces) resulting from the movements 

of the pipe due to the soil and external loads (e.g. temperature 

and internal pressure) are calculated and depend 

Unknown 

Formatiert: Englisch (Vereinigtes 

Königreich) 

51493000 18.4.12 18:45 

Gelöscht: 8 

51999046 13.4.12 17:03 

Gelöscht: 

51493000 18.4.12 18:45 

Gelöscht: 

on the system stiffness of the total HDD crossing: pipe 

Seitenumbruch 

diameter, wall thickness, bend configuration, material. 

The soil parameters are schematized and calculated 

according to the formulas and spring models of the soil 

as defined in the Dutch design code NEN 3650-1: 2003, 

except for friction. 

Linda Schneider 19.4.12 10:26 

Gelöscht: 554 

51493000 18.4.12 18:45 

Formatiert: Standard, Blocksatz, Abstand 

Nach: 0 pt 

51493000 18.4.12 18:49 

Formatiert: Schriftart:Fett 

Unknown 

Feldfunktion geändert 

The external loads taken into account in the calculation 

models are: 

51493000 18.4.12 18:49 

Gelöscht: ... [2] 

51493000 18.4.12 18:49 



Gelöscht: Figure 5Ffigure 4 

51493000 18.4.12 18:49 


51493000 18.4.12 18:49 



Gelöscht: Figure 5figure 5 

51493000 18.4.12 18:49 


■ DN100: p d =40 barg and ΔT=35 °C 



In the full study two load combinations have been taken 

into account: p d + ΔT (load case 4) and ΔT (load case 3). 

The results for load case 4 show similar results as for load 

case 3. For this publication only the results of load case 4 

are presented. Load cases based on NEN. 

4.2 Expansion results 

In the next paragraphs the expansion results for each 

typical is assessed based on the PLE calculation. The 

results for the DN100 typical show that the reduction of 

axial force in cases when friction is applied is negligible 

compared to the case without friction. Increasing the 

diameter influences the distribution of forces and the 

absolute value of forces significantly. To show the influence 

of the modeled friction the resulting axial forces 

over the HDD are plotted in graphs and presented in 

Figure 6 for the DN600 and DN1200 typical. 

The axial force at the upper bends for the DN600 typical 

is about 111% (1,1x) lower in case of friction compared 

to no friction. The axial force at the upper bends for the 

DN1200 typical is 1200% (12x) lower in case of friction 

compared to no friction. The force in the floor pipe 

increases for both typicals: about 29% for the DN600 and 

about 28% for the DN1200. The increase of force in the 

floor pipe is caused by the applied friction which 

increases the displacements of the total HDD and as a 

result reduces the forces at the upper bends. 

5. Conclusions 

Based on the assessment of the proposed friction model and 

the calculations the following conclusions can be drawn: 

■ Neglecting friction in HDD’s is not realistic especially 

not for pipes with larger diameters. 

■ At an increase of diameter application of friction seems 

1 

PLE software is developed and distributed by EDS, Rijswijk, The Netherlands 

and is generally used for assessment of pipeline crossings according to the 

Dutch national pipeline code: NEN 3650 series. 



Reports 

to progressively reduce the forces on the critical parts 

of the HDD (the upper bends). For smaller diameters 

the difference between application or neglecting of 

friction is negligible. 

■ The proposed schematization is a practicable method 

to refine the soil friction based on existing theories. 

forces significantly. To show the influence of the modeled friction (F) the resulting a 

forces over the HDD are plotted in graphs and presented in Figure 6 for the DN600 a 

DN1200 typical. 

Figure 6: distribution of resulting axial force for DN600 and DN1200 typical 

In general it can be concluded that by applying friction in 

the proposed way will lead to more structural reliable 

pipeline section and can in some cases lead to prevention 

or limitation of mitigating measures such as expansion 

cushions or loops. 

To verify the proposed theoretical calculation model it 

is recommended to do further investigations by monitoring 

on real-time HDD’s and observing if the noticed 

effects in this study are actually occurring. 

axial friction F = 0 N/m 

axial friction F = calculated 

references: 

[1] Stability of borehole during Horizontal Directional 

Drilling, Thomas Viehöfer et al. 

[2] Soil deformations due to Horizontal Directional Drilling 

Pipeline Installation, G.M. Duyvestyn and M.A. Knight, 

Proceedings NORTH AMERICAN NO-DIG 9-12 April 

2000. 

[3] Experimental Investigation of Borehole and Surface 

Friction Coefficients During HDD Installations, 

G. El-Chazli et al., Proceedings NASTT NO-DIG 24-27 

April 2005. 

[4] Modeling the soil pipeline interaction during the pull 

back operation of horizontal directional drilling, 

J.P. Pruiksma and H.M.G. Kruse. 

[5] Dutch Standard NEN3650-1 + A1 Requirements for 

pipeline systems part 1 General Quire 1 to 6, 

distributed by NNI, Delft, August 2006. 

[6] Tebodin report 42380.01-1931205 Berekenen van de 

wrijving voor leidingen gelegd in open ontgraving 

d.m.v. HDD techniek, Hengelo, November 2011. 

Soil friction, horizontal directional drillings, underground 

pipelines, expansion 


axial friction F = 0 N/m 

axial friction F = calculated 


The axial force at the upper bends for the DN600 typical is about 111% (1,1x) lowe 

case Figure of friction 6. Distribution (F) compared of resulting to no friction axial (F=0). force The for DN600 axial force and at the upper bends 

the DN1200 DN1200 typical is typical. 1200% (12x) lower in case of friction (F) compared to no fric 

(F=0). The force value in the floor pipe increases for both typicals: about 29% for 

DN600 and about 28% for the DN1200. The increase of force in the floor pipe is caus 

by the applied friction which increases displacements hindrance of the total HDD and 

a result reduces the forces at the upper bends. 

5 Conclusions 

Based on the assessment of the proposed friction model and the calculations the 

following conclusions can be drawn: 

Author 

• Neglecting friction in HDD’s is not realistic especially not for pipes with larger 

Frigco Kwaaitaal 

diameters. 

• At an increase 

Engineering 

of diameter 

Manager 

application of friction seems to progressively reduce 

the forces Tebodin on the critical Middle parts East Ltd. of the HDD (the upper bends). For smaller 

diameters Dubai the difference | United Arab between Emirates application or neglecting of friction is 

negligible. Phone: +971 4 45 42 870 

• The proposed E-mail: schematization fkwaaitaal@tebodinme.ae 

is a practicable method to refine the soil friction 

based on existing theories. 


Gas for Energy Publication May 2012 Issue 2/2012 gas for energy 47

Reports 

LNG 

New opportunities for gas 

through small scale LNG 

by Dr. W.P. Groenendijk 

There is a quiet revolution in the making. The application of LNG to replace conventional transport fuels in 

heavy transport can greatly reduce or completely eliminate sulphur, NOx, fine particles and CO 2 emissions and 

offers an excellent opportunity for improving the environmental footprint. It can be key in meeting the increasingly 

strict environmental requirements for the heavy transport sector, which are driven by stringent environmental 

restrictions regarding a wide range of emissions of conventional (maritime) fuels. 

1. Small-scale lng 

Developments in recent years may have been quiet but 

have been considerable. And they are expected to pick 

up the pace even more. LNG terminals all over Europe, 

typically designed to import LNG, have plans to invest in 

these new applications of LNG to facilitate further development 

of a small scale LNG market. At present more 

than 20 LNG import terminals connect the EU with the 

world gas market and a further 32 are under construction 

or being planned. The emergence of more and more of 

these terminals is now giving rise to this exciting new 

opportunity, usually referred to as Small Scale LNG. In 

fact, Small Scale LNG actually refers to two opportunities. 

1.1. LNG as a fuel for heavy transport 

The first opportunity involves the application of small 

scale LNG as a fuel in the heavy transport sector (shipping, 

trucking, rail, buses). This is rapidly rising on the 

agenda of policy makers and business (e.g., transporters, 

oil and gas suppliers, infrastructure operators, ship owners 

and ship engine makers). A key driver is the increasingly 

strict regulation concerning emissions (SOx, NOx, 

CO2), especially for shipping. In the coming years interest 

will likely increase even further due to changing energy 

policies aimed at reducing carbon footprint, as well as oil 

price development. 

The association of LNG terminal operators in Europe, 

Gas LNG Europe (GLE), underlines the use of small scale 

LNG as a key solution to a cleaner transport sector, taking 

into account potential environmental and other 

benefits, safety, and the EU targets for the reduction of 

emissions. This is particularly important as traditional, oil 

derived transport fuels have been notoriously difficult to 

replace by cleaner fuels, especially in the heavy transport 

sector. 

1.2. ”Breaking bulk” 

The second opportunity involves the distribution of LNG 

from the EU main import terminals to smaller regional and 

local regasification terminals throughout the EU: breaking 

up bulk cargoes and delivering to smaller markets. This is 

the process of loading LNG from a large LNG terminal into 

smaller vessels carrying around 7.500 to 30 000 m3, trucks 

carrying some 50 m 3 and rail 500-1500 m3. 

The redistribution of LNG to smaller terminals has 

great potential to improve security of supply and market 

functioning in the EU and will allow areas that are not easily 

connected to the main pipelines systems to benefit 

from the availability of natural gas. 

2. Key Drivers 

The shipping industry carries more than 70% of global 

freight and more and more goods are transported 

between and around highly populated areas. In terms of 

fuel efficiency of moving freight, shipping is most efficient. 

However, shipping is also one of the most significant 

contributors to local pollution due to the main fuel 


LNG 

Reports 

used today. Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) is a residual oil product 

and contains high amounts of sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen 

oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). Around 

70% of these ship emissions occur within 400 km of land 

and directly affect air quality and global emissions. In 

response to these environmental concerns the International 

Maritime Organisation (IMO) enacted a revised 

Convention in 2008 for control of exhaust emissions from 

ships. The Convention places a global cap on SOx and 

NOx emissions from ship traffic between 2012 and 2025 

at the latest. For example, the global limit on SOx in 

marine fuels is 4.5%. Under the revised Convention, the 

global fuel sulphur content must be 3.5% by 2012 and 

0.5% in 2020. In certain areas where shipping trade volumes 

are high, even stricter SOx emissions apply; these 

are the so-called Sulphur Emission Controlled Areas 

(SECAs). The Baltics Sea and North Sea are included as 

designated SECAs. Starting from 1 July 2010 the fuel sulphur 

content for these areas must be below 1% and must 

be further reduced below 0.1% by 1 January 2015. For 

news builds, after 2016 in the ECA zones, NOx emissions 

will have to be reduced by almost 80% to meet the emissions 

constraints (Tier III). 

