Launch of the 2020 Open Innovation Factory!

How to manage the effects of alternating currents on the GRTgaz network?

Alleviate the effects of alternating currents on buried pipelines, with as many stakeholders as possible involved. The proximity of high voltage structures and metal pipelines is an increasingly frequent occurrence. In some cases, this can generate electromagnetic phenomena, creating a flow of alternating currents that is harmful to the facilities.

How to purify high-pressure synthetic gas?
Make a synthetic gas compliant with GRTgaz specifications, while ensuring that the solution meets purification and anaerobic digestion requirements, using existing or disruptive technology.

GRTgaz promotes and supports the emergence of a future hydrothermal gasification sector that will process liquid biomass waste and residues. We are looking for a solution to purify high-pressure synthetic gases and make them compliant with GRTgaz specifications.

How to enable the detection of overhead pipeline corrosion using “smart” coatings?
Add smart particles to the pipelines’ anti-corrosive coating to help detect faults.

Currently, pipeline faults are detected via meticulous inspection by GRTgaz employees. The solution should improve both the inspection process and the way we manage the corrosion of our pipelines, by reducing their frequency and any potential maintenance operations.

How to detect any gas leaks on the network remotely?
Implement a range of methods to optimise gas leak inspections on the network (quality, reliability, time saving and cost efficiency).

To guarantee the safety of property and people, GRTgaz regularly monitors all 32,500 km of its network to identify risk situations, in particular those linked to third-party works. A change in the French Decree on multi-fluids on 15 December 2016 obliges GRTgaz to carrying out an annual inspection of its network as of 2021. This involves inspecting the whole of its network every 4 years (i.e. 8,000 km per year).

How to make simulated safety exercises for our gas facilities more realistic?
Increase our employees’ involvement in simulation exercises and raise awareness about the effects and responses required in a crises. Strengthen our collaborations with external service providers during these exercises.

Every year, our agents carry out safety exercises to test the organisation in place to deal with crisis situations in our compressor stations. An ongoing problem shared by all those involved in these simulation exercises is to make the planned scenarios seem “real”, in particular for simulations involving fire, noise and the effects of heat.

How to foresee any potential movements in the pipelines when performing cuts during connection operations?
Understand the pipe’s mechanical constraints in order to predict their effects and to adjust or limit the methods needed for connection.

During connection operations on mechanically constrained structures, pipelines can sometimes move, leading to a fault in their alignment with the cuts. As things stand, these movements cannot be anticipated prior to cutting.