The IGU cooperates with many global energy organisations (including the UN and International Energy Agency) and covers all domains of the gas industry from exploration and production of natural gas onshore or offshore, pipeline and piped distribution systems to customers’ premises and combustion of the gas at the point of use.

For the triennium 2006-2009 – heading towards the next World Gas Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October 2009 – eleven Working and Program Committees and Task Forces are covering the following areas of interest:

- Exploration and Production of Gas; - Gas storage; - Transmission of Gas; - Distribution of Gas; - Utilisation of Gas; - Sustainable Development; - Strategy, Economics and Regulation; - Developing Gas Markets; - LNG; - Task Force on Research and Development; Task Force on Gas Market Integration.

The research work being carried out by Working Committees 3 and 4 (WOC3/4) with the IGU into gas transmission and distribution respectively has progressed since its commencement in October 2006. Australia has been instrumental in assisting the IGU with the research.

Barbara Jinks, Business Development Manager of Oil & Gas with GHD, based in Brisbane, is a member of both committees and keeps the Australian industry bodies up to date with research progress through industry presentations and publications. She is the only Australian member of WOC3 and one of three Australian members on WOC4, along with Michael Kilgariff (ENA) and Peter Buck (SP AusNet).

Barbara attended the scheduled biannual WOC4 meetings in London, Boston and Moscow. She managed the compilation and issue of a global survey (hosted by GHD) with 128 questions covering the six key areas that form the terms of reference for gas distribution: company profile; asset management strategies; leakage reduction and policies; regulatory issues; global issues; and third party damage. Responses were received from 52 companies in 27 countries including, from Australia, SP AusNet, the APA Group, Alinta and Multinet Gas.

The committee now has the most data that an IGU working committee has received. This has helped WOC4 stay ahead of schedule in terms of data collection and analysis.

The survey results are confidential, however preliminary findings and observations have been noted and include:

- An indication that pipeline damage to gas distribution networks has increased 20 per cent in the last two years. - On factors that influenced respondents’ acceptable leakage levels, 25 per cent stated that environmental issues were the least important and 10 per cent the most important factor. For an industry that will need to become more “green” going forward, this poses a challenge for the future. - Only 55 per cent of respondents have a specific policy on gas leakage reduction.

In WOC3, research into gas transmission covers the following main areas:

1. Identification of the extent to which regulatory activities may influence gas transmission with respect to safety and security of supply. 2. Review of new technologies in pipeline and construction monitoring. 3. Assessment of the contribution of gas transmission to climate protection and sustainable development.

A global survey was conducted early in 2007 to assess the effects of regulation of gas transmission, but the Committee has not received sufficient data to make firm conclusions. However, a key preliminary finding from the survey is a common feeling that regulation (especially that based on cost of service) will jeopardise safety and security of supply in the next 5-10 years.

This survey was reissued in November 2007 to Australian gas transmission owners and operators, through the auspices of the APIA Regulatory Affairs Committee, and Barbara is passing responses back to IGU.

Regarding study areas 2 and 3 above, WOC3 is currently in the process of selecting topics that will be investigated further, including subjects that range from corrosion, unmanned aerial pipeline surveillance, IT-based pipeline integrity management systems (PIMPS) and systems of prediction of pipeline conditions. Factors that affect the environment have been identified as CO2, NOx, CH4 and noise.