GIS Cost-Surface Routing for Multi-Node Subsea Pipelines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional techniques for determining subsea pipeline routes fail to efficiently handle multi-source and multi-destination nodes, leading to increased construction costs, regulatory non-compliance, and safety risks, while being time-consuming and error-prone.
Innovation Solution
A GIS-based workflow that utilizes geophysical data and constraints to create a composite cost surface, iteratively determining least cost paths between source and destination nodes, optimizing main and lateral pipeline routes through spatial analysis tools like Dijkstra's algorithm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional techniques are used to determine subsea pipeline routes, then manual analysis and sketching can be performed, but construction costs increase and the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical analysis and sketching with an automated computer-based GIS system that performs spatial analysis, cost surface generation, and route optimization algorithms to automatically determine optimal pipeline routes, eliminating manual errors and accelerating the process
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms qualitative manual route selection into a quantitative automated process by generating cost surfaces with multiple parameters (construction cost, installation risk, regulatory compliance) and using algorithms to optimize route selection based on these measurable parameters
2Device complexity
If traditional manual techniques are used for route determination, then simple analysis can be performed, but construction costs increase and safety risks arise
Solution Approach 1:
The GIS system incorporates feedback mechanisms by continuously evaluating route options against multiple constraints (regulatory requirements, environmental factors, construction costs, installation risks) and iteratively optimizing the selected route to ensure compliance and safety before final determination
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary automated analysis of all potential routes against regulatory constraints and safety criteria before construction begins, identifying and eliminating unsafe or non-compliant routes in advance, thereby preventing safety issues and regulatory violations during actual construction
3Ease of operation
If traditional methods are used to handle multi-source and multi-destination nodes, then manual scenarios can be sketched, but the process becomes time-consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The GIS-based system provides a universal automated platform that can handle any number of source and destination nodes simultaneously through standardized spatial analysis tools and algorithms, eliminating the need for separate manual analysis of each route scenario and dramatically reducing time loss
Data Source
AI summary
A computer implemented method that enables determination of optimal routes for subsea pipelines based on geographic information systems is described. The method includes obtaining geophysics data and constraints associated with an area and transforming the geophysics data and constraints, source nodes, and destination nodes into a cell-based geophysics model. The cell-based geophysics model is evaluated to create a composite cost surface corresponding to the area, and a scenario with least cost main routes and least cost lateral pipeline routes across interconnected main routes and lateral routes in the cell-based geophysics model is determined.