Detecting and Mapping Shallow
Gas Pipelines
Fluvius Challenge #2
The Challenge
Fluvius is facing a growing number of excavation-related damages to service gas pipelines, especially those with a shallow burial depth. These damages range from minor incidents to severe consequences like evacuations and even explosions - posing serious risks to nearby residents and harming Fluvius’ reputation. Today, there is limited visibility on where shallow gas lines are located, and current data often lacks reliable depth measurements. Fluvius is looking for technologies, materials, or devices that can detect shallow gas pipelines proactively, enabling preventive intervention and safer excavation activities.
What we're looking for
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A solution that can detect and visualize shallow gas service lines, especially those with small diameters (e.g., P32).
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A way to supplement or enrich existing network data with reliable depth and positional information.
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A system that works without the need for deep specialist interpretation by the end-user or specialist in the field - but where the partner provides the interpretation service.
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A method that could evolve from incident prevention to full network mapping over time.
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Ability to detect small-diameter gas pipelines, including shallow and hard-to-trace lines.
Must-haves​
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Compatible with urban environments where footpaths are crowded with various underground utilities.
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Field-ready and able to operate in real-world, cluttered, and shallow subsurface conditions.
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Non-invasive, and preferably cost-efficient enough to be applied proactively, not just reactively.
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TRL 5 or higher and ready for pilot deployment with external partners.
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Use of AI or multi-sensor fusion to improve detection accuracy (e.g., radar + material characteristics).
Nice to have
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Ability to identify other nearby utilities like water or fiber, to support coordinated infrastructure mapping.
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Scalable for municipalities and adaptable to planned or unplanned works.
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Potential to share detection insights across stakeholders and utility partners.
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Requires intensive interpretation by specialists to understand output.
Not a fit
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Involves invasive or expensive detection techniques not suited for street-level workflows.
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Can’t reliably detect small-diameter pipelines like P32 or distinguish between gas and other utilities.
Ideal Applicants
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Detection technology providers experienced in shallow subsurface mapping.
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Companies that not only offer detection hardware or tools, but also provide interpretation as a service.
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Startups or scaleups using ground-penetrating radar, AI-assisted detection, or sensor fusion.
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Companies willing to collaborate openly with Fluvius and potentially share findings across other utility stakeholders.
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Experts who understand urban excavation complexity and want to improve field safety and service quality.
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Providers who can act fast, with short onboarding time and readiness for field deployment.
What Succes looks like
​Fluvius rolls out a user-friendly tool that visualizes underground infrastructure clearly and intuitively, improves safety and efficiency, and is used by default during fieldwork. Lead times drop, error rates decrease, and everyone — from blue-collar contractors to emergency crews — has reliable access to the network data they need, when and where they need it.
The Challenger
Fluvius is the distribution grid system operator for electricity and natural gas in all of Flanders, as well as sewerage and heat in some towns and municipalities. In addition to connecting our customers (residential and small & medium businesses) to those grids we are preparing the grid for the energy transition and managing energy data on behalf of our customers and for the energy market. We also take care of all public lighting in the Flemish towns and municipalities.