Next to IMO, the European Commission is also putting 

stricter standards in place. For example, EU Directive 

2005/33/EC is relevant to ships operating in Member 

States' territorial waters and provides for, e.g.: 

■ limiting to 1.5% the sulphur content of marine fuels 

used by passenger vessels on regular services to or 

from any port in the Union. 

■ limiting to 0.1% the sulphur content of marine fuels 

used by ships on inland waterways and at berth. 

Due to the introduction of more stringent regulation 

SECAS zones (Sulphur Emission Controlled Areas for 

Ships), after 2015 ferries in the North Sea and Baltic Sea 

will no longer be able to run on heavy fuel oil. LNG seems 

to be an excellent replacement. In this case, the need of 

additional infrastructure is low because of the fixed 

routes. Although the technology is available, currently 

most LNG import terminals are not yet equipped to facilitate 

bunker fuel retail. Additional investment in secondary 

distribution and storages will be required. 

3. Commercially viable 

The high density of LNG is a big advantage of this fuel 

compared to compressed natural gas (CNG). This 

increases the driving range significantly: with one tank of 

fuel a road truck ran drive for around 800-1200 km. This 

makes LNG an excellent option for the heavy transport 

and shipping sector. Many other factors also need to be 

taken into account: fuel prices, bunker consumption, 

investment costs and payback period, the age distribution 

of ships and the number of ships and trucks, current 

and future regulations and so on. Close examination of 

these aspects indicates that small scale LNG is commercially 

viable: 

■ The potential demand is substantial. Many companies 

identify international shipping as a growth market for 

gas, through using LNG as a bunker fuel for ferries, 

cargo ships and tankers. At the moment some 90,000 

vessels are used in the world fleet, they use around 280 

MT/a of petroleum fuels which represent a potential 

market for LNG as a shipping fuel of up to 315 million 

tonnes. This is 1.25 times the amount of the LNG production 

capacity today. 

■ LNG prices are becoming attractive compared to other 

bunker fuels. Over the past 20 years price differentials 

between fuel oil, gasoil/diesel and LNG have changed 

significantly. In 1997 oil prices hovered around $20 per 

barrel (West Taxes Intermediate) and around $2.50 per 

MMBtu for Henry Hub natural gas in the US. Today, 

these are around $100 per barrel for oil and $5 per 

MMBtu for natural gas. These continuing widening differentials 

strongly indicate that switching fuels to LNG 

for ship owners may make economic sense. 

■ According to a recent study, the age of ships operating 

in the Baltic sea is fairly evenly distributed from new to 

about 40 years old, meaning there is a continuous 

replacement of old vessels and that it will take about 

ten years to replace a quarter of the fleet. 

■ It is expected that total bunker demand for all fuels will 

grow by 20% to 2020 and 50% to 2030. Whereas the 

shipping industry will not be able to immediately convert 

all ships to run on LNG, new ships, publicly or privately 

owned, could be built to be able to run on LNG. 

The different options for ship owners to adapt their fleet 

to IMO regulation in 2015 in the Emissions Control Areas 

and in 2020 or 2025 in the world are installation of scrubbers, 

running on Diesel, running on LNG or run on other 

fuels (e.g. DME). The market might choose various solutions, 

however due to stricter regulations it is expected 

that LNG will get a substantial share. CERA estimates the 

size of the market for LNG as fuel for ships in 2030 as 65 

MTpa. Of course there are also challenges to overcome: 

extra investments for ship-owners (engine, tanks, pipes, 

safety measures), impact on operational costs, potential 

loss of commercial space leading to lower cargo capacity, 

etc. Short Sea Ships (an alternative to road haulage and a 

way to transport goods efficiently between ports within 

a region) and ships with fixed routes (e.g. ferries) seem at 

present the best candidates to be fuelled by LNG because 

the bunkering locations needed are fewer and they can 


Reports 

LNG 

be gathered to big ports. For heavy trucks, competitiveness 

of LNG depends strongly on the fiscal regime. Historical 

and current prices of diesel and LNG show that 

with a minimum critical size, LNG is competitive compared 

to diesel (including extra cost required to adapt the 

truck). A logical and economically viable path to develop 

this business could be to focus first on local fleets and 

subsequently on truck corridors across Europe. 

The development of small scale business for local 

regasification could be especially interesting in remote 

areas with insufficient network coverage, with low supply 

diversity, or with very low industrial density. 

4. Proven and safe technology 

Experience over more than 40 years shows an excellent 

safety record for LNG operations. LNG can be safely produced, 

transported and landed near the relevant markets. 

A number of countries has already gained considerable 

experience in using LNG as a transport fuel for heavy 

trucking and shipping. The technology is proven and the 

LNG distribution network continues to expand. There are 

plenty of examples around the world where small scale 

LNG is already applied successfully. For example in Norway, 

where the government is strongly promoting LNG 

as a ship fuel. Due to tendering conditions on emission 

reduction by Norwegian government, ferry services are 

operating on LNG. Already, some twenty ships fuelled by 

LNG are sailing in Norwegian waters. Globally, an increasing 

number of road trucks are using LNG as a fuel. For 

example in the United States, Australia, and in some 

countries in Europe. And not just for long-haul road 

transport - in some cities LNG is also used as fuel for public 

buses or garbage trucks. Due to its nature, LNG is ideal 

for powering road commercial fleets or trains and ships. 

Many countries with low pipeline network density 

use local distribution of LNG to efficiently supply their 

industries or local networks. A significant example is 

Spain, where LNG is being used also to supply some 

small and medium cities, not yet connected to the grid. 

The Spanish experience of transporting LNG tanks by 

truck is probably one of the biggest in the world, with 

more than 40.000 loads transported each year. In Japan 

remote areas are mostly supplied with LNG using railroad 

transport. 

Recently, in Europe the first export operation of 

reloading LNG into a small LNG carrier has taken place at 

the Zeebrugge terminal in Belgium. With this first loading, 

the concept to load at large terminals has been 

proven in Europe and gas shipping specialist are convinced 

that the demand for small scale LNG will continue 

to increase as an environmentally superior alternative to 

conventional marine fuels. 

5. Further work required on the 

policy framework 

The existing legislative framework does not yet take into 

account the benefits of Small Scale LNG. In particular, the 

current fiscal treatment of LNG does not acknowledge 

the superior environmental benefits of this fuel. At the 

moment the Commission is considering submitting a 

proposal to align the EU Directives with the IMO Convention. 

The proposal particularly focuses on a second stage 

of sulphur limit values, designation of additional SECAs, 

the possible use of economic instruments and alternative 

measures. An even wider revision is foreseen in 2013, 

when the European Commission will carry out a comprehensive 

review of the EU’s air quality strategy as part of 

the Roadmap 2050. Upcoming revisions in the framework 

of the CAFE program (Clean Air for Europe) will also 

include new fuels and new zones. The Commission also 

considers supporting the deployment of shore-based 

infrastructure for alternative fuels and bunker delivery 

logistics in the European Union. An exemption from the 

electricity tax as recently proposed by the Commission in 

its proposal for a revision of the Energy Taxation Directive 

2003/96/EC 11 can be a first incentive to this end. Also 

there is an important need of safety regulation, codes 

and standards for the development of this market. Safety 

standards are paramount and LNG operators must ensure 

that the current safety standards must be applied to the 

new market of Small Scale LNG. The regulatory framework 

for the development of a supply chain on Small 

Scale LNG is not yet fully defined. There is a wide divergence 

of laws and texts that could apply to a Small Scale 

Supply Chain development. More consistency and harmonization 

will it make easier for projects to come off the 

ground. 

6. The outlook for small-scale 

LNG is promising 

With rising fuel costs, in particular for oil derivatives, and 

today's global interest in emission reduction, LNG is a 

promising alternative fuel for the shipping sector. Ship 

operators in particular face economic pressure from fuel 

costs combined with impending regulations aimed at 

reducing exhaust gas emissions. For them, LNG could be 

an outstanding practical and beneficial solution. LNG as a 

fuel also has significant promise for heavy road transport 

and rail. Environmental and economic benefits and quiet 

operation are the incentives that will gain more and more 

prominence in the years to come. 

The development of this market needs significant 

investments on infrastructure and on converting the 

trucks or vessels. Players will be understandably reluctant 


LNG 

Reports 

to take risks to invest too much before a certain critical 

mass is reached and before the legislative and fiscal 

framework is becoming clearer. Considerations regarding 

diversity of supply and market development will drive the 

development of local distribution of LNG to market areas 

that are not well connected to the main European grid. 

The distribution of LNG from main EU import terminals to 

smaller regional and local terminals will improve security 

of supply and market functioning in the EU. 

Small-scale LNG has a sound business rationale. 

Importantly, capturing the opportunities related to small 

scale LNG will have significant benefits in various areas 

that are high on the European agenda for environment 

and energy policy. Securing these opportunities will 

require a regulatory and fiscal framework that recognizes 

these benefits. 

Author 

Dr. W.P. Groenendijk 

VP Public Affairs & Regulation 

N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie 

Groningen | Netherlands 

Phone: +31 50 5212384 

E-mail: w.p.groenendijk@gasunie.nl 

diary 

"" 

1st European Shale Gas Conference 

19.-20.6.2012, Warsaw, Poland 

www.digitalrefining.com 

"" 

20 th European Biomass Conference & Expo 

18.-22.6.2012, Milan, Italy 

E-Mail: dominik.rutz@wip-munich.de 

"" 

EFG – European Forum Gas 2012 

20.6.2012, Dresden, Germany 

www.dvgw.de/en/english-pages/natural-gas/european-forum-gas 

"" 

Neftegaz 2012 

25.-29.6.2012, Moskow, Russia 

"" 

Gat 2012 

25.-26.9.2012, Dresden, Germany 

www.gat-dvgw.de 

"" 

Kioge 

2.-5.10. 2012, Almaty, Kassachstan 

www.kioge.com 

"" 

Gastech 2012 

8.-11.10.2012, London, UK 

www.gastech.co.uk 

"" 

oldenburger gastage 2012 

27.-29.11.2012, Oldenburg, Germany 

www.oldenburger-gastage.de 

"" 

Renexpo Austria 

29.11 – 1.12.2012, Salzburg, Austria 

www.renexpo-austria.at 


Reports 

Energy supply 

The grid as the basis for the 

energy turnaround 

by Stephan Kamphues 

Will it again come round to getting out of the nuclear power phase-out already decided upon? This is something 

that cannot be dismissed looking at the actual stage reached in the energy turnaround process. What has become 

of the initial euphoria with which the German government suggested that opting out of nuclear energy would be 

possible without any major problems? The question is whether the government can still meet its own targets of 

decommissioning the last nuclear plant in 2022 and almost fully changing over to renewable energies until 2050. 

