Computing Distance to the Nearest Utility: As the Crow Flies vs. as the Gas Flows

The purpose of this paper is to describe an automated geographic information system (GIS) process to estimate the length of pipeline required to provide utility service to a potential customer base using the street rights-of way. Using a case study application for a large gas utility company, we compare this method to the traditional method based on straight-line Euclidean, or as-the-crow-flies, distances. The GIS method using the street rights-of-way provides a substantially more accurate estimate of the length of required pipeline than the as-the-crow-flies method does. The improvement is particularly significant when the potential customers are located a substantial distance from existing pipelines. With improved estimates of required pipeline length, utilities can pre-qualify potential customers for marketing opportunities.