Pipeline Design - Protecting the Environment: Application of GIS to Pipeline Route Selection​

The effects of soil erosion worldwide are a major concern; it impacts on the environment, food security and public health. It is estimated that 75 billion metric tons of soil worldwide are lost per annum; with Africa, Asia and South America typically experiencing average losses of 30 to 40 tons ha-1 year-1, with the accepted sustainable rate of soil loss being less than 10 tons ha-1 year-1.

Soil erosion is the process of soil loss due to detachment, transportation and deposition of soil by water or wind and is dependent on a number of factors, including: rainfall energy, soil strength and cover, slope length and angle, crop and land management. The effect of soil erosion is two-fold; on-site impacts include the loss of soil functions, structure and fertility, while the off-site impacts include the increased

turbidity and eutrophication in water courses.

By using remote sensed data and spatial analysis within the application of a Geographical Information System (GIS), it is possible to predict the soil loss (erosion risk) at the initial route selection phase of the project. This enables the engineer to select a route which minimises the environmental impact due to soil erosion and provide better input to the capital expenditure (CAPEX) costs and the operational (OPEX) costs for the pipeline which are used to determine the optimum configuration and route selection of the pipeline.