The Importance of Terrain Analysis for Pipeline Planning and Pipeline Asset Management

Terrain analysis is commonly recognized within the pipeline industry as providing an important set of data for pipeline planning and pipeline asset management. Unfortunately, the concept of a functional terrain analysis program is often misunderstood, in terms of both what is meant by the term “functional” and what constitutes an appropriate terrain analysis. A functional terrain analysis incorporates both detailed desktop mapping and subsequent field investigations to identify terrain features that can affect the initial placement and subsequently the integrity of an existing pipeline. Desktop mapping refers to the delineation of terrain features based on (1) soil materials, (2) overburden thickness/depth to bedrock, (3) underlying soil materials, (4) slope, (5) drainage, and (6) geological modifying processes. One of the misunderstood components of a terrain analysis is the concept of scale. Too often, terrain analysis uses only publically available data, which is not appropriate for a functional terrain analysis to support pipeline activities. Publically available datasets are generally at scales of 1:24,000, 1:50,000, 1:100,000, 1:250,000, or smaller. What is needed for appropriate planning and integrity management is detailed, operational-scaled data. So how do we get “operational-scaled” data to support planning and asset management? This paper will focus on how terrain analysis is completed, the concept of scale, and new state-of-the-art “softcopy” tools. The paper will discuss types of data, such as digital stereo imagery and LiDAR, which can be used to aid in and improve terrain analysis. The paper will also provide examples of how terrain analysis helps to improve pipeline planning and how terrain data can be used to assist in stress analysis and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) analysis.