New instrumentation technology in the pipeline survey industry has helped produce and deliver results for the pipeline surveyor, analyst, and operator.
Elizabeth Nicholson, Cathodic Technology, Ltd.
As pipeline survey data increase with the use of close interval potential survey (CIPS) and direct current voltage gradient (DCVG) technologies in the cathodic protection (CP) industry, the way data are visualized has changed to reflect the increased amount of data.
Because each stakeholder—pipeline surveyor, analyst, and operator—needs to view and understand the data differently, how the data are formatted also needs to vary. The surveyor is limited to the options available on the instrumentation. The analyst has commercially available and proprietary software that can output several different graphical views, with a goal of optimizing visualization. The pipeline operator and regulators must be able to comprehend the data and make decisions for the continued operation of the pipeline.
