At the end of August, we finished a pilot project – the spatial analysis of CEPRO a.s. pipeline environmental risk level. The CEPRO company operates a network of pipelines in the total length of 1.100 km across the Czech Republic and one of its main tasks is the protection of state fuel reserves. To implement the pilot project, we have chosen an 82.8 km long stretch of DN 150 pipeline between Smyslov and Vcelna that was laid in diverse terrain which is suitable for setting basic weight coefficients.

At the commence of work we established and evaluated the risk factors that may, in case of a pipeline accident, adversely impact the landscape – the negative impact risk factors for soil, surface and ground water, biotopes, vegetation communities, and developed areas.

The analysis included:

• specification of geographic area vulnerability values for the landscape components in the pipeline vicinity
• modeling the possible destination flow of escaped substance in relation to the terrain and its cover
• complex analysis that gathers the results represented by maximum value of risk level for the given landscape element

The analysis results were visualized in the ArcGIS 9.1 environment as graphic outputs displaying the individual risks and the overall pipeline risk, and as digital output of the spatial data and of the map project. Linear referencing tools and the Spatial Analyst extension were used to carry out the spatial analyses.

The analysis method to assess the pipeline spatial risks is universal and can be used for evaluation of environmental impacts of all linear constructions. These analysis’ results provide the groundwork material to predict the pipeline environmental risks. ¨

The computed characteristics of the pipeline are comparable within the entire country and can serve to manage any pipeline in a proper way. They can be used, for instance, during monitoring high-risk pipeline sections and the subsequent implementation of technical measures to eliminate possible accidents along the critical sections of the pipeline network. The submitted material represents another step in building up the GIS community and gained a foothold in the CEPRO management decision-making.