At the moment, it is not easy to answer this question. But one thing is clear: the energy turnaround is not going 

smoothly. 

"The chief energy turnaround problem is that its serious effects are either not taken seriously, are dramatized or 

are simply denied.“ Clear words indeed from Matthias Kurth, former President of the Federal Network Agency, on 

practical implementation of the energy turnaround (in the FAZ dated 16.03.2012). The energy turnaround – 

which is actually synonymous with 16 minor energy turnarounds in the German federal states – will fail if it does 

not achieve that momentum over the next few years which it should in theory. 

1. Not in my backyard 

Everybody is basically in favour of the energy turnaround 

but only to the extent that it does not affect them personally. 

Who would really want a high-voltage power line in 

front of his/her house or a pipeline in the garden? And this is 

also the way the various players in the energy turnaround 

business look at things. For instance, the federal states think 

that the central government should assume the costs of fiscal 

funding. On the other hand, some in the German government 

demand that the states commit themselves more 

and take some action on their own. It is said that these 

states need to do much more for the energy turnaround. 

After all, a host of concrete steps, such as pipeline installation 

are the responsibility of the states – something which is 

often forgotten. The energy industry, in turn, complains 

about a lack of planning security, far-from-clear objectives 

of the German government and a lack of investment incentives. 

And to cap it all, lots of people want their voice to be 

heard in matters of approval procedures for several thousand 

kilometres of power line routes and gas pipelines. 

2. No energy turnaround without 

grid development 

There are hurdles enough in implementing the energy 

turnaround and just as many persons with responsibility 

and without responsibility, it seems. For the energy turnaround 

to finally become a success story, what one currently 

needs is a clearly defined goal, a firm concept, capital 

and a concentrated form of management. But one 

thing is required above everything else: real progress in 

developing the energy power grids. 

One aspect that everyone seems to agree on is that 

the lack of progress in power grid development represents 

the biggest problem for the success of the energy 

turnaround. But one elementary aspect has been forgotten 

in all the discussions, i.e. without money there will be 

no grid investment. After all, pipes, power lines, transit 

points, control systems, computer technology and the 

associated personnel deployments must all be paid for. 

Viewed against the background of the current regulatory 

framework unilaterally laid out to lower costs, the question 

emerges: is it actually worthwhile building new gas 

grids? The answer today is no. Then it comes as no surprise 

when grid operators are rather reticent about specifying 

concrete development projects. Incentives need to 

be created here and gas grids need to become more 

attractive as an investment form. 

In view of its geographical position in the European 

gas market, Germany has a prime transit role to play in 

both the east-west and north-south directions. The latter 

direction is the most important one today in Germany. 

After all, more gas will soon be arriving from the Nord 

Stream pipeline in the north of the country making it 


Energy supply 

Reports 

more urgent than ever to develop the grid. This fact is 

also the reasoning behind developing a central gas trading 

centre. That is why a considerable number of adjoining 

states want Germany to appreciably develop its crossborder 

gas transportation capacities. 

In terms of power grid stability it has again been confirmed 

that gas power plants ideally complement renewable 

energies. It will therefore be increasingly necessary to 

construct more of them. They are the only plants which 

can be quickly run up to stabilize the power grid. It has also 

become clear that not only the construction of new gas 

power plants makes it necessary to create transportation 

capacities but also that the capacities for existing power 

plants need to be examined against the backdrop of 

changed economic requirements. The same applies to the 

matter of the gas storage facilities. Although the tanks were 

70% filled even after the long cold spell in February, they 

could not be fully used to resolve the bottlenecks given 

that not as much could be transported away as had arisen 

in the tanks. The total discharge capacities of the tanks 

exceeds the current level of transportation capacities. 

There is a drawback with renewables – they can only 

be stored to an extremely limited extent. Despite considerable 

wind being available over the North and Baltic 

Seas a lot of energy is, of course, produced but very little 

of it gets to the customer. Thus the gas grid - on account 

of its storage capacity - will become a decisive backup 

partner for renewable energies. 

3. Gas trading is a seasonal 

busine ss 

The fact that the gas market is very much seasonally 

affected and that the entire demand for transportation 

capacities cannot be met at the moment is a truism 

which was more than endorsed this February. Bottlenecks 

become very noticeable when there are no gas 

flows from supply sources, when not enough natural gas 

can be transported from the natural gas tanks or when 

capacities for system-relevant gas power plants are not 

available. There is a considerable need to act here. Priorities 

need to be set for grid development and centrestage 

should be given to security of supplies. The gas grid 

development plan must give priority to new gas power 

plants when expanding transportation capacities. This, of 

course, requires substantial investments for which there is 

no interest at the moment. 

4. The rules of the game have not 

been thought through 

Yet, grid development is not the only requirement for a 

long-term, assured supply of natural gas. The existing 

standards & codes need to be adapted in view of the liberalization 

of the energy market and the national energy 

turnaround. The gas market is in the throes of change. 


Reports 

Energy supply 

5. No energy turnaround 

from the drawing 

board 

The former rules are no longer valid and new ones are still 

not fully developed – which the strained gas supply situation 

clearly brought to light at the beginning of February. 

The separation of trade and transportation has meant 

that neither is able, on its own, to guarantee security of 

supplies. This does not inevitably mean that an integrated 

world is better than a liberalized one. However, 

the liberalized world needs to be designed on the basis 

of additional regulations for it to properly function. The 

German problem is that the political system has simply 

forgotten that we need a coherent regulation system in 

Germany to deal with a completely new economic framework 

structure. The current regulations and standards 

have not been thought through and it is often forgotten 

that Germany is not simply an island. 

That is why the European Network of Transmission 

System Operators for Gas (ENTSOG) and the Agency for 

Cooperation of the Energy Regulators (ACER) are drafting 

joint rules for the energy market which will then be given 

a legal status principally under the comitology procedure. 

These standards & codes will have a pronounced 

impact on many of the conditions for European gas transportation 

and are intended to strengthen the security of 

supplies in Europe. However, in this matter, too, of harmonizing 

European regulations not everyone seems to 

agree on what is meant by harmonized regulations and 

on their scope of validity. 

To get back to the initial question, there 

will be no getting out of the nuclear 

power phase-out already decided upon. 

Even so for the energy turnaround to be 

effective, more is urgently needed than 

simply proclaiming further-reaching 

objectives. In fact, the need in the future 

is one of continually monitoring everchanging 

economic, ecological, technical 

and social requirements. It is a matter 

of being able to flexibly react to fresh 

challenges – there is no such thing as an 

energy turnaround designed on the 

drawing board. In reality, the "energy 

turnaround" is a mammoth project 

which will bring about extensive modifications 

– not only – in the development 

of grids. 

There still appears to be no exact definition 

of the path to ensure gas supplies – 

whether at the European or national level. From the German 

perspective, a firm concept developed on the political 

front and involving planning security in the power 

industry would be very helpful. Then other interested 

parties might come forward to invest in grid development. 

At the European level, the many different opinions 

prevailing and complexity of subjects will give rise to 

non-complex regulations making it possible for gas to be 

transported across borders as envisaged by the European 

Single Market. 

 

Author 

Stephan Kamphues 

Chief Executive Officer 

Open Grid Europe GmbH 


Phone: +49 201 3642-0 

E-mail: info@open-grid-europe.com 


EFG 2012 

Standardisation for the 

gas sector: Is it worth it? 

At the European Forum Gas – EFG 2012 – organized on June 

20th, 2012 in the heart of Dresden company managers, the EU 

Commission, gas experts and associations involved in standardisation 

will verify that standardisation and gas technical 

harmonisation has indeed a high value for industries and also 

for the involved experts and companies. 

organized by 

hosted by 

Conference Location: 

Steigenberger Hotel de Saxe 

Neumarkt 9 

01067 Dresden 

Contact: 

DVGW e.V. 

Caroline Ohlmeyer 

E-Mail: ohlmeyer@dvgw.de 

Phone: +49 228 9188-734 

www.marcogaz.org | www.gerg.eu | www.european-forum-gas.com

Reports 

Asset management 

Asset management demands 

in regulated markets 

by Jens Focke 

Based on existing geospatial and operational data all technical business processes can be supported. Main focus 

should have the business support of the Integrity Management process. A Pipeline Management System may 

allow operators to access single features by analyzing results from In-Line Inspection activities and manage 

related activities by using a complete asset database. Extended analysis can be done by comparing and evaluating 

technical parameters from different pipeline sections. 

The Asset Service of an operator is obligated to report in 

internal and external audits naming monitoring- and rehabilitation-activities 

by proving local urgencies and risks. The 

Asset Management is responsible for costs and strategic use 

of the assets in the future and will have a critical look for the 

local cost-benefit situation to invest in existing exit- and 

entry points, construction of new pipelines, changed operation 

or possible demolition of pipeline sections. 

The entire process, beginning with data acquisition, dataand 

system-integration, assessment of local features and 

continuous risk- and conditions-assessments will allow to 

plan future activities by building up a company`s integrity 

management plan. Input, as well as output information 

needs to be accessible for several departments inside the 

company as well as for remote crews in the field. A lean technical 

IT-infrastructure will be the significant success factor for 

future operations and has to be established on state of the 

art technology. 

Based on several implemented GIS, PIMS and maintenance 

systems in central European pipeline companies in 

the gas- and oil-industry, the article will explain project 

needs and implementation concepts to build up a lean and 

effective pipeline management. This will be the baseline to 

support all technical business processes, including construction-, 

monitoring-, assessment- and maintenance issues. 

1. Needs to control monitoring 

and maintenance activities 

Why is reporting a big challenge? The question is simple 

– the answer sounds understood and reasonable, but 

reality looks different. 

Based on larger damages of infrastructure during the 

last decade the following questions have come up: Why a 

single damage has happened and who has been responsible 

– who has been the initiator? Of course, in very few 

cases the reasons remain without answers, but the discussion 

around the event, the actions taken, the public 

doubts and the media interest could have been shortened 

in case a structured approach to get access on all 

relevant information would had been given in shortest 

time. Everybody knowing about questions from the prosecution 

authority on site is aware of the embarrassment 

in case information is not accessible or available. 

Operating a pipeline is affected by many processes 

and actions. Optimizing the rehabilitation and maintenance 

strategy of pipelines or facilities is the primary goal 

of pipeline operators. The strategic use of pipelines is as 

important as the risk management activities. Capturing 

and answering dig requests are part of the daily work of a 

pipeline operator. 

Tasks like planning of pipeline rehabilitation and maintenance 

or dig requests will be supported using software 

applications. It is possible to identify needs of actions by 

looking at financial ratios in the context of an efficiency 

analysis and by looking at technical data using a technical 

condition analysis. Financial ratios will be calculated on 

the basis of cost development for maintenance and 

repair on pipelines and facilities compared to their actual 

maximum flow rate, age and other parameters. Technical 

indicators may show the condition of facilities and pipelines. 

Parameters will be deduced from a variety of data 

that might be classified as follows: 

■ Basic technical data: age, material, casing, coating, service 

life … 



Reports 

■ Inspections: CP-data, ILI-data, records on maintenance 

and repair … 

■ Incidences: leaks, third-party damage, incidences in 

facilities … 

■ Operational data: stress due to external influences, 

wear, operations mode of facilities … 

Client connects via browser 

Most pipeline operators have collected large amounts of 

the necessary data in geographic information systems 

(GIS) or commercial systems (ERP). Data supporting operational 

issues like dig-requests, maintenance or rehabilitation 

activities may be collected in an additional database 

partition. The benefits to use ORACLE for data administration 

are the reasons below: 

■ Integrating Oracle as external database into a GIS. 

Objects from the Oracle database will be visible and 

accessible in the GIS. 

■ Maximum independence from customers IT in use 

allows external access via an internet browser, 

■ Scalable access by external and time-limited co-workers 

on a centralized IT-infrastructure with on-line access 

A web application offers the opportunity to integrate 

several components in a very flexible way. This supports 

an implementation that fits the users’ needs. A map component 

combines alphanumeric and geographic data. At 

the same time the presentation and update of data will 

be possible. The information is stored in the Oracle database 

and is also visible in the GIS. So users of different 

applications are able to access the data. 

Figure 1. 

Info access for pipeline management. 

activity tracking and process control 

asset synchronization 

Smallworld GIS 

The challenge to build up an on-line pipeline management 

system has to follow some main topics: 

■ Asset administration of line-oriented pipeline features 

and data, 

■ Revision save archiving of monitoring and maintenance 

actions, 

■ Geographic correlation of asset data and measurement 

values, 

Based on these topics reporting and information access for 

people working in a central offices, at external service companies, 

in the field and on construction sites are essential to 

fulfil management expectations for two main reasons: 

■ Budget estimation based on scheduled, done and 

planed activities along the pipeline, 

■ Direct access to technical condition, activities and status 

of assets in case of damage. 

Figure 2. 

User interface for activity tracking & process control. 

For these simple reasons a high degree of integration is 

needed and a lean access from hardware independent 


Reports 


Smallworld GIS 

Back Office 

Smallworld Global 

Transmission Office 

Front Office 

Data Loader 

Asset & Map Viewer 

Survey Points Manager 

Asset Management 

Spatial Object Manager 

Task Scheduling 

import data e.g. 

maps, survey data, 

assets 

DMS Connector 

Reporting & Plotting 

DMS 

Reporting & Plotting 

export data e.g. 

daily reports, alignment 

sheets, pipe 

books 

Smallworld VMDS 

assets, documents, 

base map 

Oracle 

assets, documents, 

reports 

Figure 3. System architecture with database units for pipeline management. 

infrastructure is a must. The “commercial business world” 

as well as dispatchers has already implemented “Digital 

Cockpits” to allow real-time control of information as it is 

needed for activities along critical infrastructures like 

pipelines and stations as well. 

Figure 2 shows of proven system architecture and 

describes the data interaction and access modalities via 

the internet. 

2. System technology 

Nowadays there should be no secret about the needed 

functionalities and capabilities of an enterprise-wide 

technical IT-environment including a Geographic Information 

System (GIS), a Document Management System 

(DMS) and a commercial system, implemented by ERPtechnology, 

like e.g. SAP. But the best story has not 

reached its end, when acceptance at local crews delivering 

initial information from the field is not given or not 

possible. This has simple reasons: 

■ Access on ERP and GIS-technology in the field is only 

implemented on a data view and often not accepted 

by process oriented crew members, 

■ IT-security limitation allows no external access to a central 

database environment of the asset owner, 

Therefore the internet access is a feasible option knowing 

that net coverage is not given everywhere, but on station 

and populated areas with mobile telephone services it is 

already working with increasing performance. 

3. Database requirements 

In all IT environments several databases has been implemented 

based on given data and ad-hoc required functionality. 

All known experiences always need the following 

key deliveries: 

■ Application layer: Nowadays GIS-technology with applicable 

database descriptions for the pipeline industry 

may deliver an application layer, which is proven by the 

Pipeline Open Database Standard (PODS). The database 

reservoir has to be a technical database with geospatial 

access and capabilities for data structuring in different 

manners, e.g. POF-standard for description of in-line– 

inspection data, 

■ Chainage: pipeline operators are working “line ori- 



Reports 

ented”, knowing about distances from reference points 

to locate features and assets, 

■ Alignment functionalities: measurement data from ILIruns 

as well as CP-measurements need to be correlated 

to the pipeline route to prepare further spatial analysis 

and comparisons, 

■ Dynamic segmentation: preparations for risk- and/or 

condition assessments need functionalities to structure 

data in a manner that small artificial section can be 

generated, 

■ Interfaces: during survey and measurement activities 

data in several geometric formats and alphanumeric 

data needed to be included in the application layer. By 

standard interfaces covering all CAD-formats or data are 

.csv-readable. Beside data interfaces an increasing 

request for usage of map services from the internet by 

WMF/WFS is given to use topographic data from Google- 

Maps, Open Street Map or other data sources. This will 

heavily increase the acceptance of the used technology 

on the operation side and in dispatching centres, 

■ Schematic’s: crew members on stations and from operation 

departments are much more familiar with the 

orthogonal representation of the pipeline routes and 

station network. This “geometric world” has to be part 

of the spatial database descriptions and should be correlated 

with asset from geography and alphanumeric 

database tables. 

and for the Asset Management, arguing for investment to 

owners and shareholders. Contradictions and delays in 

information are not acceptable anymore and internet 

based process control and activity tracking tools will 

become the IT-toolkit to manage technical operations. 

Nevertheless stock-based companies are highly motivated 

to avoid negative press on damages and failures by 

not been able to prove a working integrity management 

to avoid legal affairs and public speculation. 

Author 

Jens Focke 

GEOMAGIC GmbH 

Leipzig | Germany 

Phone: +49 341 7111 700 

E-mail: jens.focke@geomagic.de 

The given database requirements are essential to build 

up a lean internet-based information infrastructure. In 

case functionality, data and analytics are separated, integration 

becomes significantly more difficult and acceptance 

of employees is tough to achieve. Even the commercial 

invest is increasing, because of more system 

interaction by complex bidirectional interfaces. 

4. Conclusion 

During the past ten years, companies all over the world 

have been investing more in commercial IT and less in 

technical IT-infrastructure. The need for better, more actual 

and reliable information in time generates need for actions: 

■ In case of damage all information need to be in place 

and accessible in time. This includes all activities 

planned, done, scheduled or postponed, 

■ In case of budgeting at years end all commercial invests 

in assets based on monitoring, maintenance and 

inspection activities need to be in place without contradiction. 



The liberalised market requires activities and reporting 

issues from the Asset Service for the pipeline operation 


Reports 

Natural gas vehicles 

Influence of compressor oil from 

natural gas filling stations on 

the operation of CNG vehicles 

by Hans-Jürgen Schollmeyer and Manfred Hoppe 

E.ON Ruhrgas has carried out tests on an engine test bed to determine the extent to which the gas supply system 

in natural gas vehicles will tolerate oil entrained in the compressed natural gas (CNG). This article discusses 

the results. The tests have shown that the potential level of oil ingress from a CNG filling station will not normally 

cause any problems during driving operation, provided that the compressor is operated within its design 

parameters and wear and maintenance levels are acceptable. Under the test conditions, which had been 

adapted to operating conditions on the road, about 90 per cent of the added oil burned almost completely 

inside the engine. About 10 per cent of the oil collected on supply system components as a liquid without, however, 

forming any solid or wax-like deposits that could cause malfunctioning. 

The tests carried out as part of the EU's "InGAS" project were also aimed at defining a realistic and meaningful 

limit for compressor oil levels in natural gas used as a vehicle fuel for a national or international standard. Given 

the findings of the tests, it is proposed to define a maximum content which is above the level normally found 

during measurements at CNG filling stations but below the level selected for these tests. 

This level could be 40-50 mg oil /kg natural gas . 


The use of natural gas as a motor vehicle fuel is becoming 

increasingly important. This positive development is 

chiefly due to the more and more attractive range of 

vehicles available and the continuous development of 

filling station infrastructure. In Germany, some 900 filling 

stations were available for the 90,000 or so natural gas 

vehicles on the roads at the beginning of 2011 (Figure 1). 

Compressors to raise the pressure of natural gas from 

the public grid to about 200 bar are the central components 

of natural gas filling stations. About 15% of the 

compressors used are dry-running or oil-free reciprocating 

compressors. Most of the compressors are oil-lubricated 

crosshead and shaft piston units or hydraulic-powered 

linear compressors. With these units, a slight entrainment 

of oil into the compressed natural gas and on to the 

vehicle is unavoidable. It is suspected that this oil forms 

deposits on the gas system of CNG vehicles, especially on 

the injectors, and may cause malfunctions. However, 

experience shows that problems with oil in the gas sys- 

tem rarely occur and are not to be expected if the filling 

station functions correctly and is properly maintained. To 

date, no information is available on the acceptable concentration 

of oil in CNG used as a vehicle fuel [1]. 

