Puget Sound Energy Speeds Up and Improves GIS Gas Asset Data Collection

Puget Sound Energy (PSE) is Washington state’s largest and oldest gas and electric utility. It employs over 3,000 people and serves 1.5 million customers, including 900,000 receiving natural gas and 1.2 million receiving electricity. Faced with evolving business and regulatory challenges, PSE implemented new field GPS and geographic information system (GIS) capabilities, improving the speed and accuracy of gas asset data collection. 

In response to a proposed federal regulation under PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) 49 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) § 192.3 concerning plastic pipes, PSE embarked on a project to enhance its gas asset location accuracy, prompting operations workflow enhancements. The regulation would necessitate meticulous tracking of the location and components attached to plastic pipes, identification of personnel involved in the pipe joining, and detailed tracing of the material back to its manufacturer, including specifics like production details, lot, and material data.

Aligning with PHMSA compliance standards presented multiple business challenges for PSE. Traditional methods for locating gas assets relied on handwritten location callouts and using survey wheels to measure from landmarks that change over time, such as a street curb. These methods were prone to significant discrepancies. These inaccuracies stemmed from a reliance on diverse county land bases, which were challenging to align. Moreover, the existing paper-based process for handling postconstruction job packets was notably sluggish. There was a typical delay of about 120 days from the completion of construction to the visibility of these records in the GIS.
 

The absence of a robust process for tracking and correcting errors in construction records further compounded these challenges. Issues in documentation flow, where service records often preceded main pipe information to GIS, also contributed to the challenge.  These inefficiencies led to inaccuracies and delayed the entry of construction information into GIS, adversely affecting the timeliness and reliability of data crucial for safety and planning.

Locusview, an Esri partner, provides a digital construction management (DCM) platform driven by near real-time data for utility construction projects. Its technology unites stakeholders and streamlines workflows throughout all stages of long-cycle work, from planning to execution and close out. The result is a high-fidelity digital twin, operational efficiency, and increased productivity. Locusview helped PSE tailor the preconfigured solution to suit its specific business needs.

To meet these expected stringent requirements and overcome compounding challenges, PSE pursued an advanced technological solution. PSE implemented high-accuracy GPS data collection for tracking natural gas assets. This included digital as-built and process improvements. PSE utilized ArcGIS Enterprise for tracking and traceability requirements, integrating it with systems like SAP, GE Smallworld, and OpenText. This comprehensive spatial analysis and data management system, combined with a tailored solution from Locusview, facilitated an interface between PSE’s existing Esri database and GE Smallworld.

This innovative solution involved integrating Locusview data with Esri ArcGIS Online and its dissemination through apps created with ArcGIS Web AppBuilder. Key components of the solution included the adoption of high-accuracy GPS data collection techniques, digitization of as-built documentation, and significant process enhancements aimed at accelerating the update of GIS data.

These improvements were designed to support more efficient field operations, enhance planning and reliability, and reduce the likelihood of damage to natural gas infrastructure.

“The materials tracking and tractability project in partnership with Locusview has revolutionized the way we do business when it comes to asset tracking,” said Marc Raniero, manager of Gas First Response at PSE. “It has given us near real-time visibility to our underground assets as well as increased confidence in the accuracy of our records.”
 

PSE leadership is excited about its new capabilities and process improvements.

“The intangibles are too much to quantify at this point,” Raniero said. “As we become more versed in the product, the benefits realization continues to increase exponentially.”

PSE’s key implementation successes as they prepare for PHMSA compliance changes are as follows:

Rapid Visibility into construction activities: The implementation of the digital construction management solution enabled 24-hour visibility into construction activities, marking a major enhancement from the prior 120-day delay. This rapid access to data supports more effective and timely decision-making processes. It's difficult to quantify the impact of operations knowing the location of gas pipes and fittings only 24 hours after installation.

Enhanced data accuracy and efficiency: The transition from paper-based to high-accuracy, GPS-based construction documentation significantly improved the accuracy and efficiency of data collection. This shift allowed job packets to be processed and delivered to the GIS department within an average of three days, a substantial improvement from the previous average of over 30 days.

Improved compliance with regulations: Integrating high-accuracy GPS data and optimizing process workflows have significantly improved data quality. These improvements are crucial for supporting compliance with stringent PHMSA regulations.

Reduction in error rates: Going digital enforces required data entry of components and personnel involved in plastic pipe installations, along with accurately tracking the location. This leads to a dramatic reduction in the percentage of jobs being returned for field corrections—from 42 percent at the initial rollout to just 1.5 percent five months post-implementation. This reduction underscores the enhanced operational efficiency and data reliability achieved through the project.

Implementing this solution yielded substantial improvements in PSE’s gas operations workflow and data concerning PHMSA compliance. The GIS department experienced a dramatic increase in gas asset data and location visibility, decreasing from the previous 120 days to 24 hours. This enhancement not only improved the accuracy and integrity of the data but also bolstered management capabilities, significantly reducing potential damages.

The process enhancements further facilitated the return of job packets for corrections before finalizing construction records, thereby minimizing the need for extensive document versioning. Additionally, the new system improved the tracking and tracing of materials, which enhanced safety measures and allowed for more informed planning.
 

While the GPS data is visible within 24 hours of construction, the data still needs review. At the review state, PSE staff have two datasets that do not align: the high-accuracy GPS data and the low-location-accuracy traditional data. The two datasets need to be tied together to simulate gas flow, and accuracy has proven to be challenging and time-consuming. Moving forward, PSE is focused on how to further streamline processes within GIS and create GIS data consumption business rules.

PSE is set to further enhance its gas operations workflow by incorporating leak survey forms and leak repair processes into its Locusview system. This expansion aims to streamline and improve the efficiency of handling leaks from detection through repair. Additionally, PSE is focused on refining the automatically generated as-builts to better align with business needs, ensuring that these documents are more accurate and useful for operational purposes.

PSE also plans to extend similar tracking and traceability advancements to the electric side of its business. Staff are exploring the potential use of SCATE (supply chain and asset traceability for energy) to implement a track-and-trace project for their electric operations. This initiative reflects PSE’s commitment to leveraging technology to enhance its utility services’ safety, reliability, and efficiency across the gas and electric sectors.