The past decade has seen the continued development and the implementation of satellite-based Right of Way (RoW) encroachment monitoring as an element of the pipeline industry’s toolbox for proactive prevention of mechanical damage.
This paper presents a brief overview of the underlying technology, the current applied capabilities and an illustration of where the technology fits within the industry’s toolbox. The early results of two ongoing studies concerning the implementation of satellite-based RoW encroachment monitoring are discussed. Both studies, sponsored by VUPS and PRCI-Alliance Pipeline respectively, were intended to further advance the technology and its delivery to the industry.
The VUPS-sponsored project demonstrated the feasibility of integrating satellite-based monitoring within the operations of a utility “one call” to deliver the technology’s benefits to several pipeline operators within the project’s area of interest. The PRCI-Alliance Pipeline sponsored study investigated the potential higher resolution detection capabilities of a virtual constellation of satellites.
Together the two studies demonstrate the applicability of the technology for Encroachment Monitoring and the means to deliver its benefits to the pipeline industry.
