Pin 2009-12

DECEMBER 2009 ISSUE 002
Pigging
Pipelayers
GASTAU Pipeline
United States
REVIEW
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2 PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009
ISSUE 002 | DECEMBER 2009
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REGULARS
4 From the Editor
15 Pipes & People
61 Media Kit
64 Advertisers Index
Subscription form
Coming in future issues
AROUND THE WORLD
6 TransCanada supersizes
Keystone project
7 IP Pipeline moves forward
after much discussion
8 Technological breakthrough crucial for
Second West East Gas Pipeline
9 South Stream: providing more
gas to Europe
10 Peru to complete Camisea pipeline
expansion ahead of schedule
11 Egyptian pipeline complete
12 World Wrap
14 Project briefs
MEET THE COMPANY
16 Enags: expanding pipelines
in Europe
REGION REVIEW: USA
18 Pipeline development in
the land of the free
23 REX appeal: pipeline construction
in the Rockies
TERRAIN REVIEW
24 Protecting pipelines in mountain areas
POLICY AND OPINION
26 Canadian perspective: a goal-oriented
approach to regulating pipelines
TECHNICAL
28 Environmental navigation of German
landfall and modelling pull-back
operations
PROJECTS
30 GDK: innovative pipeline construction
on GASTAU
33 Pipeline link constructed
in central Australia
PIPLINE EQUIPMENT
35 Pipelayers and sidebooms: the
essential pipeline machinery
38 Pipelaying with the PL61
PIGGING
40 Optimal identication: getting up close
with ID anomalies
43 GEs MagneScan inspects
Normandy pipeline
44 Prickly pigging: PipeWays Porcupine
reaches the international market
45 PPSA: providing squeaky clean pigging
advice
46 Ensuring pipeline integrity:
talking pigging in Houston
VALVES
48 5 simple steps to
total valve integrity
TECH TALK
50 A place for science in pipeline design
INDUSTRY NEWS
52 CTDUT: a model for sharing facilities
and costs in research and development
HISTORY
54 Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
56 Learn to weld with Lincoln Electrics
virtual welding system
56 Production begins on worlds largest
three-screw crude oil pipeline pump
56 Latest edition of WinDOT the
Pipeline Safety Encyclopedia
56 Cure pipes with Curapipe
EVENTS
57 Pipeline carnivale in Rio!
58 Evaluating diferent
rehabilitation approaches
59 Pipeline Technology Conference:
a scientic update from Ostend
60 APCE: pipeline success in
South East Asia
60 Australian industry gathers
in northern Australia
24 26 54
CONTENTS
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I
t seems a paradox: 1015 years ago, as
intelligent inspection was developing
and the science was coming into its
own, a major point of discussion was to do
with the technology itself. The big question
was high resolution or low resolution?,
relating to the capacity of the equipment to
detect pipewall features. Putting this another
way, did the operator want a quick-and-
dirty (and therefore cheap) inspection,
or was the Full Monty required? The
issue revolved around the capacity of the
intelligent inspection tools to inspect, and
the cleanliness of the pipeline that the tool
was to inspect was sometimes considered of
less signicance.
Now, however, intelligent inspection
tools are of an unimaginably greater
sophistication, and the general question
being asked is no longer to do with their
capacity to accurately and precisely detect
features, but to do with how clean the
pipeline is. A pipelines internal cleanliness
has, quite properly, become a question of
great signicance. Nevertheless, there are
no published standards of cleanliness and
although there are many ways in which
deposits can be removed from a pipe wall,
ensuring a pipeline is clean enough for
an inspection to be carried out remains a
subjective process.
It has often been said that the best
cleaning tool is a magnetic-ux leakage
intelligent pig, and this remains true.
While it is clear that each pipeline and its
operating regime are diferent, it seems
surprising that it has not been found
possible to establish some basic guidelines
for achieving cleanliness. Under normal
operating conditions, minimisation of
pipewall deposits will improve ow
conditions as well as a pipelines overall
efciency and cost-efectiveness, to say
nothing of the efect on reducing the
potential for corrosion. When its time for
an inspection, deposits and other debris
must be removed, both to ensure that
the tools sensors can have unimpeded
access to the pipewall, and to remove the
possibility of debris clogging-up the tool,
and even causing it to become stuck.
The question of how clean is clean?
is not unfamiliar and, in fairness, is
being asked more frequently. One of the
most detrimental cleaning problems
for gas pipelines is the formation and
accumulation of so-called black powder.
This material which is as ne as our,
although far more dangerous because it is
both abrasive and pyrophoric is one of
the least understood but most prominent
contamination problems in gas pipelines.
Black powder is the name given to the
mixture of iron oxides, carbonates, and
sulphides found in gas lines. Its sources
include millscale, corrosion products,
salts and scales from gas wells and wet
gas gathering systems, and atmospheric
corrosion. The variability of its composition
is illustrated by reports of the powder
ranging from being completely iron sulphide
to completely iron oxide.
Black powder can cause product quality
problems and excessive wear and erosion on
internal pipewalls and many other pipeline
components, including compressors,
turbines, and valves. The accumulated solids
can plug small orices and consequently
afect measurement equipment and, as the
particles settle out of the gas stream, they
can ll-in surface pits and other internal
pipewall anomalies, preventing accurate
inspection. In sag bends, these build-ups can
harbour corrosive bacteria.
Although difcult to deal with, the
problems caused by accumulations of this
material can be overcome as can most
pipeline problems by careful planning
and attention to detail. However, removal
of the black powder from the pipeline is
not the end of the afair. As the material
is hazardous, necessary arrangements for
its disposal must be made, and obviously
these should be in place before any pigging
operations begin.
A special session on this problem is
being organised at the Pipeline Pigging and
Integrity Management (PPIM) Conference
being held in Houston on 1718 February
(see page 46), and other papers at the event
will also address the issue.
The more the subject of how clean is
clean? can be discussed, the more likely it is
that shared experiences can lead to a shared
solution; at the very least, clean needs to
be kept in the spotlight of pipeline integrity
management and operations.
John Tiratsoo
Editor-in-Chief
FROM THE EDITOR
DECEMBER 2009 ISSUE 002
Pigging
Pipelayers
GASTAU Pipeline
United States
REVIEW
Cover shows workers
nalising pipe
stringing on a portion
of Enbridges Alberta
Clipper Pipeline project,
a 36 inch, 450,000 barrels
per day crude oil pipeline
fromHardisty, Alberta,
Canada, to Superior,
Wisconsin, USA.
Editor-in-Chief: John Tiratsoo
Associate Editor: Lyndsie Mewett
Product Manager: Scott Pearce
Journalists: Stephanie Clancy
Julia Cooke
Sales Manager: Tim Thompson
Snr Account Manager: David Marsh
Sales Representative: Brett Thompson
Design Manager: Michelle Bottger
Designers: Sandra Noke
Stephanie Rose
Venysia Kurniawan
Publisher: Chris Bland
ISSN: 1837-1167
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February 2-5 Subsea Production Systems Engineering (Aberdeen)
February 15-16 Pigging & In-line Inspection (Houston)
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February 15-16 DOT Pipeline Safety Regulations - Overview and Guidelines for Compliance
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February 15-19 Subsea Pipeline Engineering Course (Amsterdam)
April 12-16 Practical Pigging Training (Rio de Janeiro)
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April 26-27 Microbiological Corrosion in Pipelines (Houston)
April 26-30 Subsea Pipeline Engineering Course (Houston)
April 27-30 Subsea Production Systems Engineering (Houston)
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PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009 7
TransCanada is seeking
regulatory approvals in
Canada and the United States
to construct and operate a
3,200 km expansion of its
3,456 km Keystone Pipeline,
which would make it one of the
largest oil delivery systems in
North America.
I
n September 2009, Canadas National
Energy Board held a hearing to review
the application for the Canadian
portion of the Keystone Gulf Coast
expansion dubbed Keystone XL with
a decision expected in early 2010. Permits
for the US portion of the expansion are
expected by mid-2010. Construction of the
Keystone expansion is expected to begin
once TransCanada receives the necessary
regulatory approvals.
The proposed Keystone XL Pipeline
would increase the capacity of the original
pipeline system from Western Canada to the
US Gulf Coast by 500,000 barrels of oil per
day. Once completed, the pipeline system
would have the capacity to deliver 1.1 million
barrels of oil per day.
The extension is proposed to originate in
Alberta, Canada, and extend south to serve
markets on the Gulf Coast, Texas.
The 36 inch diameter pipeline would
begin in Hardisty, Alberta, and travel
527 km to Monchy, Saskatchewan, and
then 1,360 km from Morgan, Montana, to
Steele City, Nebraska, where it would link
into the original 477 km Keystone Pipeline
extension to Cushing, Oklahoma, scheduled
for construction in 2010. From Cushing,
Keystone XL will run to Houston and Port
Arthur, Texas.
The total cost of the Keystone and
Keystone XL project is expected to be
approximately $US12 billion.
Meanwhile, the initial phase of
TransCanadas Keystone Pipeline is
nearing completion with the pipelay
works set to reach Patoka, Illinois, by the
rst quarter 2010.
At the time of writing, the rst phase
of the project was 90 per cent complete,
with TransCanada on schedule to begin oil
deliveries in the rst quarter of 2010.
The Keystone Pipeline originates in
Alberta, Canada, and extends 3,456 km to oil
reneries in Wood River and a tank farm in
Patoka, Illinois.
The rst phase involves the construction
of 2,592 km of pipe and the conversion of
864 km of natural gas pipeline to oil service.
Converting the existing facilities in Canada
began in 2008.
TransCanada supersizes
Keystone project
AROUND THE WORLD AROUND THE WORLD AROUND THE WORLD
Iran has completed a major portion of the construction work on the Iran Pakistan (IP) Pipeline project
with the gas pipeline to reach the Iran Pakistan border within the next few months, according to the
Iranian Consul General based in Pakistan, Masoud Mohammad Zamani.
I
ranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr
Mottaki has said that over 100 kmof
the 1,935 kmpipeline project has been
constructed in Iran. Pakistan has also started
construction on the project, added Mr Mottaki.
With an anticipated gas capacity of
26,485 cubic feet per annum, the 42 inch
diameter gas pipeline will run fromthe
Assaluyen Gas Field in southern Iran to
Pakistan.
Formerly called the Iran Pakistan
India Pipeline, the project has been under
discussion for almost two decades and
initially intended to include India. However,
when Iran and Pakistan signed a gas sales
purchase agreement for the pipeline project
in May this year, India refrained from
partaking in signing the agreement due to
security concerns about the pipeline.
In July 2009, the Iranian Ministry of
Petroleumand Natural Resources announced
that supply of gas fromIran has been
scheduled for October 2013.
The Pakistani Economic Co-ordination
Committee (ECC) approved the $US3.2 billion
Iran Pakistan gas pipeline the following
month. Asub-committee of the ECC decided
that the route of the pipeline would mainly run
through the state of Balochistan, in Pakistan.
PakistanFederal Minister for Petroleumand
Natural Resources toldlocal mediathat onlylocal
companies wouldbe involvedinthe project.
In September, the Pakistani ambassador
to Iran Muhammad Bux Abassi claimed
that India had denitely quit the pipeline,
however Iranian ofcials are said to have
denied these comments. Ofcials fromIran
and Pakistan said that the option remains
open for India to join the project at a later
stage, but Iran said that it would not wait
indenitely for India to commit to the project.
Shortlyafter, the IranianAmbassador to
IndiaSeyedMehdi Nabizedehtoldlocal news
sources that Chinawas interestedinthe project,
but noformal agreements have since beenmade.
The original Iran Pakistan India
Pipeline was proposed to be 2,670 kmlong,
running fromthe Assaluyen gas eld in
southern Iran to the Gas Authority of India
Limiteds Hazira Vijaipur Jagdishpur
Pipeline in Gujarat.
IP Pipeline moves forward
after much discussion
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Europes energy demand continues to grow, with an additional 205 billion cubic metres of natural
gas estimated to be required by 2030. Gazproms South Stream Pipeline will make an important
contribution to improving Europes energy security.
South Stream: providing
more gas to Europe
AROUND THE WORLD AROUND THE WORLD AROUND THE WORLD
T
he SouthStreamPipeline will deliver gas
fromthe RussianUniedGas System,
whichsources its gas fromRussian
domestic gas sources andCentral Asiangas
suppliers, to Europe via the Black Sea.
The pipeline involves the construction
of three sections of pipeline: an onshore
Russian section, an ofshore section, and an
onshore south and central European section.
Onshore route selection
The Russian onshore section of the
pipeline will run from the Pochinki
Compressor Station to the Black Sea coast.
A feasibility study is currently underway to
select the route for this section of pipeline.
Several possible routes for the onshore
south and central Europe sections are
currently being considered. Gazprom has
negotiated inter-governmental agreements
with Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria, which
contemplate the creation of joint venture
enterprises between Gazprom and local
companies to develop and operate the South
Stream Pipeline on their territories. Gazprom
is currently in the process of starting those
joint ventures with its partners.
Offshore challenges
The ofshore section of South Stream
will extend 900 km across the Black Sea
at depths of up to 2 km and connect the
Russian and Bulgarian coasts. Italian
company Eni will partner Gazprom in the
ofshore construction of the project.
Gazprom and Eni have gained experience
in the course of construction and operation
of the Blue Stream Pipeline across the
Black Sea. Gazprom says that Blue Stream
has demonstrated that the construction of
subsea projects has only a temporary and
local efect on the marine environment,
and the risk of potential pollution can be
efectively minimised.
Currently, Gazprom and Eni are
carrying out a detailed feasibility study
of the projects ofshore section, which is
scheduled to be completed in the beginning
of 2010. At the conclusion of the study the
pipeline route, technical requirements and
capacity will be nalised.
Speaking about the progress of the
pipeline, Gazprom Management Committee
Chair Alexey Miller said We have the
technical know-how required to build
South Stream in compliance with the
latest environmental and technological
requirements, and we are making signicant
progress on the pipeline. We are currently
carrying out feasibility studies which will
allow more accurate routeing.
Pipeline construction works are scheduled
to be completed by the end of 2015.
T
he 8,704 km pipeline consists of one
trunk link and eight branches that will
connect Horgos, located in Xinjian
Uygur Autonomous Region with the Hong
Kong Special Administrative Region after
traversing 14 provinces, autonomous regions
and municipalities.
CNPC has successfully incorporated
technological breakthroughs from six
of its research projects to support the
construction.
Seven new products have been
developed and manufactured domestically
on an industrial scale. These products
include large diameter, high grade steel
pipe materials, spiral submerged arc welded
pipes, hot bending bends and hot-drawn
T-joint pipe ttings.
The new X80 steel welding wire and ux
increased welding speed by up to 1.7 m per
minute, which is 30 per cent higher than the
speed achieved on the rst West East Gas
Pipeline.
Welders on the Second West East
pipeline received guidance on more than
100 techniques developed through the
project including automatic welding,
semi-automatic welding, joint-connecting
welding and rework welding of the X80
steel pipes. Signicant progress was also
made in fracture control, anti-corrosion
eld coating, gas storage location, integrity
management technologies, and safety pre-
warning technologies, which have beneted
the construction and safe operation of the
pipeline.
Pipeline progress
The project has been divided into
eastern and western sections with Zhongwei,
located in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,
designated as the pipelines midpoint.
The western section, running 2,461 km
from Horgos to Zhongwei, commenced
construction in February 2008 and the
welding work on the principle parts of the
trunk line is now complete.
The eastern section, running 2,477 km
from Zhongwei to Guangzhou with designed
pressure of 10 MPa, commenced construction
in December 2008. The eastern section is
expected to connect into the Turkmenistan
China Gas Pipeline, which is currently
under construction, by the end of 2009 and
is scheduled to be comissioned in 2011.
On November 16, the tunnelled crossing
of the Changjiang River was successfully
completed. The crossing was a key
engineering project for the Second West
East Gas Pipeline. The crossing took place
between Jiujiang City in Jiangxi Province
and Wuxue City in Hubei Province, with a
horizontal crossing span of 2,590 m. China
Oil and Gas Pipeline Company was the
engineering, procurement and construction
contractor.
The next step is to lay a 48 inch diameter
pipeline in the tunnel, which is expected to
be completed in April 2010.
Once completed, the pipeline will
transport natural gas imported from Central
Asian countries, as well as gas produced
domestically in the Tarim, Junggat, Tuha
and Ordos basins, to the Pearl and Yangtze
River delta areas and the central west part of
China.
The pipeline is expected to increase
the share of natural gas in Chinas energy
consumption by 12 per cent and play a
signicant role in boosting the countrys
domestic natural gas demand, facilitate
the improvement of Chinas machinery
manufacturing, improve the nations energy
structure and promote economic and social
development to the adjacent regions along
the pipeline.
China National Petroleum Corporations (CNPC) intensive research and development programme has
been integral in the construction of its Second West East Gas Pipeline.
Technological breakthrough crucial
for Second West East Gas Pipeline
Construction progressed as planned on
the rst West-East Gas Pipeline.
10 PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009 PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009 11 10 PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009
P
luspetrol was scheduled to begin
the mobilisation of materials and
equipment to expand its Malvinas
Gas Processing Plant, which extracts gas
from the Camisea Gas Fields to feed into the
Camisea Gas Pipeline, in November 2009.
The Camisea pipeline connects the
Camisea Gas Field, located in the Ucayali
Basin, 431 km east of Lima, to the Port of
Pisco, Peru. The downstream project consists
of two pipelines: a 714 km natural gas
pipeline and a 540 km liquids pipeline.
The two pipelines run parallel to each
other from the Camisea eld passing through
the Andes mountain range via the Malvinas
gas processing plant to Pisco. From Pisco,
the natural gas pipeline turns north along
the coastline to the Lima city gate to supply
gas for domestic use.
Transportadora de Gas Peruano (TGP) is
a consortium led by Argentinas Tecgas and
includes Pluspetrol, Hunt Oil,
SK Corporation, Sonatrach and Grana y
Montero. TGP was awarded three diferent
33 year contracts by the Government of Peru
as part of the Camisea downstream project
in 2000 a contract for the transportation of
gas from Camisea to Lima, a second contract
for the transportation of natural gas liquids
from Camisea to the coast, and a third for the
distribution of gas in Lima and Calleo.
Two major upgrades, both due for
completion in the second half 2009, are
under way: an increase of capacity at a
compressor station in the Ayacucho region
and the construction of a loop along
Peru's coast. The upgrades will expand
the pipeline from its current capacity of
115 billion cubic feet per annum (Bcf/a)
to a capacity of 164 Bcf/a in an attempt to
meet the demand for gas in Perus densely
populated coastal regions. It was originally
anticipated that the pipeline would reach
164 Bcf/a in 2015; however the spike in
Peruvian gas consumption from 95 Bcf/a in
2007 to 120 Bcf/a in 2008 has led domestic
pressure to be placed on the Peruvian
Government to meet domestic natural gas
supply needs.
TGP is on schedule to complete the
pipeline expansion in December 2009
according to Mr Gamarra.
TGP has made considerable advances in
this process of amplication and its likely to
be ready by the end of the year, he said.
The Camisea Gas Pipeline, commissioned in August 2004, will increase its capacity by 43 per cent by
the end of 2009, according to the Peruvian Minister of Energy and Mines, Pedro Sanchez Gamarra.
Peru to complete Camisea pipeline
expansion ahead of schedule
AROUND THE WORLD
N
ile Valley Gas Company (NVGC) was
granted an exclusive franchise by
the Egyptian General Petroleum
Corporation (EGPC) in April 1998 to develop
a natural gas transmission and distribution
pipeline system to provide natural gas to
consumers in Upper Egypt.
NVGC was formed as a joint venture led
by British Gas with a 37.5 per cent interest,
Edison with a 37.5 per cent interest, Orascom
with a 20 per cent interest and Middle East
Gas Association holding the remaining
5 per cent. Edison has since sold most of its
Egyptian assets to Petronas of Malaysia.
NVGC holds the right to develop a pipeline
systemacross an area, which commences at
El Wasta, a small town 80 kmsouth of Cairo,
and extends through the governorates of Beni
Suef, El Minya, Asyut, Sohag, Qena, Luxor and
Aswan, including the NewValley governorate
and Toshka.
The completed pipeline extends
1,200 km and its ultimate marketing capacity
is targeted to be as much as 6 billion cubic
feet per day (Bcf/d).
The 1,200 kmpipeline has beenconstructed
inve stages. Inthe rst phase of the project,
NVGCtook over a pipeline built by the
Government fromCairo to the Kuraymat
Power Stationlocatednear Beni Suef. Stage 2
involvedthe constructionof 150kmof 32 inch
diameter pipeline extending fromBeni Suef
to AbuQurqas. Stage 3 saw136 kmof 32 inch
diameter pipeline laidfromthe governorate of
Minya to Assiut at a cost of $US75 million, while
Stage 4 involvedthe laying of 100kmof 30inch
diameter pipeline fromAssiut to Sohag.
The nal stage involved the laying of
408 kmof 30 inch diameter pipeline from
Sohag to Aswan. The last section of the
pipeline was brought online at the end of
November and Egyptian Minister of Petroleum
Sameh Fahmi attended a ceremony in Aswan
to celebrate the completion of the project.
The project also involved the design and
construction of three compressor stations
two between Beni Sueg and Assiut and one
near Cairo.
The 1,200 kmpipeline was worth
approximately $US9.3 billion in investment
and forms part of a broader development
programme. Mr Fahmi said that the delivery of
natural gas to the provinces of North and South
Sinai would accelerate the reconstruction and
development of the area by providing energy to
attract industrial projects.
The whole pipeline has a design capacity
of 0.84 Bcf/d across a zone populated with
massive agricultural and agro-industrial
settlements.
The pipeline will have a major role in
reshaping the investment map of the entire
southern Egypt, said Mr Fahmi.
The Upper Egypt Gas Pipeline reached the governorates of Minya, Assiut and Sohag in August this year
and the final stage was completed in November, bringing gas to Aswan homes and businesses for the
first time.
Egyptian pipeline complete
AROUND THE WORLD
The spike in Peruvian gas
consumption from 95 Bcf/a
in 2007 to 120 Bcf/a in
2008 has led domestic
pressure to be placed on
the Peruvian Government
to meet domestic natural
gas supply needs.
WORLD WRAP
Gas pipeline extends into Northwest Louisiana
Acadian Gas plans to extend its 1,609 km Louisiana intrastate natural
gas pipeline system into Northwest Louisiana to provide producers in the
Haynesville shale play with access to multiple markets through connections
with the pipeline system in South Louisiana, as well as nine major interstate
pipelines. The 400 km extension will have a capacity of 1.4 Bcf/d of gas.
Pemex awards pipeline contracts
to UPM
Petrleos Mexicanos (Pemex) has
awarded United Pipeline de Mexico
(UPM) a $US12.4 million contract for
the construction, replacement and
rehabilitation of approximately 40 km
of pipelines in Mexicos Chicontepec
oil region, as well as a $US13.9 million
contract for the construction of
connecting pipelines and associated
infrastructure to tie-in the oil wells
produced in the same region.
WORLD WRAP
Vietnam to build nations
longest gas pipeline
PetroVietnam will construct a
400 km pipeline running from
Depot B on the southwestern
continental shelf to the
Mekong Delta to supply
the O Mon Power Station.
Military Zone 9 Command will
provide services to protect
the pipeline in areas under
its management during the
time of construction and
after completion. The project
will be Vietnams longest gas
pipeline.
Construction commences on China Myanmar Pipeline
China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has commenced
construction on the 771 km China Myanmar Pipeline and a
crude oil port in Myanmar. The pipeline will have a capacity
of 12 MMt/a and connect Myanmars port at Maday Island in
the Indian Ocean via Mandalay in central Myanmar, to Ruili in
Chinas southwestern province of Yunnan.
Nord Stream granted Swedish and
Finnish permits
The Swedish and Finnish governments
have granted permits to Nord Stream
AG to construct the twin 1,220 km Nord
Stream natural gas pipelines through their
exclusive economic zones in the Baltic Sea.
The approvals process for the pipeline is
also continuing in Russia and Germany,
with construction scheduled to begin in
early 2010.
Austria and Slovakia sign-off on
Bratislava-Schwechat Pipeline
A joint venture between Slovakian
company Transpetrol and Austrian
OMV AG will build the Bratislava-
Schwechat Pipeline, a 62 km oil
pipeline connecting Slovakias
Friendship Pipeline, which brings
crude oil to the country from Russia,
with a renery in Schwechat, Austria.
Construction of the 5 MMt/a capacity
pipeline is scheduled to begin in 2012.
Kenya, Uganda agree to reverse-
engineer oil pipeline
The Eldoret Kampala Oil Pipeline, located
in East Africa, will be reverse engineered to
allow oil to ow in both directions through the
pipeline, as it is becoming increasingly likely
that an oil renery will be built in Western
Uganda. The 320 km pipeline is being built
under a public private partnership between
the Kenyan and Ugandan governments as well
as Libyan contractor Tamoil East Africa.
Saudi Aramco begins offshore
pipeline construction
Pipeline construction and associated
works have commenced at Saudi
Aramcos ofshore Karan Gas Field,
in Saudi Arabias Khuf region,
approximately 160 km north of
Dhahran. The Karan onshore facility
will have the capacity to process
1.8 Bcf/d of Karan Khuf gas, which
will then be transported through a
110 km subsea pipeline from the eld
to onshore processing facilities at the
Khursaniyah Gas Plant.
Fugro maps out Peruvian oil pipeline
Oil and gas exploration and development company
Perenco has engaged Fugro to provide detailed
topographic mapping of a proposed oil pipeline route in
northern Peru. Perencos proposed pipeline system will
transport oil production to the Bayovar export terminal,
located 1,000 km from its Block 67 group of oil elds,
located in the Maranon Basin on the Pacic coast.
To stay informed on all this news and more, subscribe to the Pipelines International Update www.pipelinesinternational.com
Name change for Statoilhydro
STATOILHYDRO ASA HAS changed its
name to Statoil ASA.
The company advised that ticker symbols
will remain unchanged as STL on the Oslo
Stock Exchange and STO on the New York
Stock Exchange.
Statoil is an international energy
company with operations in 40 countries.
The company is based in Norway and has
more than 35 years of experience from
oil and gas production on the Norwegian
continental shelf.
Statoil is technical service-provider for
approximately 7,000 km of pipeline from the
Norwegian continental shelf to Europe.
New Chair at PRCI
THE BOARD OF Directors of Pipeline
Research Council International (PRCI)
elected Vice President of TransCanada
Pipelines Operations and Project Services
Paul F. MacGregor as Chair at its Annual
Meeting on 15 September 2009. He replaces
Enbridge Pipelines Oil Sands Projects Senior
Vice President Art Meyer.
Mr MacGregor has been a PRCI Board
member for four years, serving most recently
as Vice Chair, a member of the Executive
Committee, and Chair of the Audit and
Finance Committee.
He has held numerous key positions
with TransCanada since joining the company
in 1981, and is currently responsible for
the companys supply chain management,
procurement activities, and performance
standards.
Mr MacGregor said This is an
important time for research, and
particularly collaborative research, in the
energy pipeline industry. I am honoured
that my colleagues in PRCI have entrusted
me with this position, and I look forward
to working with them and the PRCI team
to continue to extend the success of PRCIs
collaborative model.
New Vice President at PLM
PIPELINE MACHINERY INTERNATIONAL
(PLM) President Mel Ternan, is pleased to
announce that Anthony (Tony) J. Fernandez
has taken on the position of Senior Vice
President with PLM.
With Tony taking responsibility for daily
operational and sales issues, we will have
more opportunity at the president level to
concentrate on strategic and PLM expansion
plans, said Mr Ternan.
Mr Fernandez has been with PLM since
its inception in May 2005. He previously
worked with Ring Power Corporation for
17 years as International Accounts Manager
and later Pipeline Division Manager. Tony
participated in the early discussions that
resulted in a four-dealer partnership to form
PLM and provide Caterpillars global focus to
the pipeline industry.
Additional PLM information is available
on the PLM website at www.plmcat.com
Role changes at Rosen
AFTER 12 YEARS of direct involvement in
the Australasian industry, Vice President
and General Manager Operations of Rosen
Asia Pacic Chris Yoxall has relocated within
Rosen to Houston, United States, to take up
the position of Vice President, Rosen USA.
He has been succeeded by Neil Pain who
has been appointed as General Manager,
Rosen Australia. Mr Pain is well known,
having been in the industry for more than a
decade, and has been with Rosen for over six
years. In this time, Mr Pain has undertaken
a number of responsibilities including
quality assurance, project management and
business development.
As part of the restructured changes,
Myles Youngs has assumed the role of
General Manager, Operations in Australia.
Mr Young has been with Rosen for three
years in capacity of Operations Manager. He
is now responsible for all operational aspects
including the processors of data evaluation,
operations and maintenance within the
Australian organisation.
PROJECT BRIEFS
Project briefs
Kasimovskoye UGS Voskresensk CS Gas Trunkline
PROPONENT: OAO Gazprom, 16 Nametkina Street, Moscow GSP-7, Russian Federation Tel: +7 495 719 3001
JOINT VENTURE PARTNERS: Gazprom Transgaz Moscow, Gazprom UGS
PROJECT SCOPE: The Kasimovskoye UGS Voskresensk CS pipeline, which began construction in 2005,
connects the Kasimovskoye underground gas storage (UGS) to the Voskresensk compressor station (CS). The
pipeline includes two compressor stations located at Tuma and Voskresensk and one gas metering station at
Kasimov. The project includes a total of 108 rivers, streams, railways and highway crossings during construction
and the trunkline will provide highly reliable and uninterrupted gas supply to Moscowand its suburbs.
PROJECT UPDATE: Commissioning occurred on the trunkline in October.
PIPELINE LENGTH: 204 km
PIPELINE CAPACITY: 95 Bcf/a of gas when fully operational.
COMPLETION DATE: The pipeline has been commissioned with a ceremony marking the occasion held in
Voskresensk District, Moscow Oblast on 23 October, 2009.
Shandong Natural Gas Pipeline Network
PROPONENT: China National Petroleum Corporation
(CNPC), 9 Dongzhimen North Street, Dongcheng District,
Beijing 100007, P.R. China. Tel: +86 10 6209 4114
JOINT VENTURE PARTNER: Shandong Natural Gas Pipeline
Network Company
PROJECT SCOPE: The network will enable CNPC to
transport gas from central Shandong to cities including
coastal Qingdao and Weihai in the east, and tie in to the
Shaan Jing Gas Pipeline and the Second West East Gas
Pipeline via the Ji Ning Pipeline and Taian branch of the
Shandong Pipeline.
PROJECT UPDATE: Construction has commenced on the
Taian Weihai section of the pipeline network.
PIPELINE LENGTH: 1,067 km of pipeline system,
consisting of one trunk line and six branch lines.
PIPELINE CAPACITY: 388 Bcf/a of gas when fully
operational.
EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE: Late 2010.
MEDGAZ Pipeline
PROPONENT: MEDGAZ, Muelle de Poniente, Puerto de Almera,
04002 Almera, Spain Tel: +34 950 182 900
JOINT VENTURE PARTNERS: MEDGAZ is a consortium of ve
international companies: SONATRACH, CEPSA, IBERDROLA,
ENDESA and GDF SUEZ.
PROJECT SCOPE: The Medgaz Pipeline is a subsea gas
pipeline that runs under the Mediterranean Sea from Beni Saf
on the Algerian coast up to landfall on the Spanish coast of
Almera. The pipeline is a strategic project for Algeria, Spain,
and the rest of Europe, supplying natural gas directly from
Algeria, without requiring transit through third countries.
Saipem was contracted to construct the subsea infrastructure.
PROJECT UPDATE: Saipem has completed subsea pipelay
operations, with the tie-in completed 1.6 km of the Algerian
coast. Hydrostatic tests are expected to be completed on the
pipeline in March 2010.
PIPELINE CAPACITY: 282 Bcf/a of gas when fully operational.
EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE: June 2010
PLM Senior Vice President Anthony J. Fernandez.
The new look Statoil.
PIPES AND PEOPLE
Fayetteville Express Pipeline
PROPONENT: Fayetteville Express Pipeline L.L.C, 3250 Lacey
Road, 7
th
Floor, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515, USA.
Tel: +1 630 725 3070
PARTNERS: Fayetteville Express Pipeline LLC is a joint
venture between Kinder Morgan Energy Partners and Energy
Transfer Partners.
PROJECT SCOPE: The pipeline will originate in Conway
County, Arkansas, and continue eastward through White
County, Arkansas, and terminate at an interconnect with
Trunkline Gas Company in Panola County, Mississippi. The
project will parallel existing pipeline or electric transmission
right-of-ways where possible to minimise impact to the
environment, communities and landowners.
PROJECT UPDATE: An application has been lodged with
the Federal Energy Regulation Commission and approval
is expected by the end of 2009. Construction contracts
are currently being negotiated and it is anticipated that
construction will commence in March 2010.
PIPELINE CAPACITY: The pipeline will have an initial
capacity of 2 Bcf/d of gas.
EXPECTED COMPLETION DATE: Early 2011
Pipes & People
Rosens Myles Young, Chris Yoxall
and Neil Pain.
16 PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009 PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009 17
E
nags has developed and operated
natural gas transmission pipelines
in Spain since 1972. In 2000, the
company was appointed technical manager
of Spains gas system in accordance with the
Royal Decree-Law 6/2000, and this year the
company has been designated the operator
of the transmission system for Spains
high-pressure gas network under the Royal
Decree-Law 6/2009.
Today, Enags main activities include
natural gas transportation, regasication
and storage. The company transports gas
through over 9,000 km of high-pressure gas
pipeline and owns three regasication plants
located at Barcelona, Cartagena and Huelva,
as well as a 25 per cent interest in the Baha
de Bizkaia Gas Regasication Plant in Bilbao.
The company continues to develop its
transmission pipeline network and natural
gas assets in Spain, as well as promote the
development of a pan-European pipeline
network to ensure greater security of natural
gas to Europe.
Recent pipeline projects
Enags recently completed the
500 million euro ($US748 million)
Peninsula Baleares Pipeline project. The
company says that the project is a very
complex and important subsea pipeline
system that connects the Iberian Peninsula
with the Balearic Islands.
The project consists of three
components: a 65 km pipeline between
Montesa and Denia, the 267 km Denia
Ibiza Mallorca subsea pipeline, and a
compressor station located at Denia.
Enags says that only eight pipelay
vessels in the world specialise in this type
of project, which included installing pipe at
depths as deep as 997 m.
Operator of Spains natural gas pipeline system Enags continues to develop its transmission pipeline
network, recently completing the complex Peninsula Baleares Pipeline project. Here, the company
talks about the project and its plans for future pipeline expansions.
The company used the Castoro Sei
vessel and an auxiliary fleet of six boats
to complete the project. Approximately
22,500 pipes were used to construct the
underwater section of the pipeline.
More than 500 people were employed
to construct the pipeline, not including the
500 who worked on the Castoro Sei pipelay
vessel.
"To date, this has been one of the most
complex pipeline projects constructed
as part of the Spanish Gas System," a
company spokesperson says.
Work began on the project in December
2007 and was completed in September
this year.
Enags says that the pipeline system
will bring important benefits to the
Islands.
Besides transporting natural gas for
distribution to residents, the project allows
the supply of natural gas to power plants
on the Islands, increasing the uptake of
natural gas in the area.
The pipeline gives Baleares energy
security as it connects the Islands directly
with the Spanish Gas System, an Enags
spokesperson said.
Enags also recently completed
construction on the 292 km Almera
Chinchilla Pipeline, which was built to
connect the Spanish Gas System with
the Medgaz Pipeline currently under
construction. The Medgaz Pipeline is a
strategic project for Algeria, Spain, and the
rest of Europe, supplying natural gas directly
from Algeria, without requiring transit
through third countries.
The 300 million euro ($US448.7 million)
project was constructed in two sections a
42 inch diameter, 122 km pipeline between
Almera and Lorca, and a 42 inch diameter,
170 km pipeline between Lorca and
Chinchilla.
The importance of gas storage and
regasication facilities
Enags has been investing in storage and
regasication facilities since the company
rst began. This year, the Barcelona
Regasication Plant is celebrating its 40
th
year of operations.
In September this year, Enags signed
a contract for the purchase of a 25 per cent
interest in a regasication plant at Bilbao.
The company also owns an underground
natural gas storage facility at Serrablo.
The company is currently working on
the construction of its fourth regasication
plant at El Musel Port in Gijn in the north of
Spain, and another underground gas storage
at Yela, Guadalajara.
Regasication plants give exibility
to the gas system...reinforcing the security
of natural gas supply for Spain, says a
company spokesperson.
The company says that it will continue
to construct regasication plants and
underground storage facilities as necessary
to increase storage capacity.
Future pipeline projects:
international connections
Enags says that construction of
international pipeline connections is
essential for a secure natural gas supply for
Europe. Spain has one of the most diverse
natural gas supply portfolios in the world,
and last year received natural gas from ten
diferent countries.
International connections are strategic
investments and essential to continue
guaranteeing gas system security, says an
Enags spokesperson.
There are currently two pipeline
connections between France and Spain
the 2.7 billion cubic metre per annum
(Bcm/a) Larrau Pipeline, and the 0.2 Bcm/a
Irun Pipeline.
Enags is part of the European Union
organisation, the High Level Group of the
South West Regional Energy Market. The
working group aims to:
Double the current capacity of the
Larrau Pipeline from 2.7 Bcm/a to
5.2 Bcm/a via looping and additional
compression. The project is expected to
reach completion in 2013;
Increase the capacity of the Euskadour
Pipeline from 0.12 Bcm/a by 2013; and,
Construct the 190 km MidCat Pipeline,
which will run along the Mediterranean
coast and have a capacity of 7.5 Bcm/a.
The project is planned for completion
in 2015.
Having a pan-European gas network
is essential to have a real European natural
gas market. It is necessary to have a
network connecting Europe from north to
south, making it possible that in case of
any supply crisis, natural gas can circulate
through Europe in both directions, an
Enags spokesperson said.
MEET THE COMPANY MEET THE COMPANY
Enags: expanding pipelines
in Europe
The Peninsula pipeline during pipelay works.
Lowering-in the Peninsula pipeline. Enags headquarters in Madrid.
Balearic Pipeline construction.
The United States of America boasts well established oil and natural gas pipeline systems, which are
continuing to grow with the proposal and construction of more pipelines across the country. Pipelines
International takes a look at some of the major projects in the pipeline.
Southeast region
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners and
Energy Transfer Partners began service on
the Midcontinent Express Pipeline (MEP)
in August this year. The MEP consists of a
single pipeline originating near the town of
Bennington in Bryan County, Oklahoma, and
terminating with an interconnection into the
Transcontinental Gas Pipeline at Transcos
compressor station near the town of Butler in
Choctaw County, Alabama.
The pipeline is comprised of
approximately 48 km of 30 inch pipe, 442 km
of 42 inch pipe and 317 km of 36 inch pipe.
The MEP also has two compressor stations.
One station is located near Paris in Lamar
County, Texas, and the other near Perryville
in Union Parish, Louisiana.
The original capacity of the pipeline
is being expanded through the addition of
incremental compression. When completed
in 2010, MEP will have capacity of 1.8 Bcf/d
in Zone 1 and 1.2 Bcf/d in Zone 2.
Florida Gas Transmission is proposing
to expand its natural gas pipeline system to
meet the growing energy needs of the Gulf
Coast and Florida. The company operates
an 8,046 km pipeline system, which has the
capacity to deliver 2.3 Bcf/d of natural gas to
the Florida peninsula.
The Phase VIII ExpansionProject will
consist of approximately 777 kmof multi-
diameter pipeline in Alabama, Mississippi,
and Florida, with approximately 587 km
built parallel to existing pipelines. One new
compressor station will be built in Highlands
County, Florida. The project will provide an
annual average of 798 million cubic feet per
day (MMcf/d) of additional rmtransportation
capacity. The project is expected to be
completed and in service in 2011.
In 2007, El Paso Corporation placed
Phase 1 of its Cypress Pipeline project into
service. The pipeline is an expansion of the
Southern Natural Gas (SNG) Pipeline,
and provides an incremental 220 MMcf/d
of takeaway capacity from the companys
LNG facility near Savannah, Georgia. The
268 km pipeline extends the SNG system
to interconnect with the Florida Gas
Transmission system near Jacksonville,
Florida.
Phase 2 of the project was placed
into service in 2008. During this phase.
compression facilities were installed to add
an additional 116 MMcf/d of capacity to
the pipeline. Phase 3 of the project, which
is scheduled to be in-service by 2010, will
add an incremental 164 MMcf/d through
additional compression.
ETC Tiger Pipeline Company is proposing
to construct an interstate natural gas
pipeline to provide takeaway capacity
from the East Texas Carthage Hub area and
the Haynesville Shale play. The 289 km,
42 inch diameter Tiger Pipeline will begin
near Carthage, Texas, and extend to the
Perryville, Louisiana area.
The project will have a capacity of 2
Bcf/d and is expected to begin operation
in the rst half of 2011. Four compressor
stations have been planned for the pipeline.
The majority of the pipeline is to be
constructed within the right-of-way of the
existing 276 km CenterPoint Carthage to
Perryville Pipeline and Gulf Souths 389 km
East Texas to Mississippi Pipeline.
Enbridge has conducted an open
season for the proposed 523 km interstate
LaCrosse Pipeline, which would run
from the Carthage Hub in Texas to an
interconnection with the SNG Pipeline in
Washington Parish, Louisiana. The pipeline
will be designed to provide an outlet for
increasing supplies coming out of the
Haynesville shale region. The pipeline is
scheduled for completion in 2013.
Midwest region
Enbridge has recently completed
construction on the Alberta Clipper
Pipeline to transport oil between Hardisty,
Alberta, Canada, and Superior, Wisconsin.
This 1,607 km , 36 inch diameter pipeline
is expected to be in service by mid-2010,
complementing the recently completed
Southern Access Project as crude oil supplies
from Western Canada continue to increase.
Initial capacity will be 450,000 barrels per
day (bbl/d), with an ultimate capacity of up
to 800,000 bbl/d.
Enbridge is expected to complete
construction of its Southern Lights
Project by the end of 2009. The project will
transport oil from Canada to markets in the
US Midwest. It involves the construction of
new pipeline and the use of some segments
of existing pipeline on which the ow
direction has been reversed. The 20 inch
diameter pipeline was constructed at the
same time as and along the Alberta Clipper
line.
Enbridge is progressing the Southern
Access Extension project. The project
extends the companys Lakehead System
from the Flanagan Terminal near Pontiac,
Illinois, south to a petroleum transportation
hub in Patoka, Illinois.
Stage 1 began operations in 2008 and
included 516 km of new pipeline along
the Lakehead System in Wisconsin and
the construction of additional pump
stations. Stage 2 involved the construction
of approximately 214 km of pipeline from
Enbridges Delavan pumping station near
Whitewater, Wisconsin, to the Flanagan
terminal. This stage began operation earlier
this year.
Stage 3 will see the system extend from
the Flanagan, Illinois, to Patoka, Illinois.
The cities are approximately 400 km apart.
The pipeline system will be constructed in
Northeast region
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company
(TGPC), a subsidiary of El Paso Corporation,
plans to increase the capacity of its
300 Line to transport new natural gas
supplies to serve the growing demand in the
northeastern US.
The 300 Line Expansion Project
involves the installation of seven looping
segments in Pennsylvania and New
Jersey totalling approximately 205 km of
30 inch pipeline, the installation of two
new compressor stations to be located in
northwestern Pennsylvania, and upgrades at
seven existing compressor stations.
Upon completion, TGPC expects that
the project will increase natural gas delivery
capacity in the region by approximately
3.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). The
project is planned to be in service by
November 2011.
Spectra Energy has proposed the
HubLine/East to West Expansion Project,
which will be an expansion of the companys
Algonquin Pipeline System. The 1,800 km
Algonquin Natural Gas Transmission
System, located in New England, transports
2.2 Bcf/d of gas. The pipeline connects to the
Texas Eastern Transmission System and the
Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline.
The expansion project will involve a
total of 74 km of multi-diameter pipeline
and associated support facilities. Of this,
20 km of new pipeline will be located in
Massachusetts with 53 km of upgrades to
existing pipeline in Massachusetts and
Connecticut. The project is expected to be
completed in November 2010.
Dominion Transmission, Dominion
Resources natural gas transmission
and storage subsidiary, is proposing the
Appalachian Gateway Project to meet
demand for natural gas in the mid-Atlantic
and northeastern US.
The project includes the construction of
approximately 177 km of pipeline between
20 and 30 inches in diameter to run between
West Virginia and Pennsylvania, as well
as four new gas compressor stations.
Construction is expected to start in 2011,
with transportation services to begin by
September 2012.
The pipeline will deliver natural
gas to Spectra Energys 14,000 km
Texas Eastern Transmission Pipeline
Systemat Dominions Oakford Station in
Delmont, Pennsylvania. The Texas Eastern
Transmission Pipeline connects Texas and
the Gulf Coast with markets in the mid-
Atlantic and northeastern US. The 6.7 Bcf/d
capacity pipeline connects the Algonquin Gas
Transmission Pipeline with Spectra Energys
430 kmEast Tennessee Natural Gas Pipeline.
REGION REVIEW
Pipeline development in
the land of the free
By BJ Lowe, Clarion, Houston, USA and Lyndsie Mewett, Associate Editor
REGION REVIEW
CONTINUED ON PAGE 20
Construction works at Denbury Resources' Green Pipeline.
A map of the Florida Gas Transmission Pipeline.
PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009 21 20 PIPELINES INTERNATIONAL | DECEMBER 2009
2010 and begin operation later that year or
by early 2011.
The 5,600 km Lakehead System was
constructed in 1949 and is the worlds
largest crude oil and liquids pipeline
system, bringing crude oil from Western
Canada to the US.
Vector Pipeline and Vector Pipeline
Partnerships have launched a binding
open season to secure shipper interest in
a third expansion of the 550 km Vector
Pipelines System, which transports
natural gas between Joliet, Illinois, and the
storage complex at Dawn, Ontario, Canada.
The additional expansion proposes to
add long-haul capacity of up to 115 MMcf/d
by adding two new compressors and
upgrades to the US portion of the system.
The expansion could also include
incremental short-haul capacity by adding
a loop to the US and/or Canadian portion
of the pipeline system. The project is
expected to be complete by November 2011.
The Vector Pipeline System, constructed
in 2000, has already undergone two
expansion projects. The rst involved
the installation of compressor stations
at Joliet, Illinois, and Washington,
Michigan. The second expansion was
completed in October 2009 and involved
the construction of a compressor station at
Athens, Michigan, increasing the nominal
capacity of the pipeline from 1.2 Bcf/d to
approximately 1.3 Bcf/d.
Southwest region
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners
and Energy Transfer Partners 298 km
Fayetteville Express Pipeline has been
proposed to run from Conway County
Arkansas, via White County, to an
interconnect on the 5,632 km Trunkline
Pipeline, located in Panola County,
Mississippi.
Willbros Group has been awarded a
contract to construct spreads three and four
of the pipeline, which includes laying 193 km
of 42 inch diameter pipeline to parallel
existing utility corridors in the region,
beginning near Bald Knob, Arkansas, and
ending at the Trunkline Gas Company
interconnection. Spreads one and two of the
pipeline are yet to be awarded.
Construction of the pipeline is expected
to commence in March 2010 with the
pipeline to be in service by January 2011.
In addition, Kinder Morgan and
Copano Energy have entered into a letter
of intent to construct, as a rst phase,
an approximately 35 km, 24 inch natural
gas gathering pipeline. The natural gas
pipeline will originate in LaSalle County
and terminate in Duval County, Texas, and
will have an initial capacity of 350 MMcf/d.
The pipeline is expected to be completed in
mid-2010.
Enterprise Products Partners and
Duncan Energy Partners are planning
to increase the capacity of the recently
announced Haynesville Extension Project
from 1.42.1 Bcf/d. As a result, Enterprise
and Duncan Energy placed an order
increasing the size of the 249 km pipeline
extension of their jointly-owned Acadian
Gas intrastate pipeline into Northwest
Louisiana to 42 inches in diameter.
The project is expected to be complete by
September 2011. The Haynesville Extension
will intersect with nine interstate pipeline
systems.
Central region
The Rockies Express Pipeline (REX)
runs from the Meeker Hub in Rio Blanco
County, Colorado, to Audrain County,
Missouri, and Warren County, Ohio. The
531 km section from Meeker to the Cheyenne
Hub was placed in service in February 2007.
The completion of REX-West in May 2008,
added 1,147 km of 42 inch diameter pipeline,
which runs from the Cheyenne Hub in
Weld County, Colorado, to Audrain County,
Missouri.
The 1,027 km REX-East Pipeline section
completed commissioning in November
this year. REX-East is the nal segment of
the REX Pipeline, and runs from Audrain
County, Missouri, to the Lebanon Hub in
Warren County, Ohio.
Following the completion of REX-East, the
pipeline has a capacity of 1.8 Bcf/d of gas.
The pipeline is a joint venture between
Kinder Morgan Partners, Sempra Pipelines
and Storage, and ConocoPhillips.
TransCanada is currently constructing
the 3,456 km Keystone Pipeline project,
which combines both the new construction
of pipeline and the conversion of an existing
pipeline from natural gas to oil service.
Approximately 2,219 km of new
pipeline is to be constructed in the US. The
Canadian portion of the project includes
the construction of approximately 373 km
of new pipeline and the conversion
of approximately 864 km of existing
TransCanada pipeline from natural gas to
crude oil transmission. It is expected that
the project will be complete by 2012.
In addition, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) has
prepared a draft environmental impact
statement for TransCanadas proposed
Bison Pipeline.
The project includes approximately
486 km of 30 inch diameter natural gas
transmission pipeline extending northeast
from Wyoming through Montana to North
Dakota. TransCanada has also proposed
one compressor station at Hettinger County,
North Dakota.
The pipeline is designed to have a
capacity of approximately 477 MMcf/d of
gas, but will be expandable to 1 Bcf/d.
TransCanada has said that future
development plans for the pipeline include
the expansion and extension of the Bison
Pipeline into the Rockies Basin.
Construction is expected to begin on
the pipeline in 2010, with the pipeline to be
operational in November of that year.
Colorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG),
a subsidiary of El Paso, is building the Raton
Expansion Project to serve increasing
demands for Rocky Mountain natural gas
supplies. The Raton Expansion Project
involves the installation of approximately
188 km of 16 inch pipeline in Las Animas,
Huerfano, Pueblo and El Paso counties,
Colorado.
The Raton 2010 Expansion Project will
start in southern Las Animas County and
will terminate in southern El Paso County
at an interconnection with CIGs pipeline
system. This expansion will enable gas to be
transported to CIGs mainline for ultimate
delivery to the Cheyenne Hub in northern
Colorado for delivery to major national
markets.
CIG had hoped to receive FERC
authorisation for the project by October
2009, with a proposed in-service date in May
2010. The authorisation is still pending.
Enbridge has proposed the North
Dakota SystemExpansion Phase 6 project
to bring its North Dakota Systemexpansion
to 161,000 bbl/d of oil by early 2010. The
expansion will involve upgrades to existing
pump station sites.
The North Dakota System consists of
531 km of crude oil gathering and 998 km
of interstate transmission pipeline. It
delivers oil from North Dakota and Motana
to Minnesota, where it connects with the
Lakehead System and the third party
Minnesota Pipeline.
Alliance Pipeline and Questar Overthrust
Pipeline Company have jointly proposed the
1,738 km, 42 inch diameter Rockies Alliance
Pipeline (RAP) to connect the Rocky
Mountain Region to the Chicago market hub.
The project will take advantage
of existing Overthrust and Alliance
infrastructure. The companies are currently
undergoing a second open season to
evaluate the potential gas capacity
expansion of the pipeline.
The pipeline will originate from
Wamsutter, Wyoming, where Questars
Overthrust Pipeline will be expanded from
the Opal and Meeker receipt hubs to meet the
need for additional capacity. During an open
season, Questar Overthrust Pipeline received
interest for approximately 1 Bcf/d of new
pipeline capacity for delivery into RAP.
Upon in-service of the proposed
project, RAP will initially provide 1.3 Bcf/d
of transportation capacity. The pipeline is
expected to be commence construction in
2012 and completed by 2013.
Questars Overthrust Pipeline is a
270 km, 36 inch diameter pipeline, located in
southwestern Wyoming. The 141 km pipeline
section from Whitney Canyon to Kanda
comprises the western-most segment of the
701 km Trailbalzer Pipeline system. The
128 km section from Kanda to Wamsutter,
completed in 2007, makes up the western
segment of the REX Pipeline.
The Questar Overthrust Pipeline
expansion would run west from a
compressor station near Rock Springs to
Black Fork, Wyoming, and parallel an
existing Questar pipeline that runs from
Wamsutter to Blacks Fork and on to Opal.
The 69 km, 36 inch diameter pipeline
would cost approximately $US94.3 million to
construct and have a capacity of 800 MMcf/d
of gas. The pipeline is expected to tie into El
Paso Corporations proposed Ruby Pipeline.
The Ruby Pipeline will connect natural
gas reserves in the Rocky Mountain region
with markets the western US. The project will
involve approximately 1,086 kmof 42 inch
diameter pipeline beginning at the Opal Hub
in Wyoming and terminating at interconnects
near Malin, Oregon.
The project will have an initial design
capacity of up to 1.5 Bcf/d of gas and four
compressor stations will be constructed:
one near the Opal Hub in southwestern
Wyoming; one south of Curlew Junction,
Utah; one at the mid-point of the project,
north of Elko, Nevada; and, one in
northwestern Nevada.
REGION REVIEW REGION REVIEW
CARBON DIOXIDE PIPELINES
Denbury Resources recently began a feasibility study into constructing an 804 km and
1,126 km long carbon dioxide pipeline project connecting proposed gasication plants
in the Midwest to existing pipeline infrastructure in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Denbury has said that it expects the pipelines to take four to ve years to complete.
The study comes as two proposed Midwestern gasication plants, with which
Denbury has carbon dioxide purchase contracts, have been granted approval to the
term sheet negotiation phase under the US Department of Energy loan guarantee
programme.
A third proposed gasication plant has also been selected by the loan guarantee
programme to be built along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Denbury plans to
commission a study for a 177 km pipeline that could connect the plant to the existing
Free State Pipeline.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
Enbridge is expected to complete construction of its
Southern Lights Project by the end of 2009. The project
will transport oil from Canada to markets in the US
Midwest. It involves the construction of new pipeline and
the use of some segments of existing pipeline on which
the flow direction has been reversed.
Welded pipe during the construction of Alberta Clipper.
Pipe stacking in preparation for the Vector
Pipeline System construction.
The Rockies Express Pipeline, or REX, crosses eight states and travels approximately 2,735 km.
Beginning in Colorado and ending in eastern Ohio, the REX project is one of the largest natural gas
pipelines constructed in North America over the last 25 years.
K
inder Morgan Energy Partners;
Sempra Pipelines & Storage, a unit of
Sempra Energy; and, ConocoPhillips
jointly developed the Rockies Express
(REX) Pipeline project. The pipeline was
constructed in three phases:
The 528 kmREX-Entrega section across
Colorado;
REX-West, which runs 1,147 kmfrom
Colorado to eastern Missouri; and,
The recently completed REX-East portion,
which stretches from eastern Missouri to
eastern Ohio.
The REX-West section was completed in
early 2008, after receiving Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission authorisation in
April 2007. REX-East nalised construction
and was placed into service on 12 November
2009. Following the completion of REX-East,
the pipeline has the capability to transport
up to 1.8 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural
gas per day.
Each region along the 2,735 km pipeline
route ofered unique challenges for the
construction of the pipeline. The majority
of the route passed through mountainous
terrain starting in the Rocky Mountains
and extending to the Appalachian Region
which brought with it signicant technical
challenges.
The REX-Entrega and REX-West pipeline
routes cross the Rocky Mountains and
much of the REX-East route also covers
mountainous terrain, which presented the
projects crews with a variety of construction
issues. However, the crew successfully
managed to move the project forward
without delay.
Most of the REX Pipeline was constructed
along existing pipeline corridors. Much
of the terrain was already level and ready
for the pipe stringing and trenching in
preparation for pipelaying, Mr Fore said,
however construction crews faced a variety of
landscape and geographical challenges as the
pipeline construction progressed eastward
along the route into the Appalachian Region
on the REX-East Pipeline route.
Welding to schedule
New technology was employed to
ensure that pipeline construction proceeded
smoothly.
REX was designed with a construction
schedule that favoured automatic eld
welding. The automatic welding equipment
provided by CRC Evans of Houston, Texas,
and RMS Welding Systems of Nisku, Alberta
was a large part of how the construction
proceeded in such an efcient fashion.
The automatic welding systems enabled
a very high level of productivity that
exceeded 100 welds per day for the mainline
pipelay. Additional project pace was gained
by the establishment of mini pipe gangs,
which were capable of laying up to 20 joints
of pipe per day. The mini gangs were ideal to
lay pipe in the rough terrain encountered on
the project.
The welding work was completed using
cutting edge components.
Tie-in welds were made with Hobart
welding wire, Trimark Flux Core and Fab
Shield X80, which is a special wire produced
to weld the high strength X80 pipe used.
Once the welding was completed, each joint
was checked carefully by the onsite scanning
technology. Weld integrity was ensured by
using ultrasonic weld inspection systems
to scan 100 per cent of the eld welds for
defects.
The system used was an analog to digital
conversion unit, but an innovative phased
array weld inspection system, provided by
UT Quality of Texas, was also used on the
pipeline. The totally digital system was rst
qualied in the US for the REX-West project.
By allowing the system to be less complex
and highly accurate in weld interpretation,
REX saw more robust results.
REX Director of Community Relations
Allen Fore said The REX Pipeline was
constructed using the latest technology
in all aspects of the construction process,
but the biggest asset was the skilled and
experienced workers employed on the
project.
The pipeline construction process is
often compared to a sort of moving assembly
line and during peak construction eforts,
there were thousands of construction
workers on the pipeline spread.
The innovative technology employed
ensured that the pipeline was built in the
safest and most efcient way possible and
will maintain the integrity of the pipeline in
the future, said Mr Fore.
REX appeal:
pipeline construction in the Rockies
REGION REVIEW
Western region
Williams subsidiary Northwest Pipeline
has proposed to construct the 30 inch diameter,
192 kmBlue Bridge Pipeline project.
The project involves six pipeline loops
running parallel to Northwests existing
26 inch mainline along the Columbia
River Gorge, Washington. Construction is
set to begin in the rst half of 2012, and
commercial service to launch in the second
half of 2012.
The proposed Palomar Gas
Transmission Pipeline is a new interstate
natural gas pipeline that will provide
additional energy infrastructure to serve
Oregon, the Pacic Northwest, and other
western states. Palomar is a joint venture
between TransCanada and NWNatural.
The 36 inch diameter pipeline will be
approximately 354 km long. The proposed
Palomar project is seeking a certicate from
the FERC for permission to construct and
operate the pipeline.
Subsidiaries of Williams, PG&E
Corporation and Fort Chicago Energy
Partners, have agreed to jointly pursue
construction of a LNG import terminal
(Jordan Cove LNG), to be located in Coos
Country, Oregon, and a interstate natural
gas transmission system (Pacic Connector).
This project will increase the supply of
natural gas for the Pacic Northwest,
northern California and northern Nevada.
The Pacic Connector Pipeline project
is a 370 km, 36 inch diameter pipeline
designed to transport up to 1 Bcf/d of natural
gas from the proposed Jordan Cove LNG
terminal to markets in the region. The Pacic
Connector project includes interconnects to
Williams 6,276 km Northwest Pipeline, the
386 km Tuscarora Gas Transmission system,
and Gas Transmission Northwests system,
all located in Oregon.
Alaskan proposals
There are currently two competing large
diameter pipeline projects proposed that
would link Alaskas North Slope gas reserves
to markets in Canada and the US.
The proposed Denali Pipeline project
consists of a gas treatment plant on the North
Slope, an approximately 3,219 kmlong pipeline
to Alberta, Canada, and if required, a 2,414 km
long pipeline fromAlberta to Chicago at a
current estimated cost of $US30 billion.
The proposed TransCanada Alaska
Pipeline project would include a gas
treatment plant to be built at Prudhoe Bay,
a 2,736 km long pipeline from North Slope
Alaska through Yukon and northeastern
British Columbia to the British Columbia/
Alberta border near Boundary Lake,
and would include new and existing
infrastructure in Alberta.
The pipeline projects require a certicate
of public convenience and necessity to be
granted by the FERC in order to commence
construction and operation activities.
REGION REVIEW
The REX Pipeline before lowering in.
Above: Overland Pass Natural Gas Pipeline map.
Construction works on the Texas Eastern Transmission Pipeline System.
Steel transmission pipelines going through mountain areas often face significant risks during their
construction and service life. One of the biggest challenges is to protect the pipe and its external
coatings against mechanical damage from impact and penetration.
W
hen installing and operating
transmission pipelines in
mountain regions, one has to
account for specic risks in order to mitigate
potential lost time, increased costs, and
accidents with human and economic costs.
Climate is an important consideration
during both pipeline construction and
operation in mountain areas. Some seasons
can be harsh, with heavy snowfall or rain,
and extreme temperatures and winds,
restricting the access to the right-of-way
(RoW) during construction. In addition,
weather patterns are usually rapidly
changing quick temperature changes
and ash rains which can delay the
construction of the pipelines. During pipeline
operation, pipelines in permafrost regions
face stability issues.
Geography is another signicant risk
factor with two sub-categories topography
and geology. Mountain areas can have
a challenging topography such as steep
slopes, river and lake crossings. Geology can
also raise issues during both construction
and operation, with companies faced with
hard rock, wet or frozen ground conditions,
earthquake and fault zones, erosion and
landslides, karst and sinkholes.
Mountains often include environmentally
sensitive and protected areas, such as
national parks. Pipeline projects have to
be designed, installed and operated with
a minimumfootprint on ora and fauna,
usually translated in reduced RoWand
temporary workspace. Minimising any
risk of accidental harmful discharge or
contamination is also important.
Supplying some of the required materials
such as sand for padding, and safely
disposing of surplus materials can be difcult
during the construction phase of a mountain
pipeline.
Finally, building and operating pipelines
in mountain regions can be dangerous for the
people involved. Clear safety standards and
operating procedures have to be in place to
avoid accidents.
In order to address the above-mentioned
risk factors, the pipeline industry is
dedicating a lot of efort to prepare and
standardise the construction and operation
of pipelines in mountain regions.
The International Pipeline and
Ofshore Contractors Association (IPLOCA)
presents ten diferent pipeline construction
environments in its recently released
recommended construction practices for
onshore pipelines, Onshore Pipelines: The
Road to Success. Three of these environments
directly describe mountain areas the
side slope, ridge and rock RoWscenarios.
Another two refer to arctic conditions and
the environmentally sensitive area often
encountered in mountain terrain. In all the
scenarios, one of the most efcient ways of
mitigating the pipeline construction and
operating risks is to protect the steel pipe
against mechanical damage fromimpact and
penetration.
The need for supplementary
mechanical protection
Mechanical damage to the pipe can
occur during all phases of the pipeline
construction and operation, for example
during transportation, handling (loading in
and out), storage, lowering-in, backlling,
and during pipelines service life. Impacts
and penetration damage can be caused by
many factors:
Other pipes or pipe handling equipment;
Lowering-in; and,
Rocks in the trench bottomor impact
fromthe backll material.
Steel pipe is impact resistant by itself and
some of the external coatings applied on steel
increase this basic mechanical protection.
However, in order to ensure an incident-free
service life for the pipeline, the steel pipe
and the anti-corrosion coating have to be
intact during construction and operation.
This cannot be guaranteed by the basic
mechanical protection of the steel and anti-
corrosion coatings. Therefore, the industry
has developed supplementary mechanical
protection systems that are aimed at reducing
or eliminating the risk of mechanical
damage.
As the industry uses a wide range of
supplementary mechanical protection
systems, this article will focus on the systems
that protect the entire diameter and length
of the pipe, and which are the most efcient
in protecting the pipe and its coating against
impact and penetration. Today, most pipeline
projects use the following supplementary
mechanical protection system: concrete
coatings, sand padding and select backll
(mechanical padding), as well as non-woven
geotextiles and rockshield materials.
Mechanical protection systems
Concrete coatings for mechanical
protection have been developed during the
last 2530 years in North America, Australia
and Europe, and are usually applied in
specialised coating facilities.
Steel wire mesh reinforced concrete
coatings that are usually 2025 mmthick and
bre-reinforced concrete coatings
(810 mmthick) are the two types of
mechanical protection concrete coatings.
Wire-mesh concrete coatings are applied
using a side-wrap process, while the bre-
reinforced concrete coatings are applied
using a spraying process, without any
damage to the pipe and the pipe coating
during application.
The concrete coatings ofer excellent
damage resistance minimumimpact
resistance of 150 J for the bre-reinforced
concrete coatings and 450 J for the
wire-reinforced concrete coatings. The
mechanical protection concrete coatings
are fully bendable according to the industry
standards; do not need additional equipment
or manpower for installation; and, do not
have any usage limitations in terms of
terrain conguration, ground conditions or
climate. Concrete coatings are currently the
only supplementary mechanical protection
systems that protect steel pipe through all the
construction and service life phases from
transportation, handling and storage to
lowering-in, backlling and long-termservice
life.
Sand bedding and padding is still
the most frequently used supplementary
mechanical protection system. Sand is
usually supplied to the RoW, where it
is used in the trench to protect the pipe
against impact and penetration fromrocky
outcrops in the trench bottomor impacts
fromrocks in the excavated trench material.
The sand layer usually has a thickness
of 2030 cmaround the pipe and has a
minimumimpact resistance of 300450 J.
Sand padding needs additional equipment
such as sand trucks, padding machines,
temporary work and storage space at the
RoW, as well as additional manpower and
materials. Additional costs are usually
incurred for the transportation and disposal
of the original trench material that becomes
surplus material after the use of sand. This
systemprotects the pipe during the pipeline
backlling and operation phases, and
industry experience shows that potential
sand washouts can reduce long-term
protection.
Sand padding also has limitations in
terms of terrain congurations, such as steep
slopes, climate, and wet or frozen sand. More
recently, select backlling (or mechanical
padding) has been used as a sand padding
technique. This requires special equipment
that can screen the material excavated from
the trench and install the ner grades around
the pipe, while using the coarser material for
closing up the trench. This systemhas terrain
conguration, soil type (clay, silt) and climate
limitations that are similar to sand padding,
but has the advantage of re-using the trench
material and thus avoiding most surplus
material disposal costs.
Non-woven geotextile materials are
polypropylene bre-based rolls, and
rockshield materials are polyethylene or PVC-
based solid sheets or open-cell rolls that are
installed around the steel pipe in the eld,
usually before the lowering-in phase. These
materials are available in diferent styles and
thicknesses, with the usual thickness per
layer at 414 mmfor non-woven geotextiles
and 611 mmfor rockshield materials.
These materials also have a wide range
of technical performance. As an example,
their minimumimpact resistance is in the
2535 J range. These materials protect the
pipe during lowering-in, backlling and the
pipeline service life. The installation of these
materials is very slow, taking approximately
15 minutes for a teamof three people to
protect just one pipe joint, and the quality
of the protection is highly dependent on the
skills of the eld installation team.
The impact resistance of these materials
is limited. When rocks more than 10 cmin
size are present in the backll material, other
protection systems such as sand padding have
to be added, which further increases the total
protection cost. Industry sources, such as a
recent Interstate Natural Gas Association of
America (INGAA) report entitled Emerging
Bedding, Padding, and Related Pipeline
Construction Practices, also mention concerns
regarding the negative impacts of some of
these materials the solid sheet type on the
active anti-corrosion protection of the pipeline.
Conclusion
Building and operating pipelines in
mountain areas is a challenging endeavor that
can be facilitated by properly protecting the
steel pipe and its anti-corrosion coating with
supplementary mechanical protection systems.
The optimumsupplementary mechanical
protection systemwill be selected based on a
well dened series of technical performance,
design and constructability, environmental
impact and economical criteria. The pipeline
industry is using its eld experience to
improve the existing systems and to develop
newones. The above-mentioned INGAA
study has identied two main areas as the
focus for future innovations in mechanical
protection systems coatings that are
resistant to damage, and newcrushing/
padding equipment.
Protecting pipelines in mountain areas
By Vlad Popovici, Bredero Shaw, Toronto, Canada
TERRAIN REVIEW TERRAIN REVIEW
FBE
coating
3LPE
coating
Rockshield
material
Concrete
coating
Sand/
select
backll
Standard
protective layer
thickness
0.4 mm 3.5 mm 11 mm 25 mm 300 mm
Diameter
of backll
material that
will damage the
anti-corrosion
coating
1020 mm 5060 mm 100120 mm 300+ mm 300+ mm
Table 1 Impact resistance of different protection systems.
A pipeline right-of-way in a mountain area. A pipeline protected by a bendable concrete coating.
Companies are advised that they have
been selected for an audit via letter and are
generally given several months to prepare.
They are issued with a detailed set of audit
protocols describing the conduct and focus of
the audit.
An NEB audit follows the ISO
management systemprocess fairly closely
and it audits against the Onshore Pipeline
Regulations, which are for the most part
written in goal-oriented language.
Dr Murray says that the company is
expected to designate individuals at diferent
levels, and at various locations, within the
company as interviewees. The objective of
the audit is to establish the adequacy and
efectiveness of a companys programmes.
It has been our experience that
management of change or internal
communications is a common area of either
non conformance or needs improvement.
Close out meetings are held at the end of
each day of the audit and any ndings shared
with the company representatives, who may
dispute themor provide clarication.
The initial audit report is sent to the
company for its comments and upon
consideration of these, a nal report is
written and a date set for the ling of a
corrective action plan.
Conducting an audit is quite demanding
of both NEB staf time and for a company
in preparing for it, so a ve to seven-year
frequency seems about right for a full audit.
Sometimes that would be pre-empted if, for
example, the company were to undergo a
change of ownership. Focused audits are less
likely to be repetitive, says Dr Murray.
Replacing the hydrotest
The NEB is currently addressing
applications to eliminate the hydrotesting
of pipelines on the basis that the quality
of pipeline fabrication, construction and
inspection techniques has improved to
the point where the strength aspect of the
hydrotest is redundant.
Dr Murray explains that in its place
proponents have developed a fairly
sophisticated quality management system
referred to as alternative integrity
validation (AIV).
Several pilot projects have been
successfully conducted under provincial
jurisdiction and one under the NEB.
It is important to note though, that in
considering waiving the need to test two
adjacent sections of pipe, to which the
AIV methodology had been applied, the
Board indicated that one of the sections
had been hydrotested. Further it regarded
the procedure as experimental with a
comparatively lowrisk of failure as the hoop
stress at the intended operating pressure was
of the order of 56 per cent specied minimum
yield strength (SMYS).
A ame ionisation leak test was also
conducted before placing the section
into service.
Unquestionably there are environmental
and economic benets associated with
eliminating the hydrotest. Obtaining and
disposing of large quantities of water can be
a problem while, as a rule of thumb, for a
large diameter pipe, hydrotesting costs could
be as much as 5 per cent of the entire project
cost, Dr Murray points out.
Regulating US/Canada pipelines
Pipelines crossing the border of Canada
and the US are regulated by separate
regimes, with diferent requirements and
philosophical approaches.
The NEB, regulating the Canadian
sections of the international pipelines, has
Memorandumof Understandings with the
nancial regulator responsible for approving
interstates pipelines in the US the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission and with
the Pipelines and Hazardous Materials and
Safety Administration (PHMSA), who is
responsible for the safety and integrity of
those facilities.
Dr Murray says that the organisations
meet regularly to share information.
Since we are separate jurisdictions,
companies that operate cross border
pipelines have to comply with the
requirements of both systems and that cant
be easy! he says.
Diferences in pipeline regulation
include physical diferences, such as valve
spacings, burial depths and some welding
procedures. For example, the US stipulates
a 72 per cent SMYS for pipelines, whereas
Canada species an 80 per cent SMYS.
This means that the wall thickness of
international pipelines increases upon entry
into the US.
The two countries also have difering
approaches concerning Integrity
Management Programmes (IMPs).
Whereas re-inspection or hydrotesting
intervals are prescribed in the US, in Canada
as part of the goal oriented philosophy, we
come to an agreement with the company as
to what constitutes a reasonable interval,
supported of course by a sound rationale.
I think it is fair to say that it is
uneconomic for a company to maintain two
separate IMPs so it may choose to use the
one deemed more onerous, says Dr Murray.
He notes that a company may also
apply to PHMSA for a waiver, for example to
operate at 80 per cent SMYS in Canada, with
several companies having recently done
so successfully.
There is a will between Canadian and
US regulators to push toward harmonisation
and we have undertaken joint studies to
see where this would be most efective, Dr
Murray concludes.
T
he National Energy Board (NEB) of
Canada is an independent federal
agency that regulates oil, gas and
electric utility industries, including the
pipeline industry. The Board promotes safety
and security, environmental protection and
efcient energy infrastructure and markets.
Here, NEBs Professional Leader
Engineering Dr Alan Murray outlines some of
the issues currently facing the regulation of
Canadian pipelines.
The role of the NEB
The NEB regulates pipelines that cross
provincial or international boundaries, while
pipelines located within a Canadian province
are the jurisdiction of that province.
Both the provinces and the NEB adopt
the same national pipeline standard,
CSA Z662. The standard covers oil and
gas pipeline systems and is a consensus
document reecting the viewpoints of
operators, regulators, contractors and
consultants.
Dr Murray says that the standard
inevitably sets out minimum requirements
in quite prescriptive terms, which in turn
has meant that the original regulations
developed were similarly prescriptive.
In 1999 the NEB decided that the onus
for ensuring safety and protection of the
environment should fall on the pipeline
operators since they have a direct inuence
over the condition and operation of their
pipelines.
By adopting a goal-oriented approach
to regulation, the NEB can be assured that
the prescriptive elements of Z662 are being
met, while enabling companies to make use
of the latest technologies and knowledge of
their own system, to develop best practice
procedures, Dr Murray says.
The audit process
Dr Murray says that the NEB uses a life
cycle approach to compliance in a goal-
oriented world.
Pipeline construction is subject to
frequent inspections, while the assessment
of a companys ongoing operations is made
as a result of regular integrity meetings with
Board staf and in depth audits.
The NEB conducts two types of audit
a full audit or a focused audit.
The determination to conduct an audit
is made based upon our assessment of the
risk a particular company poses using its
operating history (what we know about
them) and to some extent its geographic
location, Dr Murray continued.
For example we regulate a pipeline
company whose system delivers liquid
products to three major Canadian cities
and two of our largest airports. Leaving
to one side the probability of failure, the
consequence of a line break are such that the
company will always be deemed a high risk
and hence will have a full audit, usually on a
ve-year cycle.
Dr Murray says that if a company
experiences many incidents involving
safety, or the environment, then it would be
appropriate to conduct a focused audit of
that function.
Conversely, if a company exhibits
exemplary behaviour throughout its
activities, the level of scrutiny during
the application stage of a new project
could be less onerous, since it has been
demonstrating programme adequacy and
efectiveness.
The challenge for the Board staf
lies in conducting audits since the check
list approach, in a prescriptive regime,
has to give away in some areas to one of
professional judgement and that takes a lot
of experience, he says.
Encouraging a goal-oriented approach, eliminating hydrotesting and moving toward a more streamlined
approach to regulating Canada/United States cross border pipelines are some of the issues currently
being addressed by the National Energy Board of Canada. Pipelines International recently caught up
with Professional Leader Engineering Dr Alan Murray to talk about the issues currently facing Canadas
pipeline regulator.
Canadian perspective: a goal-
oriented approach to regulating
pipelines
POLICY AND OPINION POLICY AND OPINION
Alan Murray.
Pipeline installation by HDD:
pull-back governs success
Soil reaction force at the head of the
pipeline during the pull-back operation
of horizontal directional drilling, by J P
Pruiksma, H J Brink, H MG Kruse, and J
Spiekhout.
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for
installing pipelines under obstacles such
as river or canal crossings, and road and
railway embankments, is widely used for
pipes up to 20 inches in diameter and above.
The method is particularly suited to soils
such as clays through which it is easy to drill.
Considerable lengths of pipe can be installed
in this way: the process involves drilling
an oversized pilot hole along the planned
trajectory, lling it with drilling mud such
as Bentonite, and then pulling-back the
actual pipeline through the drilled hole.
There are few standards that actually
provide guidance for this operation, the
most critical aspect of which is the pull-back
operation. The cost of damaged pipes if
things go wrong, and the cost of additional
measures during and after the pull-back,
can be considerable. Recently, in the
Netherlands, problems occurred during pull-
back operations at a number of locations
where relatively large diameter pipelines are
being installed. The problems varied from
high pulling forces to abandoned pull-back
operations due to a jammed pipeline. The
pipelinesoil interaction during the pull-
back operation has been identied as the
cause of these pull-back operations.
The current Dutch method for calculating
the pull-back force on the pipe is based on
the soil-pipeline interaction, developed
over 10 years ago. The method considers the
distribution of the normal forces between
the pipeline and the wall of the pre-reamed
borehole. For general design purposes, this
is a quick and relatively simple method for
the calculation of the distribution of normal
forces between the pipeline and the borehole
wall, and gives a reasonable estimate of
the maximum pull-back force. The reason
for pulling problems, however, cannot be
explained with this method, and recent
research has shown that the behaviour of the
head of the pipeline is of major importance
in the pull-back operation.
The joint paper from the Netherlands-
based National Institute Geo-Engineering
Unit in Delft and NV Nederlandse Gasunie
reports on research undertaken into the
behaviour of the head of the pipeline at its
connection with the pull-back equipment
in the curved sections of an HDD trajectory.
The authors describe the model they have
developed for the pull-back operation, and
simulations they performed to study the
behaviour of a pipeline in the borehole
during the pull-back operation of an HDD
project. The model describes the complex
set of interactions between the pipeline, the
drilling pipe, the drilling uid, and the soil
in the borehole.
From the simulations and analytical
solutions, the authors show that the soil-
reaction forces are much higher when the
head of the pipeline is located in the bend
compared to when the head of the pipeline
has passed through the bend. Depending
on the ground conditions and the bending
radius, these high soil reaction stresses
in the curved section may cause damage
to the pipeline coating, and may lead to
penetration of the borehole wall, which in
turn leads to high pulling forces and may
lead to a stuck pipeline or to damaged pull-
back equipment.
Nord Stream Pipeline series:
considering environmental
impacts
The Nord Stream Pipelines German
landfall: the challenges ahead, by Nigel S
Kirk and Dipl-Ing Bjrn Dobberstein.
The current issue of the Journal of
Pipeline Engineering includes the rst
of three articles on one of the worlds
biggest current pipeline projects the
Nord Stream Pipeline. The series will
review various aspects of the project,
with specic attention paid to the
pipeline landfall in Germany. The
German landfall crosses an area that
requires a high degree of environmental
protection. The rst article describes the
project and its general technical details,
together with a description of the German
landfall, including the environmental
and authorisation issues, anticipated
construction techniques, and the expected
installation schedule.
The second article, which will be
published during the construction period
for the Nord Stream Pipeline next year,
will provide a general update of the project
and describe the installation design
together with the actual construction
activities and the challenges encountered.
The nal article, planned for 2011, will
review the project on completion of the
rst pipeline and assess the positive and
negative aspects of the German landfalls
construction.
As described in the last issue of
Pipelines International, the Nord Stream
Pipeline project consists of two 1,223 km
long parallel 48 inch diameter offshore
pipelines laid across the Baltic Sea,
connecting the pig launchers close to
the compressor station at Portovaya Bay,
Russia, and the pig receivers adjacent
to the Greifswald receiving terminal
in Germany. At the Russian end, the
pipelines cross the coastline southbound
at Vyborg, northwest of St Petersburg. The
route runs westward through the Gulf of
Finland for approximately 440 km, and
then turns southward and east of the
Swedish island of Gotland. Following
this the route turns southwest to skirt the
Danish island of Bornholm, continuing
in a south-southwest direction and
eventually landfalling close to Lubmin,
east of Greifswald in Germany. The project
is very significant for Europe as, once
fully operational, it will transport energy
sufficient for 1314 million people, and
supply approximately 25 per cent of
Europes imported gas requirements.
The pipelines route is highly sensitive
from many viewpoints, not the least of
which is its environmental aspects, and
Nord Stream AG has gone to great lengths
to ensure that the environmental impact
of the pipeline is kept to an absolute
minimum along its complete length. The
pipeline profile in the German landfall
area has been designed to satisfy a variety
of criteria in respect of the burial depth:
the cover to the pipeline varies from
14.5 m depending on pipeline stability,
pipeline protection, coastal erosion, and
local shipping authority requirements.
The pipelines route crosses a sandbar
known as the Boddenrandschwelle, an
area where the water depth is relatively
shallow, varying between 2.5 m and 4.5 m
deep, and through which the pipe trench
has to be widened over a length of about
1,100 m to ensure a minimum trench width
of approximately 50 m to allow access for
the laybarge.
After installation of the pipelines, the
dredged material contained within the
ofshore storage area will be re-dredged
and backlled into the trench. Selected
coarse-grained material will be placed
directly around the pipeline to ensure
that liquefaction of the material does
not occur and induce buoyancy, and
cohesive soil will be placed above the
coarse material, with topsoil nishing
of the layered backll. The backlled
trench will be accepted on completion of
a detailed bathymetric survey, after which
the ofshore and pull-in sections of the
landfall will be hydrostatically tested in
combination with the remainder of the
Nord Stream Pipeline.
Environmental considerations for pipeline construction are discussed in the latest edition of Pipelines
Internationals sister publication The Journal of Pipeline Engineering (JPE). Here, Editor-in-Chief John
Tiratsoo outlines articles discussing the Nord Stream Pipeline project and horizontal directional drilling
construction methods.
Environmental navigation of German
landfall and modelling pull-back
operations
TECHNICAL TECHNICAL
This article highlight some of the papers published in the current issue of the Journal of Pipeline Engineering.
Abstracts of the complete contents and subscription information can be found at www.j-pipe-eng.com
Surveying underway on the Nord Stream Pipeline route.
simultaneously with the nal completion
date of the whole project scheduled for
December 2010.
Brazilian pipeline construction company
GDK S.A is responsible for two contracts for
the GASTAU Project.
GDK was awarded a 32 km section of
the API 5L X70 pipeline running between
So Jos dos Campos Renery and Taubat
station. The scope of work involves the
design, engineering, construction, pigging
and testing, drying, commissioning and
start-up support for the pipeline.
The second contract involves the
execution of seven special crossings of major
rivers, dams and highways that are crossed
by the gas pipeline. Petrobras tendered the
special crossings contract separately due to
the complexity of works involved and high
level of execution difculty.
The two contracts are managed and
performed by two independent GDK teams,
and both involve unique challenges.
Challenges
The 32 km section of pipeline runs
through a highly developed region, with
industrial plants, big cities of more than
2 million inhabitants, large farms and an
impressive highway network built within the
vicinity of the project. Some sections of the
pipeline cross housing development areas,
which are densely populated, and require
12 road crossings over a distance of less
than 1 km. A total of 35 road and highway
crossings are being performed with large
boring machines.
In addition, the GASTAU Pipeline is
parallel to and located on the same right-
of-way as three operating trunklines. This
requires special construction procedures to
ensure safe conditions are maintained to
those existing lines.
GDK says that each kilometre of the
pipeline has varying environmental
conditions. Route terrain prole and soil
conditions are varied, ranging from swamps
to hills, side slope sections, rock incidence
and farm lands.
GDK says that a detailed study and
survey was required to select the most
appropriate method for the particular
characteristic of each of the crossings
required for the project.
In addition to the technical execution
requirements, GDK has also dened an
environmental plan, as a major part of the
two contracts is located inside a Federal
Permanent Environmental Preservation
Area, with strict environment restrictions.
Safety was also a primary concern.
The GASTAUProject requires
development within a tight contract schedule.
GDK took this into consideration, as well as
heavy rains experienced in the region from
September to February, when conducting
technical studies to select the nal pipeline
construction methods to be used.
To comply with all these requirements,
GDKs team is using innovative methods and
special equipment some of which have
never before been used for onshore pipeline
construction.
The special equipment includes:
CAT 320 hydraulic excavators on Kori
amphibious oating tracks to allow ditch
opening at the steep rivers banks and in
swampy areas; and,
Extra-long Doosan 24 tonne hydraulic
excavators, on special H configurated
floating pontoon sets, to open the ditch
in the deeper river beds, reaching up
to 15 m.
GDK is currently completing construction on Petrobras GASTAU Project, which includes a 28 inch
diameter, 97 km natural gas pipeline extension running from the north coast of Brazil to 760 m elevated
plains between the cities of So Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
T
he GASTAU Project will run from the
Caraguatatuba Gas Treatment Plant to
Taubat Custody Transfer Station and
So Jos dos Campos Renery, in So Paulo
State, Brazil.
