EGUG 2003 Presentations

Presentations

EGUG 2003 Presentations

The 2003 EGUG Presentations is a compilation of professional papers delivered October 13–15, 2003, in Galveston, TX. ESRI users contributed a fundamental part to the conference by submitting and presenting their presentations on a diverse collection of GIS applications. The proceeds promote GIS application by stimulating users to share their experiences and knowledge.

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Plenary Session

Welcome to EGUG—Welcome to Texas [PDF-383 KB, 25 pages]
Download Movie Clip [ZIP-60.9 MB]
EGUG Officers:
—David Miller, Dominion
—Ian Fitzgerald, Truckee Donner Public Utility District
—Cindi Salas and Jeff Myerson, CenterPoint Energy

Keynote Address [PDF-488 KB, 26 pages]
—Don Cortez, Vice President of Distribution Support, CenterPoint Energy

ESRI Technical Update View Presentation [PDF-15.12 MB, 78 pages] —Andy MacDonald, ESRI: ESRI welcomes users to EGUG with a video [ZIP-105 MB] from Jack Dangermond, president of ESRI, followed by a review of our new technology, upcoming releases, and development plans—highlighting those topics of significant interest to our electric and gas users.
ESRI’s Enterprise Customer Program View Presentation [PDF-156 KB, 16 pages] —Dave Busser, ESRI: Following up on the User Conference introduction of ESRI’s Enterprise Program Initiative, our director of corporate and business development will outline the current status of this initiative and the Enterprise Customer Program.
ESRI’s ArcGIS Survey Analyst View Presentation [PDF-712 KB, 11 pages] —Mike Weir, ESRI: Introduced with ArcGIS 8.3, Survey Analyst is now available. Learn about the opportunities provided utilities with this overview and demonstration of the product. For additional information, plan to attend the paper session given by Truckee Donner Public Utility District (PUD).
Electric & Gas Industry Update View Presentation [PDF-7.88 MB, 58 pages] —Bill Meehan, ESRI: Before seeing detailed demonstrations on ESRI’s latest technology, ESRI’s director of utility solutions will provide a snapshot of industry trends unfolding and the value GIS brings to these issues.
ESRI Demonstrations View Presentation [PDF-390 KB, 15 pages] —Pat Dolan, Derrick Burke, and Larry Young, ESRI: As a complement to the update on ESRI technology, demonstrations will be given highlighting functions available in ArcGIS 8.3 and ArcGIS 9. Demos include annotation and labeling, ArcGIS Server, ArcGIS Engine, ModelBuilder™, and new geoprocessing capabilities. These and other demonstrations will also be available for viewing and questions in the ESRI booth at the EXPO.

Paper Presentations

The Importance of Maintaining a Working Model of the Distribution System View Presentation [PDF-504 KB, 23 pages] —Shayne Wright, CenterPoint Energy

This presentation addresses salient points in the data entry process work flow that have a direct effect on the utility’s return on investment from GIS. For utilities, GIS represents a working model of the company’s distribution system. Keeping the model up-to-date, credible, and ready for use by departments such as Operations, Engineering, and Marketing is critical to the company’s success.

Real-Time Application Integration Using the MultiSpeak Specification View Presentation [PDF-191 KB, 19 pages] —Gary McNaughton, Cornice Engineering, and Project Coordinator for NRECA’s MultiSpeak Alliance —Martin Gordon, NRECA/CRN

Enterprise integration has been an elusive goal for utilities for many years. Often the integration that has been achieved has relied on custom development of interfaces at each utility. This approach has been time consuming and expensive even when successful. Unfortunately, small utilities, such as most electric distribution cooperatives, do not have the information systems staff resources to attack integration in this manner; rather, they often rely on vendors to provide suites of interoperable software. As a result, either their choices of software are limited or they must pay vendors to create and maintain custom software interfaces.

The MultiSpeak Initiative is a collaborative effort of more than 120 utility industry software vendors that has been sponsored by the Cooperative Research Network of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to address this need. The initiative has developed a specification for real-time data exchanges among the software applications most commonly applied in electric utilities. This presentation will address how that specification works and how vendors and utilities can use MultiSpeak to improve software application integration.

