System Approach for Monitoring and Risk Assessment for Natural Force Damage to Gas Pipelines

The Regents of the University of California on behalf of the Los Angeles Campus

Recipient

Los Angeles, CA

Recipient Location

24th

Senate District

51st

Assembly District

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$298,684

Amount Spent

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Active

Project Status

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Project Update

As of 2025 the project team has anlyzed Satellite and LiDAR data to detect ground movement and completed shake table testing of Community Seismic Network (CSN) sensors at the University of Nevada at Reno (UNR). Additionally the team completed the design and partial construction of the fiber optics calibration setup at UC Irvine with testing scheduled for fall 2025. Data analysis of fiber optics for long-term field monitoring is ongoing. The team is also expanding the fragility database and optimizing the pipeline strain modle. In 2026 the team plans to expand satellite data analysis, advance strain modeling, and continue infrastructure development for testing and analysis.

The Issue

Permanent ground displacement from geohazards is one of the leading causes of pipeline damage. Other than direct pipeline strain measurement, there are no methods that reliably correlate pipeline deformation to a degradation in safety. Techniques using ground displacement to gauge pipe deformation vary widely in the resolution of ground displacement. Further, ground displacement data is only useful if there is a rapid means to translate ground displacement to the likelihood for pipeline damage.

Project Innovation

This project will integrate several technologies to monitor and track ground motion and impacts on pipeline integrity in California through a complete system approach to help pipeline operators make effective decisions in near real-time. Data will be collected using technologies that are divided into two groups: direct measurements (technologies measuring pipe strain) and indirect measurements (technologies measuring ground displacement). These two approaches to data collection will facilitate monitoring of geohazard impacts under any natural hazard ground motion scenario (i.e., earthquake, landslide, subsidence, and liquefaction). A pipeline fragility (or capacity) model will then be employed to combine both direct and indirect measurements to provide a prediction of the gas pipeline probability of failure. Finally, the data processing algorithms and fragility model will be incorporated into a user-friendly, free, and open-source software package for gas pipeline operator decision-making.

Project Goals

Monitor and reduce the risk of pipeline failure caused by natural hazards (i.e., earthquake, landslide, and liquefaction)

Reduce the potential for injury and property damage

Maintain a safe and reliable California natural gas pipeline network though that can be converted to hydrogen pipelines

Project Benefits

The following provides the benefits to California Investor-Owned Utility (IOU) Ratepayers and California Residents

The project offers economic, safety, environmental, and public trust benefits. By enabling early detection and better management of ground motion risks to natural gas transmission pipelines, it helps prevent costly failures and contributes to keeping energy prices low. Improved accuracy in measuring ground motion enhances failure prediction, thereby increasing pipeline safety. This, in turn, supports California’s greenhouse gas reduction goals by ensuring safer natural gas transmission. A transparent risk management process will also strengthen public trust by clearly showing how and why decisions are made. Ultimately, the project aims to reduce pipeline failures, boosting the durability and reliability of energy infrastructure. This contributes to greater energy security and the protection of public health.

Affordability

Inform decision makers that manage ground motion risks to natural gas transmission pipelines by detecting possible failure at an early stage. Managing risks is more economical than managing failures and disasters; thus, helping to keep energy prices low.

Environmental Sustainability

Detecting possible failure at an early stage allows for early mitigation efforts which can reduce green house gas emissions as a result of leaks or other infrastructure failures.

Reliability

Reduce gas transmission pipeline failure through an informed decision-making process. As a result, this project will increase durability, safety, compatibility, and serviceability of gas transmission pipelines, increasing energy security and reliability of critical services.