Pipelines
Editor's Log: Keystone Two-Step Continues
I’ve been asked by many people if the main section of the Keystone XL Pipeline, from Canada to Oklahoma, will be built now that a revised route has been approved both by the state of Nebraska and TransCanada. The new route reportedly will avoid the most ecologically sensitive regions of Nebraska.
Water Infrastructure Initiatives Afoot
Separate regulatory and legislative developments could affect local government ability to afford water infrastructure projects. The Environmental Protection Agency is considering revisions to the agency's 1997 financial capability guidelines which dictate how hard the agency can press cities and counties to undertake expensive Clean Water Act projects such as sewer repairs.
PLCA Well-Positioned For Great Year
The Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA) is closing out an active 2012 with members busy and labor agreements in place with the unions representing the four crafts engaged in pipeline construction.
2013 Pipeline Construction Report
<em>Underground Construction</em> and <em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em>’s 2013 survey figures indicate 116,837 miles of pipelines are planned and under construction worldwide. Of these, 83,806 represent projects in the planning worldwide design phase while 33,031 reflect various stages of construction.
Editor's Log: Best Guesses & Fingers Crossed
The November elections are over and the nation has survived. But the question remains: when will the much ballyhooed economic recovery begin in earnest? It looks like 2013 is going to be another interesting and challenging year in which the underground infrastructure market must endeavor to persevere. And we will.
New pension fund for pipeline workers established
The trustees that comprise the board of the newly established National Teamsters Pipeline Pension Fund met on Sept. 28 at the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) in Washington, DC, to discuss final stages for setting up the fund and other organizational matters. This pension fund will provide benefits for Teamsters who are pipeline workers.
U.S. grants permit for Keystone XL
In the latest installment of the Keystone XL pipeline saga, TransCanada received a go-ahead for the Gulf Coast section of its project.
McArthur, Romer Honored At ASCE Pipelines Conference
The American Society of Civil Engineers Pipelines Division held its annual conference in Miami Beach, FL, in August with record attendance of more than 650.
Obama Drilling Expansion In Alaska Falls Short For Some
ConocoPhillips Alaska, among the most active companies exploring for oil and gas in northern Alaska, found a lot not to like in the Obama administration decision in mid-August with regard to development of the 22.8 million acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
FERC approves New York/New Jersey Pipeline
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a Spectra pipeline project which will bring new natural gas supplies to New York City. Spectra subsidiaries Texas Eastern and Algonquin will combine to build the new capacity, which will involve about 20 miles of pipeline, among other construction, such as compressor stations, with the total project weighing in at about $850 million. Texas Eastern and Algonquin hope to have the gas flowing into Manhattan by November 2013.
Precision Pipeline awarded Energy Transfer-Lone Star project
Precision Pipeline LLC has been awarded a contract by Energy Transfer-Lone Star Pipeline to install approximately 133 miles of 16-inch pipeline in Val Verde and Zavala Counties, TX.
Joint venture will build 210-mile crude line
SemGroup Corporation, Gavilon Midstream Energy LLC, a subsidiary of The Gavilon Group LLC, and an affiliate of Chesapeake Energy Corporation announced plans to form a joint venture that will construct a 210-mile pipeline in western and north central Oklahoma which will deliver crude oil to a 1 MMbbl storage facility in Cushing, OK.
Energy Transfer Partners to expand Eagle Ford Infrastructure
Energy Transfer Partners L.P. has entered into new multiple long-term, fee-based agreements with producers to provide natural gas gathering, processing and liquids services from the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas.
FERC approves Southern Cross Transmission Project
Pattern Energy Group LP announced that its Southern Cross transmission project has obtained two key regulatory orders from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Pattern is developing the Southern Cross project to add a High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission tie of up to 3,000 MW between ERCOT in Texas and the transmission grid deep in the southeastern United States by 2016.
ConocoPhillips obtains key government approvals for Alaska project
ConocoPhillips has obtained important federal government support for pipeline and bridge projectgs that would allow the company to be the first to develop a commercial oil well in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve since the reserve was opened to drilling in 1998.
2012 Pipeline Construction Report
<em>Underground Construction</em> and <a href="http://pipelineandgasjournal.com/"><em>Pipeline & Gas Journal</em></a>’s worldwide pipeline survey figures indicate that 118,623 miles of pipelines are planned and under construction. Of these, 88,976 represent projects in the planning and design phase; 29,647 miles reflect pipelines in various stages of construction. Almost 32,000 miles of pipeline are currently being planned for North America.
Rain for Rent Road Crossings
Low profile pipeline Road Crossings from Rain for Rent provide an excellent way to safely move water across busy streets, driveways, and highways without disrupting traffic or damaging roadways.
Shale gas pipeline costs triple
Ziff Energy released a report last summer analyzing the pipeline infrastructure costs on 120 new gas pipeline projects in the Marcellus, Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Barnett, Woodford, Fayetteville and Horn River shale gas regions over the past decade.
New Route proposed for Keystone XL through Nebraska
President Obama recently stated that he will make the decision on whether to approve or deny a presidential permit for the 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline proposed by TransCanada, rather than delegating the decision to the State Department.
Kinder Morgan buying El Paso
Kinder Morgan Inc. and El Paso Corporation announced in October a definitive agreement whereby KMI will acquire all of the outstanding shares of EP in a transaction that will create the largest midstream and the fourth largest energy company in North America with an enterprise value of approximately $94 billion and 80,000 miles of pipelines.
3rd TPE Highlights Oklahoma Energy Businesses
The Third Annual Tulsa Pipeline Expo, held Aug. 29-31 in Tulsa, OK, welcomed almost 700 people and 86 exhibitors to an event designed to showcase Oklahoma’s leading businesses in energy, infrastructure and construction sectors.
INGAA Responds To NTSB Recommendations
Don Santa, president and CEO of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, says his association’s Pipeline Safety Task Force’s Integrity Management Continuous Improvement (IMCI) team is implementing action plans that address the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) recommendations on the San Bruno, CA, natural gas pipeline incident.
World-Wide Pipeline Construction Plans Remain Strong
The latest available figures indicate a global pipeline construction market of more than 89,000 miles. Of these 49,488 miles account for projects in the planning and engineering phase and 39,745 miles are in various stages of construction.
Integrity Management Expansion Stirs Controversy In Congress
Two House committees are attempting to combine slightly different pipeline safety bills while Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is preventing a Senate vote on a bill passed by the Commerce Committee last May. All three bills are moderate, and make changes around the edges of current law, both with regard to natural gas and oil pipelines.
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.
- Glenfarne Alaska LNG targets late-2026 construction start for 807-mile pipeline project
- U.S. water reuse boom to fuel $47 billion in infrastructure spending through 2035
- $2.3 billion approved to construct 236-mile Texas-to-Gulf gas pipeline
- Major water pipe break in Puerto Rico hits over 165,000 customers
- Potomac River Tunnel project enters construction phase beneath Washington, D.C.
- Pennsylvania American Water launches interactive map to identify, replace lead water service lines
- Trump's tariffs drive $33 million cost increase for Cincinnati sewer project
- Utah city launches historic $70 million tunnel project using box jacking under active rail line
- Tulsa residents warned after sewer lines damaged by boring work
- Fatal trench collapse halts sewer construction in Massachusetts; two workers hospitalized