Hazards Based On Energy Sources

I came across this interesting diagram in an office today. It shows 8 energy sources which may lead to a hazard. (Motion, Chemical, Radiation, Electrical, Gravity, Heat/Cold, Biological, Pressure)
It is amazing to see that all the sources of hazards we can think of can be covered by only 8 categories. I made few unsuccessful attempts to think of a hazard which doesn’t fit in these categories :)

This is a simple and powerful diagram.

Customized SAP Solution for Indian City Gas industry

So, finally, a SAP Solution tailored for Indian City Gas industry is in the market. ‘Rapid Deployment’ is the key here and it will determine the success. You can find more details by clicking on this link:

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/technology/fujitsu-unveils-sap-qualified-solution-for-cgd-sector_677079.html

CP Marker

I came across this marker a few days back and couldn't resist myself from taking a picture.
I liked the extra line on the board, 'Electrical wires tied to gas mains'.

Flow of gas in pipes

I was going through my old diary and found some information I had noted down from a book on Gas Technology I had come across in a library about nine years ago. I don’t recall the title and author of the book but it was one of those out of print old books you get attracted to for some secret/sacred knowledge. :)

The information was about flow of gas in pipes and the simple diagram and explanation there was extremely useful and it helped me throughout my career.

I am recreating the diagram here, hope you will find it useful.

Assumptions:
1) Horizontal pipe, uniform diameter
2) Four pressure gauges attached to points A, B, C and D at equal distances of 8m.
3) When valve E is opened, gas flows in the direction of the arrow.

The graph below shows what happens under four different sets of conditions: (Please click on the image to zoom in.)

1) Standing Pressure: When gas is standing still in a pipe i.e. when valve E is turned off, the pressure throughout the whole length of the pipe is the same. 

So, pressures at A, B, C and D = 20 mbar 

2) Working Pressure: Valve E is turned on to allow a ‘normal quantity’ of gas to flow through the pipe. In this case the pressure drop between point A and B is 2 mbar. 

So, pressure at point B = 18 mbar 

But, distance between A and B is same as distance between B and C as well as C and D. So pressure loss will be same i.e. 2 mbar. 

So, pressure at point C = 16 mbar 

Hence, Pressure at point D = 14 mbar 

3) Working Pressure with increased quantity: If the quantity of gas flowing is now increased then the pressure loss will also increase. The line 3 shows, with a 40% increase in quantity, pressure loss has doubled i.e. 4 mbar. 

So, pressure at point D = 8 mbar 

4) Normal quantity with partial blockage: Line 4 shows readings obtained for a ‘normal quantity’ of gas flowing but with an obstruction in pipe between point A and B. This reduces the effective diameter of pipe between point A & B and this has greatest effect on the pressure. 

Point B onwards pressure drop is back to normal i.e. 2 bar. 

However, the actual pressure drop between point A and B has increased. 

Pressure at point D = 4 mbar

Let there be light gas! :)

All you want to know about city gas distribution projects: An informative report by ICRA

ICRA has recently released this informative report on current state of City Gas Distribution Sector in India.

Highlights of the report are:

• Historical background of CGD in India
• Regulatory Aspects
• List (which everyone wants to know ;))  of successful bidders from 1st and 2nd round of bids invited by PNGRB
• Key challenges
• What the future looks like

For me the most interesting part was, the ratings assigned in ICRA’s Portfolio of CGD companies. IGL and MGL have been given AAA ratings.

Overall, this is a good read for all the people who are interested in knowing the ‘latest’ on CGD Projects in India.

Let there be Light Gas! :)

Interesting website on natural gas

Visit this interesting website on basic information on Natural Gas.

http://www.allaboutnaturalgas.com/

It also has a funny video which explains how natural gas is lighter than air.

This is an innovative initiative by GazMetro Public Relations and Communications Department.

It's sad to see BG go...

We all know that BG Group is preparing to divest its stake in Gujarat Gas and news of BG’s exit from Mahanagar Gas is in the air from last one year or so. (BG controls 65.1% in GGCL and 49.8% in MGL) Personally, I am a big fan of British Gas. I’m of the opinion that British Gas pioneered the modern City Gas Distribution Technology and obviously their partnership helped MGL and GGCL to establish from technology perspective.

Though BG’s exit might not impact already established GGCL, I’m sure their plan to exit from GGCL is not something shareholders might have expected. The reaction by Stock Market is an indication of that. GGCL's stock has lost close to 23% since the start of September 2011, mainly driven by the news of BG’s exit.

Various reasons are being reported behind this exit, right from availability of gas, high gas-prices to need to raise capital to invest in other countries. Anyways, for BG there is certainly a valid business reason behind this move. Keeping business aside, for me, it is a sad news. :-|

By the way, I like the tagline British Gas used earlier with their brand : ‘Natural Gas, It’s our business.’ :)

Number of PNG consumers compared to LPG consumers

If someone asks you, ‘What is the % penetration of PNG consumers compared to LPG consumers in India?’, what would be your guess?! 5%?, 10%?, 15? or 20%?!!!...I might have guessed between 5% to 10%.

But, the reality is different. It is just 1.19% as of 24 Nov 2011. 

As per the official news release by Government of India, against a total of 1,328 Lakh LPG consumers, there are only 15.88 Lakh PNG consumers in the country. 

This is a clear indication of potential ahead for City Gas Distribution industry in India.

As I always say, Let there be Light Gas! :)

PNGRB Vs IGL: Supreme Court Decision

I have received couple of e-mails asking about the result of the PNGRB Vs IGL case in Supreme Court. Actually it is my mistake that I missed to post the final part after my initial two posts on this subject.

Following are the highlights of what Supreme Court said:

• PNGRB can process CGD licenses to provide PNG and CNG 
• PNGRB cannot process authorisations for areas where licences have already been issued by the central government (e.g. Ghaziabad) 
• Fill up all vacancies on the board 

You may refer to this link for the news (dated12 May 2011) in detail.

Effect of altitude on gas pressure

Does gas pressure increase with increase in altitude? Yes, it does! Believe me. :)

Effect of Altitude on gas pressure is an interesting topic and I used to discuss this with my colleagues in my earlier city gas company and people working in planning, design, projects and O&M departments would be interested in this.

Let’s see this through Fluid Mechanics basics.

We know that, Atmospheric pressure is about 1013 mbar at sea level. = (A)
It becomes less as altitude increases. The reason is simple: Weight of the column of air is reduced.

Now, pressure at the depth of this column is = h (height of column) x d (density) x 9.81 kg/m3. (Let us call this as ‘Equation-X’). Now with this equation as foundation, let’s start our investigation.

Take a rise in altitude of 100m. At 100m above seal level the atmospheric pressure will be less by an amount equivalent to the pressure caused by a column of air 100m high.Hence, assuming air density as 1.248 kg/m3, pressure exerted by this column = 100m x 1.248 kg/m3 x 9.81 = 1224 N/m2 or 12.24 mbar = (B)

So, atmospheric pressure 100m above sea level is = (A) – (B) = 1013 – 12.24 = 1000.76 mbar

This was for air, but what happens to the gas? Here the things get interesting,

Assuming specific gravity of gas as 0.5 (for calculation sake), considering Equation-X above, pressure of 100m of gas will be = 100m x 1.248 kg/m3 x 0.5 x 9.81 = 612.14 N/m2 or 6.12 mbar

Thus , the gas pressure reduces by 6.12 mbar when the atmospheric pressure reduces 12.24 mbar.

The consequence of this is an apparent increase in gas pressure of 6.12 mbar for every 100m increase in altitude.

Based on above logic, following is the general formula which states the relation between difference in pressure and altitude.

Pressure difference = 0.12 x h x (1-S) mbar
(Where, h = height in metre, S = Specific Gravity of gas)

So from the formula above it is obvious that if the gas is heavier than air, then the difference will be decrease in pressure NOT increase. :)

Hope you find this helpful.

Let there be Light Gas! :)

Free IGEM Standards

We all know that purchasing legal copies of gas industry standards, for that matter all technical standards, is a pricey affair on individual level. But that doesn’t mean that there are no free lunches…there are…:)

You may visit the following link to download legal copies of some free standards from IGEM (Institute of Gas Engineers & Managers).

http://igemshop.helixsoftware.co.uk/category/68-show-all.aspx?orderby=10

I am sure you will find these useful, specially, IGEM/G/4 ‘Definitions for the gas industry’.

