PODS Basics

Unit 2 – Linear Referencing Concepts & Terms

 Intended Audience

• GIS/IT professionals
• New to pipeline industry
• Little or no exposure to PODS

PODS Training – both PODS Basics and PODS Advanced – create a better
understanding of PODS Standards and PODS implementations through
geospatial and relational database applications.
2 Linear Referencing
Concepts and Terms
 • Unit 1 - Introduction to PODS
• Unit 2 - Linear Referencing Concepts
Seminar and Terms
Series • Unit 3 - PODS Concepts and Terms
Overview • Unit 4 - The PODS Schema
• Unit 5 - Spatial Analysis of Pipeline
Data
• Unit 6 - PODS Implementation
2 Linear Referencing Basics
 Storing Pipeline Data

• What’s so difficult about storing pipeline data?

• Introduction to Linear Referencing
 2 Linear Referencing Terms

• Linear Referencing
• Routes
• Events
• Essential GIS Terms

Images courtesy of ONG. Copyright 2020

Imagery courtesy of Rosen. Copyright 2020

 How Can We Store Pipeline Assets?

Due to their complex

Imagery courtesy of Williams. Copyright 2020.

nature, pipeline networks
are challenging structures
to manage and store in a
database.

Looking at this map we can see a

sample pipeline system implemented
by Williams. How could we begin to
describe this system and its associated
components?
 How Can We Store Pipeline Assets?
Some things to think about:
How to….
• combine pipeline and
components into one database?
• represent changes along a
pipeline? Break line into unique
feature with each change?
• avoid unnecessary duplication?
• maintain associations between
the pipeline and components?
• Avoid bloated attribute table
and poor performance?

Imagery courtesy of Williams. Copyright 2020.

 How Can We Store Pipeline Assets?

• What if a separate centerline was created for each attribute?

• Duplicate centerlines for each layer
• Difficult to maintain – must edit each layer each time

A separate layer for

each linear item?

Do it with Linear Referencing!

 Linear Referencing Definition
• A single linear feature is used as a reference for locating pipeline features and
characteristics along the length of the line.
• Begins with a centerline - the core of Linear Referencing. Valves, meters, etc.
are placed by referencing the measured centerline distance.

Compare
to a
Road
Segment

Image courtesy of MDOT State Highway Administration. Copyright 2020.

 Linear Referencing Model

Locations of features
are measured against 15 20 25

the Centerline and 20

35
40
45

stored in related
50

13
tables.
15
20 100
23
24
31
40

0
Linear referencing allows these 10

segments to exist on the same 20

30
center line. 40
 Routes – What is a Route?

• A unique line feature with a system of

measurement spanning its distance.
(Think of a ruler or tape measure.)
• Individual measurements are relative to
the beginning of the line.
• Each route also has a unique ID
• Created like other feature classes in GIS
• Route measures are not always uniform

Imagery courtesy of Williams. Copyright 2020

 Routes – Calibration Points

• Calibration Points represent known locations and measurements along the

route.
 Routes – Measurements and Locations

• Linear feature with MEASURED values stored as M-values at each vertex

along the line.
• X, Y, Z, and M stored with the vertex
• The ability of GIS software to interpolate measurements between vertices is
referred to as Linear Interpolation.

3000

Line ID = 101
 Routes - Displaying Measured Values
• Hatching shows the measured values
along the route.
• M-Values can be any unit of measure
• Miles
• Feet
• Station number (stationing)*
 Events - Features Along a Route
• Events are linear or point features occurring along a route.
• Stored in tables and refer to conditions or values along the line or locations
of features like valves or meters along the line.

Point – valves, leaks, crossings (single measure, route-id)

Linear – MAOP, Class, Diameter, Wetland crossing (beginning and end measure, route-id)
 Events – Can be Visualized on Maps

• Common practice to visualize events

and/or event tables on maps.
• Important for GIS/IT professionals to
correctly manage and edit event
tables.
• Features derived from event tables
appear on maps and can be
interacted with like any other
feature.

Imagery courtesy of Rosen. Copyright 2020

 Displaying Events with Multiple
Attributes
• Symbolizing events
• Unique value symbology display for Diameter, Class
• Labeling events
Route and Events –
Simple Visual Analysis Example

Imagery courtesy of Williams. Copyright 2020

 Routes and Events –
Overlay Analysis Example
• There are GIS tools to create events from features related to a route. These
event tables are related to route through a unique ID.

Ties event back to

the Route table
Vendor Demonstration
ESRI
 In Summary – Linear Referencing
1. The PODS data model supports Linear Referencing making it possible to visualize
and analyze pipeline data and associated features spatially.
2. Events represent line or point features as linear referenced datasets. These
features can be geolocated along a route, viewed on maps and tables, edited, and
analyzed.
End of Unit 2
Any questions?
 PODS Association web site
https://www.pods.org

Resources for GIS Pipeline Dictionary

This Unit https://www.geofields.com/resources/oil-gas-pipeline-gis-glossary-dictionary/

www.esri.com