Technological innovation and research
Through its subsidiaries, Snam is involved in some particularly interesting and innovative activities aimed at ensuring the increasing reliability in the management of its activities.
Snam is a member of GERG (European Gas Research Group, www.gerg.info, through which it can share research and innovation projects and establish synergies with other European transporters and distributors of natural gas. In particular, it is involved in projects for: (i) the evaluation of two methods used at international level for estimating natural gas emissions (the current programme, which also examined real measurements of gas leaks, has been completed, and a new project is being prepared); (ii) the tracing of elemental sulphur in natural gas; (iii) the simulated injection of high hydrogen content into pipelines; and (iv) the software-based calculation of the dew point of natural gas in the presence of certain additional elements.
Snam is also a member of the EPRG (European Pipeline Research Group, www.eprg.net, an association that researches pipeline-related topics and counts Europe’s biggest gas transportation and pipeline manufacturing companies among its members. Within this framework, projects (divided into three broad areas: Design, Materials and Corrosion) are in place to continually improve expertise in managing the integrity of methane pipelines throughout their life cycle. Currently, the projects of key interest for Snam concern: (i) the experimental evaluation of the resistance of curves created using cold bending; (ii) the study of a new model for evaluating the integrity of pipelines subjected to mechanical damage; (iii) the monitoring of the effects on pipes buried in land that is unstable in various ways; (iv) the formulation of criteria for the evaluation of corrosion on circumferential welds; (v) the definition of test procedures for simulating the ageing of external coatings and evaluating their resistance to loss of adhesion.
An energy efficiency study is under way on the application of high-efficiency cogeneration systems (CAR) in compression stations, with a view to reducing electricity costs and increasing the overall energy efficiency of the gas compression process. The project, developed in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Milan, provides for the replacement of the current traditional boilers, with the introduction of gas-powered internal combustion engines coupled to alternators for producing the electricity necessary for the plant’s consumption needs. The heat dissipated by the engines is recovered, both in order to provide the necessary calories and for the absorption-cycle refrigerating equipment of air-conditioning systems.
In 2014, we also defined the future model and the development plan for the “Sistema Manutenzione Asset Rete Trasporto Gas” (SMART GAS) project, which provides in particular for a complete overhaul of work processes and rules relating to the transportation network, the compression stations and the remote control and metering facilities, identifying the necessary changes to the professional model of ICT and technological instruments and resources used during maintenance activities.
With regard to gas metering, 2014 saw the launch, on the basis of an experimental protocol defined by the Polytechnic University of Milan, of a programme of tests on gas quality measurement instruments using alternative technologies to gas chromatography. The aim of this trial is to verify the performance of instruments for measuring the higher heating value, relative density and carbon dioxide content of natural gas, with a view to their use in the gas transportation network.
In gas distribution, we continued work on the technological innovation project relating to large-calibre ultrasound meters installed at the regulating and metering stations (REMIs). The readings from these meters were monitored and compared against those of traditional meters. We also continued to research innovative (ultrasonic and mass flow) and compact (with integrated remote reading and conversion system) meters.
With reference to the remote meter-reading activities carried out in the previous year for calibres above G6, integrated electronic meters were also installed during 2014 for smaller calibres (G4, G10, G16 and G25), having recently become available on the market. For G4 calibres only, integrated electronic remote meter-reading functions will be activated from 2015 with the availability of the mass-market “Remote Metering Information System” currently in the production phase.