Pipeline Construction
NTSB Recommendations On San Bruno Put Pressure On Congress, Administration; Keystone XL Decision Coming
The pipeline safety recommendations issued by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Aug. 30 puts significant pressure on both Congress and the Obama administration to respond to the problems discovered as part of the NTSB investigation of the PG&E San Bruno explosion in December 2010.
In Memoriam: Michael DeWare Cole
Michael DeWare Cole, 68, died July 17. DeWare was a pipeline veteran who began his career in the pipeline industry in the ‘60s working for several companies including Michael Curran Associates, Bechtel Oil, Gas & Chemicals Inc., Gulf Interstate Engineering.
NLRB Pushing Pro-Union Agenda; EPA Proposal Affects Pipeline Compressors
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has picked up the pro-union cudgel from Democrats in Congress. In the last session of Congress, Democrats had tried and failed to pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) which would have expanded union organizing rights.
Official San Bruno Report Clears Pipe Bursting, Faults Utility And Oversight
On Aug. 30, the National Transportation Safety Board issued its final report on the fatal pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA, that occurred on Sept. 9, 2010. The report named Pacific Gas & Electric's "lax approach to pipeline safety" and the failure of overseeing bodies to check that approach as the main factors in a preventable accident.
Joint venture to build 530-mile pipeline in the works
Energy Transfer Partners and Regency Energy Partners will spend $700 million in a joint venture to build a 530-mile pipeline to carry natural gas liquids from Winkler County in West Texas to a processing plant in Jackson County, east of Victoria.
Alliance Pipeline to build natural gas lateral in North Dakota
Alliance Pipeline L.P. has announced plans to develop a pipeline and associated facilities in North Dakota to transport liquids-rich natural gas.
Pipeline Expo Kicks Off in Tulsa
To further promote the regional initiatives of Oklahoma-area businesses, the Tulsa Pipeline Expo will be hosting its third forum at the Hyatt Regency Tulsa Downtown and the QuikTrip Center at Expo Square in Tulsa, OK, from Aug. 29-31.
Safety, Shale, Midstream Construction Discussed At Pipeline Opportunities Conference
The seventh annual Pipeline Opportunities Conference, presented by Pipeline & Gas Journal and the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), was held April 19 at the Intercontinental Hotel in Houston.
Federal Fracking Initiatives Starting To Gel; PHMSA Reforms Uncertain; DOE Allowing More LNG Exports
The fracking debate is moving forward on two separate stages in Washington. The Department of Energy's natural gas subcommittee is expected to make recommendations on fracking liquid disclosure in August.
Corrpro Forms Corrosion Protection Joint Venture In Saudia Arabia
Insituform Technologies, Inc. announced June 27 that its subsidiary Corrpro Companies, Inc. is forming a joint venture in Saudi Arabia with Saudi Trading & Research Co., Ltd. (STARC).
New Underground Construction Standards Imminent From OSHA; Pipeline Bill In Congress; Wetland Gas Repairs
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) appears ready to propose a new standard on silica exposure which would have a major impact on underground construction companies.
APCA Convention Reflects Continued Market Confidence
The recent American Pipe Line Contractors Association annual convention held recently at the scenic Grand Del Mar in San Diego, CA, drew another near-record attendance.
Aussie technology goes global with joint venture
Interflow Pty Limited, a company with some 75 years experience in the pipeline industry, has since 1991 been a leading provider in Australia and New Zealand of repair, rehabilitation and renewal services for deteriorated underground non-pressure pipelines.
Report supports Keystone XL pipeline
A new report prepared by EnSys Energy for the Department of Energy Office of Policy and International Affairs finds that the Keystone XL pipeline would help reduce U.S. imports of foreign oil outside North America.
Alaska Pipeline not in long-range projects
In a report written by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, it was revealed that federal analysts that they don’t believe it will be economical to build a major natural gas pipeline through Alaska to the Lower 48 states for at least the next 20 years.
"Great Year" Keeps APCA Growing
The American Pipeline Contractors Association (APCA) experienced a “great” year in 2010 with several new pipeline construction projects and expansions of existing pipelines keeping most members busy, reports APCA President Wayne Stringer.
In Wake of San Bruno, PHMSA Calls Oversight of IM Programs "Lacking"
A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearing on March 1-2 in Washington may push Congress to renew failed efforts from the fall of 2010 to upgrade pipeline safety laws. The hearings will air the NTSB's preliminary findings from the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) pipeline explosion in California last September where seven people were killed.