Don't reinvent the wheel, use PODS

I am back.

Sorry, I was swamped with work and couldn’t post anything in Aug and September.

Two weeks back I attended 2011 PODS User Conference in Sugarland, Texas. It was a great experience. For those, who don’t know what PODs is, PODS stands for ‘Pipeline Open Data Standard’. It is becoming (in fact has already become) the ‘Industry Standard’ for Pipeline Industry Data Model.

If you are thinking of implementing any IT system related to Integrity Management, Asset Management, Risk Management, GIS etc., do consider it from PODS perspective. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel of data model for your company. You can leverage PODS.

If you want more details on the Data Model, you can visit their website.
I also suggest going through the presentation made in the User Conference. It is a good read. http://www.pods.org/87/Presentations/

Wish you all a Happy and SAFE Diwali! (Keep an eye on your service regulators and keep your LP Drawings ready and handy to handle emergency)

Let there be gas! :)

Laying foundation of Pipeline Integrity Management

We all know that ASME B31.8 is the most widely used Code for the design, operation, maintenance, and repair of natural gas distribution and transmission pipelines. However, a gas utility company should NEVER forget the tiny supplement (sold separately) to ASME B31.8 i.e. ‘ASME B31.8S: Managing System Integrity of Gas Pipelines’ which applies to on-shore pipeline systems constructed with ferrous materials and that transport gas.
Having an Integrity Management Plan in place from the inception of the gas pipeline network will surely serve in the long term and ASME B31.8S is the mother source of all the Pipeline Integrity principles.

I have put together an overview of ASME B31.8S. I hope you will find this useful.

Overview of ASME standard B31.8S : Managing System Integrity of Gas Pipelines

I) General

• ASME B31.8S is a ‘Standard’.
• This is a supplement to ASME code B31.8 ‘Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping System’
• This standard applies to onshore pipeline systems constructed with ferrous materials and that transport gas.
• ‘Pipeline System’ means all the parts of physical facilities through which gas is transported including,
• Pipe
• Valves
• Appurtenances attached to pipe
• Compressor Units
• Metering Locations
• Regulator Stations
• Delivery Stations
• Holders and,
• Fabricated assemblies

II) Integrity Management Process



III) Integrity Management Principles

• Functional requirements for IM shall be engineered into new pipeline system
• Commitment by all operating personnel
• IM program must be flexible and should be customized to meet operator’s unique conditions
• Periodic evaluation
• Information Integration
• Risk assessments form the foundation
• Effective Performance Measurement
• Communication to appropriate stakeholders

IV) Integrity Management (IM) Program Elements



Following is the description for each of the element,

• Integrity Management Plan

• IM plan is developed after gathering the data and completing the risk assessment for each threat and for each pipeline segment or system.
• The plan shall be updated. The plan must remain flexible and incorporate any new information
• IM Plan Framework:
• Gathering , Reviewing and integrating data
• Assess Risk
• Integrity Assessment
• Responses to integrity assessment, mitigation (Repair and prevention) and intervals.

• Performance Plan

• Performance Plan shall be evaluated at least annually.
• Performance Plan requires operator to:

• Collect performance information
• Periodically evaluate success of program
• Evaluate effectiveness of its management systems and processes
• Evaluate new technologies for use in the program

• Performance Measures focus attention to IM program results that demonstrate improved safety. Following are the Performance Measures Group:

• Process or activity measures
• Operational Measures
• Direct Integrity Measures

• Performance Measurement Methodology can be of two types:

• Intrasystem – within operators own system
• Industry based – Comparison with other systems on industry-wide basis

• Communication Plan

• Communication shall inform about operators IM efforts and the results of IM activities. Information shall be communicated routinely /ad-hoc basis /upon request as per the target party and the nature of the information.
• External Communication to:

• Landowners and tenants along the Right of way
• Public officials other than emergency responders
• Local and regional emergency responders
• General Public
• Internal Communication: within operator’s organization

• Management of Change Plan
• Management of change shall address technical, physical, procedural and organizational changes to the system whether permanent or temporary.
• System changes can require changes in the IM program and, conversely, results from the program can cause system changes.
• Management should involve operating staff to review the procedures.
• All changes (whether small or major) shall be identified and reviewed before implementation.
• Documented record of changes should be developed and maintained.
• Changes should be communicated to affected parties.
• Training should be provided if required.

• Quality Control Plan

• The standard defines ‘Quality Control’ as “documented proof that the operator meets all the requirements of their IM program.
• Quality Management Control:
• Requirements of Quality Control Program:

• Documentation
• Implementation
• Maintenance
• Activities that should be included in the QC program are as follows:

• Determine the documentation required
• Define responsibilities and authorities
• Periodic review of results
• Involvement of qualified and competent personnel
• Define performance metrics, control points/criteria
• Internal/external audit
• Continuous improvement to QC program
• Outsourced activities shall be included in the QC program

Let there be Light Gas! :)

City Gas India news on Wall Street Journal

CGD India Market is already being discussed on global landscape:

Here is the news on Wall Street Journal (WSJ) website:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304259304576373392373309016.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Let there be light gas. :)

BG Group India Unit May Bid for Gas Networks Outside Home State

Finally, this has happened.
BG Group India Unit May Bid for Gas Networks Outside Home State


http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-16/bg-group-india-unit-may-bid-for-gas-networks-outside-home-state.html

PNGRB Vs IGL

08 Nov is gone. No news from Supreme Court.
Hmmm...wait is on.

:-|

PNGRB Vs IGL, who will win? Supreme Court to decide on 08 Nov 2010

I have a simple question: ‘Who is authorized to issue CGD licenses in India?’


But it seems that there is no simple, one line answer.
This mystified (for me) case of PNGRB vs IGL made me to dig into the matter. Here is what I found. I am attempting to put this in chronological order.

• PNGRB was set up by PNGRB Act 2006 
• The PNGRB Board came into existence by a notification in Oct 2007 but the notification didn’t implement ‘Section 16’. (Now you will ask, “What is Section 16?”-Answer: Section 16 of the PNGRB Act, 2006 gives the regulator (PNGRB) explicit powers to issue authorizations for city gas distribution network.) 
• 2009: PNGRB issued CGD licenses, invited bids: 
• 1st Round:- Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh), Mathura and Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), Kota (Rajasthan), Dewas (Madhya Pradesh) and Sonepat (Haryana) in first round. 
• 2nd Round:- Invited bids for seven cities- Allahabad, Ghaziabad and Jhansi (Uttar Pradesh), Shahdol (Madhya Pradesh), Rajahmundry and Yanam (Andhra Pradesh) and Chandigarh (Punjab). 
• IGL has pre-PNGRB approval for operations in Ghaziabad from Delhi High Court.IGL and Voice of India (a NGO) moved to Delhi High Court against the board’s move claiming that PNGRB has no power to issue CGD licenses as Section -16 is not notified. 
• Delhi High Court allows IGL to carry activities in Ghaziabad. The High Court in January 2010 ruled that PNGRB actually did not have the powers and the licenses issued were not valid. 
• PNGRB moved to Supreme Court 
• March 2010: The Supreme Court passed an interim order that allowed PNGRB to process bids for licenses but barred it from issuing the CGD license. 
• July 2010: ‘Section 16’ got notified. 
• IGL and Voice of India claim that now (after notification of Section 16) PNGRB has rights to issue CGD licenses but the board has already issued licenses (before notification). 
• Aug 2010: PNGRB appealed Supreme Court to vacate the interim order issued in Mar 2010 since Section-16 has been notified. 
• Supreme Court has given 3 week’s time to IGL, Voice of India and MoPNG to respond. 

Hmm…this case is quite interesting!
08 Nov 2010 will be an important day for Indian City Gas industry :)

City Gas Revolution begins in India.

So here is my first post.

I am all excited about the developments in the Indian CGD (City Gas Distribution) market. With CGD networks (Operating + under Construction) in more than 53 GAs (Geographic Areas), Recent natural gas discoveries, Government Regulator- Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) already in position since 2007 with plan to develop CGD networks in 335 GAs by 2021…India is all set for ‘City Gas Revolution’.

MGL, IGL, GGCL are the shining examples of CGD companies and there is a lot to learn from their experience as other CGD companies go on spreading their City Gas Networks. In my upcoming posts, I will try to touch some of the key aspects/pain-points of a CGD network and my views on those.

Let there be light gas! :)