World Pipelines – March 2021 by PalladianPublications

Volume 21 Number 3 - March 2021

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CONTENTS WORLD PIPELINES | VOLUME 21 | NUMBER 3 | MARCH 2021 03. Comment Deep freeze in the south

PIPE MANUFACTURE 45. Sustainable steel in the making

05. Guest comment

Barry Rust, Energy & Sustainability, Tata Steel, UK.

Reid Brooks, Director, Opportune LLP, USA.

07. Pipeline news With updates on the aftermath of Storm Uri, details on Energy Transfer's acquisition of Enable Midstream, and a FERC review of US interstate natural gas pipeline proposals.

MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY 49. Proactive pipeline maintenance Terri Thomas, Olympus, USA.

PIPELINE INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT 52. A successful start-up Steve Jackson and Terri Mathis, Baker Hughes, Process & Pipeline Services, Houston, USA.

Steve Jackson and Terri Mathis, Baker Hughes, Process & Pipeline Services, Houston, USA, detail a successful pre-commissioning project in the Gulf of Mexico.

he Sur de Texas natural gas pipeline was built between 2017 and 2019 by Infraestructura Marina del Golfo (IMG), a joint venture (JV) between TC Energy and Mexican infrastructure company IEnova. With the capacity to transport 2.6 billion ft3/d of clean-burning natural gas to businesses in central Mexico, this pipeline is an important development in Mexico’s plan to reduce its reliance on coal and fuel oil. The 745 km (463 mile) line runs primarily under water in the Gulf of Mexico from just east of Brownsville, Texas, to Tuxpan. It has two segments. The north segment includes 500 km (311 miles) in the US that is owned and operated by Enbridge. This transitions to IMG ownership at the invisible subsea border from which it continues another 455 km (283 miles) to Altamira in Mexico, where it comes onshore. The south segment is all offshore, running 245 km (152 miles) from Altamira to Tamiahua near Tuxpan. One of IMG’s challenges for the entire project was finding a contractor with the capabilities to handle pre-commissioning of this massive 42 in. subsea pipeline. Following a competitive bidding process, Baker Hughes was awarded the contract for the pre-commissioning work.

Soorya Tejomoortula, GlobalData, India, takes a look at upcoming pipeline projects in Asia-Pacific, and outlines the significant growth expected in the region.

sia-Pacific is one of the leading regions globally for upcoming oil and gas trunk/transmission pipeline projects, accounting for about 40% of the total additions by 2025. Close to three-quarters of these upcoming additions are expected to be through natural gas pipelines, while the rest include product and crude oil pipelines. Increase in industrial demand, especially from power, petrochemical, and fertilizers sectors, as well as growing domestic demand in different countries, have been contributing to the growth of gas pipelines in this region. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and development of LNG import terminals in major demand centres in the region are also contributing to gas pipeline growth.

PAGE 15

Solution The primary Baker Hughes project scope included progressive pigging during pipelay, filling, hydrostatic testing, dewatering, propelling inspection tools, drying and N2 purging. Baker Hughes also supplied the caliper tool for the north line. Baker Hughes had the proven experience, technical capability, a large and experienced talent pool, local resources and specialised equipment available in the region to reliably tackle the project.

Pumping The sheer volume of testing medium needed for hydrostatic testing at ~4000 psi required very large pumps that are not easy to find. High-power, high-pressure,

PAGE REGIONAL REPORT 14. Full steam ahead for Asia-Pacific Soorya Tejomoortula, GlobalData, India, takes a look at upcoming pipeline projects in Asia-Pacific, and outlines the significant growth expected in the region.

57. Ready when you are Aaron Madden, T.D. Williamson, USA.

HOT TAPPING & ISOLATION 19. Pipeline isolation for the 21st century Angus Bowie, Regional Director for the Middle East & Asia Pacific, STATS Group.

CONSTRUCTION CASE STUDIES 23. Driving development Donato Santomauro and Francesco Petrelli, Bonatti Pipeline Business Unit, Italy.

Welding

61. Featuring: Huntingdon Fusion Techniques and Miller Electric Mfg. LLC.

27. Heavy Equipment Review World Pipelines' fourth annual heavy equipment focus, featuring BAUMA, Brandt Equipment Solutions, CRC-Evans, Jaraff Industries, Laurini Officine Meccaniche, LaValley Industries, Mastenbroek, Proline Pipe Equipment Inc., SCAIP SpA, Terramac, Tesmec SpA, Vacuworx and Worldwide Machinery.

Reader enquiries [www.worldpipelines.com]

Maats Pipeline Professionals supplies a wide variety of specialised construction machinery for rental and for sale, such as pipelayers, welding tractors, bending machines and related equipment for pipeline construction, maintenance or repair. For our fleet of pipelayers as well as for the base-machines and components of machines produced by Maats, like welding tractors and bending machines, we use the quality of Liebherr wherever possible. On the cover is an illustration of an overview of the construction of a pipeline, where Maats can provide its customers with the complete package of equipment. Member of ABC Audit Bureau of Circulations Copyright© Palladian Publications Ltd 2021. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. All views expressed in this journal are those of the respective contributors and are not necessarily the opinions of the publisher, neither do the publishers endorse any of the claims made in the articles or the advertisements. Printed in the UK.

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COMMENT DEEP FREEZE IN THE SOUTH

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or the last week, the eyes of the world have been on Texas, as the state was hit by unprecedented winter storms that left millions of residents without access to power. The freezing weather spared no part of the energy infrastructure; wind turbines froze, refineries were halted and natural gas pipeline operators, including Kinder Morgan and Enbridge, were forced to put restrictions in place. Amongst the chaos, a fierce debate has started, with the renewable and fossil fuel sectors both accusing the other of playing the major role in the outage. Key figures including Texas Governor Greg Abbott and GOP Rep. Dan Crenshaw stated that frozen wind turbines were largely to blame, citing their failure in the storm as evidence that ‘intermittent renewable energy like wind isn’t there when you need it’.1 The events have caused many to question President Biden’s green energy agenda, with a focus on transitioning to renewable sources. The storms came only weeks after he revoked the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, a move that caused many in the oil and gas industry to renew their warnings that the country would need to rely on fossil fuels for several years to come. However, as Michael Webber (Energy Resources Professor at the University of Austin, Texas) stated, the outages were ‘really a bigger failure of the natural gas system’, which ‘struggled to keep up’ in the extreme temperatures. In fact, his assessment was that ‘a lack of winterisation’ across the board, including

both natural gas and renewable infrastructure, was responsible for the huge impact on power supplies.2 What has been made clear is that no part of the multi-faceted Texas energy system was prepared for the extreme weather seen over the last couple of weeks. Rather than seeking to blame one sector for the shut-down, it seems prudent to use the events as an opportunity to evaluate policy and try to prevent them reoccurring in the future. These extreme climate events have only become more frequent all around the world in recent times, and incorporating an awareness of this into facility and infrastructure planning could make the grid more resilient. However, to achieve this energy companies need incentives to invest in making facilities more robust, in preparation for future extreme weather, and industries need to collaborate to come up with joint solutions that ensure the continuous supply of power. In that vein, this month’s issue of World Pipelines includes a range of content about innovative new technologies and methods designed to ensure the safe and optimal operation of pipelines. Make sure to check out articles on: proactive pipeline maintenance using ultrasonic transducers (p. 49); hot tap isolation (p. 19); decarbonisation of the steel and pipeline manufacturing industry (p. 45); and our annual Heavy Equipment Review, showcasing the latest and best in pipeline construction equipment.

NO PART OF THE TEXAS ENERGY SYSTEM WAS PREPARED FOR THE EXTREME WEATHER

1. 2.

https://twitter.com/RepDanCrenshaw https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/19/politics/texasenergy-outage-wind-turbine-blame-green-energy-factcheck/index.html

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Guest

Comment Reid Brooks Director, Opportune LLP, USA

ur Managing Partner David Baggett has a tradition of distilling his view on the year ahead into words like “scrappy” or “resilient” at our firm’s annual meetings. Hindsight being 20/20, “perseverance” seems appropriate to describe the personal and professional hardships many felt during a difficult 2020. With most of 2021 in front of us, I feel strongly that “adapt” would be the right word to describe the year ahead. Coming out of the toughest commodity price environment in recent history, companies across the energy value chain will now be required to reinvent themselves if they hope to survive as the world changes around them. Competition for investment dollars now hinges on how well a company can demonstrate stewardship of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in operating their businesses. The Biden administration, less than a week into its first term, issued numerous executive orders with farreaching consequences to oil and gas. Most notably for pipeline operators, the cancellation of Keystone XL’s permits signalled a shifting of the trade winds yet again on the project, which has spanned three administrations and endured a barrage of lawsuits. As a result of this and other recentlyscuttled pipeline projects, some midstream executives have questioned the ability to ever again develop greenfield long-haul pipelines.1 Many believe natural gas will represent the bridge fossil fuel over the next 10 to 20 years.2 This is especially true for power generation and local distribution utilities that rely on an uninterrupted supply of natural gas. With mounting pressure by investors to achieve net-zero emissions targets, many utilities are beginning to rethink their investment strategies, which could result in a quicker pivot to renewables. The decline in the role of natural gas as a bridge fuel will be hastened without bold and decisive actions taken by pipeline operators to reduce or eliminate emissions. The midstream entities who survive will do so by embracing these fundamental changes and adapting. Midstream companies like Enbridge and Williams, among others, have taken bold steps pledging net-zero – or significantly reduced – emissions targets through a combination of infrastructure

investments such as leak detection and repair, carbon offset credits, carbon capture and increasing the use of renewable power generation for operations. While certain of the technologies required to reach these aggressive emissions targets don’t yet exist on an industrial scale, it is the faith in innovation to overcome these technological barriers that will create new opportunities for pipeline operators. In much the same way that domestic oil and gas was reinvented by the advent of newer and more efficient exploration and production technology like hydraulic fracturing, pipeline operators now have the ability to redefine themselves as well. While large-scale pipeline-related infrastructure development projects have fallen out of favour, technology such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) may create new investment opportunities while contributing to reduced emissions. Improvements in technology like LIDAR-based methane detection and flare-eliminating emission-less blowdown equipment will contribute to a pipeline operator’s ability to minimise emissions events more economically during routine operations and maintenance. Midstream energy companies, now more than ever, have many platforms by which they can communicate their commitment to embracing ESG. Sustainability reports, investor presentations and social media all represent opportunities for pipeline operators to demonstrate their commitment to creating a sustainable approach to business. However, businesses will be defined not by the quality of these reports or the frequency of social media posts, but by taking many small, meaningful steps towards aggressive goals they set for themselves across all facets of ESG. These bold promises will create opportunities for innovation and the ability to prolong the use of natural gas to ensure both domestic and foreign supplies of clean, affordable and reliable energy to continue to power the economy of the 21st century.

THE DECLINE OF NATURAL GAS...WILL BE HASTENED WITHOUT BOLD AND DECISIVE ACTIONS TAKEN BY PIPELINE OPERATORS

1. 2.

https;//www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-10/biden-blockingkeystone-threatens-to-end-era-of-mega-pipelines https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en/research/articles/200924-theenergy-transition-covid-19-undermines-the-role-of-gas-as-a-bridgefuel-11667239

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WORLD NEWS FERC revisits review of policy statement on interstate natural gas pipeline proposals The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has reopened its review of the 1999 Policy Statement on the Certification of New Interstate Natural Gas Facilities by asking for new information and additional perspectives that would assist the commission in moving forward with its review. The commission is looking to build upon the record already established in response to its April 2018 Notice of Inquiry. “It’s important to recognise that many changes have occurred since our initial inquiry three years ago,” FERC Chairman Rich Glick said. “I look forward to seeing the comments and working with my fellow commissioners to update our review process for reviewing proposed natural gas projects.” To guide the process and focus on adding to the existing record, the commission seeks comments on new questions that modify or add to the April 2018 Notice of Inquiry. For example, the commission requests comments on how it identifies and addresses potential health or environmental effects of its pipeline certification programmes, policies and activities on environmental justice communities. The Notice of Inquiry also seeks comment on how the commission determines the need for a project, the exercise of eminent domain and landowner interests, the commission’s consideration of environmental impacts and improvements to the efficiency of the commission’s review process. Comments on the Notice of Inquiry are due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said in a statement: “The announcement marks an important opportunity for FERC to chart a new, practical

course in the regulation of US pipeline construction projects, and reverse industry trends that destroy investor dollars, kill jobs, and cause unnecessary environmental and community disruptions.” The statement went on to say: “The commission’s decision to reopen its policy review occurs as the inadequacies of the existing policy, which IEEFA analysed in a December report, have become painfully apparent. FERC’s failures to curb overbuilding of pipeline capacity have caused adverse economic impacts and impaired the property rights of people whose lands lie in the paths of proposed pipelines. “Instead of conducting a rigorous analysis of public need for gas pipeline projects, FERC continued to rely on the false premise that the mere existence of business contracts for the gas means the public needs it. “The report established that such deferential reliance on industry practices is misplaced. Pipeline developers have been missing the mark in adjusting to economic changes that have reduced the share of natural gas in the energy market, as well as the rate of growth in energy demand. “The report also demonstrated that FERC’s approach resulted in poor decisions. FERC approved three major pipelines that wound up being cancelled in 2020. The projects had incurred substantial costs and imposed significant burdens on agencies and the public. Subsequent reviews exposed weaknesses in the projects that FERC should have identified at the outset. “The result of this process could be a major shift in pipeline project analysis and in government action that promotes economically sustainable energy development.”

Winter storm wreaks havoc on Texas power grid Winter storms brought prolonged subzero temperatures to the midwest and southern US states in February. In Texas, the largest US crude-producing state, electricity demand soared and the power grid failed. Production from oil wells and refineries was halted and restrictions were put in place by natural gas and crude pipeline operators. A large part of both the utility-scale wind and conventional power generation resources went offline due to mechanical issues from the cold temperatures. Demand outstripped supply by 30%, with 30 GW of power plant outages. Whilst the power suppliers imposed rolling blackouts, authorities urged residents and businesses to conserve energy by limiting their consumption of electricity. Some three million homes and businesses were left without power. The Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the electric grid and manages the deregulated market for 75% of the state, issued a report indicating that about 43 GW of capacity was forced off the Texas grid by the winter storm. It claimed that nearly twothirds of that stilled generation was thermal, while 38% was wind and solar combined.

Reuters reported that Kinder Morgan cited gas pipeline capacity constraints at locations in Arkansas, Illinois, Louisiana, New Mexico and Texas, while Enable Gas Transmission said it was taking measures to ensure adequate supply for customers. Oil pipeline operator Enbridge Inc. said a 585 000 bpd crude oil pipeline that runs from its terminal near Pontiac, Illinois, outside of Chicago, to the largest US oil storage hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, was halted because of power outages. Gasoline prices are expected to rise by 10 to 20 cents a gallon after the winter storms knocked out a dozen refineries. Refinery outages removed about 20% of the nation’s oil refining capacity. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is set to investigate the state’s electricity system operator and other utilities in the wake of the deep freeze and resulting power outages. A release about the Civil Investigative Demands sent to ERCOT and other power companies focused on “The large-scale failure of Texas power companies to withstand the winter storm [which] left multiple millions of Texans without power and heat during lethal, record-low temperatures across the state.”

MARCH 2021 / World Pipelines

WORLD NEWS IN BRIEF 2020 global oil and gas M&A activity plunged: Deloitte

USA Kinder Morgan, Inc. and Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. have jointly announced that they have agreed to sell a 25% minority interest in Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC (NGPL) to a fund controlled by ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC (ArcLight) for US$830 million.

UK Integrated subsea technology and services provider Ashtead Technology has invested £1 million to develop a new R&D and engineering facility in Aberdeenshire.

USA Tailwater Capital LLC, a private equity firm based in Dallas, US, has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire NorTex Midstream Partners, LLC, an independently owned Houston-based natural gas storage and transportation company.

MOZAMBIQUE EnerMech has appointed Celestino Maússe to the newly created role of Mozambique country manager as the company seeks to expand its business as local activity ramps up.

FRANCE Total SE will focus on growth of energy production in LNG and Renewables & Electricity. The group will propose to its shareholders at an AGM on 28 May 2021 a name change to TotalEnergies.

INDIA Sandvik will invest in a new hydraulic and instrumentation tubing factory at its Mehsana Mill in Gujarat, western India.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

In 2020 global oil and gas M&A activity fell to the lowest number of deals and value in more than a decade, according to Deloitte’s new report, ‘2021 oil and gas M&A outlook: Consolidation through the price cycle’. In 2020, the midstream sector proved more resilient as deal count halved year on year, but value was up more than 30%. Notably, six of the nine largest midstream deals involved institutional and non-oil and gas buyers and focused primarily on gas and LNG. Looking forward to 2021 across all subsectors of oil and gas, Deloitte notes four trends that will shape the industry near term, including an industry reset on financials that could spur dealmaking, a critical search for new capital, continued consolidation beyond the Permian, and the acceleration of the energy transition into mid- and downstream. The energy transition is accelerating: lower-carbon M&A activity has focused on upstream, but Deliotte expects it to spill over into midstream and downstream. Oil and gas dealmaking flatlined in the first half of 2020, but recovered in the

second half. As companies finalise impairments, bankruptcies reduce liabilities, and debt is restructured or discharged, the drag on M&A should lessen, and dealmaking could return to pre-2020 levels in 2021, with financially more secure companies catalysing the deal making. Overall activity fell to 258 transactions as 2020 had the lowest number of deals and value in more than a decade. Of the 10 largest deals globally, five were in upstream, four were in midstream, and one was in downstream. Seven of the 10 were in the US. Upstream, there was a shift in M&A, with a focus on lower-premium, all-stock, corporate consolidations with an eye to the Permian, which remains the single largest region for drilling and M&A. There were 42 midstream deals worth US$106 billion in 2020, compared with 81 deals worth US$79 billion in 2019. One challenge to further investment will likely be the energy transition, but midstream assets may have substantial value for alternative uses, such as transporting biofuels, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen.

US to dominate oil and gas project starts in North America by 2025 The US will drive upcoming project starts across the oil and gas value chain in North America, accounting for 70% of the total projects expected to start operations by 2025, according to GlobalData. Of these, new build projects dominate with 83%, while the remaining are expansion projects mainly in the upstream sector (fields, excluding shale). GlobalData’s report, ‘North America Oil and Gas Projects Outlook to 2025 Development Stage, Capacity, Capex and Contractor Details of All New Build and Expansion Projects’, reveals that 417 projects are expected to commence operations in the US during the period 2021 - 2025. Out of these, 47 are upstream projects (excluding shale) and 234 midstream projects with refinery and petrochemical at 18 and 118, respectively. Soorya Tejomoortula, Oil and Gas Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The US, being one of the largest producers, transporters and consumers of oil and gas in

the world, has a significant count of projects set to start operations across the value chain by 2025. Though the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed some projects, the rebound of oil prices and the gradual recovery of the US economy is expected to slowly gather momentum in the US oil and gas industry.” GlobalData notes that midstream projects would constitute around 56% of all oil and gas projects in the US during the period 2021 - 2025. Rio Grande Phase I, a key midstream LNG liquefaction project with a capacity of 16.2 million t/y, is expected to cost US$11 billion to build. Other key midstream projects include Kenai II regasification terminal, Jupiter transmission pipeline, Smithburg II-VI gas processing plant, Plaquemines oil storage project and Magnum under gas storage project. Downstream and petrochemical projects together constitute around 33% of all upcoming oil and gas projects in the US during 2021 - 2025.

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World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

Annual US LNG exports forecast to exceed pipeline exports in 2022

Energy Transfer to acquire Enable Midstream

According to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) ‘February 2021 Short-Term Energy Outlook’ (STEO), EIA forecasts that US LNG exports will exceed natural gas exports by pipeline in the first and fourth quarters of 2021 and on an annual basis in 2022. Monthly US LNG exports exceeded natural gas exports by pipeline by nearly 1.2 billion ft3/d in November 2020. LNG exports have only exceeded natural gas exports by pipeline once since 1998 – in April 2020 – by 0.01 billion ft3/d. US LNG exports set consecutive monthly records of 9.4 billion ft3/d in November and of 9.8 billion ft3/d in both December 2020 and January 2021, according to EIA’s estimates based on the shipping data provided by Bloomberg Finance, L.P. EIA forecasts that US LNG gross exports will average 9.7 billion ft3/d in February 2021 before declining to seasonal lows in the shoulder months of the spring and autumn seasons. EIA forecasts LNG exports to average 8.5 billion ft3/d in 2021 and 9.2 billion ft3/d in 2022, compared with average gross pipeline exports of 8.8 billion ft3/d in 2021 and 8.9 billion ft3/d in 2022. Since November 2020, all six US LNG export facilities have been operating near full design capacity. In December, the Corpus Christi LNG facility in Texas commissioned its third and final liquefaction unit six months ahead of schedule, bringing the total US liquefaction capacity to 9.5 billion ft3/d baseload (10.8 billion ft3/d peak) across six export terminals. The November - January increase in US LNG exports has been driven by rising international natural gas and LNG prices, particularly in Asia, and lower global LNG supply because of unplanned outages at several LNG export facilities worldwide. US pipeline exports to Mexico increased by 6.4% in the first 11 months of 2020 compared with the same period in 2019 as a result of the completion of a new segment of the Wahalajara pipeline system in June and the Cempoala compressor station in September. The completion of Mexico’s SamalayucaSásabe pipeline (0.47 billion ft3/d capacity) in January 2021 and the expected completion of Tula-Villa de Reyes pipeline (0.89 billion ft3/d capacity) later this year are expected to further increase US pipeline exports to Mexico.

Energy Transfer LP and Enable Midstream Partners, LP announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby Energy Transfer will acquire Enable in an allequity transaction valued at approximately US$7.2 billion. The acquisition will increase Energy Transfer’s footprint across multiple regions and provide increased connectivity for its natural gas and NGL transportation businesses. Energy Transfer will significantly strengthen its NGL infrastructure by adding natural gas gathering and processing assets in the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma and integrate high-quality assets with Energy Transfer’s existing NGL transportation and fractionation assets on the US Gulf Coast. The acquisition will also provide significant gas gathering and processing assets in the Arkoma basin across Oklahoma and Arkansas, as well as the Haynesville Shale in East Texas and North Louisiana.

