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A safe natural gas transmission network as the backbone for natural gas supply

Natural gas transport system of Erdgas Ostschweiz AG

The high-pressure network operated by Erdgas Ostschweiz AG has been constantly expanded in recent times and currently features an overall length of 607,5 km. Further expansion of this network is planned over the next few years. The maximum permitted operating pressure is up to 70 bar, depending on the pipeline section. The high pressure network includes direct connections to the terranets BW GmbH network in the north, the Energienetze GmbH network in the east and to the transit gas pipeline in the west. Erdgas Ostschweiz AG runs two customs metering stations, used to draw and measure contractually agreed quantities of natural gas from upstream systems. It also operates some 65 pressure reduction stations, which are used to feed natural gas into our customers’ transmission and distribution networks.

Technical details of the natural gas transmission Network 

Length of transmission network
in kilometres 		607.5
Feed-in points in the transmission Network 5
Pressure reduction stations aboutca. 65
Pipe dimensions
in inches		4 up to 28
Operating pressures
in bar		up to 70

Volume in cubic metres

81 772
High safety standard in transmission systems

Strict safety requirements for operations and materials used as well as regular, exhaustive checks using state-of-the-art technology ensure a high safety standard in these transmission systems. High-pressure natural gas pipelines (pipes with an operating pressure over 5 bar) are built and operated in line with the Swiss federal regulations on pipeline systems for transporting liquid or gaseous combustible and power fuels and the Swiss Federal Pipelines Inspectorate (ERI) guidelines. All control, safety and metering equipment in the stations undergo an inspection at least twice a year. If necessary, they are modified and brought to a state-of-the-art standard. The line routes are checked every two weeks with inspections alternating between using a vehicle and a helicopter.