Featured Projects - Midstream and Downstream Oil & Gas Services              

Document Storage Control is the management of hard copy files.

Our client had filing cabinets, boxes and binders full of important documents which were stored between three offices, a storage shed and an off-site storage facility. These documents were something which everyone across their organization should have access to but in their current state, only a few individuals had access. We worked with the client to develop a plan to have all files put in a digital, GIS ready format.

From shelves and boxes to digital use as follows:

1. Developed a list of file categories (Lands, Crossings, Cathodic Protection, etc.).

2. Worked with the client to produce a list of importance and assigned a ranking value to file categories.

3. Pulled files according to their rank value and had shipped to our office.

4. Sorted, scanned, and saved to our secure server. A file naming convention was used to allow for smooth transition to GIS and for ease of locating.

5. The Regulator specifies all signed, hard copy documentation must be retained for lifetime operation of the pipeline. This meant files could not be destroyed so we thoroughly cleaned, purged and significantly reduced the amount of paper to go into storage.

6. The cleaned files were returned to the client’s localized storage facility where we organized the placement and storage system of all.

Third Party Document Control is the management of releasing asset information to those outside the company, such as engineering consultants or legal surveyors.

Our clients are held accountable, by the Regulator, for management and release of their asset information. Working together, we developed and implemented an information management system tailored to meet their specific needs. To maintain the integrity of this system, all as-built (record) alignment and facility drawings, survey files and other miscellaneous information for their assets have been entrusted to us. All information is stored in digital format, saved on a secure server and is managed and maintained by our senior staff.

As information is requested by others to utilize in their engineering designs, it is essential for all information being released to be properly documented. Working with our clients we developed a tracking system and we apply this to every request. Should our client be subject to an external audit by the Regulator or other governing bodies, they are able to easily retrieve all required documentation.

Third Party Document Control in 5 steps:

1. Receive outside request

2. Relay request location and intended use of information to Client

3. Receive approval of release from Client

4. Release information to Requester

5. Receive as-built plan from Requester (to be used for client as-built updates)

All steps are documented thoroughly.

On several occasions we have been tasked with supplying the Regulator with our documentation and to detail the process during audits.

As-Built Alignment & Crossing Plan Updates is the adding, removing or revising of information shown on the as-built or record plans.

These plans contain all the information about the installed asset and are constantly referred to by the client’s office and field staff from many divisions within the company. The client was having a difficult time using the plans because after many years since they were created, there were many changes around their asset.

Changes included:

1. Residential, commercial, industrial development.

2. Municipal and private infrastructure installations (crossing and parallel).

3. Watercourse changes in width, depth and location.

4. Depth of cover loss or increases.

5. Vegetation removal or growth.

6. Land-use changes.

7. Miscellaneous change.

Urban areas are updated on a two-year cycle. Asset right-of-way/ easement plus 100m (both sides) are flown by UAV to capture high-resolution orthophotos and ground elevations through LIDAR (this is also used for depth of cover survey). The orthophotos show the current above grade changes but not the below grade. Below grade changes are gathered from municipality’s infrastructure as-builts, field structure survey and gpr . Rural areas are reviewed annually and updated as required.

Updating these plans ties into Third Party Document Control. When Third Party as-builts are received, the information is then added to the client’s plans.

Depth of Cover Survey is the topographic survey of ground above the centreline of asset (using various methods) and compared to the top of pipe elevation of asset.

At time of pipe installation, our clients neglected to have ground elevation above each of their assets captured for as-built plans. Both clients indicated that at the time, ground elevation seemed to add no value to their projects and was not worth the expense. At that time it was not a Regulator requirement as it is today.

We were first tasked with obtaining the ground elevation profile and updating as-built plans (urban areas only). Once the ground profile was added to the plans, we highlighted areas where minimum cover was insufficient or near insufficient. These areas were then monitored at time intervals as per the clients’ direction. In rural areas we were tasked with obtaining ground elevation in agriculture, newly developed and forestry areas.

With one asset we ran into an issue where we found our captured ground elevations didn’t make any sense when compared to top of pipe elevations. After ensuring errors didn’t occur during data collection, we suggested confirming the the top of pipe elevations by using a non-invasive method such as gpr. The client agreed and we found the top of pipe elevations were incorrect. After this discovery, we added confirmation of top of pipe elevation as a task for this project. By adding this task, our clients can have full confidence in their depth of cover values.

We maintain databases of historical information for all of the clients’ assets and these have been used by the clients to make changes as necessary to protect their asset(s). These databases have also been incorporated into data supplied to the Regulator.

Emergency Planning Zone (EPZ) Mapping is mapping showing all potential locations where people (residents) work, live and/or play within a predetermined (by client) offset of their asset. The location of these residents is crucial during the event of an emergency. When technology fails, hard copy mapping doesn’t.

We worked with these clients to understand their intended use of this mapping and then to develop a list of what items were important to them. Over the years we have added and removed items as the clients’ needs have changed.

Mapping includes the following core information:

1. Centreline of asset

2. EPZ boundary limit

3. Resident symbology for Meeting places (50+ residents), Industrial/commercial, Single-family residential, and Multi-family residential

4. Property mapping with streets labelled

5. Watercourses with labels

6. Landowners identified and labelled

7. Table of EPZ resident contact information

8. Responding fire department zones with contact information.

EPZ resident mapping is compiled by using several sources such as provincial and municipal tax databases and land registries, Canada Post (building unit verification), aerial photography and ground truthing. All information is organized in databases and GIS linked to mapping. These databases are also used in our Public Awareness Programs.

Class location structure counts and monitoring is locating and verifying all structures (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) within a predetermined (by Regulator) offset of asset and classifying these according to population density and factors such as environmental sensitivity. Annually these structure databases are updated and monitored for areas of increase or decline.

Counts are compiled by using several sources such as provincial and municipal tax databases and land registries, Canada Post (building unit verification), several aerial photography sources, satellites and ground truthing. All information is organized in databases and GIS linked to mapping. All findings are tabulated in databases and findings are reported the client. If significant increase are encountered, these are reported to client prior to completing the entire system.

Public Awareness Programs for these clients ebb and flow as Regulator requirements and technology change. We have worked with these clients to build flexible programs which can easily be altered to meet requirements while providing information cost effectively.

There is a significant amount of time and energy which goes into these programs and staying on-top of requirements is key. We have worked closely with these clients to help build programs which meet or exceed Regulator requirements while ensuring the program action items can be fulfilled. After many years of continuous work, we have learned and help these clients to understand, if something can’t or won’t be done, it does not belong in the written program. Once the programs were established (edited annually), we then worked with the clients to help them execute items within.

After establishing the programs our focus shifts to execution where we provide the following support:

• Research and compile databases for various stakeholder groups (ex. EPZ residents, landowners, emergency responders, public officials, excavators, etc.)

• Brochure creation and/or proofing

• Coordination of the printing of all materials

• Packaging and mailing of materials to stakeholder groups

• Receipt and summary of all stakeholder surveys and through public response.

• Summary and research of returned packages

• Summary of mailing to client for audit purposes

• Program training of client personnel

Annually, after completion of each years’ program, we meet with the clients to discuss what can be improved for the next year.