As a result of the lack of background information, 

there are also no specific regulations concerning admissible 

oil concentrations in CNG. Some standards do give 

recommendations (e.g. 70 – 200 mg/kg in ISO / TR 

15403-2 or 10 – 80 mg/kg in SAE J 1616) [2, 3, 4, 5]. DIN 

51624, the German standard for natural gas as motor fuel 

which has been in force since 2009, also foresees the possibility 

of a limit for compressor oil and particulate matter 

concentrations, but limits have not yet been laid down. In 

the current version of the standard, there is only a note to 

the effect that oil residues and particulate foreign matter 

in natural gas may lead to malfunctions in vehicle operation 

and that the entrainment of such substances into the 

natural gas must be minimized [1]. A specific limit is to be 

included in the existing standard as soon as a suitable 

measurement method is available for determining contaminant 

concentrations. The studies described in this 



Reports 

Figure 1. Development in numbers of natural gas vehicles 

and filling stations in Germany. 

Figure 2. Theoretical maximum oil vapour content in 

compressed methane at various pressures and 

temperatures(1 ppm wt = 1 mg oil / kg natural gas ). 

article are intended to contribute to the selection of a 

realistic and meaningful limit for inclusion in the standard. 

The tests carried out by E.ON Ruhrgas AG in Altenessen 

received support as part of the European Union 

InGAS (Integrated Gas Powertrain) project within programme 

FP7. 

2. Entrainment of compressor oil 

at natural gas filling stations 

Compressor oil entrained into natural gas at filling stations 

may theoretically be present in three different forms 

– as an aerosol (i.e. fine droplets distributed in the gas), as 

a vapour or as a substance dissolved in the gas (at very 

high pressures). The quantity of oil dissolved in natural 

gas depends on a number of factors including the gas 

type, pressure and temperature as well as the type of oil 

concerned. 

The droplet size and dwell time at a specific pressure 

also play a certain role [6].. Depending on the pressure 

and temperature, droplets may evaporate or dissolve in 

the natural gas. If the pressure is reduced, oil vapour may 

also condense (retrograde condensation). This means 

that the oil dissolved in the natural gas may return either 

in whole or in part to the liquid state during pressure 

reduction in the pressure regulator installed on the vehicle. 

Only these liquid oil fractions could cause malfunctions 

of the pressure regulator or injectors of CNG vehicles 

in the long term. 

To date, compressor oil concentrations of between 

5 mg oil / kg natural gas and about 50 mg oil / kg natural gas have 

been discussed as possible maximum limits. Figure 2 

shows theoretical maximum oil concentrations in methane 

at different pressures and temperatures [7]. The diagram 

indicates the maximum quantity of oil vapour and 

dissolved oil. 

During the compression process at a natural gas filling 

station, the densities and temperatures (above 100°C in 

some cases) are sufficiently high, on the basis of the diagram 

in Figure 2, to allow a theoretical absorption capacity 

many times in excess of the possible limits which have 

been discussed. However, recent measurements have 

shown that the values obtained in practice are considerably 

lower than these theoretical maxima. The overall oil 

concentrations measured in practice are normally 

between 2 and 40 mg oil / kg natural gas . Higher values (up to 

60 mg/kg) were only measured in exceptional cases. 

These higher values were chiefly due to technical problems 

with compressor operation (excessive wear, component 

failure) which can be avoided by regular maintenance 

[8, 9, 10]. 

3. Possibilities of reducing oil 

concentration 

Oil-lubricated high-pressure compressors feature as 

standard equipment intermediate and discharge separators 

which can remove larger droplets from the flowing 

gas. These are mainly centrifugal separators based on the 

inertia effect or separators with filter media or wire mesh. 

Increasingly, natural gas filling stations are also equipped 

with coalescers for the effective removal of very fine aerosols. 

However, these filters cannot remove oil dissolved in 

the natural gas [6]. 

Dissolved oil can only be removed by adsorption 

using activated carbon or molecular sieves. However, fil- 


Reports 


ters of this type require frequent maintenance and are 

very sensitive to pressure changes. A good alternative to 

these filters may be the use of synthetic compressor oils, 

as they remain largely insoluble even in highly-compressed 

supercritical natural gas. For example, oils based 

on polyalkylene glycol do not cause any problems in this 

respect. Such oils are increasingly being used at natural 

gas filling stations. However, no information on the 

behaviour of synthetic oils in vehicles in comparison to 

mineral oils is available as yet. 

It may also be possible to reduce the oil content of 

CNG using oil filters on the vehicles themselves. Both 

high-pressure and low-pressure filters are available and 

have already been used successfully. The systems can be 

designed for service lives in excess of 100,000 km. However, 

manufacturers prefer to avoid the use of such filters 

because of the space required. 

4. Test systems and tests 

An engine test bed at E.ON Ruhrgas was appropriately 

prepared for the tests. The test engine was a Daimler 

type M271 NGT unit from the Mercedes-Benz E 200 NGT 

natural gas vehicle. 

4.1 Test bed and test engine 

Figure 3 shows the test bed with the test engine fully 

installed. Natural gas for the engine was taken from the 

public gas grid. The inlet pressure required was set at the 

central compressor and pressure regulating station of the 

facility. The subsequent conditioning of the natural gas 

was carried out directly on the test rig using standard 

components from the vehicle. Initially, the gas was 

depressurized to the maximum injection pressure of 8 

bar using a two-stage water-heated pressure regulator. 

The gas quantity required for each cylinder was fed via 

injectors installed on a gas distributor. 

For the tests, the test rig was equipped with a special 

dosing unit to simulate oil entrainment from the filling 

station. The oil was injected upstream from the pressure 

regulator (the vehicle gas tank was not included in the 

gas supply system). In order to ensure defined test conditions 

with respect to oil concentration at all times, an oil 

filter was installed upstream from the injection point to 

fully remove any oil residue entrained from the upstream 

piping. 

4.2 Compressor oil dosing system 

Figure 3. Engine test rig with Daimler M271 NGT 

engine. 

The dosing system used was developed especially for the 

tests and is derived from a natural gas odorization system. 

Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the design 

of the dosing system and the installation situation on the 

engine test rig. 

The key component of the system is a pump originally 

developed for medical systems and allowing the defined 

injection of very small quantities of oil. The oil is initially 

pumped via a special nozzle to a natural gas bypass line 

and then mixed with the remainder of the flowing gas to 

ensure a homogeneous mixture of natural gas and oil. 

Comprehensive preliminary tests were carried out to 

define the control parameters for the dosing unit, the 

design of the system and the location of the injection 

point. The design was optimized to ensure that defined 

oil quantities of 5 – 200 mg oil / kg natural gas could be 

injected. 

4.3 Test programme 

Figure 4. Schematic diagram of oil dosing unit and installation 

situation on engine test rig. 

The test programme started with base measurements 

without oil injection, followed by tests with oil injection 

under various different conditions. 

The purpose of the base measurements was to document 

the initial condition of the engine without any oil 

impact and to remove any residual oil quantities which 



Reports 

Test conditions 

Unit 

Test series 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

Typ of Test series 

Pretest (adjust and tighten the system) x x x 

Regular test series x x x 

Typ of oil 

Synthetic Oil x x x x 

Mineral Oil x x 

Temperature conditions 

Heated gas pressure regulator x x x x x 

Gastemperature behind pressure regulator °C 40-50 25-30 

Metered amount of oil mg/kg 5-200 5-200 87 87 87 87 

Test time 1) h 20 50 90 202 207 203 

Table 1. 

Overview of test 

series. 

1 

Engine operating hours 

may have remained in the gas system following the preliminary 

tests. During the base measurements, performance 

and consumption data as well as operating 

parameters such as injection times were recorded at 

defined operating points. Deviations from the reference 

values were to be assessed as indicators of possible functional 

impairments caused by deposits. 

General test conditions 

The test procedure was intended to allow short tests at 

the same time as ensuring a sufficiently realistic simulation 

of actual operating conditions. For this reason, the 

engine was operated only during normal working hours. 

Load and engine speed were continually varied. The key 

operating points used were between 25% and 100% of 

full load. The individual tests series were continued for 

200 operating hours. Taking into account the operating 

points used, this corresponds to a distance travelled of 

about 15,000 km. Following the completion of each test 

series, the gas supply system was completely dismantled 

and inspected. After the relevant components had been 

photographed, the oil on the components was collected 

in a measuring beaker and the precise quantity was 

determined. 

The oil quantity injected was deliberately set to a very 

high value of 87 mg oil / kg natural gas or 70 mg/m 3 to obtain 

a well-founded indication of the maximum acceptable oil 

concentration. 

Description of the compressor oils used for the tests 

Initially, a synthetic oil was tested. The key physical and 

chemical properties of the oil are listed below: 

Designation: Shell Anderol 555 

■ Flash point (DIN ISO 2592): 290 °C 

■ Pour point (DIN ISO 3016): -53 °C 

■ Vapour pressure (20 °C): 

0.001 hPa 

■ Density (15 °C): 

960 kg/m3 

■ Kinematic viscosity (40 °C): 80 mm2/s 

For the second test series, a mineral oil with the following 

properties was used: 

Designation: 

Shell Corena P100 

■ Flash point (DIN ISO 2592): 240 °C 

■ Pour point (DIN ISO 3016): -33 °C 

■ Vapour pressure (20 °C): 

0.001 hPa 

■ Density (15 °C): 

899 kg/m3 

■ Kinematic viscosity (40 °C): 100 mm2/s 

Test series 1 and 2 were carried out with a heated pressure 

regulator. As in normal vehicle operation, the pressure 

regulator was heated by the cooling water of the 

engine. The cooling water temperature was normally 

between 80 and 90°C. After the engine had warmed up, 

the gas temperature during the measurement series 

upstream from the gas distributor was between 40 and 

50°C depending on the operating point concerned. 

The objective of the third test series was to investigate 

the behaviour of mineral oil at lower oil and gas temperatures. 

To simulate the temperatures required, the pressure 

regulator was operated without heating. During this test 

series, the gas temperature was between 25 and 35°C. 

Apart from the gas temperature, the other test conditions 

remained unchanged compared with test series 1 and 2. 


