The pipeline construction process is incredibly involved. Learn more about the most crucial phases for project success.
1. Route Planning
Planning is one of the most important parts of the pipeline construction process because every other step relies on it. Companies must choose potential routes in anticipation of the approval process — having multiple feasible options ensures a quick turnaround time.
Usually, professionals must research and identify potential environmental impacts during the planning process. They carefully assess how the pipeline will affect the surrounding air, water and vegetation quality. Experts may also consider how it may disrupt locals, considering noise, population, cultural significance and land rights.
Many use technology to get a bird’s-eye view of things. For example, drones can check the site to ensure it is okay before proceeding. Some even use satellite imagery to survey the area’s topography. A good route can make the rest of the construction process much more manageable.
2. Route Approval
Construction companies must get the right-of-way (ROW) to move forward. Regulatory bodies control this step because they must ensure everything is up to code. For example, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) oversees the environmental impacts of natural gas pipelines. Parties go back and forth, ordering modifications or suggesting alterations until they agree on a route.
FERC is in the process of approving a new policy as of 2023. Although it released the original draft in 2022, it has yet to make any official changes. The wait is primarily because there are no timeline requirements it must follow. The act only applies to future pipeline construction projects — it may go into effect soon, but workers can continue operations unchanged for the time being.
Sometimes, companies must draw up a ROW contract with a landowner or homeowner before proceeding. These agreements have no standards, so they typically negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement. The contract might cover the trench’s size, maintenance considerations, payment and property damage compensation.
3. Engineering and Design
Even though pipelines stretch over 2.4 million miles in the U.S., over 99.99% of them are accident-free — thanks to sound engineering and design. A lot goes into these processes to maximize efficiency and safety.
While the process can be complex, engineers operate within specific guidelines. For example, the Association for Materials Protection and Performance and the American Petroleum Institute set quality standards for casing and tubing on oil and gas pipelines. As long as they meet certain performance and structural requirements, they can move forward.
4. Site Preparation
Site preparation is one of the most involved steps in the pipeline construction process. It involves clearing debris, bypassing artificial structures, reshaping the ground and going underneath waterways. The pipe’s route usually has to cut through miles of wilderness, meaning the crew must find a way to tame it.
Crews utilize various drilling, blasting, cutting and digging equipment to speed up the process. Sometimes, natural obstacles necessitate the use of specialized machines. However, companies typically try to plan routes effectively to minimize such situations.
5. Trenching
While pipeline construction companies typically have loads of trenching machinery at their disposal, this process can still be time-consuming. The federal government requires workers to bury it 30 inches below the ground’s surface at a minimum, though it may have to be lower near populated locations.
OSHA has excavation standards for pipeline construction, requiring at least one safety system for trenches deeper than five feet. Companies can choose from sloping, benching, shoring or shielding protections — though having all would be ideal for worker safety.
6. Pipe Stringing
Once the construction workers adequately prepare, they must string the pipe along the route. Typically, they determine the size, thickness and shape in advance and simply transport it once it is ready. However, storing the parts near the site can streamline things.
Crews utilize a special bending machine to fit pipes to the trench’s angles. Their flexibility determines the structure’s overall durability. The degree can even increase its structural integrity, depending on the soil composition and proximity to fault lines.
7. Welding and Coating
Proper welding is crucial for structural integrity. At this stage, workers weld sections of the unfinished pipeline together. Whether they do it before or after lowering depends on the kind of material they work with.
They can use various welding types depending on the pipe’s location and composition. They must also consider its diameter and thickness to ensure their work is effective. There are various regulations they must follow to stay up to code. For example, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers has different standards for gas and liquid transportation.
Workers must also coat and wrap the pipes. It keeps them safe and protects them against environmental degradation. The coatings they use depends on soil conditions and location. While manufacturers may have already completed most of this step, workers must finish it.
8. Inspection
A thorough inspection is crucial, even if the workers did an outstanding job. After welding and coating, most companies use X-ray technology to inspect the quality of the joints. It helps them detect any leaks or faults before the pressure testing process.
Some regulatory bodies are attempting to make inspections and maintenance more strict. For instance, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the Department of Transportation proposed amendments to existing safety regulations in May 2023. Its requirements involve leakage detection, firm repair timelines and routine survey guidelines.
Although it is still processing, it will proceed once the comment period closes in July 2023. Similar proposals focus on the potential environmental impact of pipelines. Some only cover new projects, while others attempt to expand requirements to include existing structures.
9. Lowering
The pipe placement is exciting because it signals the pipeline construction process is nearing the finish line. Workers must lower the pieces into the trench and ensure stability, which requires caution and patience. Filling the hole in with topsoil is also a crucial part of this step because it prepares the crew for restoration.
10. Pressure Testing
Testing is one of the most crucial parts of the entire process because it ensures safe fuel delivery. Even a minor leak could cause ecological damage, bad press and product loss — so it is essential to get rid of any faults. Many kinds of technology exist to make this step easier. For example, one company uses a ball-like smart device with sensors to detect and mark minuscule leaks in the pipe.
11. Site Restoration
A lot of clearing and excavation work goes into pipeline construction — workers cut vegetation, disrupt the flow of waterways and dig miles of trench. While it is not possible to restore the land to the way it was before exactly, proper site restoration is still crucial. Environmental activists and people living nearby the construction process appreciate it when the ground appears like it initially did.
Improving Parts of Pipeline Construction
These phases are crucial to successfully completing the pipeline construction process. Each builds on the other, so they are all essential. Some companies capitalize on the newest technology to make things more effortless, while others get ahead of the latest policy amendments to ensure they can streamline their work.
Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine, an online publication that explores innovations in science and technology.
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