The 97 km pipeline will transport natural
gas produced from the Mexilho eld,
located in the ofshore Santos Basin. The rst
phase of the elds development is expected
to produce 15 million cubic metres per day
(MMcm/d) of gas. The project is of strategic
importance to Brazil, aiming at increasing
natural gas supply to feed industrial,
automobile fuel and domestic consumption
in So Paulo and Rio de Janeiro cities.
The ofshore platform and facilities,
ofshore and onshore pipeline and
compressor stations are under construction
PROJECTS PROJECTS
GDK: innovative pipeline
construction on GASTAU
Crossing Method Width Features
Carvalho Pinto Expressway I HDD 180 m 6 lanes
Carvalho Pinto Expressway II HDD 140 m 6 lanes
Tamoios Highway Boring machine 130 m
Paraba River Lay and
post-trenching
420 m 25 m depth
Santa Branca Dam Pre-trenching and lay 230 m Rock
Capivari River Pre-trenching and lay 280 m 15 m depth/rock
Loureno Velho I River Pre-trenching and lay 300 m Swampy area
Loureno Velho II River Pre-trenching and lay 170 m Swampy area
Table 1: Summary of the features of the GASTAU Pipeline crossings.
GDK PROFILE
GDK is a Brazilian company, focused
in oil and gas construction activities
including onshore and offshore
pipeline construction, offshore
platforms and facilities, reneries, gas
processing units and petrochemical
plants.
GDKhas approximately3,000employees,
and owns 90 per cent of the equipment
used in its projects. This includes
1,500 pieces of heavy construction
equipment:
140 pipelayers
120 22/24 tonne excavators
20 pipe carrier
65 dozers
Bending machines
Welding coupling machines
Road boring machines from
48 inch
Three HDD rigs with up to
1,000,000 pounds pulling force.
The company is a member of the
International Pipeline and Offshore
Contractors Association (IPLOCA)
as well as corporate member of the
IPLOCA Novel Group, which focuses
on the research and development of
pipeline construction technology.
Route terrain profile and
soil conditions are varied,
ranging from swamps to
hills, side slope sections,
rock incidence and farm
lands.
Crossing the Paraiba River.
Preparing the Loureno Velho River crossing.
Right: Loureno River crossing preparation.
T
he QSN Link project connects the
935 km South West Queensland
Pipeline (SWQP) with Epic Energys
780 km Moomba to Adelaide Pipeline and
the 1,367 km Moomba to Sydney Pipeline.
The SWQP receives coal seam gas at
Wallumbilla in Queensland, and transports
that gas to Ballera to service the Mt Isa
market, before continuing into South
Australia to Moomba. The SWQP also
delivers gas into the Roma to Brisbane
Pipeline and the Queensland Gas Pipeline,
utilising the gas hub at Wallumbilla.
The project included the construction of
the 180 km, 400 mm diameter QSN Link, and
a midline compressor station on the SWQP
near Charleville and compression at Epics
Wallumbilla compound.
Co-operative construction
In July 2007, Epic Energy set up an in-
house project team to manage the QSN Link
project. Headed by Daniel Wallace, the team
of up to 12 people included both long-term
Epic employees seconded to the project
for its duration and contractors employed
specically for the project.
During construction of the pipeline and
compressor facilities, around 300 new jobs
were created and Epic Energy employed
additional staf to operate and maintain
the new pipeline and facilities post
commissioning.
BlueScope Steel supplied approximately
17,000 tonnes of high-strength PIPESTEEL,
suitable for conversion into API 5L X70, to
Orrcon's Pipe and Large Tube Division. The
steel supplied was developed specically
to meet the stringent requirements of high-
strength, high-pressure pipeline applications
and has been used in over 20 other pipeline
projects.
An early contractor involvement (ECI)
process was adopted for the project, which
enabled the construction contractor Nacap to
become intimately involved in the planning
and contract negotiation for the job prior to
contract award. The ECI process also assisted
the company to hit the ground running
once the contract was awarded.
Onsite cultural heritage monitoring
continued while ground-breaking activities
were underway in Queensland and onsite
ora and fauna monitors were in place to
ensure minimal impact on the natural habitat.
Construction of the compressor stations,
at Scraper Station 4 near Charleville, and
at Wallumbilla, commenced on 31 March
2008 and on 4 August 2008, respectively. All
phases of construction being managed by
Epic Energy were completed on time, for a
mid-January 2009 rst gas date.
Hot tapping the pipelines
Three hot taps were included on the
project a Class 900 tap on the SWQP,
the Moomba to Adelaide Pipeline and on
the Moomba to Sydney Pipeline. Nacap
subcontracted the hot tap works on all
pipelines to experienced hot tap contractor
Furmanite.
Tight time-frames and
environmental awareness
The main concern with respect to
engineering was the fast track nature of
the job. Again the co-operative nature of
the project between Nacap, Epic Energy
and engineering consultant WorleyParsons
in Brisbane, meant that any issues
identied during the process were resolved
quickly and with minimal impact on the
construction process.
There were literally hundreds of
culturally significant sites identified by
Epic Energy recently completed construction of the QSN Link Pipeline, which for the first time directly
links the sales gas systems in Queensland, Australia, to both New South Wales and South Australia.
Paraba River crossing
GDK says that one of the most
challenging jobs under the contract is the
Paraba River crossing.
The ParabaRiver the most important river
inthe regionis 420mwide and
25 mdeepwithadeepV channel and
steepbanks that donot allowconventional
constructionmethods or directional drilling
methods.
After an extensive technical study, GDK
has decided to apply a combined onshore
and ofshore solution. This solution is to
prepare a pipe length with a concrete jacket
to run along the entire width of the river and
bank and kept aoat using twin-buoys sets.
Following the correct positioning of the
420 m string at the crossing, the pipe will be
lowered to the river bed by water-ballasting
the buoys. After reaching its correct position
in the river bed, a post-trenching machine
applied only in ofshore pipelines will
excavate the ditch below the pipe, burying
it 1 m into to river bed, and stabilising the
pipe section.
GDK says that the application of this
solution can be credited to the combination
of the companys expertise in both onshore
and ofshore pipeline construction. GDK
has previously performed several ofshore
pipeline construction
contracts. While assembling large
diameter pipelines in a sensitive area of
the Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, GDK
employed a similar method resulting in a
very cost-efective solution to the client, as
well as limiting the environmental impact of
the project.
Construction continuing on
schedule
Completion of all the seven major
crossings is scheduled to be achieved in
January 2010. By October 2009, ve of the
crossings were already complete and the
overall work progress had reached above
70 per cent. The pipeline contract is expected
to be complete by March 2010, in line with a
special requirement stipulated by Petrobras.
Having to apply new techniques
and equipment to perform the jobs, the
GASTAU Project highlights the experience
of GDK personnel and establishes a new
benchmark in terms of pipeline construction
performance.
Pipeline link constructed
in central Australia
GASTAU PROJECT GDK MANAGING TEAM
Director - Conrado Serodio
Project Manager - Jos Guido de Oliveira
Contract Manager - Srgio Menezes Borges
Construction Manager - Srgio Lima
Construction Supervisor - Edson de Souza
Trenching activities are completed on the QSN Link project.
Welders hard at work.
Left: Launching the Loureno II river crossing.
Paraiba River crossing preparation.
Road crossing boring machine.
PROJECTS PROJECTS
local indigenous groups during pre-
construction surveys of the planned route.
On mobilisation to site, Nacap immediately
flagged these as no-go areas for the
duration of the project. The identification
of these areas, as is usually the case,
resulted in minor re-alignment of the
pipeline route and reduced work space in
areas where re-alignment was impractical.
The most environmentally significant
sites on the project were identified early
in the pre-construction surveys around
the creek areas and, in particular, the
Cooper Creek crossing near the Nappa
Merrie bridge. Numerous planning
visits were undertaken to the proposed
Cooper crossing site by personnel
including Nacap, Epic and environmental
consultant, RPS Ecos, to ensure that the
optimum route was chosen with minimal
environmental impact.
Further expansion
Work continues on bringing the
previously announced proposed Stage 3
expansion of the SWQP to fruition.
The Stage 3 expansion involves the
construction of a new circa 935 km,
450 mm diameter pipeline adjacent to
the SWQP. The expanded SWQPs daily
capacity would be increased from 168 TJ to
approximately 380 TJ.
Pipelayers and sidebooms: the
essential pipeline machinery
PIPELINE EQUIPMENT
W
hen selecting a pipelayer or
sideboom to construct a pipeline,
many considerations must be
taken into account. A pipelayer will be
selected based on the size and weight of
the pipe to be installed and topography of
the construction site. These considerations
impact on the lifting capacity of the
pipelayer, transportability and ease of
service required for the project.
Volvo Construction Equipment's
Derrick Buttereld says The larger and
heavier the pipe to be used for example,
concrete coated pipe for immersion in
water demands equipment with the lifting
capability and stability to manage it safely.
If limited access to the right-of-way is
encountered, transporting the pipelayer to
site can be an issue.
PipeLine Machinery International's (PLM)
Sherry Gettis says The contractor may need
to consider using machines with lower lift
capacity, but use more of themto lift a section
of pipe. Ease of service can be a crucial
consideration on remote access pipelines or
projects with tight completion timelines.
The contractor could also choose to
purchase a large pipelay machine with the
ability to self-disassemble, such as in Volvos
large pipelayer range.
Stability
Mr Buttereld says that machine
stability remains a known issue with
pipelayer and sideboom machinery.
Volvos excavator-based pipelayer
solution dramatically increases stability
thanks to a wide, almost square, operating
platform on the two largest models
PL4611 and PL015. A hydraulic variable
undercarriage is used on the latest model,
PL4608.
Dressta has developed a pipelayer with
a boom prop to improve stability. The SB-60
BP aims to provide contractors with the
ability to safely lift larger loads of pipe
up to 60,000 kg by extending a prop to
support a sideboom with an overhang of
2.26 m. The companys pipelay machines
are also tted with hydraulically controlled
counterweights for machine stability.
Maats/Liebherr has developed the
RL 64 pipelayer with wide track pads on the
load side in order to increase stability and
maintain a low ground pressure to improve
safety when working on porous ditch edges.
Safety
Safety improvements are continually being
made within the pipelayer/sideboomindustry.
Within the last 12 months, Volvo has
developed a roll over protective structure
(ROPS), load management systems,
increased load capacity and better stability
on its machines.
Pipelayers and sidebooms are an integral piece of machinery on any pipeline construction site. There
are many machines currently available to choose from, and issues such as safety and the environment
are driving further developments within the industry.
INNOVATIONS
The following innovations were employed by the project team:
The contract for the supply of linepipe with Orrcon included triple random lengths of up to 19.3 m in length. These long lengths
signicantly increased pipeline construction rates with welding achieving approximately 5.5 km per day for the entire length of
the pipeline.
Automatic Ultrasonic Testing (AUT) was employed to test 100 per cent of the circumferential welds. The AUT process also meant
high examination rates were achieved by AUT contractor, UT Quality. AUT enables quick examination of the weld and a fast
return on assessment of testing, which is complete within one minute of the welding being scanned. AUT also enables easy
electronic storage of all examination data in Epic Energys Geographical Information System (GIS).
Pipe stringing along the QSN Link route.
Construction works underway on the pipeline.
PipeLine Machinery International provides Caterpillar pipelayers.
PROJECTS
Maats/Liebherr has also recently
developed a ROPS for the Komatsu D355C-3
machine, which complies with the EN
13510:2000 and ISO 3741:2006 standards.
Dressta has improved safety on
its pipelayer machines through the
incorporation of emergency free-fall on
the load line, an automatic boom kick-out
to prevent boom damage, an automatic
overwind device and a load indicating
device.
PLMs Ms Gettis notes several features
of the Caterpillar pipelayers that have
been adapted with safety in mind. New
cab designs maximise the operators view
around the machine. Fingertip controls and
quick release blocks are designed to keep
operators out of trouble.
Ms Gettis also notes that adequate
training is imperative to ensure safety on
the construction site, and this includes
knowing how to properly operate pipelay
and sideboom equipment.
The most important safety aspect on
the pipeline right-of-way is well-trained
operators on well-maintained equipment.
Caterpillar and PLM are working closely
with industry training facilities to ensure
that new operators have the best equipment
to learn on, says Ms Gettis.
The environment
Within the industry, there is a growing
concern about reducing the carbon
footprint of pipeline construction projects.
Companies that manufacture and distribute
pipelayer and sideboom equipment are
responding by developing pipelayers with
engines that have lower emissions.
Caterpillar is continuing to develop Tier
4 rated engines and has recently launched
the rst electric drive tractor the D7E.
Maats/Liebherr has installed its RL
64 pipelayer with a diesel engine with
an output of 275 kW/374 horse power
that complies with all common emission
regulations.
Ms Gettis notes that there are issues
that need to be addressed as manufacture is
increased on lower emissions engines.
Lower emissions requirements and
alternative low-sulfur diesel fuels are
issues that will afect major northern
hemisphere pipeline projects. Low ambient
temperatures are a challenge for todays
low-emissions engines. Addressing this
issue on projects to be built in -4.4 degrees
Celsius temperatures is our challenge and
one we have been working on with the
industry for several years, she says.
Future developments
Each pipeline construction spread is
diferent, requiring contractors to think
carefully about the machinery that would
best suit the project. Pipelay and sideboom
manufacturers ofer many diferent options
for pipeline projects, while taking key
issues such as safety and the environment
into consideration.
In addition, pipelay and sideboom
machinery continues to be developed.
The industry continues to improve the
transportability of the equipment, develop
accessories to improve operator comfort
and efciency, and continue to engineer
machinery required for new trends in the
pipeline industry.
PIPELINE EQUIPMENT
The larger and heavier
the pipe to be used for
example, concrete coated
pipe for immersion in water
demands equipment with the
lifting capability and stability
to manage it safely.
VOLVOS DERRICK BUTTERFIELD
Dressta pipelayers and sidebooms complete the job.
Volvo Construction Equipment pipelayers in action.
PIPELINE EQUIPMENT
The Caterpillar PL61 pipelayer provides 40,000 lb lift capacity and the capability to meet pipeline
contractor requirements, with improved control, transportability, operator comfort, visibility and
durability.
P
ipeLine Machinery International is
supplying Caterpillars PL61 pipelayer
a newtechnically rened model at the
small end of the pipelayer product line to the
worldwide pipeline industry.
The Caterpillar pipelayer system
includes a winch, 5.5 m lightweight boom,
counterweight and frame. The boom is
constructed of specialty strength steel and
the counterweight is extended hydraulically
for improved load balance and clearance.
Counterweight segments are contoured
to provide a low centre of gravity and an
enhanced forward and right side viewing
area necessary for job site safety.
The frame is engineered to last
throughout the extended service life of
the PL61. The one piece main frame is
designed to absorb high impact shock loads
and twisting forces. The machine can be
congured for both standard gauge and low
ground pressure.
The PL61 features an electronically
controlled hydrostatic drive system with
independent power and control of each track
for fast acceleration, variable speed control,
and on-the-go direction changes.
The Caterpillar C6.6 Diesel Engine
with ACERT Technology meets worldwide
emissions requirements for EPA Tier 3, EU
Stage IIIA and Japan Moc Step 3 engine
exhaust emission regulations.
Caterpillar PL61 pipelayers can
be ordered globally through PipeLine
Machinery International or by contacting
your local Caterpillar dealer.
Pipelaying with the PL61
For more information on Caterpillars pipelayer line available through PipeLine Machinery International visit www.plmcat.com
The Caterpillar C6.6
Diesel Engine with
ACERT Technology meets
worldwide emissions
requirements
ONE WORLD.
ONE FOCUS.
ONE NAME.
PipeLine Machinery International (PLM)
supports the global needs of mainline pipeline
construction customers with one-stop access
to the most extensive pipeline machinery
expertise in the business.
New and used PLM-supplied Caterpillar
machines are now operating around the world
delivering maximum productivity and reliability,
together with industry-leading technology in
the areas of environmental compliance, safety
and ease of operation.
www.plmcat.com
2008 Caterpillar
All Rights Reserved
CAT, CATERPILLAR, ACERT, their respective logos, SystemOne, Caterpillar Yellow and
the POWER EDGE trade dress, as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are
trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that mechanical pipeline defects such
as dents must be reported. Operators often find it particularly challenging to effectively assess such ID
anomalies.
R
esearch programmes to enhance the
assessment of this type of damage have
led to a newapproach in the detection
of inner diameter anomalies by means of the
latest generation of high-resolution geometry
inspection technology.
Based on experimental data obtained in
the course of several research projects, this
article presents the benets of high-resolution
geometry tools in conducting baseline surveys
for the purpose of subsequent assessment of
mechanical damage. The operating benets
gained thereby are explained in the context of
other in-line inspection technologies.
The nature of ovalities and other
ID anomalies
Being very complex in structure, ID
anomalies can appear in a wide range of
forms. The American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) denes a dent as a gross
disturbance in the curvature of the pipe wall.
The most important type of anomaly for
the purposes of the present investigation
are ovalities. Dened as a deviation of
the circular shape of the cross section of
the pipeline, an ovality afects the entire
circumference of the pipeline cross section.
Ovalities usually appear in combination with
a dent making thempart of a more complex
ID anomaly.
A new approach to the detection
of ID anomalies
To ensure full compliance with all
requirements governing the wide variety of
ID anomalies, a newapproach consisting
of two main features is nowtaken. Firstly,
a newsensor has been developed which
combines the proven mechanical caliper
armsystemwith a touchless eddy current
device. Secondly, a newarrangement of
these sensor devices with a second sensor
ring, circumferentially ofset fromthe rst,
ensures complete coverage of the internal
pipeline circumference. In combination, the
newsensor systems and their innovative
arrangement have signicantly improved
probability of detection. Figure 1 shows how
this newapproach is implemented in a single
tool.
Since it is often impossible to give a full
description of the depth, length and width
of many ID anomalies including dents, an
accurate assessment of the properties of
such anomalies based on reliable high-
resolution geometry data leads to more
detailed knowledge and consequently more
reliable analysis of the pipeline contour. In
combination, pipeline curvature and dent
shape provide an important parameter for
the calculation of dent strain, also known
as local strain: abrupt changes in pipeline
curvature are more severe and result in a
higher dent strain value than plain dents.
The newRoGeoXt makes an invaluable
contribution to local strain assessment.
In addition, if the RoGeoXt is equipped
with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU); it
can also measure regional strain resulting
fromthe displacement of pipeline segments
due to external forces such as landslides.
Whereas the displacements are detected
with the IMU, all subsequent bending
strain assessment decisions are as a rule
supplemented by data obtained during the
same inspection run on the basis of internal
pipeline contour sampling with ID mapping
sensors.
Exceeding regulatory
requirements
Adopting a modular inspection
approach whereby the newly developed
high-resolution geometry technology is
combined with other ILI methods such as
magnetic ux leakage (MFL), geometry
mapping and, as in this case, an IMU to
form so-called multi-purpose tools, enables
merging and mapping data sets to provide
a more complete picture of the pipeline
as well as a more thorough assessment of
specic anomalies. Such multi-purpose tools
incorporating a variety of ILI methods have
been developed further to accommodate
multi-diameter pipelines.
Difcult operating conditions in deep
water, high-pressure or heavy wall pipes as
well as challenging pipeline design features
such as wyes have always placed great
demands on the design of ILI tools and runs.
The highly accurate data furnished by the
enhanced geometric inspection system is
therefore a great step forward in assessing
Optimal identification: getting up
close with ID anomalies
By Steffen Paeper, Daniel Molenda (PhD) and Johannes Palmer,
Rosen Technology & Research Center, Germany
PIGGING
Figure 1: 30 inch RoGeoXt featuring two inspection
planes for 100 per cent coverage of the internal
pipeline surface.
Figure 2: Pipeline long seam arrangement of an
offshore pipeline as detected by the Rosen geometry
inspection tool.
TREATMENT.
As a leader in pipeline inspection, ROSEN not only supplies
a complete range of treatments for pipelines but
also keeps your engineering structures up and running.
www.roseninspection.net
EMPOWERED BY TECHNOLOGY
359_07_ros_090519_anz_block_A4_RZ.indd 1 19.5.2009 9:45:45 Uhr
PIGGING
the condition even of assets posing great
inspection challenges.
In addition to the codes and regulations
governing pipeline inspections, pipeline
manufacturers must meet specications
for the production of pipeline joints and
bends, for example by documenting in detail
the manufacture of submerged arc-welded
longitudinal seampipes and stating the rating
of manufactured bends to ensure satisfactory
tting of pipeline joints. An accurate baseline
survey rstly conrms that these various
pipeline elements perfectly t each other
following installation, and secondly provides
an ideal database for analysing the pipelines
ability to resist buckling due to environmental
loading.
These strict requirements have led to
greater interest in ID anomalies. In line
with this interest, tools with improved
performance have been developed, and this
has in turned resulted in a signicant increase
in the number of features reported to an
average of 1.5 dents per kilometre. The DOT
guidelines for dents without any stress riser
use as a critical benchmark a dent depth of
2 per cent and above in outer diameter. The
rst Rosen statistics based on ID anomaly
data gathered with the RoGeoXt show
that more than 80 per cent of detected ID
anomalies are shallower than 2 per cent,
meaning that the tool not only meets but by
far exceeds current regulatory requirements.
