Rezatec Detection Services – Satellite Asset Risk Monitoring trial

Background

Rezatec / Detection Services have evolved satellite technology as an asset risk monitoring solution, which can potentially deliver leak detection as an output. A proposal was received to conduct an asset risk monitoring trial in Bright on behalf of North East Water (NEW) as they recently completed a leak detection program in Bright, and could be used as a comparative verification tool.

Description of the trial

The purpose of the trial is to validate that the use of satellite data and advances analytical techniques can detect hotspots of activity and locations of heightened risk attributable to the failure (collapse or leakage) of pipeline assets. These data layer deliverables include:

·       Terrain motion

·       Vegetation intrusion

·       Pipeline asset risk

·       Asset risk zones

The contractor will provide identified leaks via the street address, and each leak will then be marked on an individual site plan and validated using existing site acoustic methods

Findings

This trial isn’t focus solely on leak detection, but it should also be used to assess if the combination of outputs add to potential leak detection benefits. It should also be used to provide early warning of ground movement, both horizontally and vertically. There is also the potential for this technology to detect ground slumping caused by infiltration into stormwater and the wastewater network.

An asset risk critically assessment was provided in relation to linear assets that potentially could be at a higher risk of failure. A heat map was provided to NEW for the water network identifying high risk assets.

Next steps

The long-term benefits to IWN members is an early warning ‘big picture ‘assessment of their assets. This can include all assets, water, draining and waste water as well as roads, reservoirs, dams, water courses, pump stations and critical trunk mains. The criteria mentioned above will be used to validate the technology and will be evaluated as part of the final IWN report.