Québec’s main natural gas distributor maximizes the efficiency of gas pipeline inspections

This work was done in collaboration with Safe Software partner Consortech.

Expending considerable amounts of time and resources with their current processes, Énergir needed a solution that would reduce their paper dependence and manual tasks

As Québec’s leading natural gas distribution company, Énergir serves over 300 municipalities and operates an underground pipeline system spanning approximately 11,000 kilometres across the province. The team develops and runs innovative energy projects on top of their existing pipeline network.

Énergir’s processes for land vehicles and foot patrols were largely manual and heavily reliant on paper. During leak detection work, the team marked maps by hand to track their progress. Their dependence on paper forced the team to divide territories based on zip and postal codes, preventing them from combining inspection programs that could otherwise be conducted simultaneously. In turn, these manual processes inflated costs associated with travel and equipment use.

Énergir’s engineering teams also spent extensive time in the field, as required by various programs and parameters. Because of this, the team needed a solution that would eliminate their paper dependency, optimize their patrol routes, enable real-time work progress monitoring, and effectively implement computer tools.

To optimize operational efficiency, Énergir worked with Safe Software partner Consortech to develop an FME-powered solution.

Énergir and Consortech leveraged FME Flow to significantly increase their overall operational efficiency

Using FME Flow, Énergir’s patrols are analyzed, and results are validated on a schedule. Rather than manually processing leak detection data collected in the field, FME Flow workspaces process the data while it’s stored in a network directory. FME also reports on the kilometres travelled for each collection zone on a nightly basis.

Thanks to the project’s success, Énergir now streamlines their leak detection activities, eliminates time spent on producing paper maps, and provides precise instructions to technicians for efficient patrolling. As there is no longer any need to define work based on postal codes, Énergir can also plan simultaneous inspection programs, reduce travel time, and optimize equipment use. The team now monitors their programs in real-time and quickly makes informed decisions.