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July 10, 2007
PRCI-based Satellite Monitoring Technology in Commercialization
Visitless Integrity Assessment (via+) has developed a satellite-based ROW monitoring capability that reached a commercial stage in mid-2006. The service capability was developed within the PRCI technology development process in parallel with individual pipeline company funding of pilot studies and other advances. The via+ Encroachment Management Service (EMS) offers a step-change improvement toward the pipeline industry’s need for proactive prevention of third party damage that overcomes shortcomings in the current airborne approach. Critical to the success of the via+ effort has been the involvement from its inception of former PRCI technical committee chairman Moness Rizkalla, who represented TransCanada Pipelines in PRCI for several years.
Among its several key features, the EMS capability can integrate the One-Call notifications received by a pipeline company and may be customized to the operations’ or gas control staffs’ “Alarm” notifications of potential mechanical damage before equipment reaches the ROW. An important technical component of the EMS is the automated software, which enables rapid detection and reporting of encroaching equipment. The EMS currently proposed for commercial roll-out uses only Radar imagery – with a typical 2-3 revisits per week for the lower 48 states. The technical performance levels are anticipated to improve with longer implementation of monitoring the same area through continuous re-calibration of algorithms which in turn improves detection rates and further reduces false calls.
In addition to its value in proactively preventing 3rd part damage risks, a net present value cost reduction benefit may be derived by an operating company in implementing the EMS as part of the deferral or waiver of larger diameter class upgrades. The delivery of the EMS is well suited for coordinated deployment and an associated cost sharing benefit between one or more operators with adjacent rights-of-way. In the near term, it is hoped that as this service capability will become recognized as a Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Best Practice, facilitating One-Call Service Centre procurement and integration of EMS within their services thereby generating still another benefit to participating pipeline operators.
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Related Files
Satellite-based Mechanical Damage Hazard Prevention for the El Paso Corporation Pipeline Systems (1,017 kb)
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