ST. LOUIS, March 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Every day, Spire
crews are working to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of
natural gas to customers. Now, they have an extra crew member to
help with the work – a robot.
The robot, named CISBOT, was developed by New York-based ULC Robotics and can travel
through large-diameter gas mains to repair joints from the inside
without interruption to natural gas service. The joints connect
pieces of pipe together every 12 feet along the pipeline and are
inspected regularly to ensure integrity and reduce future repairs.
These inspections and repairs prevent future leaks and extend the
life of large-diameter pipes underground.
"At Spire, we're constantly looking for innovative ways to
improve the delivery of natural gas – both for field operations and
for our customers. While the robot focuses on this project,
additional construction crews are freed up to work on other
important projects around the metro," said Tim Goodson, vice president of operations for
Spire.
Customers will see multiple benefits from this robotic
technology:
- Faster
Spire can complete repairs in a matter of weeks, compared to the
traditional methods, which takes months.
- Cleaner
Because the robot can travel underground for 750 feet in either
direction, there are far fewer excavation sites in neighborhood
streets.
- More Efficient
With robotic technology, fewer crews and large equipment are needed
– and those efficiencies help to avoid costs for Spire
customers.
- Stay Connected
During the project, customers stay connected to gas
service.
"We will be sealing around 14,000 feet of pipeline robotically
this year with limited disruption to neighborhoods," said Goodson.
"Using this technology, we're delivering on our promise to
customers to always provide a reliable system while keeping our
rates as low as possible."
"Partnering on these projects demonstrates Spire's commitment to
investing in infrastructure to better serve the needs of
customers," said Ryan McGowan, vice
president of field operations at ULC Robotics. "Identifying and
sealing these pipeline joints with CISBOT helps Spire to provide
even safer and more reliable service for years to come."
About Spire
At Spire Inc. (NYSE: SR) we believe energy exists to help make
people's lives better. It's a simple idea, but one that's at the
heart of our company. Every day we serve 1.7 million customers
making us the fifth largest publicly traded natural gas company in
the country. We help families and business owners fuel their daily
lives through our gas utilities
serving Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Our
natural gas-related businesses include Spire Marketing, Spire STL
Pipeline and Spire Storage. We are transforming our business and
pursuing growth through 1) growing organically, 2) investing in
infrastructure, 3) acquiring and integrating, and
4) innovation and technology. Learn more at
SpireEnergy.com.
ULC Robotics, Inc.
ULC Robotics, Inc. is a leading Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS)
solutions provider and developer for the energy industry,
transforming the way that vital infrastructure is maintained and
operated. Our diverse team of engineers, sensor scientists,
unmanned system pilots, and field operators provide end-to-end
solutions for real-world application across a variety of
environments. The deployment of ULC's robotic systems and unmanned
aerial systems helps utilities lower operating costs while
minimizing their impact on customers and the environment. For more
information please visit www.ulcrobotics.com.
Media
Contact:
|
Media
Contact:
|
Jenny
Barth
|
Nathan
King
|
314-342-3300
|
631-667-9200
|
Jenny.Barth@SpireEnergy.com
|
nking@ulcrobotics.com
|
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SOURCE Spire Inc.