Quantum for Energy and Utilities 2026

CASE STUDY 15 Quantum sensing Detecting leaks and integrity risks in buried utility networks using cold-atom quantum gravity sensing to reduce excavation and improve service resilience Gas pipelines are commonly buried, underground electric cables create serious hazards when damaged and district heating networks are largely underground, while leaks in buried heating pipelines can accumulate in surrounding soil and change local conditions. These are precisely the types of anomaly that gravity-based sensing targets. Sydney Water, in collaboration with the New South Wales Smart Sensing Network (NSSN), the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Canberra (UC), undertook a “quantum sensing” initiative aimed at detecting leaks from buried pipes by measuring density changes in surrounding soil as it transitions from dry to wet. Public disclosures describe a pathway from successful tests with simulated leaks toward operational validation, and outline plans for ANU (with Nomad Atomics) to develop a quantum- sensing prototype for utility leak detection, including expansion from water mains toward sewer mains. Key reported benefits included a non-invasive detection approach (reducing the need to drill, dig or connect into pipes), successful validation activities with simulated leaks as a stepping-stone to operational trials, and a documented roadmap toward a deployable quantum-sensing prototype for live utility networks.21 Quantum for Energy and Utilities: Key Opportunities for Energy Transition 31