Workflow Management for GIS
Leon R. Ruflin
Williams Gas Pipeline
295 Chipeta Way, P.O. Box 58900
Salt Lake City, UT 84158-0900
PH: (801) 584-6778, FAX: (801)-584-7776
Email: leon.r.ruflin@williams.com
Abstract
In 2000 we 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 the 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, and
the Maintenance Management systems. The data is positioned in real work coordinates, thereby
giving the users 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 island of automation of 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 with the implementation of GIS. The GIS was developed very cost
effectively using the latest GIS and Information Technology tools, including web technology.
Learning Objectives
- Building the foundation for corporate data management.
- No longer a need for stand alone system.
- One common GIS for Williams Gas Pipeline.
