Pipeline integrity: Enhanced decision support with GIS
Data integration
By combining pipeline features, attributes, and anomalies (with precise coordinates) with other information
the analyst has a more complete picture. Combining this information provides a comprehensive
"prioritizing" tool for response, repairs / maintenance planning and risk-management decision-making.
Information may include;
- aerial photography
- satellite imagery (multi-spectral)
- landownership, easements, right
- adjacent and intersecting pipelin
- population centers,
- public and private facilities (schools, hospitals, etc.),
- transporation routes,
- ground cover classification,
- soil type surveys,
- digital elevation models,
- rivers, lakes, drainage, irrigation
- environmental and special interest areas.
Data integration is now being used to assist with the development, implementation and maintenance of
pipeline integrity programs. Tuboscope and Marr Associates 3 combined available data from a single valve
section on a pipeline section to demonstrate the multiple capabilities of GIS and the PIMS2 database
related to pipeline integrity management.
The valve section used for this was located along a mainline section located in southern British Columbia.
This mainline was constructed in the late 1950’s and was coated in the field with asphalt. The diameter of
the X52 pipe is 30 inches and the nominal wall thickness is 0.360 inches.
Between 1993 and the present, Marr Associates has been completing investigative excavations along the
mainline system. These excavations were completed to investigate the severity of external corrosion, the
presence of localized hard spot and SCC. The location of the external corrosion and hard spots was
determined from the inline inspection of the line.
To integrate the data, site chainages identified along the pipeline were used to ensure the spatial location of
the site within the TruView GIS system. The end result of this exercise illustrated the location of all past
excavations, the terrain conditions associated with the sites and the documented results of the past
programs as a layer within the GIS system. Based on the excavation results and severity of the integrity
concern, the system easily highlighted where the past activity had taken place and the severity of the
integrity concern. At each point, or location of an excavation the GIS system also stored in a tabular form,
the investigative results.
The results of this initial study confirmed the following:
- The TruView GIS system provides a visual representation of the history, results and mitigation of
integrity concerns along the pipeline.
- The integration of the two systems provides alternatives to traditional pipeline integrity program
development, implementation and monitoring.
- Within the IS group, there was no data conversion and program code rewriting required to either
integrate the two independent sets of data and for presentation purposes, thus confirming the
integration aspect and benefit thereof.
With the successful completion of this initial program, integrating the predictive models, historical ILI runs
and other available data sources for integrity programs is possible. This systematic representation of data,
in combination with the GIS system will provide the support mechanism for the long term use of the “direct
assessment” process. The GIS system, with the supporting data will enable a pipeline integrity program to
complete digital analyses for the continued assessment, evaluate and remediation of integrity concerns in a
cost effective, iterative manner.
Application integration
In order to leverage these technologies, an effective integration is the key to successful implementation and
utilization. Remember, the analyst must plow through possibly hundreds of miles of data at 1/10"
resolution! Having the ability to detect, identify, and analyze only "anomalies", then prioritize them in an
efficient and accurate manner is the objective. Therefore, these technologies must be tightly coupled and
placed in an application framework that allows the user to configure for the optimal view perspective.
Figure 2. Pipeline MapView
Figure 2 presents a MapView within the application framework. This view is constructed using ESRI's
MapObjects TM employing all theme, symbology, rendering, and display controls. As can be seen, the
pipeline trajectory (at meter level position accuracy), along with multi-media themes, point themes, right-of-
way theme, and backdrop aerial photography is presented for an effective location view. All direct
assessment data is loaded with ILI data as shown.
