Guaranteeing the continuity and integrity of your pipelines is essential. Below case study is an example of the sniffing dogs’ capabilities for early detection of illegal tapping activities.
The challenge
A loss of pressure on a DN 200 oil pipeline network in Eastern Europe was a first indication of a potential illegal tap. Several kilometres of underground pipeline in a non-residential area, without close by permanent observation nourished the suspicion of an illegal tap.
The project
As a first measure, the pipeline manager checked the network every day by guards on horses without result. No visual indication of any fraudulent activity was found. The Sniffers was then requested to screen the suspicious network over a distance of 20 km. Two teams (each consisting of a sniffing dog and its handler) surveyed the underground pipeline during a two week long project. Supported by armed guards, a location in an exposed area, without any buildings or trees close by, was identified by the dogs.
The result
The dogs detected the illegal tapping point, which thieves used during night hours. As a result of the sniffer dogs finding the location of the leak, the pipeline owner found that tanker trucks were being filled with ten thousand of litres of fuel every night. The owner knew that it was experiencing losses but could never find the cause. When The Sniffers’ dogs detected the exact location of the illegal tap, this was a breakthrough for the operator in its fight against the financial losses and the increased risk of the integrity of the underground pipeline network.
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