El Paso Energy's field force automation project

This paper will review the former Tenneco Energy's (now a susidiary of El Paso Energy) mobile computing and field force automation initiative which is essential to distributing its innovative World Class Operations technologies for in-field use along a 12,000 mile corridor stretching from the Gulf Of Mexico to New England. This initiative covers Tennessee Gas Pipeline, East Tennessee Natural Gas, and Midwestern Natural Gas, collectively known as Tennessee. Tennessee is in the deployment phase of a three year World Class Operations (WCO) effort aimed at re-engineering its core engineering construction, operations and maintenance processes with an emphasis on maintaining operating cost leadership and sustaining high system reliability. The redesigned, end-to-end business processes associated with the WCO Project require the implementation of new technology and the integration of multiple applications spanning the Tennessee enterprise. WCO initiatives include AM/FM/GIS, Document Management, Work Management and Project Planning and Control. Key points of discussion will include Tenneco Energy's connected and disconnected mobile computing application, its supporting architecture and ''in-field'' laptop and penbased hardware, application middleware requirements, communications support and the integration of GPS technology with specialty pipeline data recording applications.