An automated pipeline stationing and data extraction solution
Conoco had a need to format and document hundreds of drawings which contain 3D Polylines representing oil pipelines. Most of their initial needs for 3D polyline editing tools are satisfied by our standard MapTools Pro product. Conoco technicians use our PolyTools to reverse direction and join multiple 3D Polyline segments into a single 3D Polyline. Our MT-Clip application is then used to cut the pipeline using sheet borders for cut boundaries.
Conoco had special needs that could not be met by standard AutoCAD mapping tools: to add slope station blocks snapped to the pipeline and then compute slope station values for many other pre-existing feature blocks in the vicinity of the pipeline. After all blocks are stationed, they need a flexible method to extract data from the station blocks and feature blocks in special ASCII format disk files.
A sample from a pipeline drawing after stationing
A custom solution – delivered in two weeks.
After we worked out the specs for the job to be done, we developed the necessary routines for stationing and data extraction and a finished solution was delivered two weeks later. We then went a step further using our standard MapTools Pro tools to create a totally automated process to station and extract data from any number of drawings unattended.
“Exactly what we needed when we needed it! The two week turnaround was incredible.
We can now slope station our pipelines and feature blocks in any manner that we choose. The flexibility that was built into the routines to allow us to do pretty much whatever we want as far as stationing and aligning the station blocks has saved us countless hours of editing.
We can station one line, one block, or one drawing at a time or as I did in one case 78 drawings, over 400 miles of pipeline, in unattended batch mode. Flawless! The process ran without a hitch. The pipeline and blocks were stationed precisely the way we wanted and the ASCII files were automatically written to disk in the format that we needed. The routines are everything that we asked for and a lot more!
The bottom line is that you saved our bacon. There is not a package on the market that will do what you gave us the ability to do.”
Terry L. Moore, RLS
Senior Mapping Designer
Conoco Pipelines