Options for Outsourcing Land Base Data Maintenance View Presentation [PDF-5.04 MB, 27 pages] —Don Peaslee, Analytical Surveys, Inc. (ASI)

Land base data maintenance may not be a core competency of a utility company. However, utilities need access to timely, high-quality land base information to support core business processes. Outsourcing land base data maintenance activities can provide the utility with significant return on investment. This presentation examines options available to utilities to realize those returns through streamlined business processes and reduced operating costs. Also discussed will be several maintenance strategies using different versions of ArcGIS.

Enterprise GIS Using Citrix View Presentation [PDF-663 KB, 22 pages] —Ty Fabling, Fabling & Associates ESRI —David Reed, Dominion

The cost benefits of using Citrix to develop and scale an enterprise GIS are more than just performance gains for distributed GIS applications. Learn from Dominion’s experienced geodatabase team how it leverages Citrix to meet the demands of this large utility.

"Going Live" Without Headaches—Three Keys for Your Successful GIS Migration Project View Presentation [PDF-4.43 MB, 10 pages] —Kevin Mereness, POWER Engineers, Inc.

As GIS technology changes and improves, most utilities are faced with moving their existing GIS data forward into a new platform that is more robust and meets more of their business needs. Utility GIS managers are constantly being asked to do more with less, and when the "going live" date comes, they do not want any headaches.

This presentation will profile a case study of Chelan County Public Utility District, located in north central Washington. It focuses on the three keys to a successful GIS migration project: Wearing the Client’s Clothes, Two-Way Training, and Assume Nothing. The presentation will offer practical tips from both the client and the consultant perspective.

Implementing MultiSpeak 2 for Enterprise Application Integration View Presentation [PDF-439 KB, 12 pages] —Christopher Kelly, Power Delivery Associates (PDA)

Electric utilities are implementing software-based information systems to increase efficiency and effectiveness in daily operations. As task-specific systems, such as Engineering Analysis, Automated Design, and Outage Management, come online, there is a growing need for data exchange among these systems and the central data warehouses within the utility—GIS and the operating system. MultiSpeak is an industry standard for data exchange among electric utility software systems. The second generation of the MultiSpeak standard was finalized in summer 2003 with great promise for streamlining the integration of a variety of software systems and facilitating the best-of-breed approach to utility automation. This presentation will examine several real-world implementations of MultiSpeak 2, with an emphasis on the accomplishments, challenges, and suggestions for future upgrades of the specification.

System Integration—Achieving Balance: Did It Pay Off After Hurricane Isabel? View Presentation [PDF-2.54 MB, 27 pages] —David Miller and Robert Wright, Dominion

Dominion, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, serves 3.8 million electric and natural gas customers in five states and is also one of the largest producers of energy in the United States.

In September of 2001, Dominion engaged the team of Miner & Miner/Logica to implement a GIS system and electric design solution integrated with Logica’s work management system for its electric distribution business. The project involved managing the migration from ESRI’s ARC/INFO 7 platform and Miner & Miner’s JPDE Design Tool to ESRI’s ArcGIS 8.3 platform and Miner & Miner’s ArcFM™ 8.3 software and Designer applications.

Using a proven integration approach, the team developed key interfaces to legacy systems such as Dominion’s outage management system (TRS), which was storm proven after Hurricane Isabel hit North Carolina and Virginia. The project also included interfaces to EngHouse’s Automated Plat Design and Logica’s work management product, WMIS. Several custom tools were built as part of the implementation including ArcFM AutoUpdaters to support grid addresses, device operating numbers, and dynamic feeder management.

Dominion went into production with ArcFM for the systems maintenance team consisting of 25 editors in September of 2002. Deployment of the Designer product through Citrix to more than 223 designers began in June of 2003 and will continue for the next several months.

Implementing the ArcGIS Pipeline Transmission Model View Presentation [PDF-7.38 MB, 41 pages] —Peter Veenstra, M.J. Harden Associates, Inc.

Version 1.0 of the ArcGIS Pipeline Data Model (APDM) was released at the 2003 ESRI International User Conference. One purpose of the APDM is to implement a model within the geodatabase that would meet the needs of the gas and liquids transmission pipeline industry. A second goal of the APDM is to implement the primary requirement of every pipeline system: linear referencing. The APDM also provides examples of features, which can link to external pipeline applications such as Integrity Risk Assessment, High Consequence Area Analysis, DOT High Consequence Area Calculations, Alignment Sheet Generation, External Document Management, and Right-of-Way Contact Management. The APDM is also designed to add value to the existing data and GIS assets within a pipeline company and easily translates to/from existing ISAT and PODS models. An overview of the latest version of the APDM will be shared along with a demonstration of a simple set of generic data maintenance tools that operate on an APDM geodatabase.

