January 2014, Vol. 69 No. 1

Ben Montgomery, 95, passed away Nov. 3 in Mesa, AZ. Prior to his retirement as a vice president of CRC-Evans Pipeline International Inc., Montgomery was elected to honorary membership in the Pipe Line Contractors Association. He is survived by his wife Karen, two daughters, one son, six grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Donations may be made in Ben Montgomery’s name to the Arizona Humane Society, Phoenix, AZ, or the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, AZ.

Don Santa, president and CEO of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, praised the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of Representative Mike Pompeo’s legislation to improve the natural gas transmission pipeline permitting process. The bill was approved 252 to 165: “We applaud the House for approving this legislation, which will improve the permitting process for interstate natural gas pipelines. Pipelines are the key to America’s natural gas revolution because they are the indispensable link from the supply source to the ultimate gas consumer.

European golf legend Colin Montgomerie and PGA golfer Ian Poulter participated in Volvo’s first North American golf tournament recently at Sawgrass, FL. Several DCA contractors participated in the event.

The Pipeline and Energy Expo has unveiled a new logo with brand standards to reflect the annual event’s focus on Oklahoma’s leadership role in a forward-thinking energy industry.

Sunland Construction President and CEO Craig Meier was elected chairman of The INGAA Foundation, Inc. at the Foundation’s annual meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona, on November 9.

POLICAP seamless abrasive caps and cones are mounted on reusable holders. Due to their seamless design, POLICAP abrasive caps and cones grind effectively with their entire surface area.

Ideal Industries debuted the newest member of its PowerBlade line of professional-grade cable cutters – the Big Kahuna Power Blade.

Centrifugally cast, fiberglass-reinforced, polymer mortar (CCFRPM) Hobas pipe is inherently corrosion resistant and lasts 100 years or more providing a very low life-cycle cost.

TT Technologies recently introduced the world’s largest, in-stock inventory of pneumatic pipe ramming gear able to accommodate four-inch through 120-inch casing installations.

Super Products has produced a new video featuring its Mud Dog 1600 and highlighting the boom capabilities, tilt-ejection unloading and other unique characteristics of this 16-yard hydro excavator.

Doosan is adding more power, performance and speed to the 16-ton excavator market with the iT4 DX140LCR-3.

McElroy’s next-generation DataLogger 5 includes new software known as the DataLogger Vault to provide users the most up-to-date tools to ensure pipe fusion quality.

Vacuworx Global recently demonstrated its new concrete road barrier lifter during the 2013 International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition in Louisville, KY.

The Ditch Witch organization announces the release of the SaverLok System, a patent-pending saver sub system that offers a quick and secure connection providing the best protection against wear and tear on the drill pipe. The primary benefit of the SaverLok System is increased directional drill uptime, as it is an incredibly durable system that is easy to install, and replacement can be performed in the field quickly.

HammerHead has launched the new ROUGHNECK R400 Pneumatic Rock Hammer system for the underground construction industry. The system includes the R400 air hammer, 5.25-inch straight and offset bits, patent-pending pullback kit, control station/oiler, drill conversion kit and universal HD high-flow rock drill housing.

Hobas Pipe USA has announced its inclusion on the Bureau de normalization de Québec’s (BNQ) List of Certified Products, Processes and Services.

The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved financial assistance for water systems improvements for the following counties in Texas:

According to a news item in <em>The Associated Press</em>, the Obama administration is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take a middle-ground approach on a water dispute between Texas and New Mexico over management of the Rio Grande.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the Sonoma-Marin (California) Saving Water Partnership (SMSWP) as a recipient of its national WaterSense Excellence Award for outstanding work promoting WaterSense and water-efficient irrigation practices.

The results of a study in Europe, the United States and Asia by Bluewater have revealed that 54.7 percent of householders are concerned about the quality of their tap drinking water.

