SolSpec Launches Aerial Analytics Solution for Pipeline Integrity Management

SolSpec Inc., a provider of remote sensing and data analytics, today announced SolSpec™ ROW Integrity Management, an advanced aerial imagery and data analytics solution designed specifically for assessing, mitigating, and preventing geohazard risks on pipeline right-of-ways. Using SolSpec’s drone flight plans, data collection and advanced analytics, owners and operators can detect and predict hazards before they become problems, and gain actionable insights to prioritize mitigation efforts, improve safety and compliance, and achieve greater ROI at every stage of the pipeline asset lifecycle.

Landslides, erosion related hazards and subsidence in variable, steep, and rugged terrain can pose a threat to the integrity of pipeline facilities if those threats are not identified and mitigated. Landslides in the Appalachian Region have caused major pipeline failures in recent history and resulted in numerous pipeline outages since 2018.  In addition to the safety and environmental impacts, these failures have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars of lost revenue and repair costs.

“SolSpec ROW Integrity Management solution gives decision-makers the tools they need to allocate resources to the areas that would have the largest impact in reduction of geohazard-related safety, environmental, and business risk,” said Bryan Crowe, chief operating officer at SolSpec.

SolSpec ROW Integrity Management is a geohazard risk analysis solution for analyzing known and potential threats to right-of-ways.  A full-service offering, SolSpec’s team of data scientists and FAA-licensed UAV pilots start by first collecting photogrammetry and LiDAR data within the right-of-way and create a baseline risk assessment with plug-and-play flight plans for ongoing monitoring of high-risk areas. Data is then processed via SolSpec’s secure cloud-based geoprocessing platform and proprietary analytical models based on analysis of over 1.7 million acres of landslides and ROW projects to create high-resolution 3D models for visualizing and measuring slip conditions, hydrology and BMP condition assessments and slip potential.

Prioritize Risk Mitigation to Improve Safety

Unlike general purpose analytics, SolSpec ROW Integrity Management solution delivers decision support analysis tailored to pipeline integrity management. Analysis is ranked against a risk index of population density, product type, high consequence and environmentally sensitive areas within the pipeline right of way to create a prioritization of existing and potential hazards. Armed with this insight, operators can pinpoint specific areas of interest and prioritize and allocate resources to speed time to repair, save costs and ultimately improve safety and reduce risk.

“SolSpec allows our pipeline integrity team to evaluate possible hazards so we can send out work crews to the most problematic areas first,” said Steve Lutes, director of Human Resources, EHS Safety, Training & Development at Huwa Enterprises. “Because of our work with SolSpec we are able to stay efficient in addressing our most pressing concern – safety.”

Streamline Compliance Requirements

In addition to interactive web maps and 3D models, users gain access to comprehensive, decision-ready reports with risks ordered by priority as well as supplemental coordinates in Excel, and risks indexed by location.  These reports can be used to demonstrate compliance of corrective action continuous surveillance of pipelines under Federal pipeline safety regulations from PHMSA and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

SolSpec CEO Toby Kraft and SolSpec head of strategy Robert Blank will share best practices and a technology demonstration at the Energy Drone & Robotics Summit and Expo, June 12-13. For information, visit https://stonefortgroup.com/energy-drone-coalition-2019/.

For more information about SolSpec ROW Integrity Management solution, visit https://solspec.solutions/row-integrity-management/.

About SolSpec

SolSpec was founded in 2017 to improve environmental and public safety and to increase efficiencies for the energy industry using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology.  SolSpec’s Aerial Analytics platform represents best-in-class data processing and management for all UAV imagery.  Our analytics were born from 120 cumulative years in Natural Resource Sciences and are formulated to specifically predict and prevent unexpected occurrences in large scale land use projects. With SolSpec, you can make decisions from your desk instead of the field and ultimately reduce risk, time and expenditure.  Visit us online at https://solspec.solutions/