Drones to monitor gas pipelines
Penang govt will tighten efforts to prevent situation like Putra Heights from occurring
GEORGE TOWN: Penang, which has 42km of gas pipelines running through its territory, will use drones to monitor these areas every week.
The monitoring work would be conducted by the PETRONAS regional office in Gurun, Kedah, said state infrastructure committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.
The pipelines, which are owned by PETRONAS, extends from the Sungai Kerian border, passing through Parit Buntar in Perak and continuing through Relau in Kedah, as well as Machang Bubuk, Mengkuang, Ara Kuda, Kampung Selamat and Pinang Tunggal, before crossing Sungai Muda to re-enter Kedah.
'The Penang government will continue to tighten monitoring and enforcement efforts to prevent any incident like the one in Putra Heights from happening,' he told the state assembly sitting yesterday.
On April 1, a gas pipeline leak triggered an explosion and fire that damaged about 120 houses in Putra Heights in Selangor, which injured 150 people. It also left a massive crater in the housing area.
Zairil said the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) enforces key regulations to ensure workplace safety in order to prevent such incidents.
'DOSH also conducts annual safety audits on pipeline operators (both gas and liquid petroleum),' he said, adding that the number of audited operators has risen significantly, from seven in 2022 to 14 in 2024 and 29 this year.
Zairil said additional safety measures included rigorous technical inspections – such as hydrostatic and pneumatic tests – that are mandatory for the issuance of a Permit to Operate (PTO) by DOSH.
'DOSH also carries out annual inspections at petrol stations and petroleum storage terminals,' he said.
Unannounced inspections are also conducted on pipelines operating without a PTO, with enforcement action taken against any violations, he said.
On the state government's efforts, Zairil added that gas safety and flammable material issues are regularly reviewed during State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) meetings, held twice a year.
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