Reopening of the Rhône artery
NaTran has reopened the pipeline in optimal conditions of security after an in-depth inspection and repair campaign. The company will conduct a new general inspection of the artery in 3 years’ time.
Travaux menés par NaTran sur l’artère du Rhône
NaTran has been carrying out work on the Rhône artery since last spring.
The programme of intervention was defined in light of the findings of the inspection launched at the beginning of the year, when the whole artery was surveyed using smart pigging technology.
NaTran has focussed its operations on the sections necessary for Rhône artery to reopen between Saint-Martin-de-Crau and Granges-les-Beaumont. Other work is scheduled for a later phase.
NaTran conducted excavations at over fifty sites between June and September 2026 in its endeavours to take all measures necessary for the reopening of the service in optimal conditions of security (targeted repairs or replacement of section).
The protocol for the inspection and repair of the Rhône artery was defined in conjunction with the public authorities.
With the essential work now finished, NaTran reopened the Rhône artery for normal service on 25 September 2026.
Mobilization in the service of national gas supplies
Under its remit to provide a public service and ensure supplies of gas, NaTran set itself the target of reopening the Rhône artery as soon as possible before the coming winter.
The company mobilized all its human, industrial and technological resources to make the reopening a reality.
The Rhône artery is a vital transmission link for regional and national gas supplies, crossing France from south (the methane terminals of Fos-Sur-Mer) to north.
Security: the absolute priority
Network security is our priority. NaTran operates its network of nearly 33,800 km of pipeline in compliance with the leading European standards. All pipelines are subject to strict regulation and to controls by the authorities. NaTran fully complies with these requirements.
Network security requires a robust monitoring policy. In accordance with the regulations, a regularly-updated multi-year inspections programme has been put in place to assess the condition of pipelines, and repair them when this proves necessary. To do this, NaTran uses a range of inspection and monitoring methods (pigging, aerial reconnaissance, walking surveys etc.), depending on the nature of the pipeline and its environment.
NaTran has decided in light of its experience to toughen its industrial security and maintenance policy with a vast reinforcement plan designed to safeguard the integrity of the network. This plan will deploy in phases between 2026 and 2033. Under the plan, the budget allocated to network monitoring will almost double between 2025 and 2026, from around 50 million euros to nearly 100 million euros per year.