The cream of the crop
“Every year we check every metre of our pipelines,” says Geert Heytens, south pipeline coordinator at TotalEnergies. Together with his colleagues, he monitors over 400 kilometres of pipelines, around 80 of which run through the port of Antwerp.
The dogs play an indispensable role in this. Our advanced devices for detecting gas leaks work well above ground but are less effective for underground pipelines. Detecting such small traces of gas requires something far more sensitive: a hunting dog’s nose.”
From puppy to professional
Today, Trix, a four-year-old Belgian Shepherd, inspects a section of the pipeline route in Antwerp. Trix works for Intero The Sniffers, a company that specialises in training tracking dogs for industrial applications. It monitors pipelines on behalf of TotalEnergies.
“The dogs start their training as eight-week-old puppies,” Geert explains. “In doing so, trainers assess obedience, social skills and motivation. Of the 20 puppies, only about five are selected to continue their training after a year. They first train to recognise liquid petroleum products and later specific petrochemical gases.”
A four-legged working day
Tracking days can be quite challenging. The dogs follow their handler along the pipeline route. “After half an hour, a dog needs a break or is swapped with another.” The work requires a great deal of concentration,” says Geert.
Trix is now about halfway through his career. After that, he can enjoy his well-deserved retirement. Until that time, he’ll continue to demonstrate his remarkable tracking abilities. When presented with a sample carrying a gas scent, he does not hesitate. Instantly, he sits and wags his tail to indicate a discovery.
Four-legged friends keeping us safe
“Our pipelines mainly carry ethylene and propylene, important raw materials for plastics, along with liquid hydrocarbons like petrol, diesel, and kerosene. This method is unquestionably the safest way to handle these highly flammable products. Geert says, “The dogs play a key role in keeping this the safest way to transport these products.”
And although their primary purpose is not to detect leaks, they are prepared for it. “If a dog detects anything, we can intervene immediately.” Fortunately, we haven’t had any leaks so far.”
autical Port Map
Source: Port of Antwerp-Bruges