System to facilitate pipeline management, software, and related methods
First Claim
1. A pipeline management system to facilitate pipeline management, the system comprising:
- a first pipeline company computer positioned at a pipeline company site to define a pipeline company server and having a processor, memory coupled to the processor to store software and database records therein, a graphical display coupled to the processor for displaying graphical images, and a user interface coupled to the processor to provide a user access to manipulate the software and database records;
a database stored in the memory of the pipeline company server and having a plurality of map segments each comprising at least one of a map, a processed satellite image, and an aerial photograph, a plurality of pipeline equipment records including at least one of engineering data, drawings, and respective pipeline equipment location data, and a plurality of pipeline management records including pipeline equipment management data and a plurality of personnel data records; and
pipeline information management analyzing software stored in memory of the server to analyze pipeline management requirements, the pipeline information management analyzing software including;
a pipeline management identifier positioned to tag a corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline management records in the database with a respective pipeline management record identifier,a pipeline management analyzer positioned to retrieve the corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline management records by the respective pipeline management record identifier from the database and responsive to a user selecting a pipeline equipment through the user interface to display the corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline management records to the user to thereby assist the user in planning and execution of management actions on the user selected pipeline equipment,a pipeline equipment identifier positioned to tag a corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records in the database with a respective pipeline equipment record identifier, anda pipeline emergency response analyzer to analyze a pipeline rupture, the pipeline emergency response analyzer including;
a pipeline valve location locator positioned to retrieve at least one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records having pipeline valve location data from the database and responsive to a geographic reference point entered by the user through the user interface and representing a location of the pipeline rupture to identify at least one immediate upstream valve and at least one immediate downstream valve from the location of the pipeline rupture, anda pipeline segment volume calculator responsive to the pipeline valve location locator determined identity of the at least one immediate upstream valve and the at least one downstream valve and positioned to calculate an amount of pipeline segment volume inventory between the at least one upstream valve and the at least one downstream valve to thereby determine potential lost inventory from the pipeline rupture,a critical engineering data and drawings analyzer positioned to retrieve critical engineering data and drawings from one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records from the database and responsive to the user selecting the pipeline equipment through the user interface to display critical engineering data and drawings for the user selected pipeline equipment,a pipeline equipment distance calculator positioned to retrieve a pipeline equipment location data from the one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records from the database and responsive to the user selecting the pipeline equipment through the user interface to display distance measurements of the selected pipeline equipment from a pipeline reference point to determine travel time required to reach a destination work area, andan assigned personnel determiner positioned to retrieve a personnel data record containing pipeline equipment assignment information from the database and responsive to the user selecting at least one of a particular pipeline equipment and a pipeline operational area through the user interface to display contact personnel assigned primary responsibility for the user selected at least one of the particular pipeline equipment and the pipeline operational area.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for facilitating pipeline management, software, and methods are provided. The system includes a pipeline company computer positioned at a pipeline company site to define a pipeline company server, having a processor, memory coupled to the processor to store software and database records therein, a graphical display coupled to the processor for displaying graphical images and a user interface coupled to the processor to provide a user access to manipulate the software and database records, and pipeline information management analyzing software to analyze pipeline management requirements. The system also includes an area network in communication with the server, a remote user computer in communication with the area network, positioned remote from the server at remote site, and positioned to access the pipeline information management analyzing software, and a portable user computer adapted to interface with the area network to access the pipeline information management analyzing software to provide the field user access to the server database.