Pipeline Outlook: Studies Indicate Strong Years Ahead
While oil and gas transmission pipeline construction has slowed compared to 2008, projections from two different studies still predict a solid market for the next few years and continued growth in natural gas and consumption through 2030.
Louisiana Tech hosts leaders from China’s largest pipeline, engineering firm
The Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) at Louisiana Tech University recently hosted a delegation from China’s largest petroleum pipeline construction and engineering firm to share information about technologies being developed at the University, exchange ideas, and to lay the groundwork for possible future collaborations.
Investigators probe San Bruno explosion
Investigators, including the National Transportation Safety Board, are looking at whether repair work on a sewer pipeline close to a gas transmission line was responsible for a deadly explosion that shook a San Bruno, CA, neighborhood on Sept. 9, killing four people and injuring several others.
International Pipeline Construction Report
As of mid-year, international/offshore reports show planned pipeline miles remain higher than actual pipeline construction mileage. Figures show the international sector accounts for 81,752 miles of crude oil, natural gas and refined products pipelines under construction and planned. Of these, 50,355 miles represent pipelines in the feasibility and front end engineering design phase while 31,215 miles account for pipelines in various phases of construction.
Keystone Pipeline Project Moving Toward Completion
Construction on TransCanada Corporation’s long-distance, large-diameter C$5.2 billion Keystone crude oil pipeline reaching from Canada’s Alberta oil fields to markets in the U.S. Midwest is grinding to completion after more than two years of intensive construction activity.
Approvals For TransCanada Tar Sand Pipeline Gets Sticky; Plus PMHSA Low-Stress Tug-Of-War And FERC Posting Edict
Despite criticism of his company's proposed, nearly 2000-mile pipeline, Robert Jones, vice president, Keystone Pipelines, TransCanada Corporation, says he is very confident that the U.S. State Department will approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
$7 Billion Keystone XL Labor Agreement Announced
A $7 billion project labor agreement (PLA) was signed September 14 between the United Association and TransCanada Corporation to begin construction on the Keystone Gulf Coast Expansion Pipeline (Keystone XL). In a time when the contruction industry is facing record unemployment, this project is expected to create thousands of jobs for the members of labor organizations.
Brotherton Pipeline, Direct Horizontal Merge
Two North American firms that specialize in horizontal directional drilling, Brotherton Pipeline and Direct Horizontal, have merged their equipment and workforce to form Brotherton-Direct.
Future Role Of Natural Gas And Shale Revolution Dominate At P&GJ’s 2010 Pipeline Opportunities Conference
<em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em>, in partnership with the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), presented its sixth annual Pipeline Opportunities Conference on March 31 in Houston. Jeff Share, conference founder and organizer, said the single-day event drew more than 500 attendees at the George R. Brown Convention Center for the third consecutive year, attesting to the intense interest in the pipeline industry.
Pipeline Inspection Co. Pig Tracker
The SPY handheld PTR (pig tracker receiver) combines digital technology with a user-friendly interface for easy and reliable operation.
Lower Prices, Consumption, Near-Term Construction Lessens 2010 Spending Levels
The latest figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) indicate that close to 70 million customers rely on the nation’s natural gas distribution network to deliver fuel to their home or business. Natural gas is delivered to customers through a 2.3-million mile underground pipeline system.
Denali Alaska Gas Pipeline On Track For 2010 Open Season
The Denali Alaska Gas Pipeline is a joint venture formed by ConocoPhillips and BP in June 2008 to construct a 2,000 mile long pipeline from the Alaskan North Slope to Alberta, Canada, and if required, a 1,500-mile long pipeline from Alberta to Chicago.
Investments In Natural Gas Infrastructure Needed To Meet Projected Growth
Projected growth in North American natural gas supplies and market growth in the U.S. and Canada will require billions of dollars of additional investment in pipeline, storage and other midstream infrastructure through 2030, according to a new study released by the INGAA Foundation Inc.
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Two workers rescued after hours trapped in Mich. trench collapse
- Trump calls for Keystone XL pipeline revival, but developer has moved on
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes
- Ameren Illinois to invest $140 million in natural gas pipeline replacement program
- Charlottesville, Va., to begin work on 24-inch water line for Rivanna River crossing
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds