Immediate detection of illegal gas consumption at consumers with a disassembled gas meter

Abstract

One of the sources of unaccounted-for gas in the distribution network is gas theft. Most thefts occur by gas residential consumers tampering with gas meters. In an attempt to minimize losses, operators conduct a constant control of metering equipment in order to detect unauthorized interference. If any irregularities are detected, the gas meter can be sent for metrological and/or mechanoscopic examination in a laboratory accredited for that purpose. Its task, as an independent third party, is to determine the degree of interference and determine the error in the gas meter readings. This allows the gas network operator to estimate the losses incurred and to make specific claims against the consumer. Another source of losses for the gas company may be thefts of gas involving total bypassing of metering systems. This may occur e.g. after the termination of a contract with a consumer or even before its conclusion. In such cases, control of metering points is particularly difficult, and the recovery of amounts due to illegal gas consumption may be easily questioned due to the impossibility of determining the volumes of gas taken. The situation is exacerbated by the fact that such connections have a negative impact on the operational security of the gas network. As part of research work conducted at the Oil and Gas Institute - National Research Institute, an attempt was made to develop a device that would enable the detection of illegal gas consumption bypassing the gas meter. The article presents the risks and legal consequences of such an illegal gas consumption, in particular when carried out by means of, for example, an inner tube. Then the article discusses what requirements should be met by a device that would reduce the problem of illegal gas consumption by consumers with a dismantled gas meter. Further in the article, the technology the indicated assumptions is demonstrated and a conceptual drawing of the device is presented. As a result, the method of constructing the first version of the prototype was presented and the correctness of its operation was confirmed. The second version of the prototype, described in the article, was used to file and application for the invention at the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland.