EON-Masdar Integrated Carbon (EMIC), a joint venture between the UAE’s Masdar and E.ON of Germany, has started full implementation of its gas leak reduction project in the Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan, in partnership with JSC Uztransgaz (UTG), the Uzbek gas distribution network owner.

The project involves the deployment of advanced gas leak detection and repair technologies in UTG’s low- and medium-pressure gas distribution network in the Ferghana valley, focusing especially on leaks from above-ground distribution equipment such as gate stations, pressure regulating stations, valves and fittings.

During June and July 2011, EMIC and its subcontractors trained 196 UTG staff in the accurate measurement and repair of gas leaks. During the full implementation of the project, which started in September, the trained UTG staff will execute leak detection and repair activities on more than 100,000 leaks under the supervision of EMIC and its subcontractors. These activities will last for a full year.

The project will save an estimated 83 million cu m of gas per year and provide UTG the know-how and technology to reduce future gas leakages.  Furthermore, the project will combat global warming by reducing the emissions of methane, the main component of natural gas and a very potent greenhouse gas.

Masdar Carbon has provided EMIC with the necessary expertise to register the project under the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and the project is expected to generate Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) equivalent to the reduction of about 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 every year. CDM registration of the project was achieved in June 2011, with Det Norske Veritas Certification AS (DNV) performing the validation on the basis of the UNFCCC criteria for CDM.

Dr Oliver Behrend, deputy general manager of EMIC, said: “The start of the implementation of the project is a key milestone for UTG and EMIC and the result of very hard work by both companies.”