Innovative tool by TÜV NORD optimises interaction during pipeline construction

In order to supply German industry with the energy it needs, long-distance gas transport systems for hydrogen must be built or upgraded. The future operator Open Grid Europe is currently building a 60 kilometre long pipeline between Etzel and Wardenburg in Lower Saxony, Germany. TÜV NORD’s innovative Digital Inspection Tool, which brings together geodata and material data and makes it available to all parties involved in the project, is being used for the first time. TÜV NORD was nominated for the H2Eco Award from Deutsche Messe and the German Hydrogen Association for this solution. 

“The nomination makes me extremely proud and is an important honour for the entire team, which has worked intensively on the development and will continue to do so,” says Olaf Schikorra, Project Manager and Business Entity Manager at TÜV NORD. ’The excellent support from the company has made it possible to develop and implement this efficient, cost-effective and secure solution within a year. Special thanks also go to Open Grip Europe as a partner in this project. The good cooperation has made it possible to push ahead with the expansion of the hydrogen infrastructure at this point.“ The H2Eco Award honours companies for achievements and innovations in the field of hydrogen technologies.

Digital Inspection Tool makes documentation more precise

During the construction of a pipeline, inspection reports, technical information on material selection, batch numbers, executed weld seams and geodata must all be available in one place. The software maps all of this for stationary and mobile applications. All parties involved in the construction process have access to the data, i.e. experts as well as site managers, engineers, welders and ecological construction supervisors. “his digital application speeds up the work, minimises errors and therefore makes the documentation more precise,” says Olaf Schikorra. The data is recorded on site and is available to everyone involved in the project as soon as it has been entered. 

Pipe sections are given a QR code at the manufacturing plant: It contains information on the material used, size, weight and production batch. This QR code is read out on the construction site and linked in the application with the geodata where the pipe section is laid. This is all done quickly, there are no errors when transferring from one system to another and the data is immediately available to all project participants. “This procedure enables very efficient and precise data recording.” In the system, it is always possible to see at which point a pipe section with which properties is being laid. This is extremely important for the experts because it allows them to quickly check whether all the relevant information is available for a qualified assessment of the pipe. If data is incomplete, it can be uploaded quickly and easily by operators or clients or requested by contractors from within the application; this minimises the amount of communication required.

Additional information can also be stored during construction, such as the crossing of roads, water pipes or power lines. “We can also document unforeseen events such as the discovery of unexploded ordnance or archaeological features,“ says Olaf Schikorra. The map-based visualisation enables easy access to the documented data. This creates seamless, standardised technical documentation of a route with test reports and ground conditions. “This helps enormously when changes and extensions have to be planned and implemented during operation,“ he says. 

Those involved in the construction are very satisfied with the Digital Inspection Tool, so Olaf Schikorra can already think about the next step: It will also be possible to monitor the pipeline in the application. Sensor data will be made available in the application for this purpose. Together with the material and geodata, possible faults can be localised quickly and efficiently.