The challenge of data management and GIS

The challenge of data management and GIS

Leon R. Ruflin
Williams Gas Pipeline-West
295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108

In 2000 we have completed the development and we have fully implemented GIS for the entire Williams Gas Pipeline system, which includes five major interstate natural gas pipeline systems consisting of over 27,000+ miles of pipelines running from coast to coast. All of the pipeline data will be in the GIS database, making day to day operation of the pipeline and business more efficient by not having to chase down a myriad of paper and electronic sources. The GIS will provide the foundation for other corporate systems, such as the Pipeline Risk Management, Modeling, Corrosion, Environmental, Land, Pipeline Safety, storage, Facility Management and the Maintenance Management systems. The data is positioned in real world coordinates, thereby giving the users both internal and external accurate representation of the pipeline system. This data can be easily transferred to external government agencies and others. In today's enterprise environment, the islands of automation information has to go away. Williams GIS will have a suite of fully developed applications from the database. The key to our GIS success is to have accurate data accessible in real time for our company to be able to provide a single source of data management systems and cost effective planning tool to improve customer services. The GIS is well within the guidelines established for the National Pipeline System Mapping (NPMS) established by the Department of Transportation. Many common practices have been established for Williams Gas Pipeline with the implementation of GIS. The GIS was developed very cost effectively using the latest GIS and Information Technology tools, including web technology.

The need for GIS
There should no longer be stand-alone systems that are independent of other legacy systems and users. Today’s GIS environment has been brought into the fold, both in cost and technology. Source data was in too many places in the past and no one knew which data is correct. GIS can now solve this problem. GIS has become a corporate repository supporting core business facilities and surrounding data. Companies are no longer willing to support multiple databases and sources.

GIS pilot project
A pilot project was developed to test the database structure and to determine what data we were trying to capture. This helped Williams develop GIS for the entire organization. The pilot project data was derived from 590 miles of mainline pipeline from Portland, Oregon to Sumas, Washington. Data capture for the pilot project included:

Pipeline & measurement facilities
Pipeline centerline route
Land base
Environmental
Foreign line crossings
Regulatory compliance
Right of ways
Soil information
Corrosion information

One of the reasons for the pilot project was to enable other WGP business units to move forward with GIS without going through the same process. The WGPWest project was successful but took a lot of positive energy to make it successful.

GIS objectives
GIS provides a foundation database for many diverse systems used by Operations and Engineering business needs. GIS fulfills the vision of common business practices, data management and common systems across all business units in the GIS arena.

Provide a single source of data
Eliminate “Islands of Information”
Coordinate & integrate data management
Provide visual environment
Simplify data collection
Foundation for future applications
Cost effective planning tool
Improve “Customer Service”
Link between database and graphics

Definition of GIS scope
GIS can provide a single fully implemented system for managing data & graphics by:

Directing common practice definition
Technical architecture development
Tabular and graphical data conversions
Applications development
Maintenance and Reporting Applications
Training
Implementation
Assure the integration of the GIS with other related systems and technology initiatives.

Common practice
The GIS to a large extent will model the data management and business practices of Operations and Technical Services function of the business units. Therefore the business practices must be accurately identified and documented at a detailed level. Listed are the common business practices established.

Surveying practices
Linear Measurement practices
Pipeline routing
Alignment sheet generation
Data flow
Data ownership
Data maintenance
Document Management capabilities for drawings, photos and documents
Training
Future enhancements

GIS data management workflow
All projects must find a balance between functionality, cost, and time. The proper workflow is the driving force to start a project. The workflow balances the data management with corporate common systems.

Quality assurance
Monitor system performance
Future apps integration
Input data
Who owns change?
Determine what data requires change
User input response
Reporting requirements
Software/hardware upgrade
Define support mechanism
Tie to Strategy Operating Plan
Document workflow procedures
Training requirements
When to change?
How often?
Update external database
Who owns data?
Security of data
Cost benefit data
Define data

Input request requirements:

Ease of use/access
Single source data
Accurate/timely data
Cost effective
Easy maintenance
Policies & procedures manual
Compatibility with current technology environment
Meets customer needs
Compatible with external data sources
Standardized system interface
Standardized IT tools
System management organization (Engineering Services)

Output:

Timely information
One source - accurate data
Wide availability
Reduce redundancies/inconsistencies
Trust data
Cost effective/efficient (manage costs)
Easy to maintain
Project planning tool
Performance measures
Foundation for future applications
Standardized workflow
Synergies with all WGP Business Units

Customers:

Federal/State/Local regulatory bodies
Other Williams companies
Landowners
Customers/prospective customers
Emergency response
One call
Williams Gas Pipeline users
Management
Operations
Tax Department
Marketing
Business
Accounting

GIS project profile

Alignment: How this project aligns with Strategies for Success and accompanying goals. Development of a GIS data management workflow process will support the company’s customer service by providing complete and accurate GIS data to both internal users and external customers of Williams Gas Pipeline. The process will significantly enhance Williams Gas Pipeline’s operate efficiently objectives by streamlining data entry (to one source) and eliminating redundancies and inconsistencies of data.

Objectives: The general outcomes we will produce. The ultimate objective is to define an efficient GIS data maintenance workflow process that will be available by the time that the GIS is introduced to the workforce. The process will allow us to establish roles and responsibilities for individuals or groups responsible for maintaining GIS data and will provide the user community with a procedure to follow to ensure necessary changes are made to the GIS data in a timely manner. A primary result of the effort will be to identify the order in which data must be entered and to establish procedures to determine the communication process across organizations to ensure timely entry of data.

Approach: How we are going to do this project? The project team will identify the individuals /departments responsible for maintaining each data element in the GIS. The team will then determine the triggers that will cause a change in the data and assign accountabilities, schedules, and the workflow process that has to occur to effect the change. Developing the process map will require weekly meetings with the team as well as independent assignments as necessary to gather information and validate results. Because this workflow is a new process, the development of the “as is” process map will not be done.

GIS categories and features
The tabular GIS data stored in the database will be maintained by applications written as part of the scope of the GIS project enabling the user to choose between graphics or tabular data displays.

GIS integrated data management

GIS Viewer:
A low cost PC based software application that allows the user to view, query, manipulate and analyze geographic data.

Facility Maintenance:
A PC based software application that allows the user to capture, edit, delete and analyze tabular data.

Automated Alignment Sheet Generation:
A software application within the viewer that will create an alignment sheet from the database and geographic data.

Land Records System:
A PC based software application that allows the user to capture, edit and delete landowner information.

Workflow Computing:
GIS supports the workflow processes of many distributed groups within the company & provide critical information to others outside the company.

Risk Impact Analysis
A number of risks have been identified associated with the GIS efforts.

Competing priorities and losing resources
Scope creep
Lack of internal customer buy-in, ownership and involvement
Technology risks
Lack of funding
Ineffective communications
Inability to reach consensus
Pride of authorship
Delays or complexity of differences in business practices Lessons learned
Effective Project Management skills
Cross-functional team representing major user areas of Company
Project Leader and Sponsor
Consultants participate on Project Team
Tactical Teams
Accountability for schedules, deliverables for success
Regular meetings
Timely & Effective User Training

Benefits
Some people in the workplace have seen GIS as something that money always goes into it without ever seeing anything of value coming out of it. Integration with other corporate applications forces GIS to become a more strategic asset to the operations of the company. Integration helps the GIS to survive those dreaded budget questions each year. Today as data is entered directly in the GIS, the update is provided in “real time”.