Reports 


The test conditions for the various test series are summarized 

in Table 1. 

5. Results 

Figure 5. Gas distributor with screwed bushings for injectors (cyl. 3 

and 4) after 200 operating hours with mineral oil. 

Figure 6. Gas injectors 

after 200 

operating hours 

with synthetic 

oil. 

Figure 7 . Gas pressure regulator (dismantled) after 200 operating 

hours with mineral oil without pressure regulator heating. 

The main result of the tests was that, even at the very 

high oil concentration of 87 mg oil / kg natural gas used, 

there was no significant accumulation of oil in the gas 

supply system. This applies both to synthetic oil and to 

mineral oil. Most of the oil entrained (90% in the case of 

the tests with heated pressure regulator) is combusted in 

the engine. 

In the tests, only liquid oil was found in the gas system. 

No solid or waxy deposits were found on the relevant 

components (pressure regulator, piping and gas 

injectors). Larger oil quantities were identified mainly in 

the gas rail (Figure 5) and in the induction pipe. 

However, the oil residues were mainly concentrated 

on the entry to the second and third injectors in the 

direction of gas flow. The screwed bushings of the other 

injectors were largely oil-free. There were only very slight 

traces of oil on the injectors themselves (Figure 6) and on 

the gas pressure regulator. 

As regards oil accumulations, the behaviour of the 

two oils tested was very similar. Slightly less than 10% of 

the injected mineral oil and slightly more than 10% of the 

synthetic oil was found on the relevant components. 

In contrast, the temperature of the natural gas/oil mixture 

(with the gas pressure regulator heated and not 

heated) had a significant impact on the oil quantity accumulating 

in the gas system. At higher gas temperatures 

(40 to 50 °C), less than 10% of the mineral oil injected was 

found in the gas system, as against more than 20% at 

temperatures of 25 to 35 °C. On the basis of the test 

results, it is not possible to state whether this trend would 

continue at lower gas temperatures (with tank pressures 

of 200 bar, even temperatures below 0°C are possible 

downstream from the pressure regulator as a result of the 

Joule-Thomson effect). However, even if this were the 

case, it would not mean that firmly adhering deposits 

which could lead to operating problems would form. In 

view of the test results, it is probably not to be expected 

that such deposits would form. In the test series without 

heating, non-combusted gas was found not only in the 

gas rail and induction pipe but also in the gas pipe 

between the pressure regulator and the gas distributor. 

Once again, only a slight oil film was visible on the injectors 

and the pressure regulator (Figure 7) 

During the check measurements which were made 

regularly, no significant deviations were detected 

between the current engine values and the reference 

values measured prior to the oil tests. In addition, the 

combustion chambers were inspected following the 



Reports 

completion of the tests. In all cylinders, light brown to 

dark brown deposits which are rather untypical of natural 

gas operation had formed. However, the deposits were 

only very slight and varied from cylinder to cylinder. 

There was a tendency towards significantly more pronounced 

deposits in the first cylinder in the direction of 

gas flow (on the left in Figure 8) than in the other cylinders. 

In other words, more oil was entrained into this 

combustion chamber. 

The condition of the cylinder liners was typical and 

relatively good considering the operating hours of the 

engine. In particular, no grooves caused by deposits were 

visible. (Figure 9) 

Elemental analysis of the deposits was carried out by 

X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. In all the samples, residues 

of the elements calcium, phosphorus and zinc were 

identified in addition to small shares of abraded metal 

(e.g. iron and aluminium). These elements are used in 

additives in many lubricating oils. In addition, a significant 

concentration of magnesium was found in the deposits. 

The characteristic composition of the deposits compared 

with the analyses of the oils used in the tests allows 

the conclusion that the residues observed mainly consisted 

of oil ash. The mineral oil Shell Corena injected into 

the gas flow probably accounted for the greatest share in 

the deposits as Anderol, the synthetic oil tested, does not 

contain additives with any of the metals found in the 

samples. However, the magnesium identified by analysis 

cannot come from either of the oils. The engine oil used, 

Aral Super Tronic G, has been discussed as a possible 

source of magnesium. However, on the basis of the 

chemical analyses carried out, it is not possible to state 

the extent to which the compressor oils tested and the 

engine oil contributed to the deposits. 

6. Conclusions and outlook 

Most of the compressors used at natural gas filling stations 

are oil-lubricated. Slight oil entrainment into the 

compressed gas is therefore unavoidable. However, the 

tests carried out show that the oil concentrations 

expected in CNG in compressor operation without malfunctions 

do not lead to operating problems with natural 

gas vehicles. This assessment is based on a simulated 

distance travelled of about 50,000 km with oil concentrations 

in the CNG about twice as high as the maximum 

levels expected at natural gas filling stations under normal 

operating conditions on the basis of the measurement 

campaigns completed to date. 

In view of the test results, it would not appear beneficial 

to lay down in national (DIN 51624) or international 

standards the extremely low limits of 5 to 10 mg oil/kg 

natural gas which are sometimes called for on the 

Figure 8. Piston crowns following completion of oil tests. 

Figure 9. Cylinder liner of cylinder 2. 

entrainment of compressor oil from natural gas filling stations. 

On the contrary, it is proposed that the oil concentration 

limit should be set at a value higher than the normal 

level of entrainment at filling stations but lower than 

the oil concentration used for the tests. The limit could be 

set at about 40-50 mg oil/kg natural gas. A limit at this 

level would be in accordance with the interests of filling 

station operators, the gas industry and the automobile 

industry, as it would allow economically viable, technically 

feasible operation of filling stations at the same time 

as largely excluding adverse impact on the operation of 

natural gas vehicles. 

The tests carried out provided valuable new information 

for the assessment of the acceptable level of oil 

entrainment from natural gas filling stations. However, in 

view of the complex issues considered, further tests will 

certainly be necessary to clarify the possible impact of a 

number of factors which could not be considered or 

could only be partly considered during the tests. These 


Reports 


include, for example, particles entrained into the natural 

gas in the vehicle which could serve as condensation 

nuclei for the formation of solid residues in the gas system. 

Design factors or flow conditions in the gas system 

could also possibly have an impact on acceptable oil 

concentrations in the CNG. This would need to be taken 

into consideration for the sizing and design of new components 

and for modifications to gas systems. In addition, 

further tests will be needed to verify the effect of gas and 

oil temperature on acceptable oil concentrations in CNG 

or to minimize the quantity of oil accumulating in the gas 

system by influencing the temperature conditions. 

Finally, it should be noted that effective possibilities 

are now available to limit oil entrainment from natural gas 

filling stations and that these possibilities are being used. 

The tests carried out gave no indication that the CNG 

dispensed at natural gas filling stations under normal 

operating conditions can cause operating problems for 

natural gas vehicles. 

■ 

[8] Forster, R.: Verfahrenstechnische Aspekte zum 

störungsfreien Betrieb von Erdgastankstellen. 

gwf Gas/Erdgas 149 (2008) 2, p. 100-105 

[9] Wember, G.; Forster, R.; Schollmeyer, H.-J.: Qualitätsanforderungen 

an Erdgas als Kraftstoff. gwf 

Gas/Erdgas 148 (2007) 2 

[10] Wember, G. et al.: Umsetzung der neuen Qualitätsanforderungen 

für Erdgas als Kraftstoff 

nach der 10. BImSchV. gwf Gas/Erdgas 150 

(2009), H. 7-8, p. 376-381 

References 

[1] DIN 51624: Kraftstoffe für Kraftfahrzeuge – 

Erdgas – Anforderungen und Prüfverfahren 

(Automotive fuels - Compressed natural gas - 

Requirements and test methods )2008 (02) 

[2] ISO 13686: 1996(E) Natural Gas – 

Quality Designation 

[3] ISO 15403-1: 2006 - Part 1: Designation of the 

Quality 

[4] ISO 15403-2: 2006 - Part 2: Specification of the 

Quality 

[5] Report of Swedish Gas Centre: Oil in Vehicle Gas 

– Regulatory Frameworks, 

Test Methods and Filters, 2007 

[6] Baumann, H., Braun, F.: Erdgastankstellen: 

Öleintrag ins komprimierte Erdgas gewinnt 

zunehmend Beachtung. Energie | wasser-praxis 

57 (2006) 12, p. 2-4 

[7] GRI-Report GRI-95/0483: NGV Fuelling Station 

Compressors Oil Carryover 

Measurement and Control, 1996 

Authors 

Dipl.-Ing. Hans-Jürgen Schollmeyer 



Phone: +49 201 184 8694 

E-mail: hans-juergen.schollmeyer@eon-ruhrgas.com 

Dr. Manfred Hoppe 



Phone: +49 201 184 8589 

E-mail: manfred.hoppe@eon-ruhrgas.com 


Compressor mix 

Reports 

Compressor operating at 

underground gas storages 

Safeguarding against pulsations and vibrations of centrifugal and 

reciprocating compressors operating in parallel 

by Jan Steinhausen 

The current development of new construction and revamping of underground natural gas storages shows that 

reciprocating and centrifugal compressors are used for combined operation more frequently. As a part of engineering, 

exceeding gas pulsations and resulting piping vibrations should be avoided by theoretical computations. 

This paper gives an overview about the procedure when both compressor types are combined. Usually, a 

different approach is used for each type. The specific aspects due to the common operation of reciprocating 

and centrifugal compressor are discussed here. 

Because of the situation on the gas market, the technical 

demands on the equipment for the operation of natural 

gas storage facilities have increased in the last years. High 

flexibility is required, especially regarding the amount of 

natural gas to be stored and withdrawn (thus volume 

flow) at different pressure ratios. In the recent years, it can 

be observed that the concept of reciprocating and turbo 

compressors operating in parallel is being pursued more 

often, when new storage facilities are constructed 

(see Figure 1) or existing ones are extended and/or 

revamped. It is a well known fact that reciprocating compressors 

can sometimes cause significant gas pulsations 

in the connected piping. But what are the possible consequences 

of these for a turbo compressor that is operated 

at the same time? 

A so-called “pulsation study” is often performed for 

new facilities with reciprocating compressors. Using theoretical 

models, the expected pulsation level due to the 

oscillating compressor is predicted. Being performed 

during the planning phase, the aim of the pulsation study 

is to avoid high gas pulsations and accordingly mechanical 

vibrations of the piping caused by pulsations. At the 

heart of the study is the acoustic modelling of the pulsation 

source itself, i.e. the cylinders of the compressor. 

