Pipeline Patrols
Protecting Ireland’s gas infrastructure is a core responsibility of Gas Networks Ireland, helping to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of gas to homes, businesses and industry across the country.
This work includes monitoring approximately 2,500km of Transmission (high pressure) pipeline, which is the lifeblood of our network, transporting large quantities of gas all over the country, to make it available for end-users.
| Patrol type | Quantity | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Land - urban | 10,000 drive patrols p/a | Daily/ Weekly over the year |
| Land - rural | 1,620km line walk | 4 yearly |
| Water | 130 river crossings | 5 yearly |
| Air | 1,825km | Fortnightly |
Like all critical infrastructure, gas pipelines can be affected by a range of external factors, including construction activity, agricultural works and environmental conditions.
Our patrol programme provides a vital layer of assurance, helping us to:
- Identify third-party interference / encroachments
- Detect actual or potential threats to pipeline integrity
- Monitor nearby agricultural, construction, and environmental activities
- Verify pipeline marker condition and accessibility
Third-party threats are unintentional, which is why we encourage people to ‘Dial Before You Dig’ to confirm the location of our pipelines before starting excavation work.
Land
Ground patrols (urban)
Ground patrols are the largest component of our inspection programme and are scheduled based on factors such as population density, land use and proximity to the pipeline network.
We assign the frequency at the design stage of the pipeline and review it every four years taking account of changes in population (i.e., from new developments) which may trigger a change in the frequency.
We work with specialist contractor IPEC to deliver approximately 10,000 drive patrols each year across the transmission network. These are completed daily or weekly depending on the area.
Rural Line Walks
Approximately 1,620 km of rural transmission pipeline is inspected through a structured programme of line walks, providing a detailed assessment of pipeline conditions and the surrounding environment. The programme operates on a four-year cycle.
As well as the objectives above, ground walks help us identify risks not visible from aerial patrols, such as fence damage and drainage issues, as well as pipeline marker condition and accessibility.
We work closely with our land management team to notify landowners in advance of the walks which are generally carried out in pairs by trained pipeline inspectors from our partner company IPEC.
Water
The transmission pipeline network includes 130 river crossings in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
These crossings are risk assessed, with inspection frequencies determined by factors such as location, environmental conditions and asset criticality. Most crossings are surveyed every five years, while some, including Dublin Bay, are inspected annually. Fifteen crossings, including the River Shannon, are surveyed on a two-year cycle.
As this is highly specialised work involving experienced divers, we partner with Northern Divers (UK) to carry out the surveys on our behalf.
Air
Aerial patrols provide regular surveillance of approximately 1,825 km of transmission pipeline across Ireland and Northern Ireland, enabling the early identification of potential issues and unauthorised activity near the network.
This specialised activity is carried out by Executive Helicopters, whose teams monitor known works near pipelines, such as quarrying or construction activity, and identify potential real-time breaches or other concerns requiring follow-up.