Futuristic robots are being deployed to handle and fix gas mains in Hertfordshire.

The robo-engineer CISBOT (Cast Iron Sealing Bot) was used to repair aging gas mains in Shendish Manor in Apsley to deal with a medium pressure gas escape in the area.

As the manor is located near a railway line and the pipe ran beneath a golf course, the CISBOT came in handy by carrying out work without large excavations and little disruption to both local wildlife and the golf course.

Supplied by contractor ULC Pipeline Robotics, the handy bot requires small excavations to enter and leave the gas mains through an insertion tube. Once inside, the robot is remotely operated to carry the repairs.

Cadent Repair Supervisor Eddie Gabbott, who managed the project, explained: “This is the first time we’ve used CISBOT in a rural location and just as it’s been a gamechanger in urban locations it’s can also revolutionise the way we do things in rural locations.

“Ordinarily we’d have had to dig trenches and been here for months, which would have been disruptive for the local wildlife including deer and sheep. With CISBOT however we can work faster, smoother, more economically and with less disruption than with traditional methods.”

ULC Robotics Project Manager Phil Pearson, said: “After debuting CISBOT in Hertfordshire in Letchworth earlier this year, we’ve taken things to the next level with this project, which has shown CISBOT can be equally effective in rural as well as urban locations.

“It helped us fix a leak which could have disrupted both local gas and railway services without causing disruption to golfers and local wildlife.”

The contractors have reassured that while the technology reduces the need for human workers onsite, jobs are still available with the need of operators and general support staff for planning and facilitating the work.