Based on technical drawings of the reciprocating compressor, 

acoustic models are built for the piston, the cylinder, 

the valves and the gas passages. Subsequently, mod- 

els are made for the piping, the dampers, the coolers, the 

gate valves etc. The API standard 618 (Reciprocating 

Compressors for Petroleum, Chemical and Gas Industry 

Services, API standard 618, 5th edition, 2007) describes 

the way and the extents of pulsation studies and gives 

guidelines for allowable pressure pulsations. Typically, the 

gas pulsations occur at the rotational frequency of the 

compressor (typically 200 rpm up to 1,000 rpm) and multiples 

of this (the higher harmonics). 

The situation is different for studies for turbo compressors. 

The compressor’s rotational frequency and 

blade passage frequency (rotational frequency x number 

of blades) does not play an important role in the occurrence 

of piping vibrations. Firstly, the excitation frequency 

range lies distinctly higher, with rotational speeds 

between 6,000 rpm and 15,000 rpm. Secondly, because 

of the different mode of operation of the turbo compressor, 

the pulsation amplitudes are small compared to 

those caused by a reciprocating compressor. During normal 

operation of turbo compressor facilities, undesired 

pressure pulsations in the piping are primarily caused by 

flow induced excitation. They are mainly caused by vortex 

shedding at T-joints, where a non-flown through side 

branch is “whistled”. The vortex shedding frequency 

depends on the geometry and – among others – on the 

flow velocity. When the frequency of the vortex shedding 

is the same as the acoustic natural frequency of the side 


Reports 


branch (coincidence), high gas pulsations can occur 

(acoustic resonances). Especially critical are those acoustic 

resonances that occur close to structural natural frequencies 

of the piping system. 

Summing up, the pulsation studies for both different 

types of machines reciprocating and centrifugal compressors 

follow a different approach. But when in a new 

or in an extended facility both compressor types are 

implemented, it is obvious to connect both approaches. 

Initially, both types of pulsation study are performed 

more or less separately. That means: 1. Investigating the 

gas pulsations caused by the operation of the reciprocating 

compressor and 2. Investigating the flow induced 

excitation that occurs during operation of the turbo compressor. 

For this, the complete piping system on the suction 

and discharge side of the compressor is considered. Thus, 

also the pressure pulsations caused by the reciprocating 

compressors at the connecting flanges of the turbo compressors 

are calculated. For the parallel operation with a 

turbo compressor, whose steady operating point lies 

close to the surge line, these pressure pulsations should 

not exceed this limit. As a conservative approach for an 

allowable pulsation level at such an operating point, the 

margin can be used that exists between operating point 

and surge line for steady operation of the turbo compressor, 

see Figure 2. 

For natural gas storage facilities, which shall be 

extended, it is a fundamental advantage to investigate 

the pulsation and vibration levels of the status quo by 

measurements in the non extended plant before performing 

the calculations. Independent if the extension 

involves a reciprocating or centrifugal compressor. 

Because firstly, measurements can reveal sections with 

critical vibration levels. The second reason is that measurements 

can validate and tune the acoustic modelling 

for the existing facility. With this, reliable statements can 

be made for the extended facility. In the past, the combination 

of measurements and modelling has shown to be 

beneficial especially for older facilities. Uncertainties in 

the modelling due to lacking information of the older 

facility could thus be compensated. 

The structural piping layout close to a turbo compressor 

is often relatively flexible, e.g. when the connecting 

pipeline “descends from above” towards the compressor. 

Such a pipeline section is relatively susceptible for excitation 

by pressure pulsations from a parallel operating 

reciprocating compressor. Therefore, these sections are 

generally examined more closely in the structuralmechanical 

calculations of a pulsation study. For the 

assessment of vibrations due to gas pulsations, the acoustic 

forces at e.g. bends and T-joints, which are calculated 

in the acoustic study, are used as excitation (input) for the 

structural mechanical model, see Figure 3. 

Figure 1. Construction of a new natural gas storage facility. 

Figure 2. Performance map of a turbo compressor with 

an operating point close to the surge line – 

Example of assigning allowable pressure and 

volume flow pulsations. 

Figure 3. Structural-mechanical model (FEM) of a 

piping system near a turbo compressor – the 

arrows indicate the exciting gas pulsation 

forces. 



Reports 

In case the structural mechanical calculations show that 

the allowable guidelines (for vibration velocity, vibration 

displacement or the dynamic part of the stresses in the 

material) are exceeded, the guidance of the piping can 

be modified, e.g. by adding a support or by increasing 

the stiffness of an already existing support etc. 

The experience with pressure pulsation and piping 

vibration measurements after start-up of natural gas storage 

facilities shows that the parallel operation of reciprocating 

and turbo compressors can be in principle trouble-free 

(from the vibration-technical point of view). 

However, it remains recommendable to carry out a pulsation 

study during the planning phase, which is adapted 

to the requirements for both machine types and if necessary 

to carry out measurements upfront. 

■ 

Author 

Dr.-Ing. Jan Steinhausen 

KÖTTER Consulting Engineers GmbH & Co. KG 

Rheine | Germany 

Phone: +49 5971 9710-64 

E-mail: jan.steinhausen@koetter-consulting.com 

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Associations 

Cedigaz anticipates a new dynamics in the 

global gas industry 

The latest annual survey of the global gas industry, 

2011’s Natural Gas in the World published by the international 

association CEDIGAZ in December, provides a 

detailed description of the recent evolution in the world’s 

gas markets. The study focuses on the new dynamics in 

the global gas industry and emerging regional gas market 

patterns. 

CEDIGAZ’s survey, which predicts a 3% growth in 

world gas production in 2011, confirms the overall longterm 

upward trend in gas expansion worldwide. But this 

overall situation masks highly contrasting regional developments. 

World gas supply adapts to the dynamism of 

some markets (Asia in particular) and to the economic 

and climatic conditions of others, such as Europe, where 

consumption is down an estimated 9% in 2011. 

In the short term, rapid growth is forecast in gas 

demand and an even faster expansion is expected in 

international trade. Moreover, both longstanding and 

new factors favour growth in production. The continued 

expansion and concentration of conventional reserves in 

the CIS and the Middle East has enabled these two 

regions to reinforce their role in world gas supply. The 

development of unconventional gas has been accelerating, 

while conversely production of conventional gas has 

seen a deeper decline in many mature basins in the 

world. 

World gas markets are increasingly driven by China 

and the Middle East. According to CEDIGAZ, China will 

double its current level of consumption by 2015. 

Spurred by new technological and commercial 

opportunities, the LNG industry has entered a new 

growth phase in recent 

years. It is projected that 

26 new liquefaction 

projects will increase 

global capacity by 60% 

by 2020. The world LNG 

trade is poised for rapid 

expansion in the short 

term, and is estimated to have climbed by 10% in 2011, 

partly due to the electricity shortages in Japan following 

the Fukushima accident. As a result, the LNG glut has 

been dissipated. 

Finally, the growth of the Asian market and the unconventional 

gas boom in North America point to the maintenance 

of large regional price differentials, encouraging 

LNG export projects in the US and Canada, will account 

for a limited 4% share of the global LNG trade by 2020. 

CEDIGAZ is an association dedicated to natural gas 

information, created in 1961 by gas companies and the 

Institut Français du Pétrole (IFPEN). It is based near Paris. 

Over the past decade, CEDIGAZ has been publishing a 

number of specific reports covering various aspects of 

the gas industry, focusing either on world-wide developments 

(LNG trade, underground natural gas storage facilities, 

planned gas pipelines, gas use in power generation, 

natural gas and deregulation) or regional areas (European 

gas trade by pipelines, European gas market players). 

Contact: 

www.cedigaz.org, info@cedigaz.org 

ENTSOG submits first network 

code to ACER 

The European Network of Transmission System Operators 

for Gas (ENTSOG) will today submit its network 

code on Capacity Allocation Mechanisms (CAM) to the 

Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER), 

at an event in Brussels which will be attended by Energy 

Commissioner Günther Oettinger, ACER Director Alberto 

Pototschnig and ENTSOG President Stephan Kamphues. 

This code, the first to be produced under the process 

set out in the Third Package of energy legislation, will 

help to define the manner in which system users gain 

access to the European gas grid, so as to develop a single 

European gas market. 

The code sets out rules in a number of key areas, 

including the design of harmonised auctions for capacity 

products of various durations, the bundling of cross-border 

capacity, the development of booking platforms, and 

the alignment of interruptible capacity. It also includes 

some interim tariff provisions, which are necessary in 


Associations 

order to enable auctions to be implemented before a 

new European tariff framework is developed. 

The network code development process has been 

notable for the high level of participation from all areas of 

the industry. Feedback from stakeholders through consultations 

and workshops has been used to refine and 

improve on the draft network code, published in June 

2011, which was itself the product of extensive stakeholder 

debate. 

Stephan Kamphues, ENTSOG President, said, “ENTSOG 

is delighted to present the CAM network code to ACER 

today. The close co-operation between ENTSOG, EC, 

ACER and market participants during the code development 

process has helped to produce a strong document 

which we believe will make a significant contribution to 

the functioning of the internal market in gas”. 

ACER will now have three months to provide an opinion 

to ENTSOG on whether the network code is in line 

with the Framework Guideline on CAM, following which 

the network code will be sent to the EC and will enter the 

comitology process. ENTSOG looks forward to continuing 

its productive co-operation with ACER, the EC and market 

players over the coming months. 

TSOs from the BEMIP region adopt their Gas Regional 

Investment Plan 2012-2021 

In line with European Regulation EC/715/2009 (Article 

12), Gas Transmission System Operators (TSOs) will have 

to publish a Gas Regional Investment Plan every two 

years. To comply with this obligation TSOs from the Baltic 

Energy Market Interconnection Plan (BEMIP) region developed 

their first Gas Regional Investment Plan (BEMIP 

GRIP). The aim of this Plan is to provide a regional gas 

market and infrastructure outlook and present the analysis 

of challenges and barriers that hamper the infrastructure 

development in the Baltic Sea Region. The BEMIP 

GRIP 2012-2021 can be regarded as a pilot version. The 

Baltic TSOs would like to warmly encourage all interested 

stakeholders to participate in the public consultation. The 

TSOs will appreciate all feedback, opinions and comments 

that will help to further improve following editions 

of BEMIP GRIP, as well as to adjust it both to market needs 

and challenges, which the BEMIP region is going to face 

in the future. 

