Ameren Illinois has a new tool (vehicle) to help us sniff out natural gas leaks and methane. The "gas sniffer" vehicle works by deploying a high-tech analyzer on the rear of a hybrid electric car. As the vehicle drives through city streets, it detects the presence of methane and ethane and passes air samples to a device that records wind speed and directional readings. Ameren Illinois crews use the GPS coordinates to pinpoint the location and mobilizes response units. Photo submitted by Ameren.
For Immediate Release – October 6, 2021
Ameren Illinois Leverages New Mobile Technology to “Sniff” Out Methane
COLLINSVILLE (OCTOBER 6, 2021) – Coming to a local neighborhood near you: a new Ameren Illinois “gas sniffing” vehicle that can quickly identify the presence of methane emissions, pinpoint the source of potential leaks, and speed the response time to repair pipelines.
“Ameren Illinois inspects thousands of miles of underground pipeline in neighborhoods every year, and we have reduced methane emissions to industry low levels,” said Eric Kozak, vice president, Natural Gas Operations for Ameren Illinois. “This new mobile technology we’re introducing will supplement our existing leak-detection practices and provide up to 1,000 times the sensitivity to help detect methane in the atmosphere. We believe this technology will enable us to significantly reduce methane emissions and strengthen the safety and reliability of our natural gas distribution system.”
The “gas sniffer” works by deploying a high-tech analyzer on the rear of a hybrid electric vehicle. As the vehicle drives through city streets, it detects the presence of methane and ethane and passes air samples to a device that records wind speed and directional readings. Ameren Illinois crews use the GPS coordinates to pinpoint the location and mobilizes response units. The technology is powered by ABB MobileGuard™ and is capable of detecting methane gas presence hundreds of feet away.
“We have made significant investments in upgrading pipelines to increase system integrity,” said David Wakeman, senior vice president, Operations and Technical Services for Ameren Illinois. “It has been exciting for our whole team to see the mobile sniffer in action, and realize the benefits we can pass on to our customers in the form of safer operations.”
“This technology helps support our goal of environmental stewardship while serving customers in a safe, reliable way,” said Ameren Illinois Chairman and President Richard Mark. “It’s a win for the environment, our operations teams and our customers.”
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