Amber Grid, the gas transmission system operator responsible for almost 2,300 km of high-pressure gas pipelines in Lithuania, has modernised five gas distribution stations in Šiauliai, Telšiai, Grigiškės, Vievyas and Kėdainiai and installed a gas pressure limiting unit at the branch of the gas pipeline to the Marijampolė gas distribution station. The renewal works took one and a half years and the total investment in these projects amounts to 14 million euros. Half of this was financed by the EU Structural Funds.
"The gas transmission network is one of the components of the country's energy security, so we have to make sure that all its connections are stable, safe and reliable. There are 68 gas distribution stations in Lithuania, the purpose of which is to reduce the pressure of the gas coming through the main pipeline, clean it of impurities, heat it to the required temperature and, after metering, deliver it to the distribution network maintained by the energy distribution operator. Properly functioning metering systems allow us to accurately measure the quality and quantity of gas entering the system, and by modernising the stations we have increased their reliability and safety, as well as reducing their environmental impact," says Andrius Dagys, Amber Grid's Technical Director.
According to him, special attention has been paid to the digital management of the stations. From now on, certain parameters can not only be monitored but also remotely controlled from the system control centre. New gas pressure relief devices, metering equipment and alarm systems have also been installed. This reduces the risk of accidents and interruptions. The rehabilitated stations and pressure relief system will require minimal maintenance, allowing the company to redeploy staff capacity to other projects aimed at more efficient and safer operation of the main gas pipeline infrastructure.
The gas transmission upgrades were carried out by contractors MT Group and Alvora under public procurement contracts. The renewal projects continue the long-term renewal programme of the Amber Grid system, to which the gas distribution network operated by ESO and the major users of the gas transmission system are connected. It involves replacing equipment installed decades ago at stations with modern equipment that meets the highest environmental, efficiency and safety standards.
The gas transmission system operated by Amber Grid consists of main gas pipelines, two gas compressor stations, gas metering and distribution stations, pipeline corrosion protection equipment, data transmission and communication systems. Lithuania's modern gas transmission system is the main route for transporting gas in the region, both north to Latvia and south to Poland. The Lithuanian gas transmission system is connected to the gas infrastructure of Latvia, Belarus, Poland and Kaliningrad, as well as to the Klaipėda LNG terminal and the systems of Lithuanian gas distribution companies.