Last November, Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), along with Representatives Richard Hanna (R-PA), Tim Bishop (D-NY), John Duncan (R-TN), Donna Edwards (D-MD), Ed Whitfield (R-KY), Jim Moran (D-VA), and Thomas Petri (R-WI) introduced bipartisan legislation, The Water Protection and Reinvestment Trust Fund Act of 2013 (H.R. 3582), to establish a voluntary federal trust fund for investments in clean water infrastructure. Under the proposal, the makers of water-based beverages and flushable products could opt to put a clean water logo on their products in exchange for a 3-cent fee.

Global resin supplier AOC LLC collaborated with Clean Water Works Inc. (CWW), an Ottawa-based leader in pipeline rehabilitation, to restore the sewage pipes serving an automobile factory in Windsor, Ontario.

Root Control Technology from Duke’s Root Control and RootX. <strong>Duke’s Root Control</strong>

Vacuworx Global LLC, the manufacturer of vacuum lifting systems for the pipeline, road construction, utility, water and sewer industries, has expanded its global presence with the addition of three strategic hires and a new office in Johannesburg, South Africa. Vacuworx Global has announced the following appointments:

Jameson LLC has announced its expansion of the company’s lighting product line as a result of acquiring certain assets of CERO Systems.

Tex-Direct Drilling LLC recently announced that James A. Davis has joined the firm as president.

Atlas Copco, a leading provider of sustainable productivity solutions, has acquired Pneumatic Holdings Inc., a leading U.S. provider of pneumatic light construction tools.

For 25 years, Laney Directional Drilling Company has become best known for longer and more difficult drills of larger diameter pipe in the directional drilling field.

Martin Weissburg has been appointed new president of Volvo Construction Equipment, Volvo CE.

Advertisers from the print edition of <em>Underground Construction</em>, January 2014, Vol. 69 No. 1.

A horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installation completed last summer under the Sabine River and nearby swamplands is believed to be the longest ever made at 11,065 feet.

Developing and implementing an effective safety and damage prevention program for a construction company of any size is a critical and challenging task. However, the larger the organization, the more complex it is.

Kevin Miller, president of Miller Pipeline, stressed that “damage prevention and safety occupies a unique position in our company. The management of Miller Pipeline not only has identified employee safety as one of the company’s core values, but placed it at the top of the list. This has not just been done in writing, but more importantly it is clearly visible through the company’s actions.

A trenching project for a new, combined sewer overflow (CSO) separation pipeline in Lewiston, ME, led to an unexpected, emergency sliplining of a sanitary sewer line. The job also had other challenges which included a massive rock ledge, old buildings virtually on the edge of the trench along with the existing sewer that was found to be leaking effluent.

“Nobody Gets Hurt” succinctly defines the safety vision of utility contractor Henkels & McCoy and the ultimate goal of the company’s safety initiative programs.

When everything is tallied – record attendance at the 2013 annual meeting, a record amount pledged at the meeting’s fund-raiser auction, continued growth in association membership, most contractor members busy and an active association presence in Washington, DC – the year 2013 was another good 12 months for the Distribution Contractors Association (DCA).

As Michigan’s largest utility provider, Consumers Energy provides natural gas and electric service to 6.6 million of the state’s 10 million residents, and the company’s safety and damage prevention efforts must address multiple challenges

Grouting technology from Avanti International, CUES, Pipe Renewal Technologies, Logiball, Aries Industries and Prime Resins.

Crawler tractors and sidebooms from Pipeline Machinery International, John Deere, CASE Construction Equipment, Volvo, Midwestern Manufacturing Company and Caterpillar. <strong> Pipeline Machinery Intl.</strong>

At this time of the year, inevitably most conversations turn to market outlooks for the coming year. People want to hear the best scenario, but most are willing to hear the truth. Prognosticating market truths is an educated guess as best. But I’ll give it a try with my usual disclaimer that I’m not responsible for the accuracy of any statements.

FERC commissioners still apparently have problems with the pipeline siting improvement bill the House passed on Nov. 21 by a vote of 252-165. The Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act (H.R. 1900) sponsored by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS) would impose timelines on federal resource agencies when they analyze construction projects which have already finished their environmental review by the FERC.