The Challenge

Mapping assets in existing gas stations has always been a challenge. Fuel dispensers, underground tanks, canopy structures, signage, and utilities are often spread out, interconnected, and located in high-traffic environments. Traditional surveying methods struggle with accuracy, speed, and safety especially with customers and vehicles constantly moving through the site.

In this particular project, a major utility company needed a comprehensive and precise digital record of their gas station assets. With multiple components across different zones, they wanted a solution that could minimize downtime, increase accuracy, and set the stage for future operational upgrades.

Client’s Initial Hurdles

• Multiple islands, kiosks, lighting poles, and underground assets posed spatial mapping challenges.
• Data collection had to occur without disrupting fuel sales or customer traffic.
• Strict environmental regulations required detailed and accurate records.
• Asset records were outdated or incomplete, leading to confusion during maintenance.
• No centralized visual or digital model of all physical infrastructure existed.

Why This Was Critical

Why was a traditional survey not sufficient for this project?

Traditional methods couldn’t match the speed, precision, or completeness required. Multiple trips and manual errors made the process time-consuming and costly.

What made laser scanning the preferred choice?

Laser scanning offered high-speed, high-resolution 3D capture of complex environments in a single site visit without disrupting daily operations.

What risks were being mitigated through digitalisation?

Inaccurate asset data leads to design flaws, compliance issues, and costly rework. The 3D digital twin prevented these risks by offering a single source of truth.

How did this tie into the client’s long-term strategy?

The client wanted to standardize their asset management across all retail fuel stations. Laser scanning allowed them to create scalable models for replication across multiple locations.

How did the project improve cross-functional collaboration?

The absence of BIM standards and a CDE during construction meant double the With accurate, shareable 3D models, departments like engineering, safety, compliance, and maintenance could now work from the same visual data improving communication and coordination.

Gaps in Existing Information

• No accurate record of underground utilities like fuel lines and drainage systems
• Discrepancies between physical layout and archived blueprints
• Difficulty in planning upgrades or maintenance due to missing spatial data.
• Inability to simulate modifications or redesign customer flow without current as-built models.

Why Specific Requirements Mattered

No Disruption: Scanning without halting operations

Precise: Millimeter-level accuracy for safety and layout

Complete View: Data for EV planning and upgrades

Compliant: Audit-ready documentation

Scalable: Repeatable model for all stations

Desapex delivered a future-ready digital twin beyond just scanning.

The Desapex Solution

Our team deployed state-of-the-art 3D laser scanning equipment during off-peak hours to capture the entire station from above-ground dispensers to underground utilities. Within days, a high-resolution, navigable 3D point cloud was delivered, along with a digital twin model that integrated into the client’s asset management platform.

This enabled:

• Remote inspection and validation of assets
• Easier retrofit planning for EV charging infrastructure
• Maintenance planning with exact spatial context
• Regulatory submissions with high-quality visual  documentation

Project Timeline & Milestones

• Day 1 :Initial Site Walkthrough & Planning
• Days 2-3 : Laser Scanning Execution
• Days 4-7 : Point Cloud Processing & QA
• Day 10 : Delivery of 3D Models & Reports
• Day 12 : Client Onboarding for Digital Twin Use

Software & Technology Used

• Autodesk Revit
• AutoCAD
• PDF viewer
• Autodesk Navisworks
• Leica RTC 360

The Real Business Value Delivered

• 90% faster data acquisition compared to manual methods
• 100% accurate asset inventory with millimeter-level precision
• Zero downtime during scanning operations
• Enhanced safety and compliance readiness
• Long-term cost savings through predictive maintenance and efficient retrofitting

What This Means for Future Projects

This project is a blueprint for how legacy infrastructure can be reimagined using digital engineering. The success of this initiative proved that laser scanning isn’t just a one-off tool it's a foundational technology for future-proofing operations.

For the client, this became a model for a standardized rollout across all fuel stations in their network. Maintenance teams now rely on up-to-date models. Expansion teams use the scans to plan new features. And the executive team sees the ROI through improved compliance and reduced rework.

But the bigger story is this: If a bustling, high-traffic gas station can be digitized this seamlessly, imagine what this technology can do for complex assets across industries, manufacturing, energy, utilities, airports, or retail.

By embracing digital transformation, this client didn’t just fix a problem. They unlocked a future of smarter, faster, safer infrastructure management.