Compare · Synergi alternative · gas pipeline simulation
WorkSync FlowSync vs. DNV Synergi: which gas-network simulator fits the work that fills your day?
DNV Synergi (which absorbed Stoner Pipeline Studio after the 2014 acquisition) is the long-running standard for gas distribution and transmission hydraulic simulation. Strong in transient analysis, PHMSA integrity workflows, and emergency-response modeling. The trade-off is the model-building cost: weeks of engineer time to ingest PDFs, GIS, and as-builts before you run a single scenario, and the model goes stale the day it ships. WorkSync FlowSync handles that ingest layer for you and runs the simulations engineers reach for daily. Most customers run both, with FlowSync feeding Synergi.
WorkSync vs DNV Synergi (incl. Stoner Pipeline Studio): the honest comparison.
| Capability | DNV Synergi | WorkSync FlowSync |
|---|---|---|
| Industry depth (gas distribution/transmission) | Decades. Used by major LDCs and pipeline operators globally. | Built for the same domain; ships with hydraulic engines for steady-state and transient gas + liquids. |
| Model build time | Weeks of engineer-hours to ingest PDFs, GIS, datasheets | Hours. Model Builder extracts from PDFs, P&IDs, GIS layers, and as-builts automatically. |
| Model freshness | Manual refresh; typically months stale | Auto-syncs against the WorkSync Data Hub on a schedule; current as of last sync |
| Daily-driver simulations (steady-state, sensitivity) | Yes (full hydraulic engine) | Yes (built natively for the data Model Builder produces) |
| Transient analysis (line pack, blowdown, surge) | Industry standard. Especially strong on transmission lines. | Yes; Synergi remains the right tool for the deepest transient work on regulated assets |
| PHMSA integrity workflows | Mature; widely accepted in regulated submissions | We feed Synergi for the integrity submission, not replace it |
| AI engineer agent (cited answers, MOC drafting, sensitivity runs) | Not native | Yes — Taylor reads every drawing in your project folder, cites every answer |
| Live SCADA-bound simulation | Manual data load | Connected to the Data Hub; sims see current operating conditions |
| Pricing model | Per-seat, typically $50K+ per engineer per year | Per-module, per-asset. Annual license below VP signing authority. |
| Co-exist with each other? | , | Yes — many customers feed Synergi from FlowSync's auto-built model |
Because your evaluation deserves it.
DNV Synergi (incl. Stoner Pipeline Studio) is the right call in some situations. WorkSync is the right call in others. Here’s the real-world split.
01When DNV Synergi (incl. Stoner Pipeline Studio) wins
You need the deepest transient analysis on regulated transmission
Synergi has decades of refinement on transient mechanics for high-pressure gas transmission, plus PHMSA acceptance patterns most regulators recognize on sight. For the once-a-year integrity submission on a major asset, Synergi is the right call.
You already have mature Synergi workflows
If your engineering team has years of Synergi muscle memory, custom scripts, and an integrity submission process the regulator likes, do not rip it out. We add the model-build layer above it.
You operate primarily critical transmission assets
Long-haul transmission with major pipeline integrity exposure justifies the deep tool. WorkSync's sweet spot is the daily-driver work across distribution networks and gathering systems where you cannot afford weeks of model-build time.
02When WorkSync wins
Your engineers spend more time building the model than running it
If hydraulic studies wait in queue for weeks of model-prep, FlowSync's Model Builder pulls the model from your PDFs, GIS, and as-builts in hours. Engineers run the analysis the same day the request comes in.
You want simulations on live data, not last quarter's snapshot
Synergi runs whatever you load into it. FlowSync's Flow Simulator runs against the WorkSync Data Hub, so the model sees current SCADA pressures, flows, and demand. Daily-driver simulations are accurate without a manual refresh.
You want an AI engineer agent reading your drawings
Taylor knows every MOC, every datasheet, every operating procedure in your project folder. She cites the source on every answer. Cuts the "engineer who knows is in a meeting" bottleneck without replacing the simulator your team already uses.
You operate a large distribution network
A 3.5M+ meter distribution network where typical study turnaround drops from 200 hours to 20 minutes is the canonical FlowSync win. Synergi is still the call for the integrity submission; FlowSync is the daily-driver layer.
Most operators run both. Here is the path.
The cleanest pattern: FlowSync sits in front of Synergi, not on top of it. Model Builder ingests PDFs, GIS, equipment datasheets, and as-builts into the canonical asset model. That model exports cleanly into Synergi for the deep transient and integrity workflows your team already runs there. Your engineers stop doing data entry. Synergi gets fresh, validated input. Daily-driver scenarios run inside FlowSync; the once-a-year integrity submission still runs in Synergi.
Net effect: same Synergi seats, same regulatory acceptance, but the engineering team gets weeks of capacity back per quarter and the model never goes six months stale. Co-existence is the default recommendation, not migration. We will tell you honestly which scenarios still belong in Synergi.
“Our model build was always the bottleneck. Two weeks per asset before anyone could run a scenario. WorkSync gave us the populated model in an afternoon. We still run integrity work in Synergi, but the daily questions get answered the same day they come in.”
Engineering leadership · Western Gas Distribution Utility · 3.5M+ meters
Common questions
Is Stoner Pipeline Studio still a separate product from Synergi?
No. DNV acquired Stoner in 2014 and folded the Stoner pipeline simulation engine into the Synergi product family. References to "Stoner Pipeline Studio" today generally refer to capabilities that now live inside DNV Synergi.
Can FlowSync export its model into Synergi?
Yes. The canonical asset model FlowSync builds (topology, equipment, operating data) is the same input Synergi expects. The export keeps your existing Synergi engineering workflow intact and removes the manual model-build step that used to come before it.
Will FlowSync replace Synergi entirely?
For some operators, eventually. For most, the recommendation is co-existence: FlowSync handles model-build and daily-driver simulations; Synergi handles the deep transient and PHMSA integrity workflows your team already runs there. We do not push migration as the default.
How does pricing compare?
Synergi is per-engineer-seat, typically $50K+ per year per seat. FlowSync is per-module-per-asset annual license, below VP signing authority. Many operators run both: Synergi for the engineers who need the deep transient work, FlowSync as the model-build + live-data simulation layer for the broader engineering team.
Does FlowSync handle PHMSA integrity workflows directly?
Not as the primary submission tool. Synergi is the regulator-accepted workhorse and we leave it as the system of record for integrity. FlowSync's contribution is keeping the underlying model fresh and validated so the data Synergi sees is current.
See WorkSync on your data, alongside your existing stack.
Request a free trial. Qualified operators get a 4-week proof of value at no license cost. Integration in under 1 week; full standup in 2.