Data Management for Integrity Decision Support Available to Purchase

Within most pipeline organizations, maintenance and other facility departments use a range of separate data sources and applications to manage the integrity, maintenance and safety of their pipelines. These databases represent a significant investment over many years and are an integral part of day-to-day operations. It is evident that integration of data into a single, coherent data management system can provide significant benefits. However, the cost of implementing entirely new systems — with intensive data capture programs — is difficult to justify given the earlier investments. As a result, dedicated risk management software using static and separately maintained data is often used as a quick, low cost alternative to meet regulatory compliance commitments. Experience has shown that, with the right technology and an understanding of the specific needs of an organisation, a phased approach to integrated data management can be achieved at minimum initial cost by exploiting legacy data. This provides a low cost yet scalable solution that can grow with the changing needs of the business. In addition to the benefits of legacy data integration, this paper presents an insight into the additional benefits of technologies for distributed data access to provide simple, process-focussed reporting tools. The key role of data management in risk assessment and consequent integrity decision support process is discussed.