Taking an innovative approach to pipeline monitoring

Class Location Watch and Compliance Assessment

With urban fringes and development corridors experiencing growth, a focus on change detection in these areas is both timely and crucial for oil and gas pipeline operators across North America. Operating approximately 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles) of gas transmission pipelines, ATCO approached our team to help meet regulatory requirements that necessitate pipeline monitoring for areas with increased development.

Leveraging the power of ArcGIS linear referencing tools, we developed a sophisticated class location script designed to comply with the stringent standards set by the Canadian Standards Association Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems, focusing on the ‘moving mile’ class location assessment area (CLAA) for dwellings and CLAA thresholds for other defined structure types.

The integration of geographical information systems (GIS) into this initiative provides a robust mechanism for managing spatial data, automation models, and analysis algorithms and delivers a repeatable, traceable, and scalable process, that maintains a clear line of sight between inputs and results.

Recognizing the need for continuous vigilance without the price of system-wide reviews, our team introduced the concept of “watch areas.” This strategy allows pipeline operators to monitor their pipelines annually, promoting safety and compliance without unnecessary expenditure.

Our methodology involves assessing the consequence of failures related to population changes, enabling clients to forecast potential impacts arising from urban development. The tool offers consistent results, allowing clients to effectively monitor their systems on an annual basis.

Ultimately, this approach to pipeline monitoring is establishing new industry standards, delivering enhanced safety, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency for pipeline operators across Canada.