Thursday, July 29, 2010

Sensors

In the midst of a technology era, pipeline infrastructure is struggling to keep its head above water. There is a race to gather and maintain accurate information about the location and condition of subsurface assets in order to efficiently rehabilitate and expand the outdated system that we have far outgrown. A key ingredient in this process is the utilization of sensors and markers that can indicate the pipeline’s size, product it carries, when it was installed, the location of valves, etc. At Geospatial, we see this as a prime opportunity to tie in accurate 3D mapping with sensors and markers to establish a completely interactive system and knowledge base. When a pipeline is mapped in 3D and markers are utilized, this creates an incredibly streamlined process for locating and maintenance.

An article about Carnegie Mellon University’s development of sensors to monitor pipelines can be viewed at www.postgazette.com/pg/10210/1076070-53.stm