A similar measure in the US House of Representatives is now in committee. This recent legislative activity underscores the importance of deploying state-of-the-art technology to secure energy and other critical assets, according to Optellios Inc., which offers smart sensing technology for long-distance monitoring, detection and security in the oil and gas infrastructure.
Optellios President and Chief Executive Officer David Smith said “It has never been more important to ensure the safety and reliability of production and distribution assets for the oil and gas industry.
“In today’s fragile economy, threats to pipeline infrastructure can have a significant impact on both industries and communities, whether they are intentional disruptions due to terrorism or theft, or inadvertent damage caused by simple excavation equipment or pipeline leaks. Just as important, the legislation now moving through Congress addresses a key step in protecting the critical pathways that run through local communities, ecosystems and habitats.”
According to Mr Smith, enhanced physical security of energy transport lines and installations would also address key environmental concerns over potentially dangerous oil leaks.
Mr Smith said “The proposed law is a win-win scenario for industry, consumers, and environmentalists alike. Projects involving pipelines and other critical oil and gas assets now can leverage the benefits of smart intrusion and leakage detection technology.
“For legislators, this is a real opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding critical national infrastructure while protecting the habitats these pipelines go through.”