THE MIDSTREAM UPDATE •

Aegion to become a private company

•

Russian oil and gas regulations update

•

Turboden and Siemens develop ‘first of its kind’ gas compressor station in Egypt

•

LaValley and SiteTec announce co-operation

ON LI NE

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CONTRACT NEWS Crux OCM selected by Phillips 66 for pipeline control centre operations pilot

PSA Norway awards risk consulting contract to Vysus Group

Crux OCM, a pioneer of robotic industrial process automation (RIPA™) for oil and gas operations, has been selected by Phillips 66 for a pipeline control centre operations pilot. Using RIPA, Crux OCM helps energy companies create a safer operation that maximises utilisation and efficiency. Phillips 66, a diversified energy manufacturing and logistics company, has chosen Crux OCM’s marquee product, pipeBOT™, for the pilot. The number of manual commands it takes for control room operators to manage pipeline functionality is staggering. PipeBOT™ offers autonomous startup and shutdown controls to assist in pipeline control centre operations. It increases throughput by achieving target flowrates faster while enabling control rooms to operate at maximum safety, utilisation and efficiency. Crux OCM pipeBOT is designed to reduce manual commands through intelligent automation, which curbs control room operator fatigue and enables control room operators to perform more essential higher-level functions, while ensuring safety and performance. Also, these improvements may reach target flow rates up to 40% faster, improve equipment reliability and reduce pressure cycle fatigue. Vicki Knott, CEO of Crux OCM explains, “Pipeline operations have long relied on PLCs and SCADA for operations. At Crux OCM, we’ve reimagined what PLCs and SCADA are capable of, bundling functionalities of multiple controllers and ML to create fully automated procedures, checklists and rules of thumb for control room operators to leverage within our RIPA™ platform. You may think you’ve reached the peak of what automation can do for your operations, but the reality is most industries are still just scratching the surface. Crux OCM is the engine that will drive the control rooms of the future.”

Vysus Group (formerly LR Energy), the global engineering and technology company, has secured a framework agreement with the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA), the government agency with regulatory responsibility for safety in the petroleum sector across the Norwegian continental shelf. The agreement, which was awarded at the end of 2020, will see Vysus Group support continuous improvement related to safety and provide advice in risk analysis and emergency preparedness, helping the PSA investigate accidents and incidents over a two year period, with the option to extend the agreement for an additional two years into 2024. The scope of work will include assessments to determine risk that may cause damage to offshore personnel or the environment, the evaluation of emergency preparedness conditions to limit the impact of an incident, and various studies which may include the assessment of new technologies, fire and explosion calculations, security systems or process solutions. Leveraging decades of experience working in the Norwegian offshore industry, Vysus Group’s team of experts will also support the PSA on projects to highlight the level of risk within the petroleum activities. A recent survey by the Norwegian Statistics Bureau (SSB) has found that investments in oil and gas activity in 2021 are accelerating, with an estimated 166.3 billion NOK (US$18.4 billion) boost to the petroleum industry, up from the 148.6 billion NOK forecast in August 2020. Robert Nyiredy, VP Risk Management Consulting, Vysus Group said: “By proactively identifying risk, and arming asset operators with key data and insights, the PSA is helping to prevent serious health and safety issues and catastrophic environmental disasters before they arise, thus protecting the environment and the hundreds of thousands of personnel working in Norway’s oil and gas sector each year. This has never been more important than it is today, as operators face the challenges associated with reduced manpower and COVID-19 restrictions .... We are proud to continue our relationship with the PSA, and to have the opportunity to support its sharp focus on safety through this latest agreement. The appointment is testament to the trust and confidence that Vysus Group has built with the government authority, and our commitment to making global oil and gas operations as efficient and safe as possible through our specialist risk management services.” Following a strategic-carve out from Lloyd’s Register (LR), LR’s Energy business is now Vysus Group, a standalone engineering and technical consultancy, offering specialist asset performance, risk management and project management expertise across complex industrial assets, energy assets (oil and gas, nuclear, renewables), the energy transition and rail infrastructure. Vysus Group retains LR Energy’s entire capability and continues to offer its full suite of technical, regulatory and operational expertise globally.

Trelleborg awarded thermal insulation project offshore Norway Trelleborg’s offshore operation in Norway has been awarded a contract by Randaberg Industries AS, to provide Vikotherm® R3 thermal insulation for the 10 in. VFS-2 spool skid to be installed on the Hod Field Development Project, located on the Norwegian Continental Shelf in the North Sea. This collaboration between Trelleborg, Randaberg Industries AS and Subsea 7, is the first contract for application of Trelleborg’s Vikotherm R3 material on pipeline spool field joints. Trelleborg’s Vikotherm R3 material will insulate 13 pipeline spool field joints, protecting the welded joints from seawater corrosion and damage. It will also lower heat loss to ensure the pipeline spool temperature is maintained, providing flow assurance to reduce the likelihood of production stoppage. The Hod field is Iocated in the southernmost part of the Norwegian Continental Shelf and is operated by Aker BP ASA.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

Soorya Tejomoortula, GlobalData, India, takes a look at upcoming pipeline projects in Asia-Pacific, and outlines the significant growth expected in the region.

Figure 1. Upcoming oil and gas pipeline additions in Asia-Pacific 2020 - 2025.

Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and West Bengal. The GAIL (India) Ltd owned and operated pipeline will supply gas to city gas distribution networks, fertilizer plants, and refineries in these states. The Mallavaram - Bhopal - Bhilwara - Vijaipur gas pipeline is another major pipeline project in India with a total length of 2042 km. The GSPL India Transco Ltdoperated pipeline will supply natural gas from D6 fields in the Krishna Godavari basin to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Madya Pradesh. The proposed pipeline is also in proximity to some of the LNG import terminals planned on the east coast of India such as Kakinada and Yanam and has the potential to transport gas from these terminals as well. Although most upcoming pipelines in India are being constructed to supply gas, several pipelines are also being built to transport petroleum products. The 1212 km Paradip - Hyderabad pipeline, which is likely to become operational in early 2021, is being developed to enhance the availability of diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene in key demand centres in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Orissa.

China India’s neighbour, China, which has one of the largest natural gas pipeline networks in Asia-Pacific, is further planning to expand its network to decrease GHG emissions and cater to the growing demand for natural gas in its domestic market. China, one of the world’s largest emitters of GHG, has announced its plan to become carbon neutral by 2060. This plan holds high significance for its natural gas sector, including gas pipelines. The country has already begun to transition from coal to cleaner energy by increasing the natural gas share in the energy mix. This transition, coupled with strong industrial and domestic gas demand, has provided a major boost to the development of domestic gas transmission and gas import pipelines in the country. China would be strengthening its domestic gas pipeline network over the next five years. A major pipeline project is Sinopec’s (China Petroleum & Chemical Corp’s) 2293 km Erdos - Anping - Cangzhou pipeline, which will deliver gas to consumers in Hebei province from production areas in the Erdos basin. Phase I of this project has already become operational and transports gas from Sinopec’s regasification terminal in Tianjin, which started commercial operations in 2018. Tianjin - Inner Mongolia, a 1279 km pipeline, is another major project under development. This pipeline is planned to transport gas from coal-to-gas plants in Inner Mongolia

Figure 2. Upcoming oil and gas pipeline additions in key Asia-Pacific countries 2020 2025.

India Within Asia-Pacific, India has embarked on several large trunk gas pipeline projects as it plans to improve natural gas share in the energy mix from about 6% to 15% by 2030. The country is also planning several LNG import projects, which would complement the existing and planned pipeline infrastructure and boost gas consumption. Apart from LNG imports, the Indian government is also planning to boost domestic production and develop the gas market by providing equal access to the gas pipeline grid to all players. India is also planning a unified gas tariff for its gas grid, which will benefit buyers located far away from production and import facilities. India’s plans to create a gas-based economy are reinforced by the scale of its efforts to strengthen its pipeline infrastructure. Several major gas pipelines are expected to become operational in the country over the next five years. The planned Jagdishpur - Haldia pipeline is one of the longest and has strategic importance as it connects the northern and eastern parts of India. The 2655 km pipeline is expected to supply natural gas to domestic, transport, and industrial sectors in the states of

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

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and Shanxi province to Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin – key gas-consuming centres for natural gas. Additionally, a 530 km Yantai gas pipeline is being planned in Shandong, a centre for mining, manufacturing, and power industries, which is currently highly reliant on coal. The Yantai gas pipeline will supply gas to six cities in the province and reduce the province’s dependence on coal. On one hand, China is looking to strengthen its domestic pipeline network, and on the other, it is building crosscountry pipelines that may be essential to its energy security. The Power of Siberia 1, a gas pipeline between China and Russia, delivers gas to northeast China from Siberia. Another gas pipeline, The Power of Siberia 2, is expected to supply gas from Russia to western China towards the end of the coming decade. These pipelines are touted to cement political ties between the two nations, as much as they are for gas trade.

Pakistan Pakistan, India’s other neighbour, is also focusing on expanding its gas pipeline infrastructure. In collaboration with the Russian government, Pakistan has recently announced a pipeline that would connect an LNG import terminal in Karachi to Kasur in Punjab province. The 1122 km long pipeline, which uses Russian technology and materials, has been renamed as Pakistan Stream Gas Pipeline from earlier North - South gas pipeline. Pakistan is also part of the TAPI (Turkmenistan - Afghanistan - Pakistan - India) gas pipeline, which aims to transport gas from the Galkynysh gas field in Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. The pipeline will provide long-term energy security to Pakistan, as well as revenues in the form of transit fees. However, considering the geopolitics involved between India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, the development of the pipeline has been delayed. Construction of petroleum products pipelines in Pakistan is also set to receive a fillip, as Pakistan Oil Refinery and Marketing Policy 2020 was launched to incentivise companies involved in refining and marketing of petroleum products. The policy also aims to deregulate prices of kerosene and jet fuel apart from deregulating ex-refinery prices and margins on gasoline and diesel, in a phased approach. Pakistan is also building a 427 km pipeline connecting Karachi to Peshawar to transport motor gasoline and high-speed diesel across the country.

Indonesia While countries such as India and China are planning pipelines to meet growing domestic gas demands, Indonesia is vying to double its gas production by 2030. However, weak domestic demand growth and slow expansion of gas pipelines are seen as the main hurdles to double gas production by 2030. The Gresik - Semarang pipeline, one of Indonesia’s upcoming gas pipelines, has been marred with land acquisition hurdles that led to construction delays. The pipeline, which is a part of the integrated TransJawa pipeline stretching up to 600 km, is expected to supply gas to Central Java and East Java. The pipeline is finally expected to start operations by next year.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

Unlike other major countries in Asia-Pacific, instead of directing its efforts just to build gas pipelines, Indonesia is focusing on an optimal mix of oil, gas, and product pipelines. PT Pertamina is planning to build a 367 km crude oil pipeline. Expected to boost oil production, it connects Rokan oil block to the Dumai refinery. The country is also planning two product pipelines in the next five years. The construction of a 180 km Lomanis - Rewulu product pipeline is underway, which would connect Cilacap, Central Java, to Rewulu. Other product pipelines such as the 128 km Lomanis - Tasikmalaya, and 93 km Cikampek - Plumpang II would supply fuel to remote areas of the country.

Australia Australia is another key country in Asia-Pacific with a significant gas pipeline project portfolio. Being one of the largest countries in the world, it has built a formidable gas pipeline network to supply its domestic market as well as the LNG export terminals. To further develop its pipeline network, the Australian government is taking measures to create a more transparent gas hub that could potentially boost the country’s gas infrastructure and pipeline network. It announced a National Gas Infrastructure Plan in September 2020 that identifies important pipelines and necessary infrastructure for development. The country is also planning to reform regulations on gas pipeline infrastructure to bring in greater transparency and competition. Several upcoming pipelines have been planned in Australia in the next five years to overcome any gas shortage in the country. The 585 km proposed pipeline from the Glenaras Gas Project in Queensland would address the domestic gas demand in Eastern Australia. Some pipelines are being built to reduce transportation distance and costs. The 950 km Amadeus Basin - Moomba is one such announced gas pipeline. This pipeline will reduce over half the gas transportation distance for one of its equity owners, Central Petroleum Ltd, which currently supplies gas from its fields in the Northern Territory to the gas hub at Moomba in Queensland over a 2200 km pipeline route. Gas from the Moomba hub is to be subsequently sold in the East coast market of Australia. Although most of these proposed pipelines in Australia are at early stages of development, which might add some uncertainty to these projects, a strong stand by the government to safeguard Australia’s gas sector might provide the required impetus for their development. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has impacted the global oil and gas sector, seems to have had little impact on the pipeline sector in Asia-Pacific. Except in Australia, several of the upcoming pipeline projects in the region are on course to start operations close to their scheduled timelines. In Australia, a major project impacted by the pandemic is the Scarborough - Pluto (434 km) pipeline project, which is likely to be pushed to 2026 with its FID delayed by a year. Similar situations are being faced by the Browse - North West Shelf and Barossa Gas Export pipeline projects, whose start years would be delayed due to delayed FIDs.

Angus Bowie, Regional Director for the Middle East & Asia Pacific at STATS Group, explains how the pipeline industry has turned a corner when it comes to utilising hot tap isolation.

hen STATS first investigated hot tap isolation back in 2005, it was discovered that the existing technology was based on equipment which had not changed since the 1950s and did not meet current standards. There was a single high-pressure lip seal with an acceptable leak-rate, an open vent and a low pressure gas bag to hopefully divert the lip-seal leak to the open vent. STATS had secured a project in the North Sea which required leak-tight double isolation of 32 × 10 in. pipes within the platform

utility shafts. With current technology, this would have required 64 full bore hot taps, 32 reduced bore gas bag hot taps and 96 vent and purge penetrations. Additionally, no existing supplier could be confident in providing a leak-tight seal in the ageing pipework with poor internal conditions and the presence of scale. At that time STATS was supplying mechanical isolation plugs with dual, full pressure, compression seals with a 98% leak-tight seal record. Where leak-tight seals could not be achieved during installation, our seal monitoring capability identified any leakrate. These leak rates were miniscule and could be vented with a ¼ in. vent hose. However, in most cases simply un-setting and relocating the isolation plug would rectify the issue before retesting the seals and issuing an isolation certificate. The seal barriers are both tested upon installation to the full pipe differential pressure and provide isolation at least equivalent to that of a double block and bleed valve. STATS utilised the Tecno Plug® sealing technology, with its extensive track record, to develop a hot tap deployed isolation tool capable of providing the safe isolation required to isolate the 32 pipes and minimise the number of hot taps required. This led STATS to develop the patented BISEP® (Branch Installed Self-Energised Plug) which was deployed through a single

full-bore penetration with dual compression seals. The monitor between the seals is ported through the launcher, so there is no requirement for additional hot tapping. As the seals offer proven leak-tight integrity there is no need for the additional gas bag either.

High integrity hot tapping It took a few years to get the industry to understand that high integrity hot tap isolation was available, with resistance from both competitors and operators. However, now the industry has turned

the corner and most operators are expecting and demanding dual full pressure barriers with less penetrations on the pipe. Our leading competitor has even developed its own technology to address this concern, the latest incarnation finally addressing the lip-seal leak rate. However, STATS still remains the market leader in double block and bleed hot tap isolation, with solutions to suit both high and low pressure applications while maintaining high integrity sealing. The BISEP also allows the isolated pipework to be pressure tested after the workscope is completed, as the seals are bi-directional. The ability to resist back pressure also allows the pressure between the seals to be raised above the pipeline pressure, ensuring the test on the secondary seal is valid. If the void is equal or below the pipeline pressure then there could be a leak past both seals. However as pressure can only leak from high to low, locking-in pressure between the seals to above the pipeline pressure or venting it to ambient with pressure on both sides proves the seal integrity, as any leak would be detected. The BISEP is Type Approved by DNV GL up to 56 in. and has been deployed all round the world from 3 in. up to 54 in.

Recent developments

Figure 1. BISEP isolating a live 36 in. gas pipeline operating at 65 bar, leak-tight isolation despite significant build-up of oily silt in the line.

Recent developments include a dual set configuration, known as the DS BISEP. This tool is deployed on the isolation side of the fitting and comes complete with an integrated bypass to maintain flow while providing high integrity dual barrier isolation through a single hot tap penetration. This configuration also has a contingency hydraulic lock, therefore maintaining 100% redundancy even on a low pressure or ambient system where the seals are not retained by pipeline pressure. However, the BISEP and DS BISEP both have seals energised by pipeline pressure, providing a fail-safe isolation independent of the hydraulic control circuit. The BISEP also incorporates a hydraulic set for any application where the pipeline pressure drops below the pressure required to maintain leak-tight sealing. The DS BISEPs are often used in a quad configuration, with two BISEPs deployed at either end of a re-route to allow flow to be maintained while a new pipe section is commissioned.

Applications

Figure 2. 10 in. DS BISEP assembly with integrated bypass. Pig launcher used to de-oil the old line, displacing oil through the second bypass into the new pipeline.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

The BISEP has been used for oil, gas, NGL, LNG, CO2, steam and many other compounds, including use at solar plants to isolate Therminol heat transfer fluid. The success of these often challenging projects is to identify a compatible seal material, something STATS has vast experience of and works in partnership with specialist suppliers to select and test the most appropriate material. Although high pressure isolation is not so important for utility companies, we have built a significant track record with them over the years. However, the main demand remains from oil and gas. The BISEP is a little more complicated than traditional line stop equipment to deploy, as it has an active rotate circuit as well as a hydraulic deployment ram and seal set circuit. This does however allow the BISEP to be deployed at any pipeline incline or orientation, and provides robust rigid operation. It also has pressure monitoring capabilities between the seals which can be used to raise or vent the pressure during seal testing. Although the BISEP could be deployed and left similar to a traditional line stop tool, we can also constantly monitor the isolation and verify the seal integrity. Where a traditional line stop isolation would have a fire marshal sniffing for

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gas during welding, the BISEP has an ambient void between the seals that is monitored to identify any leak with a second full pressure tested barrier between any potential leak and the worksite. This provides leak-tight seals with a zero-energy zone between them that is monitored for any pressure rise. The BISEP also has the capability to vent any increase in pressure or boost the seal hydraulic set pressure in the unlikely event that a leak was detected. “Three hydraulic circuits and two monitor lines is not rocket science and can be mastered by any hot tap technician,” is how it is often explained to clients. “At the end of the day it is much safer to identify an issue with a primary barrier when a leak-tight secondary barrier is securely in place.”

Hot tap clamps

Figure 3. 22 in. BISEP positioned on hot tapping chips and swarf, elastomer seals ensure leak-tight isolation.

Although the BISEP is typically deployed through welded fittings similar to traditional hot tap isolations, STATS can also provide their own mechanical hot tap clamps. Many of these hot tap clamps are for subsea application and feature dual seals and a set of locks, designed to remain on the pipeline as a permanent fixture. However, they can also be used in combination with STATS’ Tecno Plug® (inline mechanical isolation plug) to provide hot tap access to pipes where online welding is not possible or desired. In this application we use a mechanical clamp, hot tap and BISEP to make the initial isolation, then once the pipe is cut, we assemble a temporary launcher and deploy a Tecno Plug past the BISEP. With the Tecno Plug now providing isolation, the hot tap clamp can be removed, and a new pipe welded to the isolated pipe. The one limitation is that we need a valve or receiver to recover the isolation plug once the job is complete. This is a common option in process plants where the client does not want additional fittings or dead legs left in the system.

Conclusion

Figure 4. 42 in. BISEP isolation of natural gas line for seven months, production maintained through a separate bypass while new pig trap station was installed and commissioned.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

In the past three years, STATS has seen exponential growth in BISEP isolation provision, particularly in the US, Canada and Middle East markets. STATS has regional bases in Houston, Edmonton and Abu Dhabi to support the intervention market, with new facilities planned in Saudi Arabia and Australia. These are in addition to our other operational bases in Aberdeen, Doha, and Kuala Lumpur, which although primarily isolation plug bases also offer hot tap isolation services. Recently, STATS has seen a sharp increase in a double block and bleed requirement specified in tender documents, further indicating the trend to ensure hot tap isolation meets the current industry standards. STATS actively works with clients and government institutions to improve the safety of our industry, and is continuously developing advanced products for oil and gas infrastructure. Our comprehensive Tecno Plug range is also in high demand, and our piggable inline isolation tools offer the same high integrity dual barrier, monitored isolation. However, piggable isolation tools have the additional benefit of not requiring welding or cutting into live lines, and leave no residual fittings or hardware on the pipeline. STATS has several new products under development which will be released to the market soon. The company is constantly striving to improve the safety of its industry offering dual, proven barriers and controlled isolation, and replacing existing single seal unmonitored tooling with safer high integrity technology.

Donato Santomauro and Francesco Petrelli, Bonatti Pipeline Business Unit, Italy, take a look at the company’s technological innovations that are leading its expansion into new markets.

or an international contractor, being a pipeliner means ranking in the premium segment of the target market and being able to rely on a set of special features that clients can identify as fit-to-purpose for challenging projects. Pipeline construction relies on people with high-end technical skills, on equipment/technology, and on project management skills and expertise. Construction – apparently a quite straight-forward activity, which the layman boils down to ‘excavation/welding/laying/ reinstatement’ – actually requires the ability to combine all key elements in the most effective possible manner, in order to ensure top performance in any conditions and in all scopes, always holding safety as a top priority. Over the last 10 years, Bonatti has proved able to improve its operational quality even further, thanks to highly targeted development choices, which enabled it to achieve performance levels that are acknowledged and renowned in the industry worldwide.

A new welding system BNT ROB.E 10.01 – the mechatronic welding system that was designed and developed fully in-house, starting from construction site experience – has enabled, as the first step towards evolution, the performance of head-to-head welding on pipes of any thickness and dia. of over 10 in. This evolution mainly consists of an appreciable increase in productivity, quality and of the ability to ensure reproducibility, i.e. the same quality standard obtained over and over again. This innovation has enabled the application of a very complex technology to welding, which was originally intended for industrial robotics but which is, at the same time, very userfriendly and very robust, thus fit to be used in extremely hostile environments and climate conditions.

Proving the new welding system in Mexico The new system was used for the first time in 2012 - 2013, when the company began operations in Mexico. Starting

Figure 1. Bonatti Safe-T-Rex 130 pipelayer at work on a construction site.

from the Gasoducto Morelos project, which consisted of the construction of a gas pipeline 160 km long and 30 in. dia., crossing eight canyons with vertical walls and level differences of up to 40 m, the new approach to welding soon proved able to generate good effects on work performance. The investments made in state-of-the-art automatic welding technologies proved valuable later on, with the extraordinary performance of the EPC El Oro – Mazatlan pipeline (24 in., 430 km), in which individual teams welded over 300 joints per day and which was completed six months ahead of schedule with a repair percentage of just 0.6% on project completion. These performances were confirmed beyond doubt, once again in Mexico, within the El Encino – Ojinaga project (42 in., 225 km) and the Ramones I project (48 in., 117 km), which were both completed three months ahead of their respective schedules. This technology-oriented choice had good effects not only on operating capacity but also on the company’s positioning in the country, which could be strengthened thanks to its portfolio of international clients (including TC Energy and IEnova) and increasing the company’s renown. This of course contributed to making the choice of having a truly Mexican local structure, with the percentage of local human resources quickly increasing from 65 - 70% in the first years to

almost 100%, with the Mexican personnel not only being highly skilled and trained but also fully embracing the culture, values and mission of the company. The geographical features typical of the Mexican territory and of the entire American continent, combined with the strategies deployed by Bonatti, have also generated the opportunity of investing in the country, driven by a wide-ranging vision of the potential market.

The HUB complex Among the most material investments, certainly worth mentioning is the logistics and operations HUB in San Miguel de Allende (Guanajuato, Mexico). The HUB complex is close to 20 acres and comprises two warehouses (one with controlled temperature), a prefab area, a painting area, a testing area, an equipment storage area, a canteen, and most importantly, one of the main engineering centres of the group, with over 80 engineers. Right at the beginning of the Mexican experience, the company proved able, thanks to its strong plant engineering skills, to engage in works for compression stations. The engineering centre has enabled it, in a shrinking market for pipeline, to further diversify the types of projects the company can take on. Indeed, in the last 24 months, the company was awarded contracts for the construction of tank terminals for refined products, starting with a project in the State of Puebla, followed by the contracts in Valle de México and in Topolobampo (Sinaloa). The Topolobampo terminal has capacity of 1 300 000 bbls and the project includes the construction of a pier and a railway network to transport and market the products.

A new pipelayer

Figure 2. BNT ROB.E 10.01 Mechatronic Welding System.

Figure 3. Tank terminal construction, Mexico.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

In 2017, the company rolled out a new extensive technological development project, once again focused on pipeline construction. That project consisted of conceiving, designing and making a new pipelayer, once again fully made in-house. The pipelayer – or sideboom – is, together with the welding systems, the flagship equipment for a company that also calls itself a pipeliner. Also in this case, the approach adopted at the concept and design stage was the same one successfully deployed some years before, when the focus was on automatic welding. The analysis of the data collected over the years at worksites and their comparison against the standard market choice decidedly steered towards a new direction in equipment evolution, with the machine made from scratch with industry player insight. This was a choice that went beyond the common market practice of adapting machines originally made for different uses to transform them in sidebooms. The need for machines born to be sidebooms was the trigger for the making of the Bonatti Safe-T-Rex 130 pipelayer. Each and every element of the new machine was designed based on real life construction needs, focusing on the safety of operators and of the personnel working in close contact with the machine at the worksite and at workshops. From bolts to the final colours, every detail was designed to contribute to the lifting and laying of pipes: from visibility for the operator to recognisability of the sideboom in all environments and weather conditions.

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Every element contributes to the machine’s balance and lifting capacity, which has set a new industry standard. Indeed, Bonatti Safe-T-Rex 130 is 40 cm wider than the main market benchmark, weighs 67 t (the 90 mm metal sheet the chassis is made of also works as counterweight) and has nominal lifting capacity of 130 t. Furthermore, the safety objective has been pursued in all the machine details, from the control by the operator (only top skilled operators can run the machine at 100% of its potential capacity) to hydrostatic transmission, which removes the risk of the sideboom getting out of control and ensures full control down to the millimetre in all work steps.

Testing the pipelayer: TAP and EUGAL The first prototypes of the pipelayer were tested in Greece within the TAP project and gave immediate evidence that the investment was valuable and the project strong, as also acknowledged by IPLOCA, which, in 2018, conferred its renowned Safety Award to the Bonatti Safe-T-Rex 130 (which also allowed the pipelayer name to be completed with the term ‘safe’). However, its true baptism as a pipelayer took place in Germany, within the EUGAL project (the section assigned to the company was 292 km long with a dia. of 56 in.) giving full evidence of the high-performance features of the new pipelayer.

Working in the Americas Also, with the pipelayer, the company’s growth in the American continent was once again driven by the choices made and the technological innovation pursued. Indeed, the use of the company’s in-house pipelayer is a key feature of the Coastal GasLink project (with the section assigned to PAPC, the Group’s Canadian subsidiary, which is 247 km long with a 48 in. dia.), which is underway in British Columbia, Canada. The project approach model – obviously adjusted to the Canadian setting – can be clearly seen in the combination of highly skilled personnel, high-technology equipment, and project management skills. The very challenging geographical and climate conditions, with temperatures frequently as low as -20˚C, require working in snow and ice with poor visibility and therefore require

Figure 4. The Bonatti Mexican HUB.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

even stronger engagement of the QHSE structure to ensure safety of the personnel on the field. The use of the pipelayer sidebooms in the project addresses these challenges. This is the highest value contract in the company’s backlog and it sees the American continent as its new frontier. Indeed, the Mexican experience has been the foundation of a wider vision, that is to say the America Macro-Area model. The idea is for the company to be able to manage a whole continent directly on site, with its own structured establishment, in order to reduce costs and difficulties generated by the distance from the Italian parent company. Therefore, the facilities in Mexico, right at the centre of the continent, have become even more important from this perspective, with the HUB in San Miguel de Allende ensuring logistical and technical assistance for the operating machines deployed in all the projects underway in the continent. Indeed, since the very start of its operations in the Mexican market, the company has never stopped looking beyond, considering the opportunity to expand in other countries of the American continent, providing its clients with enhanced quality and efficiency in the development of their projects thanks to the use of its Mexican facility. Therefore, the development of technologies, which are key in worksite activities, has gone along with the concept of bespoke service, enabling the company to look beyond North America (Mexico and Canada) towards the South, at countries such as Chile and Peru. Obviously, the America Macro-Area model does not end there and the group intends to apply its key features in other regions of the world, both those where it is already in operations and those where there are business opportunities not yet pursued. The direction is towards a multi-centric structure, which is better fit for project management and development in places that are so far from one centre that it is no longer adequate to monitor clients, projects, and opportunities closely and in real time. Clients are at the centre of Bonatti’s plans and, therefore, the strategy to pursue a multi-centric vision will ensure that the American experience can be replicated going towards new frontiers.

Heavy equipment review In World Pipelines’ fourth Heavy Equipment Review, 13 companies present a selection of heavy equipment for oil and gas pipeline construction projects. Showcasing pipelayers, land clearing equipment, bending machines, trenchers and more, the companies offer details on the product specifications and capabilities of large scale heavy equipment designed to tackle the biggest of production, site and environmental needs.

BAUMA, GERMANY

AUMA Germany has a traditon spanning three generations for trading in construction machinery. BAUMA buys and sells mainly wheel loaders, bulldozers and articulated dump trucks, as well as skid loaders, mobile excavators, industrial and crawler excavators. All machines are from well-known manufacturers such as VOLVO, CAT, Komatsu, Liebherr, Hitachi, Bomag and Hamm. BAUMA is a regional dealer for Volvo and Hamm compact class machines (up to 10 t) and holds dealerships of several other equipment manufacturers. Presently, the company owns approximately 85 pipelayers and welding tractors for manual and automatic welding. With its fleet of equipment, BAUMA can bridge the temporary need for pipeline equipment for pipeline construction companies worldwide. Last year BAUMA extended its fleet by buying 14 pipelayers, LIEBHERR RL64 with a lifting capacity of 91 t.

BAUMA’s new workshop.

Komatsu D355 lowering in 56 in. pipe at EUGAL.

28 Heavy equipment review

All units have an arctic package so that they can be deployed in harsh weather conditions. BAUMA strives to enhance its activities overseas by entering into co-operations with either contractors or a representation in for example the USA and Canada. It is clear that by having a local representative office or agent, both the user of the machines and BAUMA benefit. Communication lines are shorter and local repair and maintenance is guaranteed. BAUMA recently became a dealer of VACUWORX lifting systems for Germany, not only for the pipeline industry to safely handle pipes, but also for concrete industry applications through the Compact Equipment Attachment (CEA) product line which pairs up with the smaller compact host machines such as skid steers, mini-excavators, mini-loaders and smaller cranes BAUMA rents and sells. BAUMA is open to discuss flexible solutions with customers, such as straight sale, rental only, rental with purchase option, or sale with buyback. This flexibility is appreciated by contractors as they are often unsure whether or not they need the machines for future projects. BAUMA tries to maintain the spirit of a family business with limited overhead and follow an attractive approach offering added value. Until now, fortunately, the company maintained more or less its level of turnover during the COVID-19 pandemic as regional construction projects kept on working. Having customers from different sectors is truly a blessing, as the pipeline business is a cyclical business and politically sensitive. The new workshop will be ready in 1Q21, giving full support to both workshop people and the customers who use BAUMA’s equipment. It will include no less than five workshop bays to maintain and repair the equipment when necessary.

BRANDT EQUIPMENT SOLUTIONS, CANADA

ince the introduction of their first pipelayer in 2017, Brandt Equipment Solutions has virtually owned the large pipelayer market in Canada. Now, after introducing two mid-sized models in 2020, they are poised to make a significant impact in the small/ mid-diameter pipeline market across the US and Canada. The new models employ Brandt’s innovative low-mount sideboom design, first unveiled with their larger machines and created in co-operation with John Deere engineers. This platform has quickly built a reputation across the industry for exceptional safety, stability and productivity Based on Deere’s 850 crawler dozer, the new BPL100K and BPL100L models deliver 30 000 lb of linepull capacity at a rated hook speed of 60 ft/min, making them perfectly suited for mid-diameter pipe installation. Both models deliver 100 000 lb of maximum lift capacity for safe, effective positioning of mid-diameter pipe. “Productivity has been a key focus for us with these new machines,” says Brandt Industries Senior Vice President, Sales – Manufactured Products, Neil Marcotte. “Our winch placement optimises operator sightlines for easier positioning and ensures better tracking to reduce cable wear. Symmetrical winch-mount locations deliver equal weight distribution and lower centre of gravity for increased stability and easier positioning for specialised pipe-specific attachments.” Brandt has included their SmartLift™ Dynamic Stability Monitoring System – an OHSA 1926.1401-compliant approach to load monitoring that replaces traditional static monitoring systems with a continuous stream of real-time terrain and machine data, allowing operators to effectively monitor and manage capacity under all conditions. Additional camera and radar packages are available with up to four cameras and three radar units to keep the operator aware of their surroundings. An automated warning system gives visible and audible machine-tipping warnings, adjustable anti-twoblock warnings, and low-rope warnings. To ensure maximum operational efficiency, Brandt has leveraged

Deere’s dual-path hydrostatic drive system while Deere’s ECO mode automatically adjusts engine power settings, based on load, optimising fuel economy. These models deliver up to 9309 in.2 of total ground contact, minimising right-of-way impact, reducing soil contamination and the time required to smooth over ruts. A simple hook-block storage system and counterweight installation further facilitates quick set-up and tear-down. Brandt’s flexible design approach allows the BPL100K to be configured for specialised roles as a support tractor for larger machines. They can be adapted for end prep, pipe joint welding, or for sandblasting and coating activities. A weld-shack configuration employs a structure attached to the load hook to create a controlled environment and guarantee successful welds. The symmetrical winch design optimises weight distribution and ground contact, making it fast and easy to position specialised pipe-specific attachments. In addition to their growing pipelayer lineup, Brandt also delivers a popular lineup of built-for-purpose mat and pipe grapples. These units feature a visibility-enhancing design, intended to increase operator efficiency and comfort and deliver enhanced application flexibility with full-width adjustable forks. “Our commitment to the pipeline industry runs deep,” concludes Marcotte. “Our customers operate in a very competitive market; they deserve the best and we’re working very hard to give them every possible advantage.”

Brandt pipelayers deliver unmatched stability in all conditions.

Heavy equipment review 29

CRC-EVANS, USA

or more than 80 years, CRC-Evans has provided equipment and services for virtually every aspect of onshore and offshore pipeline construction. CRCEvans maintains comprehensive pipeline equipment solutions that include, but are not limited to: automatic welding machines, pipe-bending machines, ditch-padding equipment, pipe handling and support equipment (Deckhand by LaValley Industries), pipe facing and beveling machines, and internal line-up clamps. By continually reviewing, analysing, and improving equipment performance, CRC-Evans ensures a line of advanced products and services. “We manufacture our equipment in Tulsa, Oklahoma within a High Quality Management System that is certified to the internationally recognised ISO 9001:2008 standard and includes CRC-Evans’ own Quality Policy,” states Chuck Henson.

“We have had a long history with building and maintaining pipeline equipment like our bending machines. We are constantly listening to our customers’ feedback so that we continue to deliver the best equipment in the industry”. CRC-Evans has made a study of the needs of pipeline construction contractors, and they invest heavily in the research and development of their equipment offerings. In the case of meeting, and exceeding, pipe bending requirements they developed the newer Centurion Pipe Bending machinery. The systems are available in four distinct pipe diameter sizes: PB6-20, PB16-30, PB22-36, and PB32-42. The development work completed by CRC-Evans ensures that the Centurion easily handles the use of higher yield pipe. To date the Centurion Pipe Bending systems provide an 80% improvement in cylinder travel speed and 30% more bending power than competitive machinery. Our bending machines also feature outstanding hydraulics and quick-starting engines with reduced noise and cold start packages. A single operator is able to oversee all functions. The benefits are faster and more robust bending operations that will reduce time and cost for meeting required completion time.

PB32-42 Centurion ready deployment.

PB16-30 Centurion Bending Machine working on the 24 in. Tallgrass Prairie Project.

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JARRAFF INDUSTRIES, USA

he Jarraff All-Terrain Tree Trimmer is no stranger to challenging terrain, which makes it well-suited for maintenance applications in pipeline rights-of-way (ROW) where conditions can range from difficult to extreme. The Jarraff is now better equipped than ever to handle any conditions of the ROW. Jarraff Industries Director of Sales, Kenny Jones, explains that Jarraff operators have the ability to match tyres and undercarriage options to their terrain. He said, “A variety of tyre options are available for the Jarraff All-Terrain Tree Trimmer. No matter what the conditions encountered, Jarraff has tyre options that can deal with any situation. In addition to tyre options, the Jarraff is available in Quad Track and Full Track configurations.” The Jarraff’s standard Primex Xtreme LS tyres offer stability, traction and durability. The Primex Xtreme LS tyres are highly durable thanks to its 20-ply design. The Xtreme LS operates effectively in the rain-soaked lowlands to rocky hills. With a 6.5 psi ground pressure, this tyre option provides operators maximum machine control with minimal ground disturbance. Many Jarraff Tree Trimmers equipped with the Primex HF4 tyre option are able to move safely across loose soil, while maintaining stability with Kevlar reinforced sidewalls. ROW maintenance contractors often utilise

this tyre option to access areas that have been traditionally inaccessible. According to Jones, a high-floatation tyre is another option. This tyre provides 5.1 psi ground pressure and works well in pipeline ROW conditions across a wide spectrum, from roadway surfaces to swamplands to roadside ditches. For Jarraff units that wander out of the pipeline ROW and into more urban areas, Jones says a turf tyre option is available for road and residential applications. With increased manoeuvrability on road and residential applications, this tyre lets the Jarraff All-terrain Tree Trimmer move across residential areas without tread marks. Beyond the traditional tyre options, operators can choose from track options. Jones said, “A full tracked Jarraff will make quick work of the soft ground conditions and provide the ability to climb difficult hills and inclines. The steel-cleated, rubber track design is effective in demanding grades, as well as swampy conditions.” Jones says a quad track Jarraff model provides another level of capability. He said, “The quad track Jarraff is one we’ve added recently. This unit features a four quad track undercarriage and that’s an industry exclusive feature. The quad track design provides low ground pressure and excellent traction, as well as road-ability and maneuverability in a single machine, in addition to the extreme mobility.” Each Jarraff provides a dynamic field of operation. A rotary manifold offers a 360˚ plus range of motion. The unit also provides lateral tilt and 75 ft cutting height. Two four-way joysticks and fingertip controls offer optimal precision. In addition, every Jarraff model’s cab is completely ROPS and FOPS certified.

All models of Jarraff Industries’ All-Terrain Tree Trimmer.

Heavy equipment review

LAURINI OFFICINE MECCANICHE, ITALY

he name of Laurini Officine Meccaniche’s pipelayer, ‘SansOne’, immediately brings to mind the Biblical hero Samson of prodigious physical strength. It is that legendary power that has inspired Laurini to pick the name of its pipelayer: introducing SansOne, where the capital O is not a typo, but a play on words that refers to the hero’s name and the English word for ‘number one’. So, right from its name the expectations for this new machine are very high. Marco Laurini points out that the idea of creating SansOne came from listening to market needs. Furthermore, this type of machine was not yet part of Laurini’s offer, and it seemed right to introduce equipment that represents the sector in which the company is globally recognised. SansOne has something more compared to existing pipelayers. The main goal was to improve the key aspects of this type of machine, such as visibility. As the virtual reality programme shows how SansOne gives the operator perfect visibility in all directions: ahead to unload the pipe, and also behind and sideways to check the movements of other operators. To reach that, it was necessary to ‘scramble’ the layout and move the position of some components: modifying radiator shape and position, lowering the bonnet and the diesel tank. Next to visibility, stability is the other key feature of the Laurini pipelayer range: considering the machine weight, the centre of gravity is lower, which helps to stabilise the machine, especially when working at an incline. Stability has also increased thanks to the patented articulated boom: the joint-pin system at the centre allows it to move forward or backward, and not just sideways, according to the direction of travel; hydraulic pistons featuring slow and precise movement

Laurini Pipelayer: SansOne 100.

32 Heavy equipment review

shift the centre of gravity back or forth to maintain the machine’s stability as it proceeds uphill or downhill. This movement is not automatic, so the operator can decide whether to shift the load and move the pipe by millimetres, without moving the machine at all. SansOne will be manufactured in three models with three different maximum lifting capacity: 45, 70 and 100 t. Transportation matter is handled in the smaller 45 and 70 t models by extending the undercarriage, the tracks widen during operation and retract during the transport phase; while in the larger 100 t model, the tracks can be even removed with a hydraulic quick hook up system. In half a day two people can disassemble, and later reassemble, all the components of a SansOne 100 t and place them in the container. Other special features make SansOne stand out from the other pipelayers currently on the market, such as the machine controls housed on the seat armrest and controlled by two multi-function joysticks, and some finger controls. Thanks to the 12 in. touch screen, fixed to the seat with a small support bracket, the operator can monitor all parameters and have full view of the camera without turning or leaning out. Having concluded the prototype phase at the end of 2020, the tests on the prototype of the bigger model will be executed starting from January 2021, in order to be able to put on the market SansOne first units in spring of 2021.

LAVALLEY INDUSTRIES, USA

aValley Industries is a Bemidji, Minnesota, USA based manufacturer of specialty pipeline equipment products that provide greater safety and production for pipeline contractors around the world. Since its formation 15 years ago, LaValley Industries has continued to advance the technology and capabilities of its flagship product – the DECKHAND® pipe handling attachment – expanding its capabilities while continuing to bring new standards of safety and efficiency to the industry. Recently LaValley Industries introduced two new models to the marketplace, DECKHAND®5HP (DH5HP) and DECKHAND®LT (DHLT). The DH5HP features a high-performance rotary drive system allowing for maximum torque in the most challenging horizontal and vertical applications. The DH5HP’s versatility provides contractors a tool for handling pipe along the most challenging right-of-ways, including mountains and uneven

DECKHAND®LT handling drill pipe in Minnesota, USA.

DECKHAND®5HP unloading pipe in the mountains in Pennsylvania, USA.

terrain. In vertical applications, the DH5HP’s high-performance

34 Heavy equipment review

rotary drive coupled with sophisticated telemetrics allows the operator to precisely position pilings and utility poles with accuracy and control. The DHLT is a cost-effective solution that has been engineered to precisely handle drill rod and smaller diameter pipe at an economical price point. As with all Deckhand products, DHLT allows an operator to work safely from inside the excavator cab using in-cab controls and touch display to control all movements and adjust all operating parameters. Load locking valves ensure that pipe is always held securely regardless of hydraulic pressure. DHLT has a lifting capacity of 10 000 lbs, connects to any brand excavator in the 20 - 36 metric t range and is powered by the excavator’s auxiliary hydraulic circuit. Designed with 360˚ continuous rotation, tilt, and shift functions, DHLT delivers unmatched safety and efficiency to load, un-load, and position pipe. Utilising a variety of different Arms, DHLT can handle pipe and drill rod ranging from 4.5 in. to 16 in. In the face of an ever-changing world, LaValley Industries works hard to listen to our customers while anticipating their future needs. “Contractors face a myriad of challenges on their jobsite every day and our goal is to place the right tool in their hands to get the job done. Our team of industry experts are always working towards the next innovation that will meet our industry’s needs while maintaining the safety and efficiency our products are known for,” states Jason LaValley, Founder and CEO of LaValley Industries. “It’s been a pleasure to see our product line continue to create safety on jobsites around the world for the last 15 years and I look forward to watching as the DH5HP and DHLT bring the same unparalleled safety as the generations before them.” LaValley Industries continues to make waves as they expand into their new division – EMPOWERTM – where the focus is on the electrification of products for the oil and gas industry.

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MASTENBROEK, UK

astenbroek has added a new engine to its innovative CT12 Crawler Truck. The UK-based designer and manufacturer of self-propelled trenchers manufactured the first CT12 in 1983 to install aggregate backfill for sub-surface land drainage. Over the years, Mastenbroek has improved the CT12, increasing its performance and versatility and today, the crawler truck offers the perfect combination of features demanded by construction companies operating in the oil and gas industry. The CT12 is one of ƒMastenbroek’s most versatile machines thanks to its tipping hopper and forward conveyor. The hopper allows the CT12 to be used as a dump truck to haul aggregate along pipeline right-of-ways. The discharge conveyor system is designed for controlled, accurate placement of backfill material either directly into a trench or a hopper mounted on the trencher. The front swing conveyor is controlled by a joystick for left and right-hand discharge through 180˚ and variable height up

Mastenbroek CT12.

36 Heavy equipment review

to 2.75 m. A hydraulic hopper door combined with variable speed control on all conveyors allows the flowrate of the material to be adjusted as well. For 2021, Mastenbroek has upgraded both the CT12’s engine and improved access for on-site service and maintenance. The machine is powered by sixcylinder, 252 Hp (185 kW) EU Stage V emission compliant Volvo Penta D8 engine, which features a highly advanced exhaust aftertreatment system, based on SCR technology, uncooled EGR and a diesel particulate filter. Mastenbroek has invested a great deal of time and effort in making the CT12 as versatile and user-friendly as possible. The cabin features hydraulic elevation to afford the operator good all-round visibility of the conveyor discharge and also into the hopper. As Mastenbroek’s CT12 features a low ground pressure suspended and oscillating undercarriage with high tracking speeds, it can be used in environments where wheeled vehicles are unable to operate. “The CT12 has proved itself over the years, operating successfully in some of the most arduous conditions, such as on saturated soils while minimising soil compaction,” says Christopher Pett, Mastenbroek’s General Manager. “It is a popular machine in utility applications as well, where a backfill aggregate must be placed efficiently and consistently into the trench. We are pleased to have seen increased demand within the pipeline and cable trenching industry over the last few years and believe the introduction of the D8 engine and maintenance upgrades will make the CT12 even more attractive to those operating in the oil and gas industry.” Mastenbroek manufactured its first trencher in 1977, and since then the company has grown into a globally respected name in trenching, machine automation through its partnership with Trimble®, subsea cutting technology, ground stabilisation and groundwater control.

PROLINE PIPE EQUIPMENT INC., CANADA

roline Pipe Equipment is proud to be a leading international supplier of pipeline solutions for the oil and gas industry. Based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Proline offers an extensive inventory of high-quality products designed to meet the needs of our customers worldwide. Since 1967, our dedication to innovation, uncompromising craftsmanship, and unbeatable customer service have helped us earn a reputation for excellence. Designed and manufactured by Proline Pipe Equipment our horizontal pipe rollers have been used throughout the industry for years. We take great pride in the quality of our rollers and thoroughly inspect each unit before it leaves our shop. The rollers come in several sizes to accommodate almost every project. Benefits include: multiple sizes and ranges for different pipe diameters with one roller; heavy duty options for tougher jobs; stackable up to three high on larger models; heavier models include lifting hooks; and urethane rollers to help protect a multitude of coatings.

Our design team is always hard at work coming up with the best products for our customers. They always take into account what field application would look like and design around that premise. That’s why Proline is very excited to announce a new ground-breaking product to its pipe roller lineup, the new Adjustable 16 - 48 in. HD Horizontal Roller. This roller was designed with the end user in mind and allows the customer to adjust the roller to fit their specific job. Adjustments can be done in-house before the pipe rollers are shipped out to site. Despite being adjustable these rollers are the most rugged we have ever built, with a whopping 50 000 lb. (22 680 kg) capacity. This allows them to be spread out farther than typical rollers for large diameter pipe, which helps to cut costs. Heavy duty urethane rollers help protect coatings on large diameter pipe during river/ road crossing installations. Other benefits include: forklift pockets for positioning under pipe and loading on flatbed from all sides; two lifting eyes; angled iron pockets for ease of stacking; easy adjustment for different pipe sizes; low ground profile, and wide footprint. Its dimensions are: 69 ¼ in. x 37 ¼ in. x 26 ¼ in. (1759 mm x 946 mm x 667 mm), and its weight is 1605 lb (728 kg). With this versatile range of equipment, multiple sized pipeline jobs can be completed with this multi-sized roller.

Proline’s Adjustable 16 - 48 in. HD Horizontal Roller.

Heavy equipment review 37

SCAIP S.P.A., ITALY

CAIP designed its first model of self-loading padding machine in 1997 (the SPD 45). Since that time several improvements have been accomplished. The SPD line today includes five sizes: 150, 160, 250, 350 and 450. All of them have been subjected to significant revisions in the past two years. This article will highlight the technological features that characterise the self-loading machines with a newly designed cabin (SPD 250EVO, 350EHD and 450EVO). The machine has maintained essentially the same design in the rearward area, the main changes have occurred in the forward area where the sliding cabin has been redesigned and replaced, taking into consideration a completely different idea. The goals during the R&D were to improve the visibility of the operator, without any compromise regarding safety and comfort. The new cabin can function according to the operation: in transport and starting position the cabin is positioned at the ground level in front of the escalator. During operation the cabin can be raised and turned 90˚ right or left to carefully oversee the padding process. The new design did not affect the centre of gravity; in fact the machine has the same stability as the previous models. The interior of the cabin is well equipped, on the armrests there are all the function controls and on the left-hand side of the operator seat there is an additional folding seat in case the situation requires it. This new design allows the operator to stay seated during all operations. In the older model the cabin was sliding length wise and the operator was required to stand in order

to oversee the process and operate the machine from one of the two control stations. The size of the new cabin also improves the efficiency of the A/C system by 50%. In terms of safety, the SPD is equipped with five cameras, to cover the perimeter of the machine offering the operator a view also of the corners that otherwise would be blind. Furthermore, the inclinometers are able to monitor and automatically level the escalator boom and the shaker frame during the work and adjust it automatically if necessary (the two auto-lev. can be activated separately). SCAIPNET is also available to remotely control the status, position and other parameters of the machines and send an alarm in case of necessity. The radio control system has been extended to these models (SPD 250, 350 and 450), so that it is possible to operate the machine without the operator being in the cabin. This allows full operation of the machine and adds this option in order to improve functionality and safety. All improvements discussed above have been possible due to the increased technology that is now included on these machines therefore resulting in an optimisation of hardware and software design. The first five machines have been tested in early 2020 in North America with positive feedback and results from the end user.

Left: old SPD 350 – Williams NW Pipeline Projects, 2009. Right: new SPD – 250EVO Mill Creek, Oklahoma, 2020.

38 Heavy equipment review

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TERRAMAC, USA

ipeline contractors around the world benefit from rubber tracked carriers and their innate ability to access and conquer remote right-ofways. Terramac’s line-up of carriers exert minimal ground pressure and offer the largest selection and most versatile equipment options for conquering every stage of the pipeline process. From clearing, to installation, to reclamation and everything in between, these carriers are equipped to traverse pipeline terrain with ease while providing contractors reliable equipment solutions that improve productivity by maximising efficiency and minimising downtime. Terramac’s built-in telematics management system comes standard on units, which echoes the brand’s emphasis on innovation and streamlines the management of off-road equipment on pipeline projects. Powered by Trackunit, Terramac’s telematics system provides a holistic view of carrier performance for enhanced fleet management, maintenance, and service. Through extensive tracking and data collection, carrier units are thoroughly monitored from afar which makes both largeand small-scale pipeline equipment management more convenient and effective. Using GPS, carrier locations can be observed no matter where they are stationed along the right-of-way providing increased fleet visibility and on-site usage tracking. “We’ve been using telematics, including TrackUnit for many years and are partial to it because it provides complete visibility of our fleet, and allows us to manage equipment for a larger service area while minimising the risk of lost or stolen equipment,” explains Paul Desombre, General Sales Manager at Power Motive Corporation. “Due to its significance, we always appreciate when niche manufacturing partners such as Terramac recognise the importance of this feature and equip

Terramac carriers with tac welders.

40 Heavy equipment review

their machines with it so we don’t have to after-the-fact.” The telematics on Terramac track trucks also provide live machine and engine data streams for diagnosis, service, and repair information. Tracking live carrier data alerts owners and operators of possible issues early on so preventative measures can be taken to safeguard the carriers. The advanced notice also allows for more preparation time for repairs, ensuring proper parts and tools are accessible to get the units back to operating condition. These live data streams have become vital for pipeline equipment rental companies that send their fleets to remote jobsites, as well as pipeline contractors that depend on reliable track trucks not just for completing their projects, but doing so in a timely manner. “Telematics is a necessary part of our business,” adds Paul Desombre. “We use it for everything from managing rentals to service and billing. We really couldn’t manage our fleet without it.” As with all other aspects of Terramac carriers, their telematics can be customised with CAN data feeds and reporting to keep pertinent carrier information accessible at a moment’s notice. Fleet managers can set alerts for scheduled and preventative maintenance, creating a more efficient workflow for their tracked units which minimises downtime. Access to Terramac’s telematics data is available from multiple sources including desktop, laptop, and mobile devices. The ease of data retrieval is advantageous for providing on-site guidance for operational prechecks, site mapping and more.

TESMEC S.P.A., ITALY

ith the aim to be profitable, pipeline projects need to keep up with the times and follow machinery’s lastest technological progress, increasing the efficiency and maximising the profitability. Tesmec Group’s latest developments in trenchers have led to a revolutionary concept that has led to the launch of the new EVO series, available on bestseller models 975, 1150, 1475 and 1675. Thanks to an improved flywheels gearbox, new hydraulic components and the latest release of the TrenchTronic 5.0 for full digital control of the automatic digging function, EVO series machines combine higher chain-pull and lower chain-speed in order to have higher breakout force of the teeth and simultaneously reducing their consumption. EVO machines can trench hard and abrasive rock with productivity and cost efficiency that is unmatched, combined with a significant fuel and teeth consumption reduction. Compared to the previous generation of machines, the improvement of digging performance is applicable in the toughest conditions, hard solid rock and deep trenching. EVO machines have been already involved in various pipeline projects all around the world. Especially significant is the data collection carried out by Tesmec in Qatar during the last two years, where both 1675 old generation and 1675EVO were at work simultaneously. Tesmec specialists have compared the performance of the old generation trenchers with the new EVO series thanks to the work done together with the local partner QBC (Qatar Building

Company) into the Ashghal project. Ashghal project is part of the ‘Qatar National Vision 2030’, the governmental plan that aims to develop Qatar’s infrastructures. A total of four Tesmec 1675 trenchers have been involved in the project, both old and EVO generation. With the new 1675EVO machine combining chain speed decrease and the resulting higher chain pull, the jobsite productivity increased up to 30% and the picks, fuel and spare parts consumption substantially decreased for a saving of 20/25% on the total project cost. Data analysis shows a reduction on all main project cost items: teeth consumption, fuel consumption, spare parts, service and maintenance. EVO revolutionary concept is available for all kind of pipeline applications, assuring a substantial saving even under extreme conditions. The new Tesmec trencher 1675EVO Chainsaw is a 130 t machine that, depending on the configuration chosen, can dig up to 732 cm (24 ft) deep and 183 cm (6 ft) wide. Like all EVO Tesmec trenchers, this model is equipped with the TrenchIntel 3D GPS system (to record data and position while trenching, realising an as-built map in real time) and with the new Remote Monitoring Control (Re.M) to monitor machine parameters, avoiding breakages and stops and guaranteeing predictive maintenance. Finally, the recently released Trencher Radio Control system (TRC) makes EVO trenchers safer, removing operators from the machine cabin and allowing fully remote control.

Tesmec 1675EVO – digging section.

Heavy equipment review

VACUWORX, USA

he RC Series Vacuum Lifting Systems from Vacuworx are powerful and versatile attachments capable of handling steel pipes and other materials up to 55 000 lb (25 t). All RC models feature wireless remote operation that is both faster and safer than using hooks, slings or chains. 360˚ rotation provides precise placement of materials. In addition, vacuum lifting technology provides a powerful positive engagement of the load and will not damage delicate materials and bonded coatings. The fully self-contained RC Series units are powered by diesel engines and can be hooked up and ready to go in a matter of minutes. RC Series ‘H’ models operate using the hydraulic system of the host machine to eliminate fuel costs, emissions and noise. As part of its commitment to continuous innovation, Vacuworx has engineered significant updates to their flagship line of RC Series Vacuum Lifting Systems. The lifters are ‘smarter’ than ever before by incorporating a Controller Area Network (CAN bus) system to provide real-time diagnostics and enhanced safety features.

Freight Solutions RC 16 barge.

Vacuworx RC belt drive.

42 Heavy equipment review

Commonly used in passenger vehicles and other equipment, a CAN bus allows internal devices to communicate with each other without a host computer. Utilising a central logic controller, the system is designed to monitor for faults and quickly diagnose specific problems. The new dashboard gauge on one side of the RC lifter shows error codes, oil and fuel levels, pressure level, number of lifts and engine hours. The logic controller increases safety by ensuring that the electronic components are operating correctly. The simplified wiring design has fewer components and no mechanical switches. The system incorporates pressure transducers instead of a vacuum switch for greater accuracy. There are no fuses to repair or replace – all faults are reset electronically. In addition, the design helps promote safety by identifying any incorrect repairs or environmental damage. Vacuworx has taken additional steps to increase longevity by replacing the traditional gearbox with an environmentally friendly belt drive. With no need for oil, the new belt drive system was designed to keep engine bay temperatures cooler, provide a longer service life, and all but eliminate the need for repairs. While installation of RC Series is already quick and simple, new RC lifters feature an updated adapter with removable top caps, which allow the installer to position and secure the adapter pin easily, letting the excavator do the heavy lifting. A flow control block has been incorporated into the adapter to allow for more safe and convenient adjustment of the hydraulics. This puts the flow controls within easy reach, rather than higher up on the arm of the excavator. The part of the adapter that connects to the base plate on the lifter was also redesigned as a replacement part, minimising time delays and repair costs as the ‘tombstone’ is now bolted rather than welded on. All Vacuworx equipment meets or exceeds global design, engineering and safety standards, including ANSI/ASME standards section B30.20 and ASME BTH-1 for below-the-hook lifting devices. The machines are built to withstand rugged jobsite conditions and perform optimally in extreme temperatures or inclement weather conditions.

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WORLDWIDE MACHINERY, USA

orldwide Machinery’s extensive inventory and global presence make it an easy choice for businesses looking for dependable machines and reliable service for upcoming pipeline projects. To meet our customer’s demands for productive equipment fast and efficiently, we have made several advancements in our manufacturing process. Worldwide has relocated many of its manufacturing operations to Houston, Texas (US). We are now able to build our Superior Vacuum Lifts, Padding Buckets, Pipe Bending Machines, Lined Bending Sets, Mandrels, Internal Lineup Clamps, Roli-Cradles, Ditch Pumps and various Crawler Carrier attachments at our Channelview, Texas, facility. Now, quicker than ever before, we have designers and engineers on staff that are able to modify equipment to meet client needs. We are also able to meet faster delivery timelines for North America, Latin America, and South America, due to our ability to manufacture in the western hemisphere. Evidence of our increased manufacturing capabilities include our new line of Superior Crawler Carriers with changeable steel and rubber undercarriages, expandable cabins, and swappable beds. Those customisable beds include: rock and material dump bed, sand blasting deck, welding deck, heavy-duty flat bed with dump capabilities, and a personnel carrier. The family of Crawler Carriers have load capacities ranging from 15 000 lb (6800 kg) to 30 000 lb (13 600 kg), a CAT C-7.1 engine, travel speed of 5.6 mph, and an available model with rotating cab that pivots over the centre bearing. Accordingly, Worldwide Machinery and Superior Manufacturing has the model of Crawler Carrier to fit your needs. Furthermore, we are excited to release a newly reengineered line Superior Padding Machines, the SPD-350

Superior ST-220XR Crawler Carrier with 360˚ rotating cab.

44 Heavy equipment review

and the SPD-160L and coming soon: the revamp of Superior Pipelayers. Worldwide will continue ongoing product enhancements, like adding pneumatic mandrel availability to be used with our bending machines, and creating innovative attachments to help the contractors we work with get the most out of their Superior Crawler Carriers. Worldwide has also expanded our equipment offerings with brands like Laurini Manufacturing. Being the Laurini dealer allows Worldwide Machinery to be the one stop shop as your preferred equipment supplier. We are able to provide unique solutions through the Laurini Volcano Series of Padding Machines, Hammer and Grub Crushing Machines, Pipe Lifting Beam, Muletrax units, and various other specialty pieces of equipment. In addition to productive pipeline specific machines, Worldwide Machinery offers a large quantity of late model Caterpillar and John Deere equipment, including dozers, excavators, motor graders, as well as fuel/lube trucks, water trucks, ditch pumps and more to lease, rent, or buy. As a result, Worldwide is able to supply an unrivaled offering of equipment for your next job. Our ‘True North’ is to supply the best, most productive equipment to our customers. We will continue to strengthen our value by investing in top quality equipment, knowledgeable and helpful staff, and responsive service.

Barry Rust, Energy & Sustainability, Tata Steel, UK, looks at how the steel and pipeline manufacturing industry can reach its goals of decarbonisation.

hile COVID-19 has led to a short-term decline in global crude steel output, longer-term forecasts suggest demand for steel will rise. Indeed, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has suggested that the global requirements will increase by more than a third through to 2050 as the world’s reliance on steel as the foundation for economic and social development grows.1 Steel is part of modern life. It has been a mainstay in the industrial development of many countries and it will have a vital role to play in our energy future. It is integral for the construction of pipelines for the oil and gas industry, the construction of many public and private buildings, and has an important role to play in the transition to greater renewable energy adoption through its use in the manufacture of wind turbines, solar panels and tidal lagoons. However, the steel industry is one of the biggest producers of carbon dioxide (CO2). Every tonne of steel produced in 2018 emitted on average 1.85 t of CO2, which equates to approximately 8% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.2

Such figures make difficult reading in a world increasingly committed to climate change. The United Nations’ Paris Agreement of 2015 set the tone on greenhouse gas emissions reductions by calling for a limitation on global temperatures to well below 2˚C on pre-industrial levels. In 2019 the UN announced over 60 countries, including the UK, had committed to carbon neutrality – or net zero – by 2050. However, a number of other countries and companies are working towards an earlier deadline (in Scotland the target date is 2045, Microsoft plans to be carbon negative by 2030,3 and Apple has promised to become fully carbon neutral by the same time).4 The steel manufacturing industry therefore faces the dual challenge of meeting anticipated increases in demand while promoting greater decarbonisation within its products and processes. The need to decarbonise pipeline manufacture as part of a wider programme of industrial decarbonisation is accepted by steel manufacturers. That is certainly the case for Tata Steel. The company has a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 30% before 2030 and aims to be a carbon neutral steelmaker by 2050. Tata Steel is already one of the world’s most CO2efficient steel companies. During the last 30 years it has

Figure 1. Tata Steel’s HIsarna pilot plant cast house.

Figure 2. Port Talbot coast.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

reduced its CO2 emissions per tonne by approximately 20%, but its ambition is to continuously improve its production processes and efficiencies. When considering how to generate greater decarbonisation in the steel industry there are several factors to consider, but two stand out. The first is the specific impact the industry can have in terms of new technologies, processes and greater supply chain and operational efficiencies. The second is the role of policymakers and regulators in providing the necessary support and infrastructure as part of a more widespread commitment to decarbonisation per se. In both cases the message to producers and policymakers would be the same: do not wait when it comes to your decarbonisation plans. Big inroads can be made today. In steelmaking and pipeline manufacture, the race is on to fundamentally change its core processes. It requires partnerships with other industries, political support, developing breakthrough technologies, and new infrastructure to meet the 2050 zero emissions targets.

New technologies, improved performance It sounds simple, but one of the key ways to reduce CO2 in steel making and pipeline manufacture is to make less steel. In the manufacture of pipelines for the oil and gas industry, the need for high integrity hydrocarbon production at an appropriate lifecycle cost is a trend that permeates throughout the sector, and one of the ways for the supply chain to meet these challenges will be through improved performance. In pipeline manufacture this includes enhanced properties and corrosion resistance, with products designed to support lower temperatures and provide enhanced weld toughness. While there will always be a significant demand for seamless pipelines in the oil industry, the current adoption of welded solutions is anticipated to grow in the future. As an example of this, Tata Steel has seen a considerable rise in demand for welded solutions in the past 10 years. This is because of a range of factors including the potential for quicker lead times and faster manufacture, enhanced tolerances and improved surface conditions for coating. The challenge is to continue to improve the performance of welded solutions to deliver the benefits outlined above and replace more seamless pipe applications in the market. Tata Steel continues to invest significant time and money into developing steels with higher strengths and/or excellent tolerances, allowing for the construction contractor or fabricator to weld at a faster rate, and for the development of thinner walled pipelines. Another key goal is carbon avoidance, and here an experienced steel manufacturer with expertise in client engagement can support customers in project design optimisation to avoid excessive carbon production. Carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) is a key carbon avoidance strategy. Steelmakers need to reduce CO2 emissions as quickly as possible. As part of this drive, Tata Steel intends to build a plant that captures the CO2 currently emitted. In line with the company’s ongoing commitment to working with external partners, this could be offered to a new build

network to transport it for storage in depleted gas fields in the North Sea and the Irish Sea. By 2027, this could reduce CO2 emissions by 3 million t. Tata Steel plans to cut a further 1 million t of CO2 through removing and converting more of the company’s waste gases into products such as hydrogen, methanol or naphtha. The company recently started the first phase of its Everest project to capture CO2 from blast furnaces and to transport it to former gas fields in the North Sea for storage. The second phase will see the company use blast furnace emissions for conversion into sustainable raw materials for the chemical industry and synthetic fuels. A separate project from the company has examined the feasibility of carbon capture and storage in the North Sea as well as carbon usage. The transport and storage system aspect of the project will build new infrastructure as well as using existing infrastructure as much as possible. This will be owned and operated by a third party. A key element of Tata Steel’s decarbonisation programme is the development and adoption of new technologies now and in the future. The company recently announced that HIsarna, its groundbreaking reactor for lower carbon steel making, had exceeded expectations in sustainable steel production, with the possibility of achieving a CO2 reduction of more than 50%. HIsarna has been in development since 2011, and by 2033 the ambition is for it to be operating at full scale with the potential to replace an existing blast furnace. HIsarna can cut up to 100% of CO2 emissions when combined with carbon capture and in combination with an electric arc furnace can allow for zinc recovery – often found in scrap – for reuse. HIsarna is expected to play a pivotal role in meeting the ambitions of the circular economy. Tata Steel is also working with external partners to take the waste outputs from its steel making processes to be used as valuable inputs into other industrial processes in order to reinforce the circular economic capability of steel. Further out into the future, the use of hydrogen as a no/low carbon feedstock offers significant potential in the manufacture of steel and wider industrial decarbonisation. When burned, hydrogen emits only water and can be used in a number of processes. Producing hydrogen in large enough quantities is currently a challenge and it is important from a renewable energy perspective to ensure that the hydrogen used is ‘green’ (produced from water) where possible. However, the industry is investing significant expenditure into the development of hydrogen-derived steel and its future is promising.

Supply chain efficiencies A sustained low oil price, exacerbated by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hydrocarbon demand, has intensified the oil and gas industry’s focus on efficiency savings where possible. This debate has predominantly centred on cost reduction, but in the sustainability arena, carbon reduction becomes the main consideration. In this sense, many of the solutions for cost reduction apply to carbon reduction and it could be argued that carbon

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

is tantamount to cost. Reducing waste in steel manufacture and project delivery can be equated to reducing the amount of carbon produced. Therefore reducing the amount of carbon waste as early as possible in the project, for example by optimising the design phase to minimise carbon use, will release the potential for greater efficiencies down the line. A webinar to mark the launch of the IEA’s Iron and Steel Technology Roadmap5 heard that technology performance improvements and material efficiency in iron and steel could deliver 90% of annual CO2 emission reductions by 2030. Effective supply chain integration will be critical to achieving such benefits. Unfortunately, hard organisational boundaries can impede greater levels of engagement, increased exchange of information, and partnership. It is important to overcome such boundaries if total cost of project ownership, a reduced carbon profile, and appropriate legislative compliance are to be achieved. Notwithstanding legislative and customer sustainability requirements, in an era when the oil and gas industry’s social licence to operate is under more intense scrutiny than ever on a global scale, a visible commitment to carbon reduction as part of the energy transition can represent an opportunity for operators to reinforce their sustainability credentials. As the first steel manufacturer to become an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) programme operator, Tata Steel has been a long-standing supporter of sustainability. The company focuses on three main pillars: to be leading in CO2 neutral steel production; being a responsible steel supplier and enabling its customers to become more sustainable. Its sustainability strategy aligns with the UN’s Sustainable Development goals. Alongside sustainability developments in the industry, it is important for policymakers to maintain a keen focus on legislation that supports greater decarbonisation. Governments have an essential role to play with steelmakers and other stakeholders in sustaining the debate and creating the appropriate conditions for greater decarbonisation and sustainability.

Conclusion Successful solutions to decarbonising steel production for the oil and gas industry and other industrial sectors will require working in partnership. From industry-led carbon reducing supply chain efficiencies and cost savings, to the implementation and enforcement of legislation and support that promotes decarbonisation and sustainability across society, steelmakers and policymakers both have an important role to play. In driving towards a more sustainable future, it is important that both act now and that neither waits for the other to take the initiative. The world cannot wait.

References 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

https://www.iea.org/reports/iron-and-steel-technology-roadmap https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/metals-and-mining/our-insights/ decarbonization-challenge-for-steel https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2020/01/16/microsoft-will-be-carbonnegative-by-2030/ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/jul/21/apple-promises-tobecome-fully-carbon-neutral-by-2030 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ly8O79x_kXM&feature=emb_title

Terri Thomas, Olympus, USA, describes inspecting for corrosion using ultrasonic dual element transducers