Automated Pipeline As-Built Data Collection (TGP Reporter)

The TGP Reporter, Version 3, is a custom pipeline data collection system designed to collect as-built pipeline data. There were earlier versions that operated within the DOS environment. We have since updated the software to work with the Windows environment.

By capturing slope station and coordinate location information electronically, Tennessee Gas Pipeline, a business unit of El Paso Energy, is able to substantially reduce the time required to handle and process “as constructed” data. Additionally, the data is in a format that easily migrates into our facility management system.

The strength of the TGP Reporter lies in its integration with existing pipeline survey techniques and with cutting edge GPS location technology. The system allows field survey personnel to assign slope stations to features as the pipeline is assembled outside of and next to the ditch. This technique keeps the surveyor out of the trench and allows for rapid collection of data with a steel tape. Once the pipe is lowered into the ditch and back-filled, an on-the-ground final survey, using GPS, is used to collect the coordinate location of all horizontal and vertical bends. A subsequent calculation process assigns coordinates for all the remaining slope stations captured during the steel tape survey.

This latest version of the TGP Reporter has been redesigned to closely integrate with El Paso’s facility management system. The data collection process has implemented many of the corporate data model’s business rules, insuring that the field data being received is cleaner than ever before. To streamline the loading of data to the corporate database, the TGP Reporter’s internal data model has been updated to mimic the corporate database. This function allows a one-to-one relationship to exist between that data that is collected in the field and those features in the corporate database.

The calculation package that supports the data collection process has also been enhanced with the 3.0 version. TGP Reporter now supports the following pipeline calculations: Drag corrections
Lap and Gap
Bump
Reverse
Multiple 0+00 sections
X,Y,Z determination from slope stations These calculations allow the users to address any construction scenario, and allow the use of flexible field data collection techniques. If it is a construction practice or possibility, then TGP Reporter has been designed to take that into account.

The TGP Reporter includes reporting functions that allow users to produce material by station and material total reports. Also included are usercustomizable reports that allow for ad hoc queries and reporting.

To efficiently move the data from the field to the office, TGP Reporter is fully integrated with El Paso’s middle ware facility data distribution and delivery system. Once the data is captured in the field, it is automatically sent to the corporate offices where it is reviewed and loaded into the facility management system. By maintaining the close relationship between the TGP Reporter data model and the corporate database, loading of data to the target system is relatively easy. This allows El Paso to post data to the corporate database soon after the pipeline is placed into service, thus making the records available to the pipeline maintenance personnel quicker than ever before. Once posted, these new records are also ready to be passed back to TGP Reporter for immediate use