Global satellites continuously collect in-depth information about activities and conditions in every country. These satellite data offer critical insights into cultural and physical conditions that affect the planning and construction of large, complex pipeline projects. Information such as land use, geology and soils, hazards, development, and environmentally sensitive areas can be extracted from satellite imagery, providing accurate and timely data at varying levels of detail.

The satellite data can be integrated with other data sets, such as political and socioeconomic information, to build feasibility and risk models for the extensive geographic areas often involved in pipeline construction. The result is a more efficient, higher-confidence route planning process. Key characteristics include

• Rapid, comprehensive data collection
• Flexible, accurate analysis
• Improved risk modeling and scenario building
• Improved defensibility and communication of decisions
• Flexibility to incorporate revision into the route planning process

GIS technology for pipeline construction can be used to perform these and other tasks:

• Assisting surveyors in making route adjustments to minimize impact on sensitive or problem areas.
• Locating optimum access roads, staging and fueling locations, work camps, and so forth.
• Identifying areas prone to forest fire or soil erosion or areas where the impact of air, noise, or water pollution may be significant.
• Identifying periods of low flow rate for scheduling of water crossings.
• Locating a water crossing at a point that minimizes damage to the bank and river bed will ease both construction costs and environmental impact.
• Identifying watercourse banks and beds that could be damaged by heavy equipment or skidding of logs.
• Erosion management on slopes and watercourses and slope analysis to determine erosion control structures required.
• Identifying sensitive ecological periods to avoid disruptions such as wildlife migration or fish spawning.
• Identifying normal industrial or agricultural activity to avoid disruptions such as irrigation and harvest season or log hauling.
• Assisting in contingency planning and allowing for quick modification of emergency response to adapt to specific incidents. Examples are fire fighting, spill response, or sedimentation of aquatic habitats.
• Capturing and managing data (collected by survey crews or construction personnel) regarding potential or actual construction problems, sensitive soils, wildlife habitat, and heritage sites.
• Identifying timber that can be harvested from aerial survey and/or ground survey.
• Developing harvest plan.
• Planning of trenching to avoid blocking movement of wildlife, livestock, vehicle traffic, draining swamps, diverting water flow, and causing sedimentation of aquatic habitats.
• Aerial analysis (area of right-of-way) to determine area requiring revegetation.
• Capturing essential information on construction materials and equipment. For example, each weld can be precisely located in x,y,z coordinates using GPS. Attributes of the weld such as welder name, weather conditions, welding rod type, and others can be recorded in association with the location. Information about each pipe section can be recorded and associated with its adjoining welds. Bar-coded pipe, which provides a history of the pipe from ingot through the pipe mill, provides an effective way to correlate corrosion statistics with pipe characteristics.