Warren King & Company has been working for over 20 years in the construction of pipelines – having successfully assisted in placing over 13,000 km of pipeline into the ground – and the company is a leader in its field.

With all pipelines many land issues arise. Ownership of land, proximity to indigenous sites, environmental factors in the region and planning an optimal route to suit the needs of all parties are just some of the issues that may hinder a project. How the pipeline might impact on the safety of surrounding communities is another consideration.

It is not easy to plan where a safe pipeline can be placed with minimal cost and minimal social and environmental impact, as well as how all of the information can be managed effectively.

The solution is a well-organised and customised package which includes, but is not limited to: route selection, GIS, document management, activity management, risk assessment, emergency scenario modelling, leak location, pigging data alignment and cathodic protection.

Route optimisation involves more than drawing a line on a plan and avoiding major obstacles. Consideration of a number of other environmental, indigenous, social, engineering and economic factors must be taken into account, and, more importantly, understood. Well-developed techniques in spatial modelling allow for each individual factor to be considered, mapped and weighted based on importance. When combined with the mapping of all constraints, this outlines a clear passage for each pipeline with options that not only meet the economic needs of the client but the social, indigenous and environmental needs of the region. This results in an easy to understand series of GIS layers and reports to help design and optimise the pipeline route.

High quality surveyed information is added to each project, allowing accurate profiling and preliminary alignment sheet generation. Easement plans can be quickly produced for landholder liaison and legal documentation. Each action, decision and change is accurately recorded in the system for reference at any time. Letters, permits and other documents are easily created from templates, and mobile versions allow field staff to update and share information while out of the office.

Integrated into the system is a complete risk assessment. Detailing risks and actions needed to ensure the safety of a pipeline, Warren King and Co.’s SafePipe application has been built based on the standard set in AS2885 and not only provides a complete risk assessment but a clear path to the continued safety of the pipeline.

During construction, systems can be configured to track the progress of the project, with as-built survey information collected and processed for alignment sheets and inclusion into the project. Detailed profiling is available at the touch of a button and all documents, images and actions related to the conception, design and construction of the pipeline are contained in one complete solution. Accurate pigging references are surveyed, allowing for easy alignment of pigging data throughout pipeline operations and project progress tools are available for those needing to see up-to-date customised views.

This complete solution is then handed over to the pipeline operators with the additional option of including cathodic protection modules, emergency scenarios modelling and leak location.

Additionally, any existing pipelines can also be added into this system. By converting all paper documentation over to digital data, pipeline operators will be left with one easy-to-use and complete system. This eliminates the need to spend hours looking through old plans and documents.

To fulfil all kinds of needs from conception to completion, Warren King & Co. is a natural choice for infrastructure projects, be it pipelines, roads, rail, power or any other asset. The company has the tools, the knowledge and the experience to ensure a smooth journey throughout any project.