Measuring ovality and welded
areas including long seams as
part of baseline surveys
Regulators specify that ovality (or
out-of-roundness) is an applicable value
for assessing the quality of manufactured
pipeline joints. High-resolution geometry
tools are a suitable instrument for
assessing recent as-built pipelines in
baseline surveys, which specify an out-
of-roundness value for all manufactured
pipeline joints. ILI methods are then used to
prove or disprove this value.
Figure 2 shows an example of a data
set recorded during a geometric ILI of an
ofshore pipeline. The long seams (green
appearance) around the 12 oclock line
(red) are very clear and distinctive; their
position alternates between 2 oclock and
10 oclock with minimal scatters. This
geometric inspection data allows a more
comprehensive feature assessment, for
example of dent curvature associated with
seam welds.
Pipelines are usually welded with the
long seams ofset, typically at 10 and
2 oclock. Such a pipeline layout scheme is
shown in Figure 3.
A detailed comparison of the data
sample and the actual pipeline layout
highlights the sensitivity of the RoGeoXt
ILI tool. This high sensitivity enormously
benets integrity management programmes,
as the detection of welded areas including
long seams forms a vital source of
information for several defect assessment
methods.
The unprecedented sensitivity in the
sub-millimetre range of geometric ILI tools
such as the RoGeoXt extends their range of
applications, since internal wall thickness
loss can be treated as ID changes. This
means that geometry tools can now be
used to support wall thickness recordings
obtained from metal loss mapping tools.
Internal corrosion
The RoGeoXt is highly sensitive to
features afecting the whole circumference
of the pipeline. The sensitivity of geometric
ILI tools to local features can be enhanced
by combining high-resolution geometric
technology with an ultrasonic (UT) device.
As the distance between the UT sensor and
pipe wall is known, UT not only measures
wall thickness but also the stand-of signal.
Since the two technologies use diferent
measurement methods to supply the same
type of information, their combination
permits reliable feature assessment based on
a comparison between UT stand-of and the
lift-of measurement (eddy current sensor) of
the RoGeoXt.
Due to the high sensitivity of the lift-of
sensors, the RoGeoXt can even be used to
search for shallow internal corrosion. This
means that the extended tool can be used to
detect and size shallow internal corrosion
in exceptionally challenging conditions, for
example where complete magnetisation of
the pipe wall is extremely difcult or using
UT is altogether impossible.
Conclusion
Rosens RoGeoXt has been proven in
field applications to fulfil the requirements
of standard codes and regulations.
Based on a new sensor combining a
mechanical calliper arm with a touchless
eddy current device as well as a novel
arrangement of these sensor devices with
a second sensor ring to ensure 100 per cent
internal coverage, the new approach to
the detection of ID anomalies provides a
more complete picture of the condition of
pipelines. Due to the enhancement of the
tools geometric inspection capabilities,
even marginal ovalities can be detected
and sized.
PIGGING
This article is a condensed version. The full version of this article, including references can be found at the Pipelines International
website www.pipelinesinternational.com
Figure 4: Correlating the azimuth angle of ovalities
with the pipeline layout.
Figure 3: Schematic illustration of a typical pipeline joint layout with long seams offset at 10 and 2 oclock (dashed
red line indicates the 12 oclock position).
E
arlier this year, GRTgaz successfully
completed its advanced magnetic ux
leakage (MFL) inspection on a 6 inch
diameter, 39 km pipeline in Normandy,
France. Built in 1965, the pipeline is located
to the northwest of Paris and is part of
GRTgazs 32,000 km gas pipeline system in
France.
The MFL inspection was completed
using the MagneScan in-line inspection
system, which allows operators to map
pipelines of diameters as small as 6 inches
while also inspecting for metal loss and
geometry features.
The new MagneScan system deployed
by GRTgaz is the rst able to inspect
pipelines of varying diameters and sharp
bends for multiple types of features in
a single run. The system was developed
by GE Oil & Gas PII Pipeline Solutions
Centre of Excellence for Magnetics in
Northumberland, United Kingdom. PII
Pipeline Solutions was instrumental in
developing the original MFL technology
used for oil and gas pipeline inspection in
the 1970s when it was under British Gas
ownership.
The system records the position of the
pipeline features and anomalies such as:
Dents, ovalities, and bends;
Internal and external pitting and
general corrosion on the pipe body;
Metal loss in the vicinity of welds; and,
Metal loss associated with dents and
under casings.
The new MagneScan systems are
designed to locate and size areas of metal
loss of ve per cent wall thickness or
greater, and in practice detect metal
loss even smaller.
Technical features of the new
MagneScan that are attractive to pipeline
operators include its 216 low noise Hall
efect sensors that record readings taken on
axial, radial and transverse vectors every
2 mm. This new 3D conguration covers
100 per cent of the pipe circumference
and optimises defect-sizing accuracy
for width, length and depth. The system
simultaneously maps the pipeline and
checks it for corrosion, using high
resolution MFL sensors that deliver
high quality data to identify and locate
metal loss and is suitable for geographic
information systems (GIS) analysis.
Mapping data is integrated with inspection
information during the run, reducing the
amount of post-processing required.
The improved accuracy means less digs
for the operators following inspection runs,
which convert to signicant savings and
reduced environmental impact.
While GRTgaz and GEs PII Pipeline
Solutions had originally agreed that the
project would consist of a maximum of ve
runs to gauge, clean, geometric survey,
inspect and map the pipeline, GE instead
completed the scope of supply in only four
runs, running gauge, cleaner prole and
the new MagneScan.
We were very pleased with the
performance of the new MagneScan system.
It allowed us to complete the inspection
with a single pass after the initial gauging,
cleaning and dummy tool runs had been
completed, said GRTgaz spokesperson
Stphane Ardiet.
GE was also able to complete the
project within our very tight window
between 19 and 30 January 2009 to
minimise the impact on production from
our gas storage facility in St Illiers.
In addition to the tools reliable
performance allowing the operation to
be carried out ahead of schedule, the
project maintained strict compliance
with the European Unions ATEX safety
requirements, for operations in potentially
explosive atmospheres.
We have delivered to our client the
full inspection report within the eight-week
timeframe that was agreed upon, and the
results from the analysed data have amazed
even the most experienced of our staf,
said General Manager of GE Oil & Gas PII
Pipe Solutions John Bucci.
This technology enables pipeline
operators to choose the level of analysis of
data they wish to review upon completion
of inspection, and allows them to
come back to GE later with additional
requirements for more in-depth analysis
leading to remediation plans.
To aid data analysts in improving
characterisation of complex (interactive or
axial) corrosion defects, the new technology
presents visually powerful data derived
from three magnetic elds transverse,
radial, and axial. These data sets are
combined to achieve enhanced defect sizing
specications and improved probability of
identication.
Since its introduction at the
International Pipeline Conference in
Calgary in September 2008, the new
technology has completed more than 40
inspection runs, covering over 2,500 km
of liquid and gas pipelines across three
continents.
Establishing a technical benchmark in pipeline security and environmental protection, GDF Suezs
wholly-owned gas transmission system operator, GRTgaz, has completed its first project with the new
MagneScan in-line inspection system.
GEs MagneScan inspects
Normandy pipeline
By Martin Bluck, Product Line Leader, GE Oil & Gas, PII Pipeline Solutions
The MagneScan in-line inspection system.
PipeWays Porcupine ultra high resolution technology has been developed to solve some of the
limitations of magnetic flux leakage and ultrasonic technology that affects detection and definition of
internal defects on pipeline systems.
W
inner of the 2007 Global Pipeline
award presented by the American
Society of Mechanical Engineers
International Pipeline Technology
Institute, the Porcupine detects and denes
longitudinal defects including channelling
corrosion, erosion, preferential longitudinal
weld line and general wall thinning, as well
as typical pitting corrosion and small inner
diameter (ID) corrosion.
The magnetic ux leakage (MFL)
technique using longitudinal induced ux
elds does not do well on the sizing denition
of longitudinally oriented corrosion or on
defects that create general wall thinning.
MFL technology is also limited by wall
thickness especially above 19 mm. In MFL
pigs of 14 inches or below, the limitation
of internal area for magnets intensies the
problems created by wall thickness. As
production goes deeper, the wall thickness
of pipelines generally increases so that the
use of MFL in some systems has a limited
application.
Ultrasonic (UT) technology requires
a homogeneous liquid to ll the pipeline,
reducing its application on most production
pipelines and all gas pipelines. A second
limitation of UT is that pipelines inspected
by that method need to be very clean to
avoid false or no signal return.
The Porcupines direct measurement of
the internal surface and its discontinuities
avoids these limitations. The sensor ngers
measure axial movement in both directions
from its calibrated set point at the nominal
inner diameter (ID) of the system being
inspected. The range of motion of the sensor
is accurate to 0.004 inches. The sensor nger
range also allows the accurate measurement
of almost any wall thickness.
In comparisons to UT pig results
and to external C-Scan UT inspection,
the correlation has proved the tools
performance and resolution to be similar
in both normally formed corrosion and
longitudinal channelling corrosion.
Porcupines direct measuring technique
is also very tolerant of soft or movable debris
in the pipeline allowing for inspections in
lines that are resistant to cleaning such as
those containing parafn. Debris that is
not movable such as scale or other hard
deposits will be detected and measured as
to the area covered and the thickness of
the deposits. This information allows the
evaluation of pipeline cleaning programs
and their modication based on data from
the Porcupine.
Scale deposits that may hide corrosion
or corrosion colonies can also be dened
as to thickness, area covered and location.
Operators can then decide the best method
for eliminating the areas of scale, allowing
chemical or mitigation treatments to reach
the afected areas.
Another benet of the Porcupine
technology is the tools exible design.
The tool has been proven in dual diameter
pipelines and in bend radius down to 1D in
some sizes. This will allow some systems
now considered unpiggable to be pigged
with the technology.
The technology has now been used
in pigs up to 42 inches and is now being
adapted down to 3 inches. Proof of the
technology in eld applications and
comparison of the technology to both
MFL and UT techniques have proven this
system is now ready to be applied to any
pipeline system.
The high resolution response and
the high degree of exibility also make
this technology applicable to other areas
where the technology will answer integrity
questions about high value assets. Some of
these asset classes are heat exchangers, like
steam generation systems and coker renery
units. PipeWay is currently developing the
Porcupine technology for tube inspection for
the applications.
The inspection of tubes in these heat
exchanger systems will be able to detect
and dene defects such as small diameter
corrosion, erosion, and general wall thinning
and bulging. The detection and denition of
the defects will be for both the straight pipe
and the numerous elbows in the system.
An added benet of this inspection is
that it will be able to check for remaining
scale, therefore determining whether the
tubes are clean prior to putting the units
back in service.
The Porcupine technology ofers a
unique, exible and accurate method to
inspect pipeline and tubed systems for
required defect and cleanliness information
to make integrity and asset management
decisions.
PIGGING
Prickly pigging: PipeWays
Porcupine reaches the international
market
PIGGING
PipeWays Porcupine ultra
high resolution technology.
The Pigging Products and Services Association plays a major role in
promoting the knowledge of pipeline pigging and related products
and services.
F
ollowing an initiative that developed
from a series of pipeline pigging
conferences, the Pigging Products
and Services Association (PPSA) was formed
in 1990. The Association now has over
95 members, and represents the pigging
industry throughout the world.
Providing pigging services
Wholly funded by members through
annual subscription fees, the PPSA plays
a major role in providing information and
sourcing equipment and services for pipeline
operators and the industry generally. It has a
newly refurbished website where visitors can
source the products and services they need,
and link to PPSAs technical information
service and other facilities. The Association
runs an annual seminar in Aberdeen,
occasional training courses on pigging,
sponsors lectures and meetings about the
subject, and supports relevant conferences.
The PPSAs annual general meeting is
usually held to coincide with the Houston
Pipeline Pigging and Integrity Monitoring
Conference and Exhibition, in which many
PPSA members and their companies are
involved. Next years will be held on 16
February, at the Marriott Westchase Hotel in
Houston.
The Association publishes a regular
newsletter Pigging Industry News, which
contains news about members companies
and brief articles of general pigging interest.
A number of years ago the PPSA published
An Introduction to Pipeline Pigging, a
104 page book which was written to give
a comprehensive overview of the most
important aspects of pipeline pigging.
The book is now in its eighth edition, and
continues to be an invaluable source of
reference to the wider industry.
The Association also publishes an
annual directory, containing contact details
of all the members and a brief overview of
their capabilities and activities. The directory
is free, and currently has a circulated to
approximately 5,000 copies around the
world.
Why is a pig called a pig?
One of the PPSA's most popular general
questions is How did a pig get its name?.
There are several possibilities. One story
says that two pipeliners were told to clean
a pipeline and listen for the pipe cleaner to
go by. This pipe cleaner consisted of a steel
pipe or mandrel body with anges welded
on both ends. Discs made of leather sheets
were stacked together to provide thickness,
and attached to the anges. As the pipe
cleaner travelled down the line pushing out
debris, it made a squealing, scraping, noise.
As the cleaner went by, one pipeliner made
a comment to the other about hearing that
pig squeal.
A similar squealing is attributed to a very
early type of pig that was made up from a
bale of hay wrapped around by barbed wire,
and stuck into the pipeline. A third account
claims that an early sphere pig was in fact
a pigs bladder like a football that was
inated to the necessary oversize.
These stories are generally accepted as
possibly being true, although none can be
veried.
Pigs through history
For more than half a century pigs
consisted of steel bodies and rubber, leather,
or urethane cups or discs. The tools were
equipped with wire brushes, scrapers, knife
blades, and other devices for ploughing.
Until 1960, most pipe cleaning was limited
to the oil and gas industry. Then the foam
bullet-shaped pig was developed referred
to as the polly pig because it was made of
polyurethane foam.
Although the oil and gas industry
remains the largest user of foam pigs,
many new industries such as the water
and wastewater industry, as well as the
chemical processing, petrochemical and
mining industries are now using pigs in their
pipelines, realising gains such as energy
savings, increased ows, decreased pumping
pressures, cleaner product, and salvaged
product.
The lessons learned from standard
pigging operations to clean, dewater, ll,
and displace product from pipelines, and the
pressures, speeds, and problems incurred,
have contributed greatly to the development
of instrumented pigs. These were introduced
in the late 1960s, and development is
continuing to the present day.
There are now literally hundreds of
diferent types of pigs, some with specic
or limited use. Apart from the main
functions of sweeping, drying, wiping,
cleaning, scraping, inspection, and integrity
monitoring, semi-intelligent pigs now
perform additional functions such as alerting
and initiating actions involving pumps
and valves, making inputs in computerised
operations, sometimes through pipe-wall
communications, and pipe sealing to allow
repairs or tie-ins.
PPSA: providing squeaky clean
pigging advice PPSA aim
To promote the knowledge of pigging
and its related products and services by
providing a channel of communication
between the members themselves, and
with users and other interested parties.
For further information about the PPSA and its activities, or to receive a free copy of the Directory of members, please contact the
Association via email ppsa@ppsa-online.com, or visit www.ppsa-online.com
Houston, Texas, will be abuzz with pipeline pigging in February 2010, with the annual Pipeline Pigging &
Integrity Management Conference and Exhibition gearing up to be a great success.
T
he 22
nd
Pipeline Pigging & Integrity
Management Conference and
Exhibition is once again set to take
the world by storm taking place at the
Marriott Westchase Hotel, Houston, Texas,
from 1518 February 2010.
The premier Conference and Exhibition
provides a forum dedicated exclusively to
pigging for maintenance and inspection,
as well as pipeline integrity evaluation and
repair. It enables delegates to come face to
face with the industrys top professionals
and create important and lasting contacts.
The 2010 event is expected to draw
more than 1,000 participants including
engineering management and eld
operating personnel from both transmission
and distribution companies concerned
with improved operations and integrity
management.
The two-day technical programme,
starting on 17 February, will feature
unpiggable pipelines, new pigging tools
and techniques, regulation, inspection,
multi-diameter and bi-directional pigging,
data interpretation and management, and
much more.
The Exhibition will run from
1618 February, and showcase more than
70 companies products and services
providing the worlds largest specialised
exhibition of pipeline pigging and related
products and services.
Delegates will be able to talk to product
and service providers directly to nd out about
the latest innovative solutions available.
Seven training courses will also be
available from 1516 February. These courses
will cover:
Pigging and in-line inspection
Pipeline risk management
Pipeline repair and in-service welding
Pipeline rehabilitation
Defect assessment in pipelines
Excavation inspection and applied non-
destructive evaluation
USA Department of Transportation
pipeline safety regulations.
Ensuring pipeline integrity:
talking pigging in Houston
Make sure you dont miss out on the latest pipeline pigging updates, products and services.
To register for the Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference and Exhibition visit www.clarion.org
Pipeline professionals
around the world are
looking forward to this
event. Get in quick to
register.
PIGGING
PIGGING
Courses
Conference
Exhibition
Now entering it 22
nd
year, the PPIM
Conference is recognized as the
foremost international forum for
sharing and learning about best
practices in lifetime maintenance
and condition-monitoring technology
for natural gas, crude oil and product
pipelines.
More than 100 specialized providers
of pipeline inspection and integrity
services
850+ attendees
2 days of cutting-edge technical
presentations
7 critically acclaimed training courses
Plan to be there: www.clarion.org
or call us at +1 713 521 5929
The international gathering of the global pigging industry!
Houston, February 15-18, 2010
P
ip
e
lin
e
P
ig
ging and Integrity M
an
a
g
e
m
e
n
t

Houston Marriott Westchase Hotel, Houston, Texas
Conference Organisers
Conference Supporters
PPIM_FP.indd 1 7/12/09 3:24 PM
Selecting the right valves
There are many valve manufacturers
and valves for any type of production,
temperature, pressure and service condition
can be found. Of these makes and styles
there is a wide range of feature options to
choose from, such as full or reduced port,
oating or trunion-mounted ball, rising or
non-rising stem gate.
When selecting a crucial component like
a mainline block valve, it is best to consider
the service conditions. What is the likelihood
of the valve seat seals being worn enough to
cause signicant leakage due to continued
dry cycling or the presence of an abrasive
like construction debris, black powder or
sand? For instance, a metal-seated plug
valve would suit a mainline block cross-over
assembly application better than a soft-seal
ball valve. Due to line purging and throttling,
damage can easily occur on the soft-seat
seals of a ball valve, whereas metal-seated
plug valves are designed to resist seat wear
in these conditions.
Many manufacturers claim to produce
valves that do not require lubrication and,
hence, do not include a seat sealant system
to inject lubricant or emergency sealant.
Every valve will eventually leak if not
properly maintained and the operators
ability to maintain production or to isolate a
pipe section could depend greatly on sealing
one leaking valve.
Storage and handling
Valve care is often neglected before
initial installation. Often large diameter
block valves are stored on a dusty
construction site with no end covers
or alternative protection from airborne
contaminants. Rarely is the internal
sealing integrity of the valve taken into
consideration by construction crews whose
number one concern is its timely installation.
Likewise, the improper transportation
of the valve itself should be of paramount
concern to project managers. Any rough
handling of the valve could cause the ball
or gate to creep out of its seat, exposing
the seat ring and body cavity to debris
contamination. Any opportunity to prevent
contamination of the valve assembly will
increase the likelihood of achieving a
positive seat seal test once installed.
Careful handling and storage of valves prior to installation, as
well as following correct procedures during construction and
commissioning, ensures a more efficient and safe pipeline, with less
chance of lost production and failed isolations. This article outlines
five steps to follow for a healthy valve.
simple steps to
total valve integrity
By Jason Chisholm, Sealweld Corporation
VALVES VALVES
Upgrading
Once the valve design that best suits
the operating conditions of the pipeline has
been chosen, one of the most important
steps is to outt the valve with the proper
internal check valves, sealant injection
ttings, body vent/drain ttings, packing
injectors, and riser lines (if required). The
only chance at maintaining the sealing
integrity of the valve depends on the ability
to inject synthetic lubricants and sealants
into the seat and stem areas of the valve. It
only takes one cycle of a contaminated valve
to completely destroy the highly sensitive
soft seals inside the seating area.
Typically, these upgrades are overlooked
during the design phase as future wear and
tear is rarely taken into account. Specifying
3/8 inch riser lines, opposed to the more
popular and slightly cheaper inch riser
lines, enables service technicians a much
greater chance of injecting a heavy sealant
faster if leakage is occurring in the seat area
and a seal must be achieved. Likewise for
injection ttings, a threaded cage design
is more likely to withstand the injection
pressures of heavy emergency sealants than
a crimped cage design, which can fail under
as little as 3,000 psi (20,700 kPa). Studies
have shown that threaded cage style ttings
can withstand injection pressures of well
over 50,000 psi (344,700 kPa).
Valve maintenance technicians rely on
the ability to blow-down the valve body
cavity to create pressure diferentials across
leak paths in order to draw sealants into
the required areas. Technicians are often
faced with servicing valves of up to 60 inch
inner diameter that are outtted with inch
body vent ports. This is hardly an ideal
situation as the drain port will not be able
to vent enough pressure to create the kind
of diferential that is required to deliver the
sealant to the areas that need it the most.
Many pipeline operators are beginning to
specify full-port ball valves in place of body
vent ttings on large diameter valves for this
reason.
Inspecting and commissioning
Of any step taken toward ensuring that
a pipeline runs efciently and safely, valve
commissioning is the most crucial. A case
in point involves the resurrection of three
brand new 36 inch buried mainline block
valves due to the complete washout of seat
seals during nitrogen purging. The cause: no
lubricant in the seat sealant system or seat
ring groove.
