How to Find Expert Natural Gas Inspection Companies

The world of pipeline surveying and inspection is getting a boost through new, advanced surveying technologies — designed to improve upon the pre-planning, planning, and maintenance stages of oil field projects. Today, new survey technologies can get your pipeline project off the ground faster, resulting in reduced delays and fewer potential reworks. Here’s what you need to know about new pipeline surveying technology and how to find expert natural gas inspection companies.

The Benefits of Natural Gas Inspection and Surveying

Drone services can be used for complete oil and gas pipeline inspections, beginning with the original pipeline surveying. For natural gas facilities, surveying can be completed to determine whether there may be obstructions on the planned path, to simulate impact to the environment, and to identify any other issues that might arise when the project is underway. Proper surveying saves an organization a significant amount of money, by improving the accuracy of the plans.

In addition to preliminary surveying, natural gas inspection companies are able to ensure that pipelines and natural gas facilities are well-maintained and prepared as needed. Regular natural gas safety inspection can catch issues as they arise, rather than when they become problematic. New IoT devices and sensors can be used to capture even more complicated information around natural gas installations, identifying potential leaks, unusual levels of heat, and other irregularities.

When it comes to natural gas, safety and environmental issues are a major priority. Better, more frequent, and more timely inspections are an excellent way for a company to improve the safety of their operations from the very beginning of the project. But in addition to safety, natural gas inspection can also make a natural gas site more predictable, reliable, and profitable — companies will find that as their inspections increase, their productivity will, too. Safer, well-maintained sites lead to better production time.

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Finding the Right Natural Gas Inspection Companies

The core benefits of natural gas inspection aside, how can a company find the right inspection companies? Many natural gas inspection companies only specialize in residential or development services, rather than serving the natural gas industry. Here are some important things to consider.

• Technology. Are inspections being completed manually or through the use of advanced technology such as UAVs? UAVs are faster, safer, and more efficient when it comes to pipeline inspection. UAVs are able to fly close to infrastructure, identify problems with extreme accuracy, and do not put any human operators at risk. In addition to the physical technology, ask about the software and data. How is data saved, stored, and analyzed? How will it be accessed?
• Experience. Does the UAV company frequently serve the natural gas industry, or are they more focused on other types of surveying and inspection? While there are many UAV companies that have the capacity to perform a pipeline or natural gas inspection, not all of them specialize. Specialists are more likely to be experts and are more likely to deliver accurate and meaningful information. 
• Reputation. Have they been in the industry long? Do they have clients who can vouch for them? As drone technology advances and its benefits are seen, there are many new UAV companies who may not have enough experience with natural gas inspection. Look for companies that have been using UAVs and related surveying technology for a long time, and understand the intricacies of these technologies inside and out.

It’s important to spend the time to find the right inspection company, as these inspection companies will be responsible for keeping your site safe and operational. The right natural gas inspection companies will be able to operate as a partner, helping you through the initial stages of your project and continued maintenance, repairs, and expansion. For more information about the benefits of oil and gas drone technology, contact the experts at Landpoint.