Least cost corridor projects are an innovative approach to pipeline routing, combining different data from various sources for energy industry mapping products, such as overall pipeline maps or particular gas pipeline maps, through GIS special analysis. GIS based project start out as needs assessment or cost benefit analysis; they can also provide a total solution or help manage an internal development project.

GIS is a system with high relevance within the energy industry segment, extensively used for representing actual features, such oil or gas pipelines or LNG sites, and their characteristics in terms of pipeline diameter, capacity in cubic meters or liters, length in km or miles or ownership. GIS analysis is applicable to large geodatabases to help in better decision making, bringing a lot of value especially in new projects development concerning pipeline maps of optimal corridors placement, pipeline maps for the selection of the best route expansion and gas pipeline maps selected pathway.

According to the most important energy agencies worldwide, the global natural gas production is expected to grow in the next 20 years in anticipation of upward future demand, especially from the developing countries. Presently, less than 30% of the global marketed natural gas production is internationally traded. Reasons lie behind high transportation costs which determine such a low share of international trade. Natural gas requires large investments being difficult to transport from far located gas resources areas to consuming centers.

The construction and management of pipelines no longer poses logistic problems with Rextag GIS integrated pipeline maps. The unique combination between GIS geodatabses, graphic design and cartographic principles creates the grounds for developing least cost corridors for pipeline placement. The factors influencing the pipeline corridor selection are divided into three main categories, namely technical and engineering requirements, environmental considerations and population density.

Powerful and informative gas pipeline maps should include relevant information with regard to pipeline characteristics (length, diameter, capacity and others) and terrain description. Topography, surface geology (including geological formations, faults and slopes), river and wetland crossings, road and railroad crossings and the proximity to large urban centers are to be shown on the gas pipeline maps related to least cost corridors project. It is a proven fact that high relief terrain areas generate higher construction costs and increase the need for pump stations. Gas pipeline maps for least cost corridors project should also project the construction in rock, potential need for clearing the work front (clearing of bush and tree, for example), and passing through agricultural land and wetlands. It is also advisable to avoid routing pipelines through urban and industrial areas.

The kind of topographic, geologic and land use data mentioned above are operated with in developing a least cost corridor pipeline map. The least cost analysis of such pipeline maps is performed by assigning cost factors to each of the situations traced in the field. Least cost corridor pipeline maps envisage as a mixture of dark and light tones. The darkest tones illustrate the sections with the highest costs, while the lightest tones are evidence for the areas with the lowest costs. The highest costs relate to urban areas and large bodies of water and roads; moderate costs are triggered by forests and wetlands with high slope, while the lowest costs prevail in areas with bare ground, dry grass, less dense vegetation and agriculture.