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Gas Leak Detection by ALMAAirborne Laser Methane Assessment

Pergam Technical Services251 SW 41st Street

Renton, WashingtonUSA 98057

Phone: +1-425-503-8127Fax: +1-425-642-8183 www.pergamusa.com

www.pergamusa.com

PERGAM TECHNICAL SERVICES

International distributor of high quality NDT and methanedetection equipment and services including custom installationand integration

Manufacturer of ALMA G2 and SELMA methane detection systems

Provider of NDT and methane detection

Highly experienced in the field of IR, laser technologies,and natural gas detection

Located in the centre of Zürich Switzerland and in Seattle USA

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Specializing in NDT and natural gas leak detection productsand services worldwide




Introduction

Natural gas is essential for businesses and households worldwide. Naturalgas is relied upon for heat, cooking, electrical power, and to fuel industry.Customers demand flawless safety and reliability of the service at low costs.To reach the customer the natural gas is transported through an enormousand constantly growing transportation, distribution, and storage networkconsisting of pipelines that cross continents, thousands of compressor andmetering stations, countless number of valves, etc. and all have the potentialto leak. The uncontrolled release of natural gas into the ecosystem is not onlypotentially hazardous and wasteful, but harmful to the environment as it is>90% methane (which is a potent greenhouse gas).

Most natural gas companies are diligent about monitoring and inspectingtheir networks, but still there are destructive safety incidents and apercentage of the gas is unaccounted for. Most inspections of the pipeline aredone with resources on the ground or visually from the air. These methodsare either costly or ineffective especially in remote areas and do notcorrespond to customer requirements.

The Pergam-Suisse ALMA G2 (Airborne Laser Methane Assessment Ge-neration 2) is the solution for effective and economic pipeline and storagenetwork monitoring and inspection. The ALMA G2 is a cutting-edge laserbased natural gas detection system that performs inspections at ground levelwhile airborne.

2Pergam Technical Services251 SW 41st Street



Airborne Laser Methane Assessment Generation 2

The advantages of ALMA G2 are numerous:

Airborne device normally mounted on a helicopter

Highly sensitive

The PERGAM SUISSE ALMA G2 system is the solution to remoteinspection of natural gas pipeline and storage networks.

Real time measurement + alarm feature

Wide measurement range

Insensitive to other gases (water vapor, propane)

Minimal interference with environment

Pilot camera + monitor to aim laser

Extensive data storage capacity

GPS tracking

Digital video recording with up to 4 cameras todocument laser position and area around right-of-way

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Laser Range finder

Extensive data storage capacity

Optional IR camera installation

Optional moving map system for navigation

Post processing software




The European directive 96/82/EC (SevesoDirective) requires operators of gas transportinstallations to run safety managementprograms, which include regular inspectionof the networks by helicopter.

In Europe, the location of gas transportpipelines have to be marked with specialindicators, enabling the helicopter pilot to flyalong the installations during inspection.Top of page: Gas pipeline in Switzerland.




Principle

The principle of ALMA is based ona pulsed beam from a diode laser,which is pointed at the location tobe inspected.

The laser’s wavelength of 1,65 mcorresponds to the first absorptionband of methane.

μ

The laser beam aimed downwindof the pipeline, is reflected and thescattered reflection collected by areceiving mirror.

A photo-detector receives thesignal which is compared to thesignal from a reference channel.(A laser beam through a curettewith a stan-dardized methanesample.)

When methane is present the laserlight will be absorbed, and thedeformation of the signal is pro-portional to the concentration ofmethane along the laser beampath.

The ALMA gas leak detector mounted on a Bell Jet Ranger 206.

Infrared monitoring of a gas compressor station.




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ALMA - Airborne Laser Methane Assessmentconsists of 4 components

Laptop with C-Box(Control Panel) & GPS

Is the main computer with

user interface for real-

time data monitoring,

data recording, and post

inspection data analysis.

D-Box

Housing the power

distribution, Digital

Video Recorder (DVR)

and electronics.

Optical Unit

Housing the Laser,

optics, photodetectors,

mirrors, rangefinder,

and cameras.

Pilot Monitor

Helps pilot aim Laser –

Not pictured below.




Technical data

Detection range

Relative measurement accuracy

500 feet

0.04 s + 0.2 s (simultaneously)

25-20`000 ppm*m @ 165 feet or100-20`000 ppm*m @ 330 feet

1%

Maximum measurement distance

Measurement time

Power supply

Operating temperature range

Laser wavelength

Laser power

22-32 VDC + 280 W

14 ºF to 122 ºF

1.65 mμ

10 mW

Minimum detectable radiation power 2 pW

L: 37.40", W: 26.40 ", H: 17.30 "95 lb

Optical unit:DimensionsWeight

L: 15.00 ", W: 15.00 "H: 13.40 "55lb

D-Box:Dimensions

Weight




Software

The PERGAM-SUISSE ALMA G2 comes with

System ControlSignal Analysis Using Proprietary AlgorithmsUser InterfaceReal-Time Data Monitoring with Alarming FeatureData Recoding Including GPS Location

The ALMA G2 On-line softwareis used during the inspection for:

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Post-Inspection Data ReviewReport Generation

The ALMA G2 Processing Softwareis used for:

View up to 4 cameras synchronized*

The DVR Video Viewing Software

The DVR Configuration Software*

Time Synchronization Software*

* Depends on type of DVR purchased




In addition to the basic set-up of ALMA, additional options can be installedaccording to the needs of the customer:

ALMA Optional Extensions of the System

Infrared Camera:

An Infrared camera can deliver additional information about the inspectedarea, eg, changes in the natural cover (botanical indications), the localtemperature decrease due to gas expansion through leakage or indicationsof the ‘buoying upwards’ effect of a pipeline or the water content in soil whichcan affect the stability of the pipeline in the course of seasonal variations.

Specifications for IR camera:

Producer: Flir Systems

Array Format: 320 X 120 Pixels

Spectral Response: 7,5 m – 13,5 m

Frame Rate: 30 Hz

Min. Temp. Resolution: T = 0,085 K

Operating Temperature: 40 ºF to 167 ºF

μ μ

Δ

Adaptation to helicopters:

ALMA can be adapted to following helicopters: Bell 206 JetRanger and Robinson R-44.

We also offer solutions for: MI-8, MI-9 or Ka 26.Other solutions offered on request.

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Left and right cameras:

To view and document 50 m or 160 ft either side of pipeline.




www.pergam-suisse.ch

PERGAM-SUISSE AG

Infrared Cameras

Cable and Pipe Location Systems

Vibration Monitoring and Laser Alignment Systems

Gas Leak Detectors

PERGAM-SUISSE AG also offers the following products:

PTS provides full training and services for theseproducts and is able to offer a complete range ofhelicopter services which include flights, inspectionsand demonstrations.

Services:

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SELMA (remote methane detection system for distributionpipelines installed on a vehicle)




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