Page 37 - Gi February 2019 - flipbook

entries, such as biomethane, enter
the network downstream of the FIGURE 2 OGM demonstrating the safe acceptance of a wider Wobbe value, RTN allows
offtakes and constraints are being for management of the differing energy contents
applied to connection of ‘green’
sources of gas. Measurement of gas
flow and quality within the network
will facilitate the connection of
unconventional sources of gas.
Gas quality changes – there is a
clear need for flexibility to manage
different gas qualities and sources of
gas and to minimise processing costs,
which are estimated to cost the GB
gas consumer more than £300 million
per annum. This will support the GB
rollout of SGN’s Opening up the Gas
Market NIC project in Oban, which
seeks to widen the Wobbe index (WI)
range to support a wider range of
sources, including a greater range of
LNG supplies, biomethane, coalbed
methane and shale gas.
Future business-as-usual activities
such as:
• Optimisation of network pressures,
pressure control systems and FIGURE 3 North Medway trial area indicating location of sensor installations
methodologies improving security of
supply
• Design of increased mains insertion
levels for replacement
• Reduced general reinforcement
requirements
• Reduced carbon emissions and
leakage due to lower network
pressures

The impact of renewable sources of
energy on gas demand – network
analysis needs to evolve from the
current steady state to transient, or
‘real-time’, to support the entry of new
and varied sources of gas, not only at
peak periods, but throughout the year.
Through the development of a real-time
network and the provision of enhanced
network performance data, SGN believes
that the modelled demand could be
reduced both locally and nationally. dedicated cloud database in real-time, sensors can detect the differing
where they are applied to a bespoke composition of this source, allowing for
METHOD software solution. Smart algorithms use the demonstration of a different energy
The project is demonstrated through the real-time data to recursively train the source within the network while
a field trial methodology in a section model for an up-to-date view of network remaining within GS(M)R Wobbe limits.
of SGN’s network that is statistically performance, energy delivery as well as The sensors are powered by
representative in terms of property long-term and in-day forecasting. batteries connected to novel sources
population (across domestic, industrial of electricity, such as street lamps,
and commercial gas users), network Sensors small wind turbines and solar panels.
pressure tiers (ranging from 38bar to Gas quality, pressure, flow and
50mbar) and pipe material makeup. temperature data feed into the demand Loggers
The trial consists of installed devices model using six dedicated installations To improve the network’s understanding
(sensors, loggers, weather stations) on at strategic locations around Medway, of how consumers’ gas usage has
SGN’s network, existing data sets (GIS, in the South East. The novel changed, loggers have been fitted
historical demand, etc.) and data from installations are supported by SCADA across 1,200 properties in the South
laboratory testing of appliances data, collected at Isle of Grain as it East, taking readings at six-minute
(downstream renewable technologies). monitors the injection of boil-off gas intervals and feeding back to the cloud.
These datasets are relayed back to a into the distribution network. The A spread of property types, ranging

37

IGEMNews_YPPC.indd 2 17/01/2019 16:29