Frauds in the Measurement of Natural Gas
Abstract
With the growing consumption of natural gas that has occurred in recent years, Brazil has also seen a great increase in the number of cases involving frauds in the measurement of this product, specifically concentrated at points where the gas companies distributes the product to the CNG stations. Such cases goes from a simple theft of gas from the pipeline using a by-pass to the meter, until a series of ingenious types of direct interventions on the gas metering system. Some of the fraudulently actions are being made even without the violation of the metrological physical sealing. Similar to the gas meters, the electronic gas volume converters are being defrauded. Besides the legal, economic and tributary issues, this problem impacts on the gas market because it may jeopardise the relationship between gas consumers and gas suppliers creating a confidence crisis, affecting all gas market and even delaying investments from gas companies. This article presents some of the frauds identified and shows some of the measures taken by the gas companies to remedy these problems, similarly to a cat-and-mouse game.
Event details
- Event
- tc9-2010