Better utility data – important, but not a cure-all

Abstract

Improvements in underground asset locating technology, data storage and GIS have led to higher expectations and reliance on these tools to safely manage excavations. While the advantages of these advances are not disputed, it is vital that locators and their clients understand their limitations, particularly for high risk assets. Despite technological advances, current GIS data for many utilities, including gas transmission pipelines, is limited and the scale of the task to improve that data is significant. Accuracy of data is being improved by GIS data collection and storage from all types of physical location proving, and also by data from in-line pipeline inspection tools. While this improves alignment data, there is the more challenging aspect of updating and keeping depth of cover data current. Depth of cover is more difficult to accurately determine and can be altered by both natural causes and third party works which can change depth significantly, and often unknowingly. While industry strives for the highest quality locational data, such data is only as good as the way that it is used. A UK case study shows how reliance on GIS positioning to determine a dig location led to a serious asset strike. Regardless of data accuracy, GIS, and locating advances, a range of controls, checks, and thorough processes are required to prevent asset strikes. This particularly applies to high risk assets such as gas transmission pipelines which require thorough engagement with the asset owner.