Developing Advanced Engineering Geographical Information Systems for Pipelines

The use of geographical information systems for pipeline integrity management is well established and growing due to increasing legislative requirements. Pipeline specific GIS database schemas, such as the Pipeline Open Data Standard (PODS) and the ArcGIS Pipeline Data Model (APDM) are enabling operators to better manage their assets. The challenge now is to move towards CAD/GIS integration (CGI), to develop a solution to enable these systems to be used throughout the project life cycle, from conceptual design to operation. Key to this is, are the issues of data interoperability and

moving from data rich to information rich environments.

This paper provides an overview of the development of an advanced engineering geographical information system (AEGIS) for pipelines. The term is defined, as are the functional requirements for the system. The key challenges of data interoperability and multi-disciplinary input are explored and a solution discussed. Finally, some examples of the uses of the system during the design phase of the project are presented.