As a result of valve installation,
construction debris becomes trapped inside
the pipe where the butt ends are welded.
Once installed, the purging process pushes
the construction debris against the ball
and into the gap between the seat ring and
the sealing face. At this point during the
aforementioned construction project, had
any lubricant been injected into the valve, it
would have pushed enough of the debris out
and away from the sealing area and minimal
damage would have occurred. Instead,
the valve was dry cycled and so severely
damaged to the point that it required
replacement before the pipeline section
could be brought online.
The engineers and managers of this
pipeline project would go on to implement
a strict valve commissioning and pipe
inspection procedure. As a result; welding
slag, dirt, rocks, and any other kind of
debris was meticulously removed from
pipe sections before valve installation.
Every valve was purged of factory grease
and replaced with a high quality synthetic
lubricant and air tested to ensure that the
seat seals maintained their integrity. Eight
years later, every commissioned valve on this
project retains perfect sealing integrity.
Routine maintenance
If the preceding four steps have been
followed, the valve should be online with
no problems concerning sealing capability.
In order to maintain the valve properly, the
operator will need to implement a scheduled
routine of sealant system top-ups with
synthetic lubricant. Typically, a new valve
will require top-up more often than a valve
that has been in operation for one year or
more. It is this rst critical year of operation
that the valve seals sit tightest against
the ball plug or gate slab and lubricant
is required to reduce the breakout torque
during operation.
It is advised to top up the lubricant every
time a valve is operated for the rst year
in addition to a semi-annual full service
schedule. It may seem excessive, but a
small investment in time and preventative
maintenance on the front end could
potentially save hundreds of thousands,
if not millions of dollars on the back end
taking into account pipe section isolation
during emergency shutdowns. Compared to
the cost of an emergency valve body sealing
job, a preventative maintenance routine will
quickly pay for itself.
Conclusion
Much of this information is not new to
pipeline operators, yet thousands of valves
in every sector of the petroleum industry
are scheduled for replacement every year
causing lost production. By taking a few
simple steps like these ones above, one
could almost completely eliminate having
to replace valves before their service life
expectancy. In combination with specialised
sealants and pumping equipment, it is
conceivable that any given valve could stay
in service indenitely and retain sealing
integrity.
The advantages of X80 pipe, importance of drop-weight tear tests and new welding processes were
topics high on the agenda at the Pipeline Technology Conference held in Ostend, Belgium, during
October 2009.
A place for science
in pipeline design
By John Tiratsoo, Editor-in-Chief
T
he Pipeline Technology Conference
in Ostend (see our report on page
59) showcased 117 papers over three
days, making it difcult to listen to each
presentation. This article discusses three
papers presented at the Conference. Each
paper presents diferent subjects, and while
acknowledging that there could be as many
equivalent selections made as there are
reviewers available, the below papers are
considered to be of particular interest.
X80 pipe
X80 pipe is being used more and more
widely due to its higher strength and thinner
wall thickness. A further advantage over
thicker materials is that less longitudinal and
girth welding is required.
Authors Dallamet al. examine the criteria
for X80 pipe welding, in terms of the weld
performance in wide-plate tests. As they point
out, considerable resources and eforts are
expended in the design and fabrication of safe
and economical pipelines. While difering
design philosophies may be employed, the
suitability for service and the risk of failure
ultimately depend on the materials behaviour
in actual service conditions.
The trend in design, and consequently
pipeline material development, is to use
higher-strength materials to take advantage
of either less material performing the same
function, or the same amount of material
supporting greater operating loads.
One approach involves overmatching
the weld metal yield strength, making the
weld metal stronger than the host metal of
the pipe. The motivation for this is to achieve
higher performance and safety at a lower
total project cost.
With increased pipe strength, and
the potential for thinner wall pipe, cost
reductions can be made due to the decreased
pipe weight; thinner pipe requiring less
welding; and, the lower cost of transporting
the pipe to the job site. For example,
switching from X70 to X80 pipe could reduce
wall thickness by 12 per cent because of the
ratio of pipe strength, while the weld metal
volume could be decreased by 25 per cent.
Testing at a small scale has evolved to
prove the materials and the design. Tensile
tests and Charpy V-notch impact tests are
normally performed on small specimens,
and consider the most extreme set of
expected service conditions. On the other
hand, large-scale tests more accurately
TECH TALK TECH TALK
The papers mentioned above can be obtained from Great Southern Press UK ofce.
Email jtiratsoo@gs-press.com, or phone +44 1494 675139
simulate service conditions, and this is a
recommendation where higher-strength
materials and welding processes are being
investigated. The authors point out, however,
that as the required strength increases, the
number of possible processes, procedures,
and consumables that are suitable for
welding decrease.
The drop-weight tear test
Dr Andrew Cosham and co-authors
continued the theme of testing in their paper
on the drop-weight tear test (DWTT). For
over 40 years, linepipe specications have
stipulated minimum requirements for the
shear area in a DWTT to ensure the arrest of
a long-running brittle fracture, and the test
has been very successful in preventing such
fractures. However, many current pipeline
engineers do not understand the background
or importance of the test this can lead
to problems, as the test is an essential
requirement for many types of pipeline.
Pipelines that transport gaseous uids,
two-phase uids, dense-phase uids, or
liquids with a high vapour pressure, are
susceptible to propagating fractures. Once
initiated, a fracture can spread for long
distances in either the brittle or ductile
mode. Toughness specications for linepipe
have been developed to ensure that any
propagating fracture is arrested within an
acceptable length. The DWTT shear area
requirement ensures that such fractures will
not occur. Tests show that fractures will not
propagate if the shear area measured in the
test is 85 per cent or higher at the minimum
design temperature.
Following original researchinthe 1960s and
subsequent testing ina variety of conditions, the
DWTTrequirement was incorporatedinto API
5L in1969, andhas provento be very successful
inpreventing in-service long running brittle
fractures. The introductionof the test also ledto
signicant improvements inthe manufacturing
of linepipe steel, andfor many years linepipe
has met the shear area requirement without
difculty.
However, the background to the
development of the DWTT is in danger of
being lost in time, and there is now a risk of
complacency. The authors of this paper point
out that in a number of recent projects, the
linepipe supplied does not meet the DWTT
shear area requirement.
Additionally, there are inconsistent and
arbitrary limits on DWTT such as it only
being required for welded pipe of 20 inch
diameter or larger which now need to be
reviewed and revised.
The authors conclude that, even 40 years
after its introduction, the background to
the development of the DWTT still needs
to be recognised and fully understood, as
the DWTT shear-area requirement is just as
relevant to todays pipeline designers as it
was at its introduction.
New welding process
It is widely acknowledged that there will
be a great increase in pipeline construction
in the coming years, and upwards of
280,000 km of new pipeline construction
has been announced worldwide. We can
reasonably assume that these new pipelines
will require approximately 20 million
welds to join the pipes an unparalleled
challenge on welding operations in terms of
productivity, quality assurance, employee
safety, and environmental impact.
Traditional manual or semi-automatic
welding techniques have a number of
limitations in relation to this challenge:
The higher strength steel grades that are
becoming more commonly used (X80
and above) are more difcult to weld
with conventional technologies;
Increasingly stringent quality
requirements demand constant,
reproducible, welding quality, which
only automatic welding can guarantee to
provide;
Relatively slowjoint completion rate due
to the slowprocess of traditional welding
and number of passes required, which
also require higher energy consumption
and give rise to increasingly unacceptable
carbon dioxide emissions; and,
The difculty of nding skilled welders
and to encouraging them to work in often
remote and inhospitable areas.
In order to meet these challenges,
several automatic welding processes have
been developed by the industry. Friction
welding is a forge welding process in
which the heat is generated through the
friction between two surfaces rubbing
against each other under controlled axial
pressure. However, conventional friction
welding is not suitable for joining long
components, such as pipes, since these
cannot be rotated for obvious practical
reasons.
To enable pipelines to be welded using
the friction-welding process, an innovative
variant of the conventional process has
been created. Called the FRIEX process,
this welding process was developed by
Denys NV in co-operation with the Soete
Laboratory of Ghent University and
the Belgian Welding Institute, with the
financial support of the Institute for the
Promotion of Innovation by Science and
Technology in Flanders.
The major difference between the
FRIEX process and conventional friction
welding is that a filler material in the
form of a solid ring is used. This ring is
placed between the pipes and is rotated
under an axial load that generates the
required friction and associated heat (see
Figure 1). After the two adjacent pipes are
brought into contact with the rotating ring,
the friction between the ring and the pipes
increases the temperature in the contact
area until the forge temperature is reached.
At that moment, the rotation of the ring
is rapidly stopped and the axial force is
increased to the final forge force.
Forging is done using either a
hydraulic or pneumatic force, and after
welding, the remaining welding ring
material and welding flashes are removed
using automated turning and milling
machines. As an example of the speed of
this operation, two 20 inch diameter
X65 grade steel pipes were completely
welded together in around 12 seconds.
The developers of this process
recognise that further testing is required,
but the feasibility of their system has
clearly been effectively demonstrated.
Among its many advantages over other
methods are its speed, reliable weld
quality consistency, and a minimum
requirement for highly-skilled labour, all of
which will be welcome to contractors and
pipeline owners alike.
Figure 1: Schematic of the FRIEX process.
traditional research models, which may have
their centres of excellence inside universities
or other specialised institutions. It is not the
intention of CTDUT to replace or supersede
other already adopted solutions, but to
complement what already works well, and act
as a catalyst, providing evident advantages
for both the ones who have, and the ones who
need, specialised knowledge in the oil and
gas pipeline industry. In such a model, other
laboratories and specialists are not perceived
as competitors, but as important partners
in the initiatives with which CTDUT may be
involved.
As an example of this network-based
approach, which includes the main
participants in the Brazilian pipeline
sector, CTDUT has participated in drafting
the proposed Safety rules for operation of
pipelines, being prepared by ANP the
Brazilian National Agency of Oil, Natural
Gas and Biofuels a project that brought
together a wide range of experts with
difering backgrounds and interests.
Facilitating development
Current facilities at CTDUT include a
14 inch diameter test loop, a pipeline pig
pull-through and defect-characterisation
facility and a laboratory for research
into structural integrity, among others.
The 14 inch, 100 m test loop is equipped
with anged spools that, among other
applications, allow installation of spools
with mapped defects so that the performance
of intelligent tools can be assessed under
controlled circumstances. The test loop also
provides the option for training operators in
the procedures involved for safely launching
and receiving pigs, including the operation
of control and lock valves, and opening and
closing the pig trap closures. The loop can
also be used for training for intervention
operations in pipelines, and in maintenance
procedures.
The pig pull-through rig is a testing
assembly consisting of pipelines with
diameters ranging from 6 inches to 16 inches,
containing a variety of mapped defects. The
rig is equipped with a variable speed winch,
and has been designed to be suitable for
tests that evaluate the detection efciency
and calibration of instrumented pigs and
other equipment used for the detection of
defects, such as long-range guided acoustic
waves. Pipes of other diameters can also
be incorporated, according to the test
requirements.
The structural integrity laboratory
ofers an area for both destructive and
non-destructive integrity tests on carbon
steel or composite material pipes of any
diameter, as well as on ancillary equipment
such as valves. The laboratory is equipped
with a 10 tonne capacity crane, a hydrostatic
pressurising pump of up to 1,000 bar, a
safety bunker with high-impact protection,
and monitoring cameras. The 4.1 m x 18.1 m
underground test area is covered with heavy
steels plates for maximum protection.
Among the research activities being
currently developed are seven projects with
the nancial support of two government
organisations (CTPETRO and FINEP) as well
as Petrobras. The projects are looking into
leak detection, transient ow in pipelines,
drag reduction, and the development of
techniques for internal lining of pipeline.
Other partners include various Brazilian
universities and research institutions.
Non-associated external organisations
can also use the CTDUT facilities. An
example includes the pigging training course
developed by John Tiratsoo of Pipelines
International and Houston-based Clarion
in association with UK-based Penspen and
pigging companies Rosen of Germany and
PipeWay of Brazil. The ve-day course is
planned to run at half-yearly intervals,
running in April and September this year.
The syllabus, developed by Penspen,
involves demonstrations of actual pigs
being safely launched, run in real time,
and retrieved, as well as classroom-based
lectures and discussions. Pigs have been
provided to the course by both Rosen and
PipeWay, and include the whole range of
tools from foam pigs through to caliper and
magnetic ux leakage tools. The course is
seen as an increasingly important part of
CTDUTs activities combining, as it does, a
number of the institutions facilities.
A further part of CTDUTs infrastructure
currently under construction is a 12 inch
diameter, 2.5 km test pipeline, which can be
operated with oil, and a 16 inch diameter,
2.5 km test pipeline in the same right-of-way
that can be operated with gas. The oil and
gas will come from the nearby Petrobras/
Transpetro Duque de Caxias renery.
These new test pipelines will be used to
support research and development of new
equipment, tools, and systems for inspection
and protection of pipelines, as well as
ow tests under various actual operating
conditions for validation and developed
of simulation software. Other planned
projects that will be appropriate to these
pipelines will be testing and certication of
control equipment and systems; protection,
monitoring, inspection and maintenance
of pipelines beyond the certication of
processes and operating procedures; and,
the training and qualication of operators
and technicians. Both pipelines will
eventually be used for the pigging training
course as well.
T
he pipeline industry has particular
difculties in terms of testing and
research due partly to the risks
associated with any testing programme
and difculties in simulating the extreme
conditions in an operational pipeline. In
addition, there are economic and practical
disadvantages of stopping and starting an
operating pipeline for the purposes of a
testing or research programme.
It is also important to consider that
the availability of well-trained researchers
inside the company, in all areas of expertise
can lead to the formation of a research and
development structure but at considerable
cost. Balanced against this, the growing
technological challenges created by the
need to exploit new elds often leads
companies to undertake research and
development activities as a means of
remaining competitive and keeping pace
with their markets requirements.
Created with the objective of meeting
such needs, and working as a shared
research centre available for use by all
companies in the sector regardless of
their membership status, the Centro de
Tecnologia em Dutos (CTDUT) which
translates as the Centre for Technology
in Pipelines ofers such services to the
pipeline community, seeking to act as an
independent institution and discussion
forum for the industry.
Created as a non-prot association, the
model for CTDUT came from an audacious
and original concept that is performing well
and producing excellent results. Inaugurated
on 10 May 2006 as an initiative of its three
founding partners Petrobras, Transpetro,
and Pontifcia Universidade Catlica do
Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) CTDUT now has
45 members, including several prominent
institutions in their respective elds of
pipeline engineering and operations.
CTDUTs facilities are dedicated to
testing and training, and available for
use by the whole pipeline community.
The organisation also has specialised and
trained operating personnel who are able
meet all the demands likely to be required of
such a facility. The institutions management
co-ordinates the research and development
projects that are undertaken, although
CTDUT does not have its own dedicated
team of in-house researchers. The work
undertaken at CTDUT is often part of wider
research projects, which are carried out at
the facility due to the organisations ability
to provide the necessary hardware and
expertise.
Working together
The research model on which CTDUT is
founded is that of a science and technology
institution that does not house its researchers
on its staf, but instead relies upon a network
of researchers fromother institutions, both
public and private, which are invited to join
a working group whenever a research project
requires expertise in their respective areas
of specialisation. This model of a Brazilian
network of competence in pipelines transects
the traditional boundaries of research
institutions, and encourages and focuses the
collective work of teams fromdiferent research
groups towards a common goal.
The management and those responsible
for CTDUT are nding that this model is being
increasingly accepted, demonstrating its
feasibility as a solution and complementing
Any dedicated facility for pipeline industry testing has high costs of construction, operation, and
maintenance, and few companies can afford this structure without imposing extensive costs on their
customers. Centro Tecnologia em Dutos (CTDUT) has been formed to offer such a service to pipeline
owners and operators.
CTDUT: a model for sharing
facilities and costs in research and
development
By Arthur Braga, Executive Director, CTDUT, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
INDUSTRY NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS
Details of the pigging training course held at the CTDUT facility
can be found at www.piggingtraining.com
Participants at CTDUTs pigging course and pipe
bursting test facility.
Pipelines International's Editor-in-Chief John Tiratsoo (second from right), who developed the pigging course
held at CTDUT in association with Clarion, Penspen, Rosen and Pipeway, visits CTDUT's pigging course and pipe
bursting test facility.
LNG from Algeria instead. This manoeuvre
resulted in Tunisia accepting a 5.625 per cent
transit fee of transported gas volumes, and
the pipeline progressed.
Pipeline progress
Construction began with an ofcial
ceremony in Algiers in June 1979 and by the
end of 1980, the three pipelines spanning the
Sicilian channel had been completed. Pricing
disagreements arose once again, this time
with the Algerian Government demanding an
increase of $US2 per 1 million british thermal
unit fromthe price set in the 1977 agreement.
Construction halted when Eni refused to
comply withthe newdemands and the Algerian
Government ordered a halt to all Italian
industrial contracts and construction projects
in Algeria. Construction of the Algerian onshore
section of the pipeline did not recommence
until a newpricing agreement was reached in
1982.
The rst line of the Trans-Mediterranean
was nally commissionedinJune 1983, while
the secondphase was completedbetween1991
and1994, whichsawthe capacity of the pipeline
double to 1 trillioncubic feet per annum.
Slovenia securedaccess to the pipeline through
the constructionof a 35 kmspurline, which
connects into the Italianend.
Present day
In 2005 Eni and Sonatrach reached
an agreement to expand the Trans-
Tunisian Pipeline, a section of the Trans-
Mediterranean Pipeline that runs through
Tunisian territory. Saipem was contracted
to carry out the engineering, procurement,
construction and commissioning of two new
gas compression stations and the upgrading
of the existing compression facilities. Work
was completed in October 2008 to increase
the capacity by 113 Bcf/a and works are
planned to increase capacity by a further 116
Bcf/a starting from 2012.
D
uring the 1960s the Trans-
Mediterranean Pipeline project was
conceived as the most efective way
to monetise Algerias extensive gas reserves
and to enable Italy to expand its natural gas
consumption. A preliminary feasibility study
was conducted in 1969 and the rst route
survey completed during 1970.
Italian stated-owned Eni pursued the
construction of the subsea pipeline in
favour of proposals to ship LNG across
the Mediterranean and in 1973, signed a
contract with the Algerian Government for
the supply of 414 billion cubic feet of gas
from the Hassi RMel Gas Field for a period
of 25 years.
The agreement gave rise to the technical
challenge of crossing the Mediterranean with
a subsea pipeline at record-breaking depths.
Constructing in deep waters
The 2,340 km pipeline route begins at
the Hassi RMel eld in Algeria and runs
550 km to the Tunisian border. From there
it travels 370 km through Tunisia to El
Haouaria, after which it crosses the 155 km
wide Sicilian Channel.
In 1975 Sonatrach and Eni awarded
Eni subsidiary Saipem a $US237 million
contract to lay three 20 inch gas transmission
pipelines across the Sicilian Channel in
water depths of up to 610 m and a further
four pipelines across the Straits of Messina
from Sicily to the Italian mainland.
At the time, worldwide experience in
design, construction and maintenance of
ofshore pipelines was limited to water
depths of 150 m. The Trans-Mediterranean
Pipeline project necessitated the research
and development of new technologies to
overcome the engineering and construction
hurdles presented by the pipelines depth.
Saipemconstructed Castoro Sei, a
computer-controlled, semi-submersible
pipelay vessel, to break the world record and
lay pipes in depths up to 610 m. The Castoro
Sei was equipped with three tensioners,
which provided a maximumtension of 180 t
in the pipes being laid. The laying systemwas
comprised of three ramps one xed and
one pivoting ramp, and a stinger, which was
hinged to the internal pivoting ramp.
The severe unevenness of the seabed
and steep slopes posed the main difculties
for the project, limiting free spans in the
pipeline construction. Saipem developed
a model to monitor the stress status of the
pipes on the sea oor both during and after
laying to minimise the risk of buckling and
avoid the associated long delays.
A 45.7 m wide corridor was required to be
opened up through rock and coral in water
depths of 503 m over a length of
4.8 km in the Sicilian Channel. After
obstructing materials were successfully
blasted through, a guide cable was laid along
the wall of the trench to act as a reference
line for surveying the position of the rst
pipeline, which was laid parallel to it.
The Tunisian crisis
In 1977 Tunisia sought to take
advantage of rising oil prices, Enis growing
commitment to the project, and the fact
that the only feasible route for the Trans-
Mediterranean Pipeline passed through its
territory, to negotiate a transit fee of
12 per cent of the value of the gas that passed
through its territory. The demand forced
Eni to investigate the option of abandoning
the pipeline project in favour of shipping
The 2,340 km Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline, which was constructed between 1978 and 1983 to bring
natural gas from Algeria to Italy, involved the deepest subsea pipeline installation at the time. More
than a quarter of a century on, Pipelines International reflects on the achievement.
HISTORY HISTORY
Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline
The Algerian section of the pipeline is operated by Algerian state-owned company Sonatrach while the Tunisian section is owned by
Sotugat (Socit Tunisienne du Gazoduc Trans-Tunisien) and operated by Sergaz. The section across the Sicilian Channel is operated
by TMPC, a joint venture of Eni and Sonatrach. The Italian section is operated by Eni's subsidiary Snam Rete Gas.
Castoro Sei, which is still in service, under repair at Keppel Verolme. Image courtesy of Keppel Verolme.
