GIS: Powering the Future of Energy with Mipela

Back in 1997 when Hayden McDonald first started Mipela, you could find him and Justin Fielke madly producing maps for some pipeline projects in Papua New Guinea. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) is the backbone of Mipela’s history. Fast forward to today, GIS remains at the heart of Mipela’s expertise, strengthened by a team of exceptionally talented consultants who continue to drive innovation in the field.

So, it was no surprise when a large Australian energy company contacted us asking for some assistance with a GIS feasibility study in 2023. They sought a robust strategy to centralise their GIS services, ensuring seamless support for both their current operations and ambitious future infrastructure projects.

Our collaboration began with a feasibility study, which set the stage for success. The study focused on crafting a governance framework and standardised templates for consultants, coupled with a detailed cost analysis of enterprise solutions tailored to the companies’ data governance, storage, and application needs. To ensure sustainable success, we recommended a phased approach to implementation, emphasising the parallel development of the five key GIS pillars: data, hardware, skills, software, and processes.

Driving Innovation: The GIS Uplift Program

The next phase, aptly named the Uplift Program, identified five essential deliverables:

1. Requirements Traceability Matrix – to ensure alignment with strategic goals
2. Requirements Document – a comprehensive blueprint for GIS success
3. GIS Data Catalogue – a centralised resource for streamlined data access
4. GIS Training Plan – empowering teams with the skills to excel
5. GIS Governance Plan – ensuring accountability and consistency.

These deliverables aimed to create a modern GIS capability, foster high user adoption and satisfaction, and support informed decision-making through precise documentation and architectural designs.

Delivering Tangible Results

Building on this strong foundation, Mipela worked closely with the energy company to achieve key milestones, including:

• Developing data capture standards and updating spatial data repositories
• Crafting a GIS staffing plan with clear position descriptions
• Performing a cost-benefit analysis to guide business investments
• Designing an integration checklist and architectural framework tailored to the companies IT principles.

To ensure every aspect was systematically addressed, Mipela provided a detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and a high-level schedule. This roadmap offers the energy company a clearly defined path toward achieving GIS maturity, ensuring all five fundamentals evolve cohesively.

A Bright Future

This partnership underscores Mipela’s commitment to delivering innovative solutions that empower organisations to unlock the full potential of GIS. By helping this energy company enhance their operations and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow, we’re not just supporting a project—we’re shaping the future of energy and infrastructure.

With each phase, this energy company is steadily advancing toward a centralised, cutting-edge GIS capability, one that will drive efficiency, innovation, and growth for years to come.