via+ recognizes the potentially wide range of credible geohazards that may impact pipelines worldwide. A full list of the range of geohazard, both common and less common is tabulated in the list of potential geohazards document.
via+'s assessment process is software enabled. The identification and assessment of potential threats, or hazards, to pipelines is required during all stages of pipeline planning, development and operation.
Of the many types of hazards that may affect a pipeline, those of a geological, geotechnical, tectonic or hydrotechnical nature, termed 'geohazards', are of particular concern for onshore pipelines.
The systematic characterization and assessment of geohazards in relation to pipeline projects requires a unique combination of geotechnical and pipeline engineering to properly account for the interactions between the pipeline and the natural environment. via+'s software application is designed to interface with a pipeline company's databases to identify and assess geohazards along a pipeline route. The software application can produce successive geohazard profiles, accounting for ongoing mitigation and maintenance activities, as well as natural recovery of the right-of-way following construction.
The application can also be used in conjunction with other industry standard risk assessment software to produce an overall risk profile at different stages of the pipeline lifecycle. These hazard and risk profiles are useful in the early stages of the pipeline lifecycle, in route selection and design, during construction to identify unexpected ground conditions and their implications, and during operations to continually update integrity management plans.