The Castoro Sei at work offshore Sciliy.
For more information visit
www.VRTEX360.com
The biennial Rio Pipeline
Conference and Exhibition,
organised by the Instituto
Brasileiro de Petroleo Gas
e Biocombustiveis (IBP) in
association with ASME, was
held on 2224 September 2009.
Pipelines International Editor-in-
Chief John Tiratsoo reports.
O
ne of the Southern Hemispheres
major oil and gas pipeline industry
gatherings, the 2009 Rio Pipeline
Conference and Exhibition, was bigger than
ever. With over 320 papers in multiple tracks
(chosen from around 500 submissions), and
124 exhibiting companies, the three-day
event provided plenty of opportunity for
delegates and visitors to occupy their time to
the full.
One of the benets of events such as
these is the networking opportunities
they present, and the atmosphere of Rio
was imbued with the spirit of making new
contacts and refreshing old ones. This years
event also provided the opportunity for the
launch of Pipelines International, copies of
which were widely distributed to delegates
and visitors, attracting pleasing feedback.
A diverse programme
A diverse range of papers was
presented at the event, with many papers
from Brazilian authors Petrobras and
its research institutions, along with
universities such as PUC-Rio were well
represented as well as a considerable
international contingent of authors, from
over 35 countries, many from outside South
America.
Topics covered inlcuded:
Automation and SCADA
Compressors and pumps
Corrosion
Environmental safety
GIS
Inspection
Integrity
Logistics
Rehabilitation
Reliability and risk
Slurry pipelines
Social responsibility
Subsea pipelines.
A major plenary session was held in
which Petrobras Pre-Salt Executive Manager
Jose Miranda Formigli gave an informative
overviewof the vast Pre-Salt oil and
associated gas reserves that have been
discovered around 300 kmofshore Brazil in
around 2,200 mof water. This huge reservoir,
with over 30 billion barrels of oil, underlies
the Espiritu Santo, Campos, and Santos
basins and, if predictions are correct, will
provide a signicant proportion of the worlds
energy supplies for many years to come.
The Brazilian Government and
Petrobras are currently working out how
best to exploit and export these reserves,
and are considering what their impact will
be internationally. Pipelines will obviously
form a part of this exploitation, and Mr
Formigli discussed some scenarios for the
large-diameter, deepwater pipelines that
may be required.
A number of panel sessions were also
held, one of which discussed the future
of the global pipeline industry. The clear
message that came from this is that huge
investment in pipelines, their materials,
and their ancillary equipment, will be
required in the foreseeable future in order
to transport the great quantities of gas
and oil required by the worlds energy
consumers. Presentations by Enbridge
Internationals Operations Director in
Canada Bill Trefanenko and Director of
Sinopec International Petroleum Service
of Chinas Wang Zhonghong emphasised
this point, reinforced by comments from
Petrobras Pipelines and Terminal Director
Claudio Campos.
As an observer of the industry, it is clear
that what these speakers had to say is true.
However, it is always encouraging to see
industry leaders getting together and saying
it in public.
Exhibiting pipeline style
The exhibition attracted many visitors,
and there was a great range of equipment
and services on show for them to see.
Pipelines International had a stand in
the exhibition, at which much interest was
raised by the business card prize draw, for
which the winner would receive an iPod
Nano. Such was the enthusiasm that on the
day of the draw, several possible winners
gathered at the stand and wouldnt move
until they had witnessed the drawing of the
card. Congratulations go to Karina Vargas
from Sinopec for winning the iPod Nano.
The Rio Pipeline Conference and
Exhibition is increasingly gaining attention
on the international stage as an important
and useful forum. The next event, on
2022 September 2011, will undoubtedly
strengthen such international support, and
will once again provide a great opportunity
for an industry gathering.
Pipeline carnivale in Rio!
PRODUCTS & SERVICES EVENTS
Learn to weld with
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L
incoln Electric has developed
a new way to teach welding
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The VRTEX 360 provides a virtual,
hands-on training experience, similar to
a video game, which provides real-time
welding technique feedback to both
trainers and students.
The training system feeds computer-
generated data with a virtual welding
gun and helmet equipped with internal
monitors. Students are able to practice
welding in simulated environments,
including a welding booth training
environment and eld-welding
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Instructors can set up the VRTEX
360 to accommodate various types of
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The product allows welding to be
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and does not require weld fume
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Are you launching
a new product or
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Contact us at
news@pipelinesinternational.com
www.curapipe.com
www.viadata.com
For more information visit www.colfaxcorp.com
Production begins on worlds largest
three-screw crude oil pipeline pump
C
olfax Corporation has begun production of the
world's largest rotary positive displacement
three-screw crude oil pump.
The Imo 8L-912Y pump can be installed on pipelines
up to 24 inches in diameter and can transport more than
85,000 barrels of oil per day at pressures up to
13.78 MPa.
Colfaxs 8L-912Y pump requires no external lube
system and can be direct-coupled to a synchronous-speed driver, without the need for
a gear reducer. This reduces the overall footprint of the equipment and simplies the
driver-to-pump alignment.
The performance of this pump series can be further controlled with the use of a
variable-speed drive to dial in the required ow rate.
The Imo 8L Series of pumps is designed to ensure constant oil ow, even in the
presence of varying system back pressures due to changes in viscosity; nonpulsating
ow, without the need for pulsation dampeners, which reduces the risk of pipeline
failure; and, low noise and vibration levels, minimising foundation requirements.
Latest edition
of WinDOT the
Pipeline Safety
Encyclopedia
T
he August 2009 edition of
WinDOT includes the current
United States federal pipeline
safety regulations 49 CFR 190-199
and Part 40, including amendments,
interpretations, waivers and advisory
bulletins. WinDOT incorporates the
January 2009 edition of Gas Piping
Technology Committee Guide, including
the Distribution Integrity Management
Program Guidance by linking code
sections directly to the guide material.
Users can search by word or phrase
to nd regulations, interpretations
and guide material to assist them in
compliance programs and research.
The latest release of WinDOT includes
updates to pipeline regulations for 16
states and 15 newor updated pipeline
standards. There are 55 standards
available on the WinDOT CD, including 35
that are incorporated by reference.
Cure pipes with
Curapipe
C
urapipe has developed a leak
curing solution for pinhole leaks
and cracks that go undetected by
conventional detection methods.
The Curapipe solution is a viable
pipeline repair solution launched
remotely and applied internally. A pig
train carrying Curapipes innovative
curing substance is inserted upstream
through a pig launcher. As the pig train
passes through the pipeline, the curing
substance penetrates, seals and xes
pinhole leaks and cracks.
Deployed as a preventive measure
for the pipeline industry, Curapipes
solution cures undetected leaks and
cracks (belowSCADA systemthresholds)
before they become larger and more
problematic leaks that would require
pipeline shutdown and excavation.
The Curapipe solution is intended to
prevent spills and product loss; as well
as costly downtime for repairing fully
grown leaks; and, decreases the need
for, and cost of, pipeline inspection,
monitoring and maintenance.
The Rio Pipeline Exhibition.
Delegates enjoyed papers
presented at the Conference.
P
apers at the Evaluation and
Rehabilitation Conference and
Exhibition, held between 21 and
22 October 2009, described a wide variety
of approaches and solutions. While
replacement is sometimes the only option,
and can provide an additional lifespan of
50+ years to a pipeline, rehabilitation is
often the more cost efective solution. Many
techniques have now been developed to
assist pipeline owners with rehabilitation
decision-making and implementation, and
the rehabilitation industry is growing as a
consequence.
The conferences opening presentation
focused on rehabilitating and even,
recycling the pipes themselves after they
have been lifted from the trench. Truboetal
of Moscow and Incal Pipeline Rehabilitation
of Houston described a plant that has been
set up in Russia to refurbish 56 inch diameter
pipes taken out of the ground by Gazprom.
Upwards of 20,000 km of pipe per annum
is currently being replaced in Russia by
Gazprom and others, and the pipes can
often be reused provided careful attention is
taken to their refurbishment and subsequent
inspection.
Bill Bruce of DNV Columbus gave a
review of hot tap and sleeve welding. This
process is fraught with issues that demand
very careful attention to the details of the
welding involved. The wrong temperature, or
inattention, can lead to the perils of burn-
through and consequent leakage. Mr Bruces
rules of thumb to be considered for pipeline
sleeving start with Is the repair required at
all? a question that surprisingly often can
be answered in the negative.
Dr Chris Alexander from Stress
Engineering of Houston gave a
comprehensive overview of materials and
techniques. Alan Morton of TD Williamson
and Bart Davis of Neptune Researchs
Syntho-Glass division spoke about various
projects their companies had undertaken in
which composite wraps had been used with
great success. There is now a considerable
range of composite-wrap alternatives, and
care needs to be taken in specifying the one
that is to be used for any particular job as
their properties vary quite widely.
Two other wrapping techniques were
presented. Smart Pipe has developed what
presenter Richard Huriaux described as
a mobile factory that allows a pipe to be
made onsite using a process in which a high
density polyethylene (HDPE) core pipe is
wrapped with high-strength bre tapes and
windings, cased in an HDPE outer wrap and
laid in the ground. Diameters up to 24 inches
are currently feasible, and there are many
advantages of this process over traditional
pipelaying. In addition, Pipestream of
Houston, a company set up to develop new
technology for Shell Global Solutions, is
now able to wrap a host pipe with a steel
reinforcing strip in such a way that the
resulting wrapped pipe is considerably
stronger than the original. The paper given
by Ray Burke illustrated this by showing a
series of burst tests where the host pipe burst
well away from the location of the repair.
A major refurbishment job was then
described by Sid Taylor of Incal. The
project involved recoating 60 km of the
Caspian Pipeline Consortium Oil Pipeline in
Kazakhstan a 1,510 km, 42 inch diameter
line running from the Tengiz Oil Field to
Novorossiisk on Russias Black Sea coast.
The Russian contractor has developed an
interesting and efcient coating removal,
cleaning, and recoating system in the trench,
which allows up to 150 m per day to be
exposed, refurbished, and backlled while
in service.
Houston-based Dr John Smart of John
Smart Consulting Engineers reviewed the
problems associated with black powder in
gas pipelines. Dr Smart pointed out that the
problem is not only the physical aspects of
the powder itself, but also its movement
through a pipeline; it can be extremely
damaging to both the internal pipe wall and
rotating equipment, such as compressors,
and management of the material demands
considerable planning. One of the key
research papers in this eld was published
in 1998 by Richard Baldwin of Southwest
Research Institute in San Antonio on behalf
of the Gas Research Council.
The nal paper of the conference was
from Doug Batzel of Galaxy Brushes in,
Phoenix, Arizona, US. Mr Batzel gave an
enthusiastic presentation on the importance
of brush selection for cleaning pigs.
Mr Batzels company has pioneered the
development of so-called pencil brushes,
which are designed to deect into pits and
other internal pipeline features that stifer
wire brushes will pass over. This technology
has already found favour with a number of
pipeline operators in the Middle East who
are reporting considerable success of their
cleaning pig runs.
Over 60 per cent of the worlds major oil and gas transmission pipelines are now more than 40 years
old leaving some operators to face stark choices: to rehabilitate, or to replace? Held in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, United States, the Evaluation and Rehabilitation of Pipelines Conference and Exhibition
addressed this difficult question.
The high-level programme at the Pipeline Technology Conference this year, of 117 papers is renowned
worldwide as the foremost opportunity to learn about the latest developments and approaches being
employed in high-pressure transmission pipeline design, materials and welding research.
EVENTS
T
he widely-respected Pipeline
Technology Conference, organised by
Professor Rudi Denys of the University
of Gent, Belgium, and the countrys
Technological Institute-KVIV, based in
Antwerp, is held every ve years in Ostend,
Belgium.
Held this year from 1214 October,
the delegate list of the event read like a
Yellow Pages of the industrys cutting edge
scientic researchers and technological
developers. The ability for this forum to
meet regularly provides an unmatched
opportunity for discussions and networking
of the highest calibre.
Topics covered at the 2009
Pipeline Technology Conference
Pipeline steels;
Pipeline design and construction;
Toughness and residual stresses;
Strain-based design;
ECA and validation testing;
Sour service;
Ductile failure and crack arrest;
Pipeline welding; and,
Pipeline inspection.
The panel of authors represented
nearly all of the major manufacturers
and researchers involved in these areas,
and came from countries as far afield
as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada,
China, Iran, Japan, South Korea, as well
as Russia, Europe, and the United States.
One of the traditions of the Pipeline
Technology Conference is that social
activities are arranged for the delegates, a
welcome relief after a long day discussing
strain-based design or fracture arrest.
This year, a visit had been arranged
to nearby Bruges with a canal trip and
an opportunity to taste the products of
the Halve Maan brewery. There was a
conference dinner the following evening
at one of Ostends grand casinos, and
both events proved highly enjoyable.
Evaluating different
rehabilitation approaches
Pipeline Technology Conference:
a scientific update from Ostend
EVENTS
NEXT CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN BERLIN 2010!
The Evaluation and Rehabilitation of Pipelines Conference
and Exhibition was rst held last year in Prague, Czech Republic.
The organisers plan for the event to alternate between
North America and Europe. The next conference is
planned for Berlin, Germany, on 2021 October 2010.
Further details on papers presented at the conference can be found at www.piperehabconf.com For full details of the event and photos of social functions visit www.pipeline2009.com
Papers from the conference are available as PDF les on a searchable CD, which is presented with the A4-sized book of abstracts, and
can be obtained from Great Southern Press UK ofce. Email jtiratsoo@gs-press.com, or phone +44 1494 675139.
Professor Rudi Denys presents one of his papers. Pipelaying at the Ostend conference a superb model on the Denys stand.
Delegates enjoy a coffee break.
Dr Michael Beller, Professor Rudi Denys and
Pipelines International Editor-in-Chief
John Tiratsoo on the NDT stand.
T
he most prestigious Australian
pipeline event of the year the
Australian Pipeline Industry
Association (APIA) Convention was
held between 1720 October in Cairns,
Queensland, Australia.
An interesting two-day business program
featured the most up-to-date information
about projects, international issues,
technical, environmental and economic
challenges, as well as investigating new
developments in the industry.
Keynote presentations included Cape
York Partnerships Director Noel Pearson
speaking about pipeline development on
Aboriginal land, and Canadas National
Energy Board Professional Leader
Engineering Alan Murray, who discussed
the similarities and diferences between the
Australian and Canadian industries.
The Exhibition provided a great
opportunity for delegates to discuss the
latest products and services for the industry
with approximately 60 suppliers.
Queensland was a tting location for
the APIA Convention and Exhibition as the
state is developing as a natural gas and LNG
export hub for Australia. Seven LNG projects
have been proposed in the state, involving
the construction of hundreds of kilometres of
pipeline from the states coal seam gas elds
to port sites.
EVENT SNAPSHOTS
MEDIA KIT
BRINGING THE PIPELINE WORLD TOGETHER
1. Pipelines International is published by two of the
longest standing names in the pipeline media.
2. Magazine advertising remains the most effective
way to market your products and services.
3. Natural gas is set to play an ever increasing role
in energy production and will need pipelines to
reach markets.
4. It is an excellent way to advise the industry of a
new product or service.
5. The readership is highly targeted toward senior
members of the pipeline industry, balanced across
regions and roles.
6. It is great value and will give you a strong return
on your investment.
7. Pipelines International will have the best editorial
and the best design meaning your advert will
make the best impression.
reasons to advertise
7
T
he event was held at the Sutera
Harbour Resort, Sabah, and attracted
approximately 150 participants.
The focus of this years Conference
was Optimising Pipeline Performance by
Harnessing our Human Capital and a wide
range of case studies was presented ranging
from industry training, optimising asset
performance, intelligent pigging, integrity
management and ow assurance.
The highlight of the Conference was
the opening by Datuk (Dr) Abdul Rahim Hj
Hashim who gave his rst regional address
as the newly appointed President of the
International Gas Union (IGU).
Datuk Rahim expanded on what the IGU
Presidency means for Malaysia and South
East Asia generally. He observed that the gas
industry should not take demand growth for
its product for granted; indicating that the
long lead times means there is a challenge to
develop gas markets.
Professor Andrew Palmer from
the Centre for Ofshore Research and
Engineering, University of Singapore,
gave an enlightening presentation on
the looming shortage of experienced
personnel in the oil and gas industry. He
highlighted the importance of recruiting
students who want challenging, exciting
work, stimulating colleagues, travel and
reasonable monetary compensation.
APCE: pipeline success in South East Asia
From L-R: Dato' Margaret Fung-CEO Sabah Energy
Corporation; Soh Mey Lee-Chairperson IGU Task
Force 2; Dr Allen-Executive Director AGC; Datuk
Rahim-President, Malaysian Gas Association and
President, International Gas Union; Khairuddin-AGC
Board Chairman; Prof Andrew C Palmer-National
University of Singapore.
Australian industry gathers in northern Australia
DATE/VENUE EVENT CONTACT
15 18 February, 2010
Houston, United States
22
nd
International Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference www.clarion.org
9 11 March 2010
Brisbane, Australia
FutureGAS 2010 www.futuregas.com.au
31 March 2 April 2010
Langfang, China
International Pipeline Exhibition www.pipechina.com.cn/en/
19 20 April 2010
Hannover, Germany
Pipeline Technology Conference 2010 www.ptc2010.com
3 6 May 2010
Houston, Texas, USA
Ofshore Technology Conference 2010 www.otcnet.org/2010/
9 10 June 2010
Jakarta, Indonesia
IndoPipe 2010 www.indopipe2010.iee-c.com
11 14 September 2010
Darwin, Australia
2010 APIA Annual Convention www.apia.net.au
27 September 1 October 2010
Calgary, Canada
International Pipeline Conference 2010 and
International Pipeline Exposition
www.internationalpipelineconference.com
27 September 4 October 2010
Venice, Italy
44
th
IPLOCA Convention www.iploca.com
The Australian Pipeline Industry Association
Exhibition held in Cairns.
MEDIA KIT
Pipelines International is the new magazine for the global
pipeline industry. Published quarterly, the magazine will reect
the diversity of the pipeline industry across the continents.
The magazine will include region reviews; project reviews; and
project, company and regulatory news, as well as features on
important industry areas such as integrity management.
The magazine is directly mailed to over 10,000 decision-
making pipeline industry members around the globe with a
balance between regions and roles. The magazine is present at a
wide number of industry events throughout the year.
The Pipelines International team
Pipelines International is being published by the merger of two
long-standing pipeline media companies, Scientic Surveys and
Great Southern Press. The new company will be known as Great
Southern Press.
John Tiratsoo and Scientic Surveys are long-time publishers of
information on pipelines including information on companies,
projects, the latest news and technical information. John is also
the editor of the must-have book on pigging, Pipeline pigging and
integrity technology.
Great Southern Press has been publishing about pipelines
since 1972. It publishes The Australian Pipeliner the agship
of the Australian pipeline industry as well as a number of other
industry titles including Gas Today.
Current and former publications from the Pipelines
International team include Pipeline World, Pipeline Asia, Pipes &
Pipelines International, The Indonesian Pipeliner, Pipeline, Plant &
Offshore, and the Journal of Pipeline Engineering.
bringing the worldwide
pipeline industry together
MEDIA KIT
Full Page (Trimmed Size)
210 mm x 297 mm
Full Page (Bleed Size)
216 mm x 303 mm
Half Page (Horizontal)
185 mm x 125 mm
Half Page (Vertical)
122 mm x 185 mm
Double Page (Trimmed Size)
420 mm x 297 mm
Double Page (Bleed Size)
426 mm x 303 mm
Half Page (Vertical)
90 mm x 250 mm
Third Page (Vertical)
59 mm x 250 mm
Third Page (Horizontal)
185 mm x 83 mm
Quarter Page (Horizontal)
185 mm x 60 mm
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90 mm x 125 mm
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122 mm x 90 mm
Prices per Insertion (prices below are in $US)
4 TIMES TWICE ONCE
Double Page Spread $8,500 $9,500 $10,000
Outside Back Cover $7,600 $8,500 $9,000
Inside Front Cover $6,800 $7,600 $8,000
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Page One $5,900 $6,600 $7,000
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Prices per Insertion (prices below are in )
4 TIMES TWICE ONCE
Double page spread 6,400 7,100 7,500
Outside Back Cover 5,750 6,400 6,750
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Full page 3,750 4,250 4,500
Half Page 2,550 2,850 3,000
Third Page 2,250 2,550 2,700
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advertising rates & sizes
Colour: All adverts are full colour
Prepayment of bookings attracts a 5 per cent discount for multiple bookings, and a 2 per cent discount for single bookings.
Multiple bookings provide excellent value and ensure
extended exposure, particularly if you book all four
editions plus the annual directory.
REGULAR
MARCH 2010 JUNE 2010 SEPTEMBER 2010 DECEMBER 2010
Region Review Middle East Southeast Asia Canada Western Europe
Feature Trenchless Technology Compressors Valves Pigging
Equipment
Feature
Automatic Welding Padding Machines Trenchers
Pipe Layers &
Side Booms
Terrain Review Ofshore Desert Forest
Swamps/marsh
DEADLINE 12 March 2010 14 May 2010 6 August 2010 29 October 2010
COMING IN FUTURE ISSUES
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION:
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You can use this form to apply obligation free.
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Journal of Pipeline Engineering IBC
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PipeLine Machinery International 39
PPIM 2010 47, Insert
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