Values of Optimizing Engineering Design View Presentation [PDF-310 KB, 23 pages] —John Slanina and Chris Oliver, CenterPoint Energy

Several CNP organizations have worked together over the past two years in a "One Company" approach to implement a new software application that will be used by service area personnel to create distribution designs. The software developed by Itron, known as LD-Pro, was purchased in September 2002 and is being customized to meet CNP requirements. It will allow the company to "Get It Right" and "Grow" by ensuring more consistent and standardized designs across all service areas while also providing service consultants a means to optimize their designs, resulting in significant cost savings.

Enterprise GIS—Behind the Scenes View Presentation [PDF-403 KB, 24 pages] —Curt Kirkeby and Marshall Law, Avista Utilities

GIS and Joint Use—Maximizing Safety and Cost Recovery using GIS View Presentation [PDF-514 KB, 29 pages] —Dennis Desmarais and Rob Kolosvary, Portland General Electric

Joint use can pose either a significant opportunity or a large burden to pole owners. Well-managed poles generate millions of dollars in rent from joint use attachments. Neglected poles can be significant safety hazards. GIS applications enable tracking of all aspects of joint use, ensuring that your poles are assets, not liabilities. The presentation will explore how a GIS application can be used to track joint use, resulting in the recovery of millions of dollars in costs associated with pole attachments while contributing to the safety of electrical and communications workers and the public.

Enterprise Geodatabases to the Field View Presentation [PDF-1.72 MB, 48 pages] —Larry Wilke, City of Burbank —Jason Linley, Tadpole–Cartesia

Field personnel from Burbank Water and Power use tablet PCs and enterprise GIS in support of electric operations. Learn how the city has drastically expanded its GIS implementation by supporting field operations with mobile GIS. This implementation ensures that the mobile work teams are provided accurate, up-to-date geospatial information in the field even when connected to the LAN when linked by wireless hot spots.

GIS as Enabling Technology for Storm Restoration View Presentation [PDF-6.23 MB, 33 pages] —Cindi Salas, CenterPoint Energy —Ed Blair, Miner & Miner, Consulting Engineers, Inc.

This presentation will focus on using enterprise OMS and Web-based GIS technology to enable the dissemination of information during major storms or after catastrophic events to traditional and nontraditional OMS users. While core OMS is really about device prediction and managing work flow through restoration, the “componentized” nature of modern GIS technology allows for "pieces" of the GIS-hosted OMS technology to be used to bring a whole new dimension of thematic presentation capabilities to both the public and to internal resources. The GIS Web technology enhances these capabilities further by extending outage visualization and reporting tools to the Intranet and Internet.

Integration of Survey and GIS Methodologies for Utility Use View Presentation [PDF-7.84 MB, 22 pages] —Ian Fitzgerald, Truckee Donner PUD —Mike Weir, ESRI

GIS technology provides a sophisticated management tool for users of geospatial information. Within the utility sector, GIS has found many applications, including creation of multilevel maps of facilities and assets, but its use has brought complexity as well as benefits. The adoption of high-accuracy GPS positioning as a mainstream technology for collecting data on utility features has multiplied this complexity.

Despite the common impression of GIS as simply a sophisticated computer-based map, the technology is more than just a mapping program. In some organizations GIS is used for engineering modeling, utility design, and facility relocation. Couple a GIS with a GPS’s ability to accurately and precisely collect and navigate to feature data, and you have an extremely powerful tool within the utility sector.

This paper discusses a common challenge faced by utility GIS managers and staff when they attempt to juggle the need to map utility features with enough separation from one another to allow for good cartographic representation while maintaining the survey accuracy of x,y,z coordinates for facility location and integration into other GPS-powered applications. It also discusses how current ESRI software structure (object-orientated database), tools (attribute transfer), and extensions (ArcGIS Survey Analyst) can aid in these challenges.

