Industry Insights Program

The natural gas industry is relying more and more on mobile devices and smart sensors to manage its system. As it also moves increasingly to Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, such as low-power Bluetooth sensors, the network becomes increasingly sensitive to cyber-security issues.

This session explores the developing technologies making the network more prone to security issues and the tools being developed to secure it. Key topics will be:

• application of IoT devices to operations and maintenance
• development of security software applications
• advantages and limitations to remote monitoring
• data storage of customer data

In spite of some similarities between gas production activities and underground gas storage (UGS) there are fundamental differences. Therefore, UGS equipment should be under precise control and evaluation of its technical condition to maintain it in safe and reliable mode.

This session will cover:

• Integrity management of UGS assets
• Quantitative risk assessment (QRA)
• UGS tightness monitoring
• Case studies of major incidents
• Reduction of emissions and environmental footprint

All over the world several large gas transportation pipeline projects have been executed to fulfil an increased demand for and secure supply of natural gas. In some countries, gas infrastructure developments are new experiences. Many of these projects are facing challenges ranging from harsh environments to public and other stakeholder engagements.

This session will look at challenging pipeline projects, with a particular focus on:

• New trends in transmission pipelines
• New direction of flow
• New gases in traditional pipelines
• Environmental review processes

This session will look at the DSO's activities promoting, developing and facilitating the maintenance and expansion of the market for natural gas. Key topics to explore will be:

• DSO-customer interaction for maintaining existing customers and encouraging new attachments
• New technologies and techniques for expanding the infrastructure and attaching new customers
• Strategies for expanding the availability of natural gas "beyond the mains" to isolated areas or orphaned industrial or power plants

This session will focus on the integration of green gases in the gas distribution system. It will include case studies and innovative approaches for the deployment and facilitation of green gas in a gas distribution system.

This session will focus on key insights based on the IGU Storage Committee report.

This session will look at operational excellence (OE) as a strategy and goal of the distribution companies to fulfill customer (and society) expectations. The OE will be considered from the following points of view: safety management systems including system integrity, safety of personnel and customer safety; improvement of customer experience; optimization of training and competence assessment of personnel with special focus on Blue Collars as field work force and certification of distribution companies as a way to achieve OE.

This session will look at the storage market and the conventional and unconventional value of UGS. Today, UGS can provide the global energy market with some new services: back-up of renewable sources of energy (solar, wind, geothermal); back-up of electric grids; price hedging in gas trade operations; storage of unconventional gases and development of so called “Energy storage” system.

Cost-effective operation and maintenance of gas transmission systems/pipelines, compressor substations, transfer points with metering, is an essential precondition to consolidate the position of natural gas in the global energy mix, as well as to further development of the global market of natural gas. Key elements in this regard include identification and reduction of losses, gas balancing and adopting an Asset Management approach.

This session will cover:

• Case studies demonstrating effective operations through optimized and automated solutions for transmission systems
• Digitalized solutions for improvement of asset performance
• Improved methodologies for risk assessment on transmission systems
• Value creation through asset management

Distribution System Operators (DSO) typically rely on a range of standards in order to embed good practice within their businesses. A mix of methodologies like Six Sigma, Lean and Agile is available to increase efficiency and improve the outcome of processes like design, build and operate. This session will offer the opportunity to learn from the experiences of your colleagues.