Maribo develops and provides services based on trained handlers and service dogs that detect the presence of gas, explosives, firearms and narcotics. Customers include government-run, municipal and private companies. Maribo is a Swedish, privately owned company that was founded in 1993. The company is certified according to SS-EN ISO 9001.
Detection dogs for gas, explosives and drug detection
Maribo develops and provides the following services:
- GDD-Team (consists of a handler and two gas detection dogs)
- EDD-Team (consists of a handler and two explosive detection dogs)
- DDD-Team (consists of a handler and two drug detection dogs)
The teams are trained according to specifications established by Swedish authorities and Maribo. According to impartial experts, Swedish requirement specifications are among the most stringent in the world. The fact that Swedish authorities place significant demands on handlers and service dogs is primarily due to a low political acceptability for failure.
High demands from authorities and the market drive development. Maribo develops detection functions in cooperation with customers who have cutting-edge skills in their fields. Examples of customers who have cutting-edge skills include Vattenfall, Orica Sweden, Eon Sverige, Eurenco Bofors and Fortum Corporation.
The training of teams from Maribo comprises expert technical content. Performance is continuously monitored and results show that reliability is around 96%-97%. Chromatographs show that a gas detection dog detects values far below the PPB level.
Gas pipeline leak detection
Maribo has been developing and providing services with GDD-Teams since 1994. A GDD-Team detects gas leaks in gas pipelines located above or below ground. The gas detection dog is trained to detect the following volatile organic compounds (VOC) substances that are typically in the range C1-C4:
- Tetrahydrothiophene (THT)
- Secondary butyl mercaptan (SBM)
- Tertiary butyl mercaptan (TBM)
- Isopropyl mercaptan (IPM)
- Normal propyl mercaptan (NPM)
In this context, the compounds are considered to be exclusive as they do not occur freely in nature or in the community. If the gas detection dog detects natural gas pipelines, it must not detect methane as methane is a freely occurring substance. That the substance detected is exclusive is of great importance. The customer does not need to pay for unnecessary excavation work.
Advantages of gas detection dogs
Maribo GDD-Teams have cutting-edge skills and experience; reliability for detection performance is 96%-97%. Search tags (i.e. all substances GDD identifies) are made up of exclusive substances (not freely occurring substances) and Maribo teams can detect gas leaks in gas pipelines located above or below ground. A gas detection dog from Maribo can identify gas leaks in environments contaminated by gas. GDD-Teams have technical expertise in gas pipelines and expertise in drawings and maps.
Maribo gas detection dogs can serve in any environment where people and animals live, and they demonstrate great insensitivity to normally occurring heights, tunnels, traffic, people, animals and sounds.
Capabilities of gas detection dogs
GDD-Teams can operate in the temperature range of -8°C to +32°C. At daytime temperatures above +32°C detection is performed during the cool part of the day.
GDD-Teams can operate in hilly terrain and urban areas in wind with a force up to 25m/s; in open flat terrain in a constant wind with a force up to 17m/s*; and in open flat terrain in a gusty wind with a force up to 12m/s*.
Maribo gas detection dogs can work in moderate rain or snowfall (they do not perform detection where there is ice formation in soil) and can work for ten consecutive hours while maintaining reliability in detection performance.
The average control distance per day is 5,000m (when working with detection only) and for maintenance inspections Maribo gas detection dogs average 32 valves per working day (when working with valves only).
Gas detection services provided by Maribo GDD-Teams can fix discrepancies in the distribution system. All reports are provided according to instructions from clients.
International demand for gas detection dogs
International demand for GDD-Teams from Maribo is on the rise. GDD-Teams from Maribo have received considerable coverage internationally, and the company is expanding on the international market.
* In open flat terrain there is some limitation when the wind is strong and/or gusty.