LNG Terminal operators launch the implementation 

of a new transparency tool 

Following the CEER recommendation to facilitate the 

access to information to potential users, LNG Terminal 

operators agreed with CEER to launch the implementation 

of a new transparency tool: “The GLE Transparency 

Template” 

In accordance with the provisions of the 3rd Energy 

Package, and in particular the ones of the Regulation 

(EC) No 715/2009, LNG Terminal Operators are currently 

publishing the right level of information on their 

websites. However, for promoting the access to any 

European LNG terminal, regulators proposed GLE to 

develop a common facilitating tool that would make the 

already existing information even more accessible to the 

market. 

LNG plays different roles in different countries, and 

access conditions may significantly differ among LNG 

terminals. Therefore one main challenge for GLE was to 

develop a harmonised transparency tool respecting the 

diversity of business models and regulatory regimes 

that fits for all LSOs. Intensive work was carried out in 

close cooperation between GLE members and CEER to 

achieve this goal. 

GLE members committed on a voluntarily basis to 

implement the common template into their existing 

websites for the benefit of the markets participants by 

summer 2012. In the meantime, some GLE members 

already started with an early implementation of the 

template. 

A list of links providing direct access to the Transparency 

Templates in the websites of the GLE members will 

be available at: 

http://www.gie.eu/GLE-Transparency-Template 


Products & Services 

AERIUS microthermal gas meter 

Unbenannt-2 1 03.04.2012 13:22:12 

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The microthermal gas meter operates as follows: A 

CMOS semiconductor sensor is positioned in a bypass 


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Now with MID approval

Products & Services 

construction. The sensor is based on a microthermal 

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has a large measuring range. The pressure loss is low. Its 

noise-free operation and compact size make it the ideal 

household gas meter. AERIUS can distinguish between 

natural gas and air, which means it is able to detect tampering 

or faults. Its freely configurable register and various 

measuring modes allow the gas meter to be adapted 

to individual requirements. The well-arranged display, 

easy-to-use functions, useful visualization facilities, IRDA 

interface and clear design make the meter user- friendly. 

Using its standard interfaces, the gas meter can be 

integrated into many AMR networks available on the 

market – whether over radio, M-Bus or power line. The 

Open Metering Specification ensures compatibility with 

equipment from other manufacturers. The communication 

interfaces are optimized to national and international 

standards and open up all applications for automatic 

meter reading (AMR) and Smart Metering. 

Contact: 

Diehl Gas Metering GmbH 

Phone: +49 0 981 1806-300 

Fax: +49 0 981 1806-325 

E-mail: info@diehl-gas-metering.de 

GT13E2 gas turbine upgrade 

The GT13E2 gas turbine is Alstom’s offering in the E-class 

gas turbine market. The turbine was originally launched 

in 1993 and is a leader in its class, offering flexibility and reliability. 

More than 150 turbines have been installed worldwide 

representing a total generation capacity of over 32 

GW. The gas turbine has recorded over seven million operating 

hours and has been used in various configurations 

and industrial applications globally. 

Alstom registered a strong order intake for the GT13E2 

gas turbines in 2011, recording one of the highest engine 

sales in a single year, since the product’s launch in the 

90’s. Sales during the year included eight engines sold in 

Russia alone, making it the highest selling engine in this 

segment in Russia. In 2011 the company has secured 

more than 50% of the Russian mid-sized gas turbine market. 

An additional six gas turbines were ordered for projects 

in Bangladesh, Nigeria and Iraq. 

The upgraded GT13E2 turbine now offers over 200 

MW power, an additional 10% electricity when compared 

to the earlier rating. The higher output is offered at an 

increased efficiency of 38%. 

Every major area of the engine’s performance has 

been enhanced in this upgrade. It has been designed by 

using compressor technology from Alstom’s advanced 

class gas turbines, a development that allows it to deliver 

the additional output. The engine also offers enhanced 

environmental benefits by lowering carbon dioxide emissions 

and lowering water consumption by as much as 60% 

when burning oil. 

Contact: 

Alstom Power, Sapna Lalwani, 

Phone: +41 0 56 556 33 42 

E-mail: sapna.lalwani@power.alstom.com 


uyer’s guide 

A close-up view of the 

international gas business 

Gas transmission and distribution 

Gas-pressure control and gas 

measurement 

Gas quality and gas use 

Gas suppliers 

Trade and information technology 

DVGW-certified companies 

Please contact 

Claudia Fuchs 

Phone: +49 89 45051-277 

Fax: +49 89 45051-207 

e-mail: fuchs@oiv.de 

Oldenbourg Industrieverlag Munich 

www.gas-for-energy.com

2012 


Buyers Guide 

Pipe penetrations 

Pipelines and pipeline accessories 

Pipeline services 

Fittings and accessories 

Fittings 

Fitting services 


Active corrosion protection 

May 2012 

156 76 gas for energy Issue 2/2012 

gas for energy


2012 

Active corrosion protection 


Buyers Guide 

Passive corrosion protection 

Issue 2/2012 gas for 

May 

energy 

2012 

gas for energy 157 77

2012 

Gas-pressure control and Gas measurement 

Buyers Guide 

Gas-measuring equipment 

Gas quality and Gas use 

Gas preparation 

Gas storage, LNG 

Filtration 

Gas compression 

Odorisation control 

May 2012 



Gas storaGe tank 

2012 

Accessories 

Buyers Guide 

tradinG and information technoloGy 

Telecontrol 

please contact 

Claudia Fuchs 

Phone +49 89 45051-277 

Fax +49 89 45051-207 

fuchs@oiv.de 

Issue 2/2012 gas for 

May 

energy 

2012 

gas for energy 159 79

2012 

dVGW-certified companies 

Buyers Guide 

Pipe and pipeline engineering 

Filters 

Gas-measuring 

equipment 

Corrosion 

protection 

System 

servicing 

May 2012 



Imprint and INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 

Imprint 


Magazine for Smart Gas Technologies, Infrastructure and Utilisation 

Publication of 

Farecogaz – Association of European 

Manufacturers of Gas Meters, Gas 

Pressure Regulators, Safety Devices 

and Stations 

GERG – Group Europeen de 

Recherches Gazieres 

GIE – Gas Infrastructure Europe 

Marcogaz – Technical Association of 

the European Natural Gas Industry 

Editorial office: 

Managing Editor: Volker Trenkle 

Oldenbourg Industrieverlag GmbH 

Rosenheimer Straße 145 

D-81671 München 

Phone: +49 89 4 50 51-388 

Fax: +49 89 4 50 51-207 

E-mail: trenkle@oiv.de 

Assistance: Elisabeth Terplan 

Phone: +49 89 4 50 51-443 

Fax: +49 89 4 50 51-207 

E-mail: terplan@oiv.de 

Office: Birgit Lenz 

Phone: +49 89 4 50 51-223 

Fax: +49 89 4 50 51-207 

E-mail: lenz@oiv.de 

Publishing House: 

Oldenbourg Industrieverlag GmbH 

Rosenheimer Straße 145 

81671 München, Germany 

Phone: +49 89 4 50 51-0 

Fax: +49 89 4 50 51-207 

Internet: www.gas-for-energy.com 

Head of Division: Stephan Schalm 

Managing Directors: 

Carsten Augsburger, 

Jürgen Franke 

Advertising: 

Responsible: Helga Pelzer 

Phone: +49 201 8 20 02-35 

E-mail: h.pelzer@vulkan-verlag.de 

Advertising Sales: Claudia Fuchs 

Phone: +49 89 4 50 51-277 

Fax: +49 89 4 50 51-207 

E-mail: fuchs@oiv.de 

Advertising Administration: 

Eva Feil 

Phone: +49 89 4 50 51-316 

Fax: +49 89 4 50 51-207 

E-mail: feil@oiv.de 

Rates: 

gas for energy is published three 

times a year. 

• Subscription printed magazine 

inside Germany: € 149,– 

(€ 140,– + € 9,– shipping) 

• Subscription printed magazine 

outside Germany: € 150,50 

(€ 140,– + € 10,50,– shipping) 

• Subscription e-paper magazine: 

€ 140,– 

As a subscriber of the periodical 

gwf Gas | Erdgas, or as a member of 

Farecogaz, GERG, GIE or Marcogaz, 

gas for energy is being delivered at a 

prize of € 112,- (e-paper) or at a price 

of € 112,– plus shipping (print). 

Subscriptions/Single Copy Sales: 

Readers’ Service gas for energy, 

Franz-Horn-Str. 2, 97082 Würzburg, 

Germany, e-mail: leserservice@oiv.de 

The magazine and all the contributions 

and illustrations contained 

therein are secured by copyright. With 

the exception of the legally permitted 

instances, any utilisation without the 

express permission of the publisher 

will be punished at law. The opinions 

contained in signed articles do not 

necessarily reflect the opinion of the 

publisher. 

Printed by 

Druckerei Chmielorz GmbH 

Ostring 13 

65205 Wiesbaden-Nordenstadt 

Germany 

© 2012 Oldenbourg Industrieverlag 

GmbH, München 

Printed in Germany 

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 

Company 

Page 

Diehl Gas Metering GmbH, Ansbach 73 

DVGW e.V., Bonn 55 

Ing.Büro Fischer-Uhrig, Berlin 11 

GEOMAGIC GmbH, Leipzig 11 

HAUG Kompressoren AG, St. Gallen, Schweiz 

Cover 

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, Düsseldorf 

4. Back cover 

Schütz Messtechnik GmbH, Lahr 13 

The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago 23 

Buyers Guide 75 – 80 


NEFTEGAZ 

25–29 June 2012 

14th International Trade Fair 

Equipment and Technologies 

for the Oil and Gas Industries 

Krasnaya Presnya 

Moscow, Russia 

www.neftegaz-online.com 

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH 

P.O. Box 10 10 06 

40001 Düsseldorf 

Germany 

Phone +49/211/45 60-77 00 

Fax +49/211/45 60-77 40 

WiechertC@messe-duesseldorf.de 

www.messe-duesseldorf.de

gas for energy Power to Gas (Vorschau)

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