So, when a buried natural gas pipeline leaks, there’s no smell at all?
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The facility needs to use some natural gas, but in very small amounts – just enough to ignite the hydrogen boilers and for burning certain materials. Sometimes, even less gas is used than is needed for cooking in the cafeteria. Last month, natural gas consumption surged by over 80,000 cubic meters. An inspection revealed that there might be a leak in the pipes supplying gas to the cafeteria, as it was only the pipes leading to the cafeteria that showed abnormal flow rates. This pipeline is made of Φ32 steel pipes, buried at a depth of 600 mm underground, with a total length of approximately 400 m, and is laid along one side of the main road. It’s been a month, and still not the slightest sign of anything. I wonder where all the natural gas, at over 100 cubic meters per hour, goes? And not a hint of smell at all?
Industrial natural gas does not contain odorizers, so it is odorless in the event of a leak. To ensure the safety of residents when using it, civil gas companies add odorants to it.
If the flow meter is accurate, and the pipeline is only buried 60 centimeters deep, it’s absurd that a leakage of over 100 cubic meters per hour cannot be detected, even if there is no odor. Just for use in the cafeteria – what size of company would have such high consumption? The question is, is it the cooking time or the whole day? If your company is at a loss even over issues like this, it’s a sign of a problematic working environment.
Fortunately, no safety accidents occurred; gas pipelines should be inspected regularly.
The gas supply company sent two teams to the site for inspections, but neither yielded any results. They don’t believe there is anything wrong with their meters, arguing that the flow meters were tested and calibrated in August, so there should be no issues. There was no other choice; I had to check it myself. Moreover, to reinstall a pipe, one has to ask the gas supply company to come and inspect, design, and install it, which is quite troublesome, right:Q
Once it’s specified, there’s no problem. Which company would dare to make such bold claims? Even the world’s top manufacturers of instruments wouldn’t dare say such things. Additionally, it is also necessary to fully consider the possibility of improper wiring, unauthorized connections, or other forms of misuse when installing the pipes.
Does industrial natural gas enter the premises without going through a pressure regulation skid? Odorants can be added inside the pressure regulation skid
Industrial natural gas is generally odorless, and alarms are used to provide notification
I really don’t know that. It seems like too little has been used, so my understanding is still very limited
The gas used in canteens should be municipal household gas; if the natural gas pipeline belongs to the gas company’s municipal gas supply, odorizers will definitely be added. The key issue is that the nature of gas usage in your case appears to be a combination of industrial and domestic use within an industrial park. The relevant authorities failed to conduct thorough reviews of measures such as those related to the use of odorizers in the gas supply system for canteens, resulting in deficiencies and safety hazards.
Civil gas needs to have an odorant added so that leaks can be detected quickly. There could be three reasons for your situation: 1. Natural gas is being stolen; according to your description, 100 cubic meters of natural gas are lost per hour ； 2. If there is a problem with the meter, don’t assume that just because it has been tested it must be fine. It depends on whether the gas supply company is willing to replace the meter. You can purchase a meter on your own, inform the gas supply company in advance so that they can test it together, and then install the new meter and compare the readings ； 3. Another point is leakage; a leak at a depth of 60 centimeters can be detected using specialized leak detection equipment, so the likelihood of leakage in this case is probably not high.