K
Kathleen Martin
Guest
Virginia Natural Gas (VNG) is set to become the first natural gas utility in the state to deploy Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for the inspection of gas pipelines. Self-dispatched Mavic 2 Pro drone will fly across Hampton Roads, northern James and New Kent Counties for the inspection of critical infrastructure and over 5,500 miles of gas pipeline. VNG will also initiate a pilot program for its sister companies in Illinois, Georgia and Tennessee that all fall under VNG’s parent company, Southern Company Gas (SCG). This new project builds on a program established in 2015 by SCG parent Southern Company.
“Southern Company, and now Virginia Natural Gas, is leading the energy industry in deploying state-of-the-art drone operation technology and elevating their processes,” said Dean Barefield, Unmanned Aerial Services program manager at Southern Company. “We see parallels between our electric and gas utilities and the ability to integrate that technology. The addition of drones to the day-to-day operations at VNG will offer a cost-effective platform for pipeline inspection while increasing efficiency and safety due to their availability, range and ease of operation.”
Previous methods of pipeline inspection have been less efficient, and at times caused safety concerns due to the surrounding environment. Despite running underground, natural gas pipelines are accessed from above the surface for maintenance and inspection. Obstacles such as vegetation can often make the pipeline difficult to access for workers.
“VNG is always looking at new, innovative ways to help us continue to provide reliable service to our customers,” said Zack Gravely, Asset Protection specialist and one of three new FAA-certified pilots who will be operating the drones. “Drones are ideally suited for inspecting equipment because they can safely and quickly deliver high-quality photos and videos of our system in a way that can minimize environmental impact and inconvenience for customers along any rights-of-way. This technology will be another tool in our arsenal.”
Continue reading: https://dronelife.com/2022/05/09/virginia-natural-gas-first-in-state-to-deploy-pipeline-inspection-with-drones/
“Southern Company, and now Virginia Natural Gas, is leading the energy industry in deploying state-of-the-art drone operation technology and elevating their processes,” said Dean Barefield, Unmanned Aerial Services program manager at Southern Company. “We see parallels between our electric and gas utilities and the ability to integrate that technology. The addition of drones to the day-to-day operations at VNG will offer a cost-effective platform for pipeline inspection while increasing efficiency and safety due to their availability, range and ease of operation.”
Previous methods of pipeline inspection have been less efficient, and at times caused safety concerns due to the surrounding environment. Despite running underground, natural gas pipelines are accessed from above the surface for maintenance and inspection. Obstacles such as vegetation can often make the pipeline difficult to access for workers.
“VNG is always looking at new, innovative ways to help us continue to provide reliable service to our customers,” said Zack Gravely, Asset Protection specialist and one of three new FAA-certified pilots who will be operating the drones. “Drones are ideally suited for inspecting equipment because they can safely and quickly deliver high-quality photos and videos of our system in a way that can minimize environmental impact and inconvenience for customers along any rights-of-way. This technology will be another tool in our arsenal.”
Continue reading: https://dronelife.com/2022/05/09/virginia-natural-gas-first-in-state-to-deploy-pipeline-inspection-with-drones/
