Pipeline condition assessment is becoming increasingly important as utilities look for better ways to manage ageing large-diameter water infrastructure.
Aganova has launched a new generation of its Nautilus in-line inspection platform to support that shift.
The technology is designed to locate leaks while also generating data that can support a separate assessment of pipeline condition.
This allows utilities to gain more information from a single field deployment while keeping leak detection and condition assessment as separate projects.
Pipeline condition assessment moves towards prevention
Large-diameter pipeline management has traditionally relied heavily on reacting to leaks, failures and other problems after they occur.
Condition information can help utilities intervene earlier by identifying indicators before they develop into more serious operational issues.
The new Nautilus platform has been developed to support this more preventative approach.
Data collected during an in-line leak inspection can also be analysed separately to provide additional information about the condition of the infrastructure.
This can support maintenance planning, rehabilitation programmes and investment decisions across large-diameter water networks.
One inspection run can support two objectives
Aganova refers to its approach as Smart Condition Assessment.
Leak detection and condition assessment remain separate services, each with its own scope, analysis and deliverables.
However, where a utility commissions both services, the required field data can be collected during the same inspection run.
This reduces the need for repeated field deployments while allowing each dataset to be analysed for a different operational purpose.
Leak analysis focuses on identifying water losses.
Condition assessment provides additional insight to support maintenance, rehabilitation and longer-term asset planning.
New Nautilus adds connectivity and remote management
The latest Nautilus platform has been redesigned across both its hardware and software architecture.
Improvements include a rechargeable power system with wireless charging and enhanced data analysis capabilities.
Wireless connectivity and remote management have also been added to provide faster access to inspection information.
Aganova says the redesigned user experience is intended to simplify field deployment and reduce operational complexity.
The new generation has been developed using experience gathered from more than 4,500 kilometres of water network inspections worldwide.
Inspection data supports infrastructure decisions
Marcos Barrera, CEO of Aganova, said the aim is to extract more useful information from each inspection.
“With the new Nautilus, we are taking a major step toward extracting greater value from every inspection.”
“In addition to locating leaks, we use the data generated during the same process to provide operators with further insight into the condition of their pipelines, helping them anticipate issues, prioritize maintenance, and plan investments more effectively.”
Daniel Mediano, Head of Product and Technology at Aganova, said the redesigned system also improves how inspection data is captured and processed.
“We redesigned Nautilus to capture and process information more efficiently.”
“The result is a platform that turns inspection data into a more comprehensive diagnosis of the network, enabling operational and strategic decisions to be made with greater confidence.”
Built on more than 4,500km of inspections
The new Nautilus is based on experience gained from more than 4,500 kilometres of inspections across water networks worldwide.
Aganova says this field experience has helped it develop a more robust system capable of operating under a wide range of network conditions.
The platform is designed for inspections of large-diameter water pipelines while they remain in operation.
This can help utilities gather information without taking critical infrastructure out of service.
Supporting smarter water asset management
Ageing infrastructure is increasing pressure on utilities to make better decisions about maintenance, rehabilitation and capital investment.
Replacing pipelines based only on age can lead to unnecessary expenditure.
Waiting for failures, however, can increase disruption, water losses and emergency repair costs.
Condition-led approaches aim to give operators better evidence about where intervention is most urgently required.
Aganova says the latest Nautilus platform is intended to make this information more accessible to a wider range of utilities.
The company believes this could support a gradual shift from reactive repairs towards preventative infrastructure management.
Combining leak detection with wider network insight
The new platform also reflects a wider move towards using inspection data for more than one operational purpose.
Utilities are increasingly looking to combine leak detection, asset condition information and network analytics to support more informed investment decisions.
For Aganova, the goal is to turn data collected during routine inspections into a broader understanding of network condition.
This can help operators prioritise maintenance, guide rehabilitation programmes and allocate resources more effectively.
H2O Global News continues to cover developments in water network management as utilities adopt new technologies to improve infrastructure resilience and reduce water losses.
Nautilus is an in-line inspection technology developed by Aganova for large-diameter water pipelines. It is designed to collect data while pipelines remain in operation.
Smart Condition Assessment is Aganova’s approach to using inspection data to provide additional information about pipeline condition alongside a separate leak detection project.
Yes. Where both services are commissioned, Aganova says data acquisition can take place during the same inspection run before separate analysis is completed for leak detection and condition assessment.
The new generation includes wireless charging, remote management, improved connectivity, enhanced data analysis and a redesigned hardware and software architecture.
Pipeline condition assessment can help utilities prioritise maintenance, plan rehabilitation and make investment decisions using information about the actual condition of infrastructure rather than relying only on age or failures.
