GasunieGasunie is a Dutch, state-owned company that manages and maintains the infrastructure for large-scale transport and storage of gas (mainly natural gas) in the Netherlands and northern Germany. manages 12,000 km of pipelines beneath the Netherlands — a vast out-of-sight network that requires consistent monitoring to ensure its safety. In 2023, the company launched an ambitious digitization initiative to modernize how it monitors the cathodic protection (CP) of its pipeline infrastructure.

During this project, out of the 18,000 Gasunie poles for cathodic protection (CP), 11,000 got equipped with sensors provided by Withthegrid.

Their data (showing the grid’s status) is sent to the Asset Monitoring Platform (AMP), eliminating the need for technical staff to perform manual measurements and providing continuous visibility into the performance of its CP systems.

This case study highlights the why’s and the how’s of this partnership.

A manual system at its breaking point

Historically, Gasunie relied on manual, periodic inspections. But the company saw that this approach was becoming increasingly unsustainable:

• Labor-intensive and costly: Every year, contractors traveled throughout the country to take measurements of the CP poles piles, and employees had to verify these measurements, consuming resources and driving up operational expenditure (OPEX).
• Blind spots: With infrequent checks, CP failures could go unnoticed for weeks or months – forcing a reactive, high-cost maintenance.
• Resource constraints: As experienced technicians retire and hiring becomes harder, the manual inspection model becomes increasingly fragile.

Overcoming critical hurdles with the Asset Monitoring Platform

The Asset Monitoring Platform (AMP) was chosen to connect a fleet of tailor-made IoT modules, manage connectivity, and convert raw data into actionable insights. The successful implementation depended on solving three key challenges.

1. Detecting sporadic external interference

Cathodic protection systems can be affected by outside electrical sources, like nearby equipment or power lines. These interference sources might only be active at specific times of the day, making them easy to miss with infrequent spot measurements.

While constant measurement would provide a complete picture, it was not a viable option: it would drain the IoT device’s battery life too quickly.

To get around this, a configurable time drift was introduced into the measurement interval. The devices were programmed to take readings every 361 minutes (six hours and one minute). Since 361 does not divide evenly into 24 hours, the measurement time shifts daily.

Over 361 days, every minute of the day is captured at least once, providing a full picture of activity across day and nightWe’re assuming here that the state of interference doesn’t change. without increasing battery consumption.

2. Mitigating reference cell drift

To monitor CP systems remotely, special sensors called reference cells are buried in the ground to provide a stable basis for measurements. However, over time, these cells can experience minimal electrical potential drift, which could be misinterpreted as a change in the CP system’s performance.

To solve this, a second zinc and zinc sulfate reference cell (Zn/ZnSO₄) was added alongside the original copper and copper sulfate (Cu/CuSO₄) cell. By monitoring the differential voltage between the two cells, which should remain stable around 1.1V, the AMP can detect any potential drift.

Thresholds are set within the AMP to automatically trigger an issue if the differential voltage deviates, indicating a potential cell problem and preventing misinterpretation of the CP data.

This method also provides an extra check to verify the correct installation of the reference cells.

3. Managing a large-scale installation and rollout

Deploying approximately 11,000 IoT modules presented its own set of logistical challenges, including minimizing installation time and tracking assets and device linkages.

The AMP and custom-designed hardware addressed these issues systematically:

• Minimized installation time: The IoT module was designed to fit perfectly into Gasunie’s existing yellow test posts without the need for additional screws. After connecting the wires, installers can press a ‘test’ button to validate measurements and connectivity on the spot.
• Asset tracking and linkage: To keep track of every device, the Asset Monitoring Platform allows installers to link an IoT module to a specific location simply by scanning a QR code on the device with a mobile phone. This process also allows for easy submission of additional information, such as the serial numbers of the reference cells used at that location.
• Issue management: An issue management system within the AMP gives contractors a tool to log and track any installation blockages they encounter, such as a test post being located in water or behind a locked gate.

Switching to proactive asset management

By automating its cathodic protection monitoring with the Asset Monitoring Platform, Gasunie successfully achieved its primary objectives, transforming its maintenance operations and enhancing infrastructure reliability.

• Reduced operational costs and increased efficiency: The transition to remote monitoring has reduced the need for routine manual inspections, saving significant operational costs and allowing field personnel to focus their expertise on high-impact, targeted interventions.
• Early detection of issues: With continuous data streaming into the AMP, Gasunie can now detect outages and anomalies in near real-time, moving from a reactive to a proactive maintenance strategy.
• Extending asset lifetime: Frequent monitoring of pipelines increases protection. By immediately detecting and resolving outages, it helps with slowing degradation and extending asset lifetime.
• Future-proofing operations: The automated system mitigates the future risk of personnel shortages and provides a scalable platform for further digitization initiatives. The amount of data collected opens the door for advanced analysis, enabling the prioritization of repair work in areas with the highest corrosion risks by combining CP data with other sources like soil type and pipeline age.

Peter Borger and Henk Horstink of Gasunie stated, “Digitalization of the CP system will ensure better condition monitoring of the grid“.

Through a close collaboration with Gasunie and in partnership with Hommema,Hommema is a Dutch engineering and technical consultancy, specialized in lightning protection and cathodic protection the implementation of the Asset Monitoring Platform has not only resolved Gasunie’s immediate operational challenges, but also established a foundation for a more resilient, efficient, and data-driven approach to managing its critical pipeline infrastructure.