As part of its site preparation activities for the 2010 World Exposition, Shanghai Pudong Gas Company has begun installing 3M Dynatel Electronic Marking System “marker balls” that use radio frequency identification to transmit the identity and precise location of pipes, valves, bends, T-connectors and other components of buried infrastructure assets.

The information is vital in avoiding excavation accidents and ensuring the efficient placement, relocation and management of those assets. 3M’s EMS marker balls will be supplemented by a third-party’s additional technologies, GIS and GPS, to cover all of the complex needs of the huge project.

“It is great to see 3M track and trace technology play a significant role in preparing the infrastructure for this important international event,” says Lem Amen, vice president for 3M Track and Trace Solutions. “Identifying underground assets is another entry on the growing list of practical applications for RFID-based track and trace solutions. We look forward to expanding our leadership position in this important emerging technology.”

The 2010 World Expo, scheduled for May through October, will take place along the banks of the Huangpu River in downtown Shanghai, between the Nanpu and Lupu bridges, an area comprising 5.53 square kilometers. The infrastructure will require 21 kilometers of mostly polyethylene pipe.