System-wide Structure Field Verification and GIS Update

Challenge

A major gas transmission pipeline operator with almost 20,000 miles of assets was doing a system-wide three-year project to review all structures within the system boundary area. They then wanted to update the spatial footprints and attributes as needed in their GIS to more accurately represent the system as it was in the real world. The results would validate Class and HCA calculation lengths which is the foundation of an operator’s integrity management planning.

Solution

The first phase was a validation completed through the review of aerials using elements of interpretation, which were then used to determine if approximately 250,000 structure types and outdoor area designations matched the designation assigned to the structure polygons in PODS. In addition to correcting designations in the database, the TRC team converted polygons, built footprints, redigitized features, converted feature attributes and made changes to incorrect structure types and digitized structures.

The field phase started with training, safety protocols and form creation in a mobile field data capture software that was used and loaded into a cloud environment for real-time communication between the field, offices and all project team members. The software housed all updates and the staging database, so field crews had the information available at their fingertips exactly when it was needed.

Results

Our client was able to review progress daily through a web portal dashboard while TRC used the same dashboard for QA/QC measures. Once all quality measures were completed the data was then loaded into the PODS database. Due to efficiencies, innovation and technology TRC was able to complete the multi-million-dollar, three-year project ahead of schedule and under budget.

TRC has developed industry recognized methodologies, best practices and technology planning that connects stakeholders to the data and systems they need to maintain critical assets and infrastructure safely and reliably.