Development of Spatial-Temporal Pipeline Integrity and Risk Management System Based on 4 Dimensional GIS (4D-GIS)

A new type pipeline integrity and risk management system based on 4D-GIS (4Dimensional Geographic Information System) is proposed in this paper. 4D-GIS is a unique GIS platform which can manage 3D plus time change data and processes spatial-temporal pipeline integrity data effectively. The utilization purposes of the developed system are: 1) To understand the current/future physical status of pipeline, 2) To detect anomalies of pipelines and to propose solutions for replacing or repair, 3) To transport natural gas safely and stably. For 1), the methods for spatial-temporal data integration and data input are proposed. The developed system integrates a variety of pipeline integrity data sets such as pipeline maps, construction specification, documents, corrosion data, and cathodic protection voltage data. For 2), two new type diagnosis functions, which process integrated data, are proposed. One is the pipe safety diagnosis based on corrosion spreading prediction. The other one is insulation health diagnosis. For 3), stress distribution on corrosion and HCA (High Consequence Areas) is calculated. Thus, the system can be utilized for the decision making for pipeline-specific- problem solving by both pipeline operators and field pipeline managers. The processing results for realized functions are shown. Furthermore, the architecture of pipeline integrity and risk management system is described.