THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Waste of fuel due to leaks in pipelines and massive oil thefts are prevalent concerns in the energy industry, leading to huge losses every year. To counter this, Kochi-based startup Tranzmeo has developed a technology that actively detects and addresses issues such as leaks and intrusions in underground oil and gas pipelines, thereby significantly reducing fuel loss and environmental harm. The technology has also proven to be a robust deterrent against oil and gas thefts.
Tranzmeo holds the distinction of being the first Indian company in the sector. Its rapid progress earned it the trust of major industry players, including Fortune 500 firms such as the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Petronet MHB.
“Tranzmeo is the only company in the world dealing with the technology. We don’t have any competitors so far,” said Safil Sunny, the lone founder of the startup operating at Infopark.
An engineering graduate, Safil decided to focus on the sector after learning more about massive oil thefts that cost the country crores of rupees in losses. He quit his job and decided to start a firm to develop a technology to prevent such thefts and to report leaks and damages to underground pipelines.
Tranzmeo is already using the technology to monitor 7,000km of the country’s underground oil and gas pipeline network spread across 70,000km.
A native of Angamaly in Ernakulam, Safil, 34, started the firm in 2017. The firm currently has a 35-member team. HPCL has invested around `1 crore in Tranzmeo and is also on its board of directors.
“Tranzmeo’s mission is to enhance safety and efficiency within the oil and gas industry. We are using our technology to report leaks, damages, and oil thefts. No other Indian company is doing this and hence, we have several premium clients, with HPCL being a key investor,” Safil said. Explaining further, he said, “The technology is a surveillance mechanism with hardware-software integration. There will be a control room facility every 100km where the pipelines are connected. Basically, we have a software-centric approach using artificial intelligence and machine learning, while hardware is manufactured by third parties. Hardware is used to convert the optical fibre cables into a sensor. The cables are often laid by the petroleum companies while laying pipelines for sensing vibration, stress strain, and temperature. A device having our software is placed on the cables allowing us to detect leaks, damage and theft,” he says.
Safil says the company’s clients are mostly in other states, as oil and gas pipelines are widely used there. Safil says Tranzmeo’s software has a self-learning AI-based engine so that new threats across different environmental conditions can be automatically configured with the assistance of field supervisers.
Another advantage is that the technology completely eliminates the need for planned routine manual site inspections with real-time, 24x7 visibility, reliable asset monitoring, and no human errors. As per Safil, the technology is immune to environmental and weather conditions such as low lighting, dust, rain, and extreme temperatures.
“We plan to detect and check damage and fissures on railway tracks in the country in future. Talks are on and it will hopefully be implemented within two years,” Safil says.
The startup recently secured the exclusive invitation to the esteemed Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) 2023, organised by the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
This recognition places Tranzmeo as the sole Indian representative at the international event, highlighting its remarkable expertise in remote pipeline monitoring and safety. The company was also selected by Microsoft as one of the emerging unicorns in 2019-20.