Efficient Management of Electric Transmission Assets View Presentation [PDF-1.26 MB, 23 pages] —Gathen Garcia, Public Service Company of New Mexico

The electric Industry is faced with two high-level issues as it relates to transmission—aging infrastructure and inadequate capacity. These two issues combine to put tremendous pressure on operating groups for extremely high-reliability requirements.

In 2002, Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) was named the most reliable electric service provider in the nation by Edison Electric Institute. PNM needs to know exactly what it has, where it is, what kind of terrain/weather it is subject to, how to get to the facility, whose land it sits on, and what constraints (land and environmental) exist. In addition, the maintenance history and current condition of the facility must be known so the company can effectively maintain the system. Without a tool such as the ArcGIS Electric Transmission GIS application, eTAMIS, there is simply no way to do this.

This paper will examine steps taken at PNM that not only include data consolidation and inspection and maintenance functionality but also address trending and tracking to ensure that the maintenance performed has the greatest impact to assure the highest reliability.

GIS—Heart of the Integrated Utility View Presentation [PDF-2.54 MB, 51 pages] —John McCoy, Utility Support Systems, Inc.

The adoption of technology has provided utilities with the efficiencies to counteract upward pressures on spending and downward pressures on budgets. Even greater benefits are achieved when these technologies are integrated, with each technology contributing to an enterprise approach to the utility’s business processes. A GIS can be the heart of this enterprise approach, sharing data with other applications in the enterprise in its role of corporate asset repository. This presentation will discuss the benefits of integration and possible points of integration between GIS and other typical utility applications.

Utilizing ArcMap/Map Control in a Utility System Integration Framework for Network Asset Management View Presentation [PDF-4.14 MB, 40 pages] —Reynaldo Nuqui and Danny Julian, ABB

Assets, whether physical or financial, are the heart of any business, with the optimum use of assets reflecting the success of the business. Traditional silo thinking, which currently is being implemented, does not produce true benefits since the optimum is a trade-off between conflicting functions. Therefore, better asset utilization and maintenance strategies can be accomplished from a tighter integration of IT systems for planning, operations, and maintenance.

This presentation will share a case study utilizing ESRI’s ArcMap™ and Map Control maps in a utility system integration framework. The framework allows dynamic color coding of networks and text annotations for analog information needed by operational personnel. The framework also allows for cross application navigation and work flow management between ArcMap, Computer Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. This case study will show the benefit of the tighter integration of the above IT systems for planning, maintenance, and operations processes.

Detailed Helicopter Inspection at Hydro One (Presentation not currently available) —Tyler Towers, Hydro One

The Provincial Lines Group within Hydro One is constantly seeking new and innovative ways to save money in its operations while maintaining customer service and improving safety. In addition to saving money Provincial Lines is committed to improving the information gathered on the assets of Hydro One during various ongoing inspection processes, thus enabling Hydro One to be in a position to better manage its assets.

One of the effective techniques being utilized to accomplish these goals is GPS-enabled electronic data collection, which combines

Front-end data scrubbing for permitted attribute combinations
Exact GPS location capture
Preload of existing asset information, where applicable
Elimination of the manual back end data input process, Transmission Line Asset Condition Assessment (TxACA)

Starting with data available from existing systems, the data collection staff only has to modify, add, or delete asset information. Learn how these techniques were applied and see demonstrations.

Managing Gas Facilities View Presentation [PDF-2.44 MB, 23 pages] —Ted Kircher, Public Service Company of New Mexico

Like most, if not all, suppliers of natural gas, Public Service Company of New Mexico is under continual pressure to increase the efficiency in the management of its gas transmission assets to meet the ever-changing demands of the utility industry and regulatory arena. Utilizing the functionality of an existing Electric Transmission System GIS application (eTAMIS) as a foundation, PNM has built an ArcGIS Gas Transmission application (gTAMIS). This application supports the corporatewide Strategic Asset Management program by being the geographic anchor for a comprehensive federal and state gas regulatory compliance program.

Updating Your GIS Using Field Engineering Tools View Presentation [PDF-523 KB, 17 pages] —Sean Solberg, MiniMax Corporation

Many utilities find themselves having made a significant investment in building a GIS and then needing an efficient way to keep that investment up-to-date as they add new designs and construction. This presentation discusses technology that allows utilities to bring their GIS data into the field on tablet PCs to design jobs, while gathering GPS data, performing engineering calculations, and developing cost estimates. The field updates are then synchronized with ESRI’s geodatabase, avoiding duplicate data entry and reducing the potential for human errors. Tablet PCs are used because the pen-based interface has such a high adoption rate among field users—even those with little or no computer experience. In addition to improving communication and accuracy, the field design process is often faster than traditional methods, allowing one utility to increase its efficiency in the field by 1,600 percent.

