Proposal:Pipeline substations
| Pipeline substations | |
|---|---|
| Proposal status: | Draft (under way) |
| Proposed by: | fanfouer |
| Tagging: | substation=* |
| Applies to: |  
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| Definition: | Propose new substations roles for pipeline activities |
| Statistics: |
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| Draft started: | 2020-12-01 |
Pipeline substations mapping is a common practice in OSM and we miss some well known roles like transmission similar to power networks.
Some new values are explained below to fix this.
Proposal
It is proposed to introduce a few new values for existing substation=* to be used on pipeline networks.
Current use case was reviewed in Pipeline extension proposal but miss some values we provide here.
Without changing substation=* usage conditions on pipeline networks, following values will be approved:
- substation=transmission: Pipeline substations involving high pressure long distance processing on national or international networks (same as power networks)
- substation=industrial: Pipeline substations, often private, dedicated to deliver substance to a given factory with high needs (same as power networks)
- substation=minor_distribution: Pipeline substations on public network in charge of lowering pressure toward several individual consumers (same as power networks)
- substation=delivery: Pipeline substations dedicated to delivery any individual consumer or domestic buildings
Some of those values are already approved on power networks where substation roles are similar (with different equipment).
As a consequence, this four values would be deprecated for following reason:
- substation=measurement: Many substations have actual measurement among other equipment inside whatever their role would be (transmission, distribution, delivery...)
- substation=valve and substation=valve_group: Many substations have actual valves among other equipment inside whatever their role would be (transmission, distribution...)
- substation=inspection_gauge: Many substations may have inspection gauge among other equipment inside on pipelines for pigging whatever their role would be (transmission, distribution)
See examples to get insight on how proposed values are encouraged to be used
Rationale
Pipeline and power networks operation are significantly different but are organised with similar hierarchy
- Transmission (601-01-09 for electricity): Bulk transfer of power or fluid across a network from production to consumption places at national or continental level.
- Distribution (601-01-10 for electricity): Adaptation and transfer of power or fluid to customers inside a regional or local area of consumption.
- Delivery (601-02-33 for electricity): Individual customer delivery interface from distribution network. Some big customers can have their own private substation
We deal with UK national gas transmission system or (UK) Gas distribution network for instance.
Furthermore, usage=transmission and usage=distribution are already approved on pipeline ways.
Some substations also feature other equipment than only valves, inspection gauge or measuring point. Then describing pipeline substations with valve or inspection_gauge is not convenient nor accurate sometimes.
I do map pipeline substations in France and Switzerland and I often have issues to choose a value among existing ones. It would be way easier to choose between transmission, distribution...
There are currently substations described with substation=measurement in OSM which also expose valves so it's not obvious current data is accurate.
measurement, valve, inspection are functions which should be mentioned in specific keys as approved for substation=inspection_gauge: If a substation of a different kind also features an inspection gauge, use pipeline:inspection_gauge=yes (see proposal) and examples for practical explanations.
Those keys haven't been reviewed yet and are out of the scope of this proposal.
Current practices
As of 1st December 2020, there are 11 477 pipeline=substation features.
- 89 of them have substation=inspection_gauge
- 284 of them have substation=valve
- 217 of them have substation=valve_group
- 149 of them have substation=measurement
- 530 of them have substation=transmission mainly in France and Ireland
- 2286 of them have substation=distribution
- 128 of them have substation=minor_distribution
- 2 of them have substation=delivery
- 17 of them have substation=industrial
Tagging
Add proposed values for substation=* on pipeline=substation perimeters or nodes as to state their role in the pipeline network.
Change management
Affected pages
- Edit substation=transmission to describe usage in combination with pipeline=substation
- Edit substation=industrial to describe usage in combination with pipeline=substation
- Edit substation=minor_distribution to describe usage in combination with pipeline=substation
- Create substation=delivery and describe its usage in combination with pipeline=substation
- Deprecate substation=measurement
Values to be replaced
No intuitive replacements can be listed here: all substations will have to be slowly resurveyed as to know if it's transmission or distribution.
Examples
| Photo | Tagging | Location | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
pipeline=substation
|
France | This substation involves following equipment:
It's very difficult to choose among existing values here instead of clearer transmission |
 |
pipeline=substation
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Austria | This substation only involves this inspection gauge on a large transmission pipeline.
substation=inspection_gauge is actually suitable but how can I know this is a substation involved in gas transmission as well?
|
 |
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France | This substation feeds distribution grid from a transmission pipeline and involves following equipment:
Choice between existing substation values isn't clear. All we know is this substation is part of distribution grid |
 |
man_made=street_cabinet
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France | Signage on the cabinet states POSTE RESEAU which translates to NETWORK SUBSTATION.
|
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man_made=street_cabinet
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France | Signage on the cabinet states POSTE DE LIVRAISON CLIENT which translates to CUSTOMER DELIVERY SUBSTATION. Such feature wouldn't be covered by existing substation=* values.
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