If you’re a utility locator or a natural gas distribution professional, you’ve likely been in this situation before: The clock is ticking, an excavation is set to begin, and you need to locate a buried gas line fast and accurately. A weak signal, distorted electromagnetic fields, or misidentified facilities can turn this task into a high-risk guessing game.
And guessing is not an option when lives and infrastructure are on the line.
According to the Common Ground Alliance 2023 DIRT Report, 40% of all reported utility damages involved natural gas infrastructure. Many of these damages resulted from poor locating practices, leading to costly repairs, downtime, and potential hazards.
That’s why Copperhead’s Complete Utility Locate System is a game-changer for the natural gas industry. It answers the three fundamental questions every locator should ask before marking a line:
1. Do I have good signal?
2. Are my marks accurate?
3. Am I locating the correct facility?
Let’s break down how the Copperhead system provides reliable answers to each of these questions and transforms utility locating from a frustrating process into a seamless operation.
1. Do I have Good Signal?
Good locating starts with a strong, consistent signal. If your receiver’s tone is weak or erratic, you’re already losing the battle.
The Copperhead System ensures the best possible signal strength through a combination of high-quality tracer wire, strategic grounding, and easy access points.
How Copperhead Solves It:
- High-Conductivity Tracer Wire: Copperhead’s copper-clad steel (CCS) tracer wire provides exceptional conductivity and durability, outperforming traditional copper wire. It resists breakage, corrosion, and theft while maintaining a powerful, uninterrupted signal.
- Proper Grounding for Signal Integrity: The Gas Best Practices guide from Copperhead emphasizes that near-end and far-end grounds are crucial for pulling the locate signal effectively. Copperhead’s magnesium ground rods at dead ends enhance signal strength by completing the electrical circuit.
- Reliable Access Points: Copperhead’s SnakePit and MiniCobra™ access points ensure that locators can directly connect to tracer wire without struggling to find a connection point.
With Copperhead’s robust tracer wire system and superior grounding, locators get a clear, readable signal—eliminating weak connections and signal loss.
2. Do I have Good Signal?
A strong signal means nothing if your marks are off. A misplaced mark by even a few inches can lead to a disaster.
Electromagnetic field distortion is one of the primary causes of inaccurate locates. According to CGS’s The Science of Locating presentation, distorted locate signals occur when higher frequency signals “bleed off” onto adjacent underground facilities, creating false or hard to decipher readings.
How Copperhead Solves It:
- Low-Frequency Locating for Precision: The Theory of Pipe and Cable Locating presentation from Vivax-Metrotech confirms that low-frequency signals (512Hz-8.19kHz) create small, controlled electromagnetic fields. Copperhead’s system allows locators to operate at lower frequencies, reducing interference and ensuring pinpoint accuracy.
- Peak & Null Validation: A perfect locate field is round, meaning that peak and null readings should align. Copperhead’s clean-signal technology ensures precise alignment, preventing mis-marks caused by distorted fields.
- Tracer Wire Installations Prevent Signal Loss: The Gas Best Practices guide warns against looped or poorly placed tracer wire, as it causes erratic locate signals. Copperhead’s best-in-class installation standards prevent these issues, maintaining signal integrity across the system.
The Bottom Line:
With Copperhead’s Complete Locate System, locators can run their machines at low frequencies, verify their marks, and eliminate signal distortion—making their marks more accurate than ever.
3. Am I Locating the Correct Facility?
This is the most critical question a locator can ask. Even if your signal is strong and your marks are accurate, if you’re tracing the wrong utility, you’ve got a serious problem.
In 2023, the CGA DIRT Report found that incorrect facility identification was a major contributor to excavation damages.
How Copperhead Solves It:
- Logical Termination Points: The only way to confirm you’re tracing the correct facility is to follow the locate signal to a logical termination point. Copperhead’s system ensures direct access to tracer wire at valve boxes, meter sets, and end points, making it easy to verify the facility before marking.
- Color-Coded Tracer Wire: Copperhead’s APWA-standard color-coded tracer wire makes it easy to distinguish gas lines from telecom, water, electrical conduits, and all other utilities.
- Signal Current Validation: According to The Science of Locating presentation, current readings should match the transmitter’s output. Copperhead’s system simplifies locating a utility’s facilities, allowing easier confirmation that the locator is not receiving interference from other equipment or infrastructure on site.
By using logical endpoints, color-coded tracer wire, and signal current validation, locators can be 100% certain they are marking the correct facility.
A Smarter, Safer Future for Gas Utility Locating
In an industry where a single mistake can lead to catastrophic consequences, utility professionals need better tools and stronger locate systems.
The Copperhead Complete Utility Locate System answers the three key questions every locator must ask:
✔ Do I have good signal? ✅ Yes, thanks to strong CCS tracer wire, superior grounding, and easy-access points.
✔ Are my marks accurate? ✅ Yes, because low-frequency signals and proper installations reduce interference.
✔ Am I locating the correct facility? ✅ Yes, because the system ensures logical terminations and clear facility identification.
With Copperhead’s cutting-edge locating technology, gas utilities can dramatically reduce damages, improve efficiency, and enhance safety.
And at CGS Inc., we take pride in offering Copperhead’s American-made locating solutions—because when it comes to damage prevention, there’s no room for compromise.