Pipeline inspection FAQ
Short answers for integrity and HSE teams comparing drone ROW patrol with the rest of an Alberta oil and gas inspection program. For the service itself, start with pipeline inspection or leak detection. The regulations and sources behind these answers are on the Alberta right-of-way requirements page.
How often should oil and gas pipelines be inspected in Alberta?
Alberta no longer sets a fixed patrol interval. Since November 15, 2023, the Pipeline Rules have required licensees to meet CSA Z662 and follow their own Integrity Management Program. CSA Z662 requires periodic right-of-way patrols, with the frequency based on operating pressure, pipe size, population density, service fluid, terrain, weather, land use and failure history. The previous rules required at least one ROW inspection a year, and monthly to weekly patrols for some higher-consequence lines, which is still a sensible benchmark. Water crossings, sour service and lines near people are the segments that most often justify more frequent patrols.
Did Alberta remove the annual right-of-way inspection requirement?
The fixed interval is gone, but the duty to patrol is not. The Pipeline Rules that took effect on November 15, 2023 replaced the old annual minimum and the weekly-to-monthly schedules with a risk-based approach: your Integrity Management Program sets a patrol frequency for each pipeline, and you must be able to justify it to the AER under CSA Z662. The AER still enforces the old rules for earlier years. In June 2026 it penalized a licensee that had missed its 2022 annual ROW inspection.
Can a drone patrol count as our right-of-way inspection?
Yes, if your Integrity Management Program specifies it. CSA Z662 does not prescribe a patrol method, and the AER lists aerial surveillance, including visual and vegetation surveys, among the options for a leak detection program. Your program still has to justify the frequency, cover what a patrol can’t see, act on findings and keep records the AER can review. A patrol does not replace corrosion control, cathodic protection, in-line inspection or engineering assessments.
What is an aerial ROW patrol?
A right-of-way patrol is a planned look at the pipeline corridor for anything that can affect safety or operation: signs of a leak, digging or construction by others, encroachment, erosion, slope movement, loss of cover, exposed pipe, and conditions at road and water crossings. Ground disturbance in the controlled area (30 m on each side of the pipe, or to the edge of the right-of-way if that is wider) needs the licensee’s involvement, so unplanned activity there is one of the main things a patrol looks for.
What can a drone video patrol detect?
APS records high-resolution video and reviews it as soon as each flight lands. We look for visible signs of a leak: staining, dead or stressed vegetation, pooled fluid, sheen or bubbling at water crossings, and dark or melted patches in snow. Video shows what a leak does to the surface, not the product itself, so a small liquid leak appears once fluid reaches the surface and a gas leak appears through its effects, such as vegetation die-off. That is why a visual patrol works alongside your pressure and volume monitoring rather than replacing it.
How does drone patrol compare with helicopter or fixed-wing patrol?
Manned aircraft cover long corridors quickly but are expensive to put in the air often. Drone patrols suit repeated visits to the segments that matter most: older pipe, internally uncoated steel and water crossings. We review the video as soon as each flight lands and alert you immediately if we see signs of a leak.
Which pipelines are highest risk for leaks?
AER failure data points to a few patterns. Internal corrosion caused 38% of Alberta pipeline failures in 2025; 77% of those were on steel with no internal coating, and 43% were on oil-well effluent lines. External corrosion (13%) concentrates where coatings are missing, damaged or disbonded, which is more common on older tape-wrapped pipe. Consequence matters too: the AER looks more closely at lines near water that carry hazardous substances. Our free Alberta risk assessment tool screens company inventory for uncoated steel, age over 30 years and water crossings.
What happens if a patrol finds signs of a leak?
We review the video as soon as each flight lands. If we see a possible leak, we contact your designated person immediately after the flight with screenshots of what we saw and where. Every leak on an AER-licensed pipeline is reportable, whatever its size, so if it is confirmed the licensee must report it to the AER immediately through the Energy and Environmental Emergency 24-Hour Response Line (1-800-222-6514) and start containment. Our footage supports that report and any written follow-up the AER requests.
What records do we get after each patrol?
All of the video footage, screenshots, and a map confirming which sections were flown. Together they show your integrity team, and the AER if it asks, that each segment was patrolled and what it looked like on the day.
Do you inspect pipelines outside Alberta?
Yes. APS is based in Calgary and works mainly in Alberta, and also flies in British Columbia and Saskatchewan. In British Columbia, the BC Energy Regulator requires an integrity management program under CSA Z662 Annex N and a damage prevention program, and its guidance lists drone patrols as one surveillance option. In Saskatchewan, the Ministry of Energy and Resources applies the Saskatchewan Pipelines Code (Directive PNG034), which relies on CSA Z662 for right-of-way inspection. Reporting rules differ by province, and the licensee reports under the rules where the pipe is.
How do I get a pipeline inspection quote?
Use the contact form to describe the assets, area, and whether you need a standing patrol schedule or help after a suspected leak. You can also email us. There is no public phone number on the site yet; a representative will reply by email.
Still deciding which segments to fly first? Use the risk assessment tool or contact us.