Alliance Pipeline SmartMap

Transforming Document Access and Project Management through Web GIS

Pipeline and conveyors at a mountain valley industrial facility, with heavy equipment and a smokestack against forested peaks.

See How MNC Transformed The Alliance Pipeline

Watch the transformation of the Alliance Pipeline - a 3,848 km (2,391-mile) natural gas pipeline stretching from northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta to Illinois in the United States.

Project Overview

In 1998, Alliance Pipeline undertook an ambitious infrastructure project to construct a 3,848 km (2,391-mile) natural gas pipeline stretching from northeastern British Columbia and northwestern Alberta to Illinois in the United States.

Designed to transport liquids-rich natural gas from the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin to markets in the U.S. mid-continent and eastern Canada, this multinational project required managing an enormous volume of engineering drawings, plans, and regulatory documentation from diverse sources and jurisdictions.

Challenge

The complexity of managing tens of thousands of documents, including proposed and as-built CAD files in MicroStation (Bentley) and AutoCAD (Autodesk) formats, facility drawings, emergency plans, and land applications, posed a significant challenge. These essential documents were traditionally difficult for project teams dispersed across Canada and the United States to access efficiently. Additionally, this large-scale project was launched during the early days of internet technology, making it imperative to implement a web-accessible Geographic Information System (GIS) that could support real- time data retrieval.

Key Limitations Included:

Multiple File Formats

Integrating and geo-referencing spatial plans and CAD files from multiple formats and sources.

Security

Ensuring secure, role-based access for engineers, managers, inspectors, and their teams.

Version Control

Maintaining strict version control across numerous document revisions.

Seamless Access

Providing seamless, centralized access to critical engineering data for teams across multiple geographic regions.

The Solution

Alliance Pipeline partnered with MNC (Martin Newby Consulting Ltd.) to design and develop a tailored Web GIS platform known as SmartMap. This innovative solution served as an interactive digital hub for the project’s extensive data.

SmartMap Web GIS platform displaying land parcel data and aerial imagery for Alliance Pipeline's pipeline corridor.

Key Features in the Solution:

Intuitive Interface

An intuitive, map-based interface that enabled users to query geographic data and access associated documents directly via any web browser.

Content Integration

Integration of scanned and digital documents, CAD drawings, and attribute data linked via a robust metadata system to their precise spatial locations.

Access Control

Role-based access controls designed to meet the specific needs of various user groups, protecting sensitive information while enabling efficient collaboration.

Multiple Formats

Support for multiple CAD formats and scanned images, ensuring comprehensive management of all engineering documentation.

The Results

SmartMap became the digital backbone of the Alliance Pipeline project, fundamentally changing how data was accessed, shared, and managed. The platform delivered measurable benefits that enhanced project delivery and stakeholder collaboration.

Worker in safety gear standing on an industrial platform beside large pipeline infrastructure

Key benefits included:

Efficient Access

Centralized and efficient access to tens of thousands of documents across both Canadian and U.S. operations.

Productivity

Significant reduction in time spent locating engineering drawings and spatial plans, thereby boosting productivity.

Coordination

Improved coordination among stakeholders through effective version control and seamless document management.

Pioneering

Set a pioneering example for the application of web GIS technology in supporting large-scale, international infrastructure projects.

3,800+ km

PIPELINE DIGITIZED & CONNECTED

Real-Time Insights

FOR FASTER DECISIONS

Thousands

OF DOCUMENTS UNIFIED IN ONE PLATFORM

About MNC

The Cadastral and Parcel Mapping Experts

MNC is a trusted leader in cadastral and parcel management with 25+ years of experience delivering GeoAI-ready datasets, modernizing parcel fabrics, and automating GIS workflows. As an Esri Gold and Cornerstone Partner with Parcel Management and State and Local Government Specialties, MNC provides scalable advanced GIS, ArcGIS Pro, FME automation, MicroStation, AutoCAD and cloud-ready geospatial systems that improve data quality and support government land administration modernization across Canada, the USA, and the Caribbean.

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