Researchers Map Natural Gas Leaks Hidden Beneath Burlington Streets

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Jon Coifman, 212-616-1325, jcoifman@edf.org 

(NEW YORK, December 16, 2014) Researchers testing new ways to detect and quantify methane leaking from underground natural gas pipes have identified almost a dozen locations in the city of Burlington where gas was escaping from the local distribution system (see map here). Small leaks like those detected in Burlington rarely pose an immediate safety threat, but unburned natural gas – which is principally methane – has a powerful effect on the climate, carrying approximately 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over 20 years.

The tests are part of an ongoing demonstration project by the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Compared to thousands of leaks uncovered in other communities mapped by the project, including Boston and parts of New York City, Burlington fares relatively well. But as the state’s natural gas system continues to age and expand, EDF says that Vermont Gas Systems (VGS) and state officials who oversee them need to strengthen policies and procedures for the finding leaks and replacing older pipes.

“Methane is escaping at many points along the supply chain that brings natural gas from the well to customer. Stopping these leaks represents a huge opportunity to cut greenhouse pollution faster and at less cost than focusing only on carbon dioxide emissions alone,” said Jonathan Peress, EDF Air Policy Director for Natural Gas. “Better technologies and stronger policy will also make it easier for utilities like VGS to find and fix leaks, and to maintain the integrity of their pipes.”

Researchers took measurements along roughly 100 miles of Burlington roadways following underground lines owned by VGS. EDF is testing new and improved monitoring technology in cities across the U.S. Burlington is the fifth in a series of communities to be mapped so far. All of the data was reported to VGS, which is cooperating with the research.

Vermont is one of a dwindling number of states with no regulations of their own requiring inspection and repair timelines for natural gas pipes, relying instead on less stringent federal rules alone. Roughly seven percent of VGS pipe is nearing the end of its projected 50-year operational lifespan, according to data filed by the utility with the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.

“This is the time for the Vermont Public Service Board, the Department of Public Service and Vermont Gas Systems to get ahead of this issue, before it becomes a costly problem for ratepayers,” said Peress. “The state should follow the lead of its neighboring states by adopting stronger standards for more frequent leak detection and repair, and to make better provisions for funding pipeline replacement.”

Aging pipes have been a growing challenge for utilities in many parts of the country, and the warming effects of methane have drawn increasing attention at the state and federal levels as both utilities and regulators seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Vermont legislature, for example, adopted a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2028.

In addition to new leak detection and repair standards, EDF recommends that the Public Service Department incorporate greenhouse gas emissions reductions attributable to leak and repair into the standard yearly performance reports by Vermont Gas Systems.

New Mapping Technology

The EDF maps were developed using test equipment mounted on a Google Street View mapping car, under a partnership between EDF and Google Earth Outreach to explore new sensing and analytical technologies to measure environmental indicators in ways that have been difficult or impossible until now, and to make that information more accessible to everybody.

Working with scientists from Colorado State University, EDF has spent two years developing new tools to not only locate, but also accurately assess the amount of gas escaping from even small leaks amid millions of individual readings collected over thousands of miles of roadway. EDF is collaborating with regulators and utilities to validate the findings, which offer a valuable way to focus and accelerate upgrade efforts.

Natural gas utilities around the country routinely monitor their systems for safety, as required by state and federal rules. But current methods involve specialized personnel and equipment, and it is generally difficult to determine how much gas is escaping from a given a leak. While major leaks are typically fixed quickly, vast numbers of others wait months or years for repair.

EDF reminds users that information in the maps does not reflect real-time conditions. The data generated based on months of testing and analysis, with each leak verified with at least two sampling runs on dates noted on the maps. All leaks were reported to VGS. As always, EDF urges anyone who smells gas, or is otherwise concerned about a leak in their neighborhood to contact their utility immediately.

The EDF algorithms will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific paper later this year, and made available on an open-source basis.