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Citations
60 Claims
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1. A pipeline management system to facilitate pipeline management, the system comprising:
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a first pipeline company computer positioned at a pipeline company site to define a pipeline company server and having a processor, memory coupled to the processor to store software and database records therein, a graphical display coupled to the processor for displaying graphical images, and a user interface coupled to the processor to provide a user access to manipulate the software and database records; a database stored in the memory of the pipeline company server and having a plurality of map segments each comprising at least one of a map, a processed satellite image, and an aerial photograph, a plurality of pipeline equipment records including at least one of engineering data, drawings, and respective pipeline equipment location data, and a plurality of pipeline management records including pipeline equipment management data and a plurality of personnel data records; and pipeline information management analyzing software stored in memory of the server to analyze pipeline management requirements, the pipeline information management analyzing software including; a pipeline management identifier positioned to tag a corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline management records in the database with a respective pipeline management record identifier, a pipeline management analyzer positioned to retrieve the corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline management records by the respective pipeline management record identifier from the database and responsive to a user selecting a pipeline equipment through the user interface to display the corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline management records to the user to thereby assist the user in planning and execution of management actions on the user selected pipeline equipment, a pipeline equipment identifier positioned to tag a corresponding one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records in the database with a respective pipeline equipment record identifier, and a pipeline emergency response analyzer to analyze a pipeline rupture, the pipeline emergency response analyzer including; a pipeline valve location locator positioned to retrieve at least one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records having pipeline valve location data from the database and responsive to a geographic reference point entered by the user through the user interface and representing a location of the pipeline rupture to identify at least one immediate upstream valve and at least one immediate downstream valve from the location of the pipeline rupture, and a pipeline segment volume calculator responsive to the pipeline valve location locator determined identity of the at least one immediate upstream valve and the at least one downstream valve and positioned to calculate an amount of pipeline segment volume inventory between the at least one upstream valve and the at least one downstream valve to thereby determine potential lost inventory from the pipeline rupture, a critical engineering data and drawings analyzer positioned to retrieve critical engineering data and drawings from one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records from the database and responsive to the user selecting the pipeline equipment through the user interface to display critical engineering data and drawings for the user selected pipeline equipment, a pipeline equipment distance calculator positioned to retrieve a pipeline equipment location data from the one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records from the database and responsive to the user selecting the pipeline equipment through the user interface to display distance measurements of the selected pipeline equipment from a pipeline reference point to determine travel time required to reach a destination work area, and an assigned personnel determiner positioned to retrieve a personnel data record containing pipeline equipment assignment information from the database and responsive to the user selecting at least one of a particular pipeline equipment and a pipeline operational area through the user interface to display contact personnel assigned primary responsibility for the user selected at least one of the particular pipeline equipment and the pipeline operational area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A pipeline management system to facilitate pipeline management, the system comprising:
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a first pipeline company computer positioned at a pipeline company site to define a pipeline company server and having a processor, memory coupled to the processor to store software and database records therein, a graphical display coupled to the processor for displaying graphical images, and a user interface coupled to the processor to provide a user access to manipulate the software and database records; a database stored in the memory of the pipeline company server and having a plurality of map segments each comprising at least one of a map, a processed satellite image, and an aerial photograph, a plurality of pipeline equipment records including at least one of engineering data, drawings, and respective pipeline equipment location data, and a plurality of pipeline management records including pipeline equipment management data and a plurality of personnel data records; and
pipeline information management analyzing software stored in memory of the server to analyze pipeline management requirements, the pipeline information management analyzing software including;a pipeline emergency response analyzer to analyze a pipeline rupture, the pipeline emergency response analyzer including a pipeline valve location locator positioned to retrieve a plurality of pipeline equipment records having pipeline valve location data from the database and responsive to a geographic reference point entered by a user through the user interface and representing a location of the pipeline rupture to identify at least one immediate upstream valve and at least one immediate downstream valve from the location of the pipeline rupture, and a critical engineering data and drawings analyzer positioned to retrieve a pipeline equipment record containing critical engineering data and drawings from the database and responsive to the user selecting a pipeline equipment through the user interface to display critical engineering data and drawings for the user selected pipeline equipment. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A pipeline information management analyzing software stored on a storage media to analyze pipeline management requirements, the software comprising a pipeline emergency response analyzer to analyze a pipeline rupture, the pipeline emergency response analyzer including:
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a pipeline valve location locator adapted to retrieve a plurality of pipeline equipment records having pipeline valve location data from a database and adapted to respond to a geographic reference point entered by a user through the user interface and representing a location of the pipeline rupture to identify at least one immediate upstream valve and at least one immediate downstream valve from the location of the pipeline rupture; and a critical engineering data and drawings analyzer adapted to retrieve one of the plurality of pipeline equipment records containing critical engineering data and drawings from the database and adapted to respond to a user selecting pipeline equipment through the user interface to display critical engineering data and drawings for the user selected pipeline equipment. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method for facilitating pipeline management, the method comprising the steps of:
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displaying pipeline equipment inspection, operation, and maintenance data stored in at least one of a plurality of pipeline management records in a database for a user selected pipeline equipment to assist in planning and execution of repairs to the user selected pipeline equipment; displaying instrument scraping pipeline corrosion data for a user selected pipeline to assist the user in planning and execution of repairs to the user selected pipeline; and displaying cathodic protection equipment data for the user selected pipeline to assist the user in planning and implementation of cathodic protection resources to the user selected pipeline.
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48. A computer readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the computer, cause the computer to perform the following operations:
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responsive to a geographic reference point representing a location of a pipeline rupture and entered by a user through a user interface, retrieving a plurality of pipeline equipment records having pipeline valve location data from a database, and identifying at least one immediate upstream valve and at least one immediate downstream valve from the location of the pipeline rupture; and responsive to the user selecting pipeline equipment through the user interface, retrieving a pipeline equipment record containing critical engineering data and drawings from the database, and displaying critical engineering data and drawings for the user selected pipeline equipment. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60)
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Specification