Panel Discussion—Engineering Design (Presentation not currently available) —Curt Kirkeby, Avista Utilities —David Miller, Dominion —Cindi Salas, CenterPoint Energy —Ian Fitzgerald, Truckee Donner PUD —Larry Young, ESRI

The members of this panel will share their experiences and answer questions regarding the value, utility-specific work flows, tools, and future plans for their engineering design.

Panel Discussion—Mobile Solutions (Presentation not currently available) —Larry Wilke, City of Burbank —Kenton Graber, OneOK —Ted Kircher, Public Service Company of New Mexico —Ruth Hands, Alliant Energy —Pat Dolan, ESRI

The members of this panel will share their experiences and answer questions regarding the alternative approaches and associated benefits to mobile solutions for utilities.

Gas Compliance: Leveraging GIS/WMS/CIS/IVR into the Future View Presentation [PDF-1.01 MB, 39 pages] —Curt Kirkeby, Avista Utilities —Betsy Rush, EDS

GIS/AutoCAD Integration to Improve Enterprise Efficiencies View Presentation [PDF-941 KB, 32 pages] —Mark Olszewski and Brett Hauf, Arizona Public Service

Learn how Arizona Public Service is transferring data between GIS and CAD systems to eliminate redundant data entry in design and mapping functions while introducing GIS into the business process.

Recent Advances in GPS/GIS/Remote Sensing Technologies View Presentation [PDF-2.95 MB, 64 pages] —Ashok Wadwani, Applied Field Data Systems

The presentation will focus on application in the electric and gas industries for the new and emerging technologies in the GPS/GIS/remote sensing fields. During the past few years, various hardware and software have been introduced that allow utilities to take advantage of new products, which are economical and increase productivity. The data from these technologies, when combined with GIS, will allow users to enhance value from their existing GIS.

Products discussed will include GPS, laser range finders, digital cameras, automated vehicle location (AVL), handheld PDA, rugged computers, tablet computers, field data collection software, GIS software, imagery, and extensions.

ArcSDE and CAD Data Integration Methods: An OpenGIS Perspective View Presentation [PDF-476 KB, 19 pages] —Bill Emison, Hitachi Software Global Technology

This paper will discuss the application of OpenGIS specifications to support data integration between GIS systems utilizing ArcSDE^® and computer-aided design (CAD) software packages. Given the significant financial investments by organizations in recent years for data, hardware/software, training, and personnel, using OpenGIS specifications to share data from existing information systems is a logical and cost-effective approach.

Nearly all utilities and local governments rely on spatial data sets to support their daily operational and business functions, but the typical division between GIS and CAD departments reduces the value of their information assets. Solutions utilizing OpenGIS offer significant business advantages and improved data sharing capabilities, which have been greatly enhanced in recent years.

Automated Reconcile and Posting Solutions View Presentation [PDF-755 KB, 36 pages] —Scott Higgins, Miner & Miner, Consulting Engineers, Inc.

Where Can the ArcGIS 9 CAD and ModelBuilder Capabilities Take Us? View Presentation [PDF-478 KB, 17 pages] —Ian Fitzgerald, Truckee Donner PUD

Many new facility infrastructures are designed by "outside" engineering firms using CAD or CAD-like software. Returning designs or as-builts are often delivered without a coordinate system, not to scale, unstructured, and often, attempts at changing decade-long standards are met with resistance.

There are current solutions however, and often these solutions resort to technology. By using ESRI ArcScripts tools and applications, internal development software, and institutionalizing as-built standards, Truckee Donner PUD has created a scenario that allows engineers and developers quick access to the enterprise GIS in CAD format, which in turn allows for designs and as-builts to be submitted in the proper coordinate system, to scale, and with proper structure to quickly and easily load new designs into the GIS.

These current solutions, however, are just the tip of the iceberg. ESRI ArcGIS 9 CAD and ModelBuilder capabilities will extend the capabilities of existing CAD/GIS integration techniques and tools, allowing for a more turnkey approach in this much to do topic.