Smells Like Trouble: Why Odorant Detection Shouldn’t Start with Your Nose

For too long, people in our industry have leaned on the human nose as the first line of defense when it comes to odorant detection. If you can smell it, the system must be working. That might sound simple, but it is also one of the most unreliable ways to measure safety.

Why We Don’t Rely on a Sniff Test

Odorant is introduced to natural gas so leaks can be caught quickly, but relying on smell alone is risky. Here is what we see in the field:

• Not everyone smells the same. Age, health, gender, and even habits like smoking can affect people’s sense of smell.
• Conditions change the picture. Wind, heat, and humidity can make odorant seem stronger or weaker than it really is.
• The nose gets tired. After a few minutes, most people stop noticing an odor even if it is still present.

We have seen time and again how this leads to blind spots. A crew member might sign off thinking everything is fine when in reality the system is out of compliance.

How We Handle It at Pipeline Conditioning

We do not start with a sniff. We start with data. Our team uses calibrated analyzers to verify odorant levels before anyone even thinks about smell. Instruments do not guess. They give us hard numbers that prove we are within compliance and that the public is protected.

This approach gives our clients more than peace of mind. It gives them clear records for regulators and documented proof that their system is operating safely. This is the standard we hold ourselves to on every job.

What Happens Without Data

Leaning on smell checks alone, without verified data can lead to:

• Citations when lines are later checked and are not compliant.
• Duplication of work when lines need to be re-conditioned resulting in additional investment.
• Unnecessary safety risks to the public.

The Standard We Believe In

Our view is simple. The nose should never be the first line of defense. It should only confirm what our instruments already proved.

This is why we do what we do at Pipeline Conditioning. Safety cannot depend on chance, and compliance should never come down to someone’s opinion. We make sure the data speaks first, and we stand behind it.