Shortly after the successful completion of the Glycol Dehydration Plant expert system, John and I decided to see what else could be done with expert systems at the Transmission Corporation (TCO) in Charleston, West Virginia. So, I started a project to determine where expert systems could be applied within TCO.

I would go to Charleston for several days each week and meet with various department managers and employees to discuss expert systems, how they worked, and listen to them talk about their jobs. Then I would try to determine which job functions could be transferred to an expert system. I met with about 14 different department and 36 employees.

My report stated that there were at least 10 areas where expert systems could be applied with minimal expense and effort, on the order of six months to develop most of the applications. Some of the areas were:

• Maintenance of gas chromatograph.
• Reciprocating engine failures.
• Operating engines outside of operating curves.
• Encroachment on company property.
• Design of regulator stations.

The report was completed in December, 1988, but TCO never followed up by initiating any other expert systems.