Between the Poles

No More Excuses - Capture Those Utilities!

Capturing underground utilities while the pit or trench is open has always been a best practice, but not practiced enough. This has now become so simple that reasons not to document are running out.

Underground utilities in NYC – Image source: Doug Blizzard

The golden opportunity to properly document assets before they a buried is all too frequently missed. The excuses to skip or skimp on this valuable step are not completely without merit: It can be a time consuming and costly proposition, and has best been performed by surveyors and inspectors with careful measurement, precision tech, and specific documentation steps. Certainly, 3D reality capture technologies have risen to the cause; providing photogrammetric and lidar-based solutions that speed up capture. But for many practitioners, barriers to broad adoption appear to still stand in the way. And in asset data management: how to connect, store and share. No longer.

Waving the Magic Wand

Has the process become as easy as waving your phone over the pit? In short, Yes. There are a range of options that can be deployed to just about anyone with low-cost equipment and minimal technical training. With all of the people that are working around the pit, there is almost no excuse for any of them not grabbing the data.

While there are more formally developed tools and technologies for such rapid capture, even a standard phone with a camera is up to the task. With the help of purpose designed apps, you can walk along a trench, capturing a series of images that can be processed in the cloud (or later in desktop applications) to yield a photogrammetric 3D point cloud. Upload it to a repository, or asset management portal, and in minutes you’ve provided valuable, somewhat precise as-built data.

Yes, capturing utility data in 3D has become nearly as simple as waving your phone over the trench. Pix4D Catch shown being used. – Image source: Pix4D

For example, Matterport has applications for mobile 3D capture with a phone, like Matterport for Mobile, as well as more sophisticated solutions like the Matterport Pro camera, and Axis. Additionally, if you are looking for higher precision, their Matterport Capture solution can ingest data from other sensors like the Leica Geosystems BLK360 G1 scanner. While their solutions have been adopted mainly for facilities management, they can work for utilities.

When Apple added simplified lidar to some of their devices, it was met with both excitement and skepticism. Noted geospatial blogger Nick Duggan (@drogons8mycat) gave a balanced early assessment, and underscored that while the initial intention for lidar-on-a-phone may have been to improve image capture, the potential was great for broader uses. And this has been realized: give people a new technology and they’ll leverage it in ways not originally imagined.

It did not take long for folks to try the phone-lidar for all manner of applications, including for AEC and asset capture/management. Despite the immediate pushback from folks used to the higher precision of dedicated lidar scanning solutions, tut-tutting that it was not “real” lidar (e.g. not ToF “time of flight”, or pulsed lidar) users have found it useful for creating 3D point clouds (albeit rough ones). But you know what is more imprecise? Yep, utilities that are buried before anyone documents them. Harrumph!

SiteScape has apps for lidar enabled phones and tablets, that can work well for 3D capture of utilities. Image source: SiteScape

An example of a solution developed for the construction segment, but that works well for utilities and asset capture and management, is from SiteScape. An app for lidar enabled iPhones, it is an inexpensive way to get point clouds, and then turn them into many standard output formats, like RCP, E57, PLY, etc. Many users also use the open source CloudCompare for cloud cleaning, cropping, file size reduction, etc. Again, the field capture workflow is quite simple and does not require a lot of experience or training.

But Where is It?

A major challenge in using consumer-grade lidar or cameras for 3D capture is geospatial registration. The GNSS capabilities of your phone will yield positions of 3-50m—1m is a fluke. The inertial sensors in your phone often only serve to (roughly) assist photogrammetric processes to yield a point cloud (if at all, depending on which approach is taken).

You can have a rough 3D model that holds reasonable precision between features in the same point cloud, but a huge element of “where” is absent. Where does it exist in 3D space? Where in relation to an established datum? Where in relation to other infrastructure? I’ve been handed point clouds of utilities that have no orientation, and only a single position provided that tuned out to be tens of meters from the actual location. Sorry, you can’t just “drop as pin” when you are trying to avoid hitting a water main….

Some practitioners have put marks next to the trench, and shot those with a survey-grade GNSS rover, to accommodate the reregistration of the point cloud, subsequent meshed models, etc. This means more gear, more skills, and extra steps. Can the phone do it? Yes, with a little assist.

The viDoc is an RTK rover add on for phones and tablets that enables precise georegistration of captured 3D data. – Image source: Pix4D

Pix4D has taken the initiative to build an add on for mobile phones and tablets that is a fully functioning RTK-enabled GNSS rover—the viDOC, that you attach a phone or tablet to. Not quite a surveyor’s rover, but by using corrections via NTRIP from a base or real-time network (RTN), it can deliver precisions in centimeters. It georegisters the 3D data captured by the sensors/app on the phone. Pix4D has long been a leader in many aspects of 3D capture; initially for the booming UAS segment, and now their Pix4D Catch and viDoc solutions are a welcome terrestrial addition.

Other 3D capture solution providers have also addressed georegistration; there are always many options to explore, and new ones pop up all the time.

An Even Bigger Challenge

Yes, there are now many options for 3D field capture, and these have become simple and affordable enough that just about anyone can grab that geometry while the pit or trench is still open. But what do you do with the data?

 

Everyone that has developed these easy-capture technologies provides some manner of workflow for the data, mostly in the cloud as many have you send the images/lidar to the cloud for processing into point clouds and/or meshed models. Everyone has a viewer; this is encouraging and provides a way to share the data with others. This is good if an enterprise, a utility, or city has settled on a solution that can host their captured utility data in an easily accessible portal. These hosted portals have become quite sophisticated and can ingest or reference other geo data, like GIS themes, to seek to build a one-stop-shop or digital twin. Yet this often means a layer of data management skills and experts. This is also changing.

Easier Data Management

Australian asset management software firm Skand has been providing solutions for captured data globally for many years, and has received international acclaim. They began with a focus on AEC inspection but have expanded to encompass asset management. In recent years, their approach has changed to embrace the idea that simplicity leads to broader implementation.

“We spoke with more and more surveying companies and digital engineering companies,” says Skand founder Brett Chilton. “And we started to see a bit of a theme around the fact that they often do not understand that they are really capturing very rich data, but simply delivering it to a client. And we asked what the client doing with all the data.” What they found out was that this rich spatial data was being limited to the domain of technical people, and that anyone outside of that realm may never get a shot at it. Chilton and his team viewed this as a tremendous, missed opportunity; “It was an opportunity for a firm to come along and create a window into that world, for non-technical users,” says Chilton. “But it had to be something on a level that I could hand to my Dad.”

Meaning no disrespect to his dad, or anyone else’s, Chilton explains that it is about building a user experience that requires no special knowledge. “I couldn't just give it to my dad and say, ‘Hey, have a look at this really cool 3D space we're building’… you know, too many buttons. And before you know it, he'd be handing it back saying, that's cool, but no thanks.” His is true even within enterprises, utilities, cities, etc.; no matter how valuable that an application could be for asset managements, it will founder if it is not widely adopted.

 

“Survey companies, they go out and they capture point clouds, they do a bunch of feature extractions,” says Chilton. “And often then they put something in a 2D drawing or PDF, and they give it to the client as the deliverable. But our whole thing is ‘what happened to the point cloud?’ And how would that not be beneficial to others besides those who just wanted limited data in 2D?”

Skand’s viewer for multiple types of 3D data. – Image source: Skand.io

So, Skand made a pivot a few years ago to get more 3D data types into the platform: photos, more types of photogrammetric meshes, point clouds, linework, GIS data (e.g. shapefiles), and more. When it comes to underground utilities, Chilton sees this as a prime opportunity to add to this kind of “infrastructureverse” (OK, I made up that term). “People are opening up the ground and putting stuff in it, and using iPhones to capture that,” says Chilton. “We provide a place to put that data, and ways to access it and share it that is just a simple as operating the phone.”

In their applications, you can do measurements, markups, layer on more data, generate reporting, and more. And if you want to share the data with others, or just part, you can select which layers and area and send it to them via a text and they can visualize and navigate around in it. While elements of what they offer are not completely unique, what Skand has done with their viewer and analysis solutions exemplifies what I’m trying to convey: storing, managing, and sharing the data needs to be just as simple as the new ways to capture it. If 3D reality capture and data accessibility does not reach the every-person level, we are not going to solve underlying asset management issues.

 

Click

Such tools are rapidly being adopted, but not quite yet at the levels that can have substantive impact. Yes, as-built surveys of underground utilities are required in some jurisdictions, but the cost and time involved in legacy surveying methods has seen others balk at mandating this. Plus, even when it is required, the data may end up in labyrinth of record keeping, sometimes becoming dark data that can be almost harder to find and retrieve than digging a new hole.

The above examples are not any kind of endorsement, but such solutions, and others like them, could be a path towards better underground utility management. So, next time you are standing next to a pit or trench full of utilities, for heaven’s sake, have someone take the phone out of their pocket and document it!

 

Gavin Schrock is a licensed surveyor and geospatial technology writer based in the Pacific Northwest. He is also a consulting editor for GoGeomatics.ca

 

Using a drone to capture high precision underground utility location data up to 15 meters deep

For a long time it has been a dream of underground utility locators to deploy a drone based system for mapping underground utility infrastructure. The advantages of such a system are speed of execution - drone-based system can gather field data much quicker than traditional land-based technology. .The second advantage is safety - no boots on the pavement allows the field operator to remain safe at all times, regardless of terrain conditions. The third advantage is precision providing cm accuracy at a depth of 15 meters.

With respect to spatial positioning we support GNSS and RTK. But we can have either a fixed reference point on the ground upon which we work or have a satellite correction of our positioning. And this is how we're able to have such a high level of accuracy in our mapping.

A most important general application of Skipper NDT technology is, as opposed to traditional methods, soil conditions have no impact on our measurements, meaning that if the soil is humid, or if you have different soil types, it will have no impact on our measurements. And the proof is that we can even see through water. A specialized Skipper NDT application is river crossings, being able to detect utilities under water is a rare capability.

A third application is an out-of-straightness assessment. The Skipper NDT technology has proven to be as precise as an invasive pipeline tool to measure the mechanical deformation of pipelines.

A caveat is that we are more suited for rural areas than urban due to the regulation for drone fight, but also due to the EM noise that can be prevalent in those areas, which is very important. We do require the standard permits to fly drones in different locations which can vary from country to country. We're more of a rural-based technology applicable for both energy and utility segments. Electromagnetic noise is one of the competitive advantages that we've developed through time.  We're able to filter those EM noises out of the signal that is required in order to have the cleanest magnetic environment. We filter interferences that could be created due to high voltage lines or metallic objects in the proximity of the pipeline.

Two main operators have validated this application, one being GRTgaz, the incumbent French gas operator, and the other one being Veolia, the large utility company. We've done operations in Europe, US, Asia and Africa. We have collaborated with prime operators such as TotalEnergies, GRTgaz, Patronus, US-based operators such as Kinder-Morgan, as well as operators in the field of utilities, such as Veolia. It is particularly interesting for markets in Europe, where there is a regulation that obliges all operators, energy or utility, to map their entire infrastructure with the inch precision by 2032.

Hardware payload

The Skipper NDT is a four-kilogram payload enabling a high-precision pipeline mapping. It is composed of several sensors, magnetic, but also centimetric GPS and IMU, sensors that calculate the distance between the drone and the ground to provide the depth of cover, and an electronic card, which interpolates all this data. The result is an acquisition pace which is three times higher than traditional methods. The device can collect data at up to 12 kilometers per hour with a data density that is up to 1,000 times more than traditional tools with a point every centimetre, if required. In addition we perform magnetometer compensation that allow us to increase by 25 times the native resolution of our magnetometers to have very high-precision data. We can detect pipelines that are metallic, so no PVC, but we can also detect active cables, cables in which a current is being transmitted. We have been actually tested on pipes going from a diameter of 80 millimetres to 1.2 meters, meaning we can go from very small to the largest pipeline seamlessly

We are drone agnostic, meaning that the drone we are showing is the DJIM 600. But we can integrate our payload on any tool being able to carry our payload. The way we market this product is either directly with operators which know us now or to service providers that might have already have a drone able to carry out payload.

In terms of software, we apply several algorithms to the data to have the cleanest magnetic information. These include field data level control, which compensate the movement of the acquisition vector that could cause potential false positive, or at least complicate the analysis of the data. But we also we filter EM interferences that could be created due to high voltage lines or metallic objects in the proximity of the pipeline. We also have several algorithms patented, which will process this data in order to provide the operator with the cleanest and most precise information.

Operational process

Here, we describe the operational process of data gathering through the Skipper NDT technology. We've simplified the process so that operator in the field will input two points and will then deploy the drone, which will go back and forth over the area. The objective is to hover over a zone with a width of 10 meters around the pipeline location. to collect data. We will then apply different magnetic acquisition filters in order to provide a magnetic map from which we will derive a number of points that will be provided to the operator within the format that suits best their system.  In this example a seven-inch diameter,gas pipeline was measured over a distance of 207 feet over 32. The number of profiles that were done by the drone was five to cover the entire magnetic anomaly. And the acquisition time for this coverage was of six minutes. The results of this acquisition were compared against an open ditch measurement, and the two tables describe basically the performance that was obtained with the Skipper technology. We can see that laterally, we have an average precision of 5.2 inches and a standard deviation of four inches. And horizontally, meaning depth of cover, we have an average precision of 1.6 inch with a standard deviation of 2.1 inch. We see here that the data is fairly constrained, meaning that there is a high degree of certitude on the data that is provided by the Skipper NDT algorithms. This shows why it is important that we gather the entire magnetic signal. We can see that on one of the pipelines that was measured, two different magnetic interferences were gathered, both in the low frequency map and a high frequency map. And this was highlighted by our algorithms. Those kind of interferences are characteristic of a metallic object. Our analysts that reviewed the data suggested that there might be an abandoned line crossing the existing line. After further investigation, it was confirmed that an abandoned line was actually crossing the new line that was built. This constitute a serious hazard potential, and hence the data was then integrated into the global information system of the client. This is why we insist on gathering a large magnetic map that allows us to gather not only the magnetic signal of the pipeline, but also of its environment.

This post is based on Luigi Kassir's (Skipper NDT) talk at Subsurface Utility Mapping Strategy Forum (SUMSF).

Quick overview of ASCE 75-22 "As-installed" Standard

In most jurisdictions worldwide the low quality of underground infrastructure location data has been identified as a top cause of underground utility damage. Existing underground data, most of which is stored in network owners' utility records, is inaccurate, out of date or simply missing.  In North America in a survey of 402 locate professionals better facility maps received nearly unanimous agreement as a top strategy for improving the efficiency and quality of locates.  Singapore's Digital Underground project is unequivocal about the impact of low quality underground location data stating that "virtually all stakeholders are aware that much of the available information is unreliable and that this has repeatedly led to losses of time, money and opportunities." 

Until now there has never been a standard for an “As-Installed” (often referred to as “As-Built”) utility data record for which location, positional accuracy, geometry, dimensions, type, function, ownership, materials, or operational status of a utility feature are among the data documented. The lack of a standard for utility as-installed record data has resulted in utility records that are of inconsistent data quality, content, and formats not conducive for data exchange.

ASCE 75-22 Standard

The purpose of this standard guideline is to specify essential elements for recording and exchanging data about the location, size, orientation, function, ownership and other attributes of newly installed, relocated, or otherwise exposed utility infrastructure. The benefits of such a standard are the exchange of consistent underground and above ground utility data among construction stakeholders, support for digital project design standards such as building information modelling (BIM), and reduced underground utility damage through sharing of more consistent and reliable infrastructure data.

The 75-22 standard should be used whenever subsurface utility infrastructure is exposed such as newly installed, relocated and daylighted utility infrastructure. Various techniques of modern reality capture including LiDAR and photogrammetric scanning and high accuracy GNSS should be used to record  the location of exposed infrastructure to ensure survey accuracy.

Data exchange framework

The 75-22 standard defines a data exchange framework which includes a minimum, optional, and conditional set of elements that every utility data model may include.  Utility infrastructure data stakeholders have developed different data models and management tools to handle the data. The data exchange framework identifies specific data elements to collect and manage for newly constructed or exposed utility infrastructure to facilitate a variety of functions including exchange of consistent underground and above ground utility data among construction stakeholders and reduced underground utility damage through sharing of reliable infrastructure data.

The data exchange framework is derived from standard geospatial data models and includes: feature types, geometry types and feature attributes. Every 2D geospatial data model includes at a bare minimum the spatial data types: line strings, points, and polygons.  Among the data elements defining most utility data models can be found the following data types (often with a different name): segment, device, access point, support structure, containing structure, secured utility area, encasement, marker, and tracer. Associated with these feature types are attributes that define the properties of individual features. 

ASCE 38-22 Quality Levels

A Utility Quality Level is assigned by a Professional to each subsurface Utility Feature.  The Quality Level identifies the uncertainty of a subsurface Utility Feature’s existence and actual location to that of its documented location.

Utility Quality Level A (QLA): A value assigned to that portion of a subsurface Utility Feature that is directly exposed and measured and whose location and dimensions are tied to the Project Survey Datum. The subsurface Utility Feature shall be tied to the Project Survey Datum with an accuracy of 0.1 ft (30 mm) vertical and to 0.2 ft (60 mm) horizontal for the outside limits of the Utility Feature that is exposed.This is the default quality level for newly installed utility equipment.

Utility Quality Level B (QLB): A value assigned to a subsurface Utility Feature whose existence and horizontal position is based on Geophysical Methods combined with professional judgment and whose location is tied to the Project Survey Datum.

Utility Quality Level C (QLC): A value assigned to a Utility Segment not visible at the ground surface whose estimated position is judged through correlating Utility records or similar evidence to Utility Features, visible above ground and/or underground.

Utility Quality Level D (QLD): A value assigned to Utility Feature not visible at the ground surface whose estimated position is judged through Utility records, information from others, or from visual clues such as pavement cuts, obvious trenches, or existence of service.

Positional accuracy

Utility company records comprise the vast majority of the data we have about underground utilities. Much of this data is inaccurate, out of date or simply missing (especially in the case of abandoned infrastructure and infrastructure without a known owner). Jurisdictions around the world recognizing the critical importance of accurate data are implementing policies to ensure data quality. ASCE 75 is central to these initiatives and has already been mandated in Montana and Colorado as the "as-installed" standard for new infrastructure in state right of ways.

The ASCE 75 standard includes positional accuracy for horizontal and vertical data points.

In the context of underground infrastructure location data locators, professional surveyors and engineers, network operators, and one call centres have different responsibilities in collecting and certifying underground utility location data. For example, Colorado and Montana mandate ASCE 75 compliant as-installeds be submitted  for completed public construction projects. Understanding the equipment used to gather information and the reliability of that technique in that particular project situation is the responsibility of the person putting their sign and seal on the data. Assigning quality levels compliant with ASCE 75 requires sign off by a professional engineer.

Among the attributes required by ASCE 75 are several that define data quality for different utility feature types.  The horizontal and vertical datums shall be managed and exchanged at the record level using the horizontal spatial reference and vertical spatial
reference elements in the framework for data exchange;

• Horizontal spatial reference: Coordinate system, datum, associated with the X and Y coordinates
• Vertical spatial reference: Datum and geoid model for the Z coordinate
• Horizontal accuracy: Error of horizontal coordinates at the 95% confidence level
• Vertical accuracy: Accuracy level of vertical coordinates at the 95% confidence level
• Accuracy units Units: used to express horizontal and vertical positional accuracies.

During construction or when underground utility infrastructure is subsequently exposed, the horizontal and vertical coordinate observations are obtained at each distinct feature; at horizontal bends, vertical bends, and points of deflection; and along each distinct feature with sufficient interval frequency to achieve the required Positional Accuracy Level.

The Horizontal Accuracy and Vertical Accuracy requirements help determine the type of data collection equipment and data collection methodology. Different Positional Accuracy Levels are possible when using global navigation satellite system (GNSS) equipment and real-time kinematic (RTK) methods, post-processed mapping GNSS equipment, and mapping GNSS equipment without post processing. The combined effect of the characteristics of the positioning equipment, data collection procedures, and postprocessing support a specific statement of accuracy. For example, equipment and data collection and post-processing procedures that are designed to achieve a 3 ft Positional Accuracy Level cannot be used to certify an accuracy smaller than 3 ft.

Product-as-a-Service:a paradigm shift in low cost access to advanced underground mapping technology

Gyro or inertial mapping provides an effective technical solution to the challenge of accurately mapping underground utility infrastructure. Gyro mapping solutions are available for any type of underground utility including water, gas, electric power, communications, ducts, and wastewater. Using this technology it is possible to map networks of pipes or ducts with diameters ranging from 29-34 mm to 90-1500 mm for distances of up to 2 km. Solutions are being offered globally by quite a large number of service providers.

Product-as-a-Service (PaaS)

Gyro mapping is perceived to be expensive because it is currently offered in a very inefficient manner with high mobilization and de-mobilization costs. Whereas the reality is that that if you provide the service efficiently gyro mapping has a price advantage over other technologies. That is why we're introducing the Product-as-a-Service (PaaS) concept which represents a true paradigm shift in how gyro mapping is offered.  

Erratic per unit pricing, which is actually the norm in the mapping industry, is a problem that inhibits new advanced mapping technologies like gyro mapping technology from competing more effectively with traditional underground mapping methods such as GNSS. The way pricing currently works is that service providers ask a fixed rate for a day's work. The fixed cost covers mobilization, de-mobilization, the crew, the equipment, the planning, and the actual mapping. But the actual amount of mapping conducted may vary from a very small portion of the daily rate to virtually all of it. As a result a crew is often inefficiently deployed because the volume of mapping is fairly low, but it still takes a day. As an example, a service provider whose standard rate is $3000 per day is requested to come in and do a 300 foot mapping. That translates into an effective of cost of $10 per foot, which is very expensive. On the other hand if they had mapped 1,500 feet that day the average cost would have been $2 per foot.

 

Enabling the efficient delivery of gyro mapping services requires two things; reducing mobilization and demobilization rates and a pricing model that reflects the amount of subsurface mapping actually conducted.

The solution is to bring the technology closer to the job sites to reduce mobilization and de-mobilization costs and to adopt a pricing model that more accurately reflects the amount of gyro mapping that is actually performed.

The foundation of Product-as-a-Service (PaaS), is that Reduct makes its equipment available to the service provider free of charge.  On its side the service provider commits to conducting a certain amount of underground mapping using gyro technology per year. The service provider either conducts the underground mapping work itself or subcontracts a contractor, engineering firm, or surveyor to conduct the pre-construction survey work. In either case the service provider provides the Reduct gyro mapping equipment used in mapping the location of underground utilities. 

Of course this will require that a lot more service provider people (or your subcontractor's people) be trained in gyro mapping to perform this work. But you no longer need to travel half way around the world to acquire Reduct training. Reduct have set up the Reduct Academy where you can find video-enabled training packages for all of our tools, how to assemble them, operate them, process the data, and generate the 3D models.

Transparent competitive pricing

PaaS makes pricing transparent and enables gyro mapping to be offered competitively to traditional technologies. Service providers can provide prices to their customers based on the rates that Reduct charges for the PaaS service. PaaS rates are simply a balance between the value of the equipment that we provide and the feet of subsurface mapping that is committed by the service provider.

A key benefit of the Product-as-a-Service concept is that it provides for complete flexibility in your choice of equipment. PaaS allows you to select, exchange or return technology depending on your current requirements. Because the technology is provided free of charge you have complete flexibility in choosing the equipment you want to use.  Reduct hardware solutions are available right now for pretty much every type of utility including water, gas, electric power, communications, ducts, and wastewater and for a wide range of pipe and duct diameters ranging from 29-34 mm to 90-1500 mm for distances of up to 2 km.  The pipe or duct can be any material and any shape; round, rectangular or X -shaped. 

Here's some practical examples of the advantages of full flexibility. We supply you with an ABM-30 for an inch and a quarter data duct, and an ABM-90 or a DR-4 for doing larger diameter pipes - anything up to 500 millimetres. Now, if you commit to mapping a hundred thousand feet with those two units on an annual basis, then you will be charged 52 cents per foot for mapping done using this equipment. That is a flat rate, it doesn't matter which of the two units you use. There is zero investment risk because tools are exchanged and replaced as they become obsolete.

Now if your projects change and your latest job requires that you map a 210,000 foot pipe, you find you need to upgrade your ABM-90 to a DR-4. Your rate per foot drops to 27 cents because on the one hand, you have a slightly more expensive tool, but you have a lot more volume. So your rate goes down to 27 cents.

For service provider's people in the field the benefit of the PaaS model is full hardware flexibility and transparent, competitive pricing.

Cloud-based services

We've also set up cloud-based services, where your experts can monitor everything that happens to all the tools that are within your portfolio without needing to be on site. With that online service, you can see performance statistics, quality statistics of the tool such as spread and length scaling, that give a very good indication of how well the tool was pulled through the pipe and how accurate the result is likely to be.

You can centralize all the activities that are happening, reporting, quality control and other activities. You can monitor the quality of an individual tool or of an individual operator. For example, if an operator is performing less efficiently than another operator with the same equipment or if you detect data quality issues with a particular operator, you may consider giving some remedial training or monitoring specific operators more closely.

Reduct community

We have created a community of Reduct users. Within that community, we have pipeline owners, service providers, and service partners. Service partners are people and organizations with relationships to Reduct.  For example, they are a local place where you can go to exchange your tools or have them re calibrated. So every region will have service partners.The community will be a place where you can basically interact with your partners or your service providers.  If, for example, you have a very interesting reporting template for a certain customer, which is very specific, and you know other people could benefit from that, you can offer it through the community.

This sums up the new concept we call Product-as-a-Service, or PaaS that provides a way to bring gyro mapping into the mainstream technologies, just like any of the other ones.

Implications for introducing other advanced technologies

We believe that this approach has implications for subsurface mapping in general, because it provides a way for other new advanced subsurface mapping technologies to be offered into the market competitively with traditional mapping technologies.

 

This post is based on Otto Ballintijn's (Reduct) talk at Subsurface Utility Mapping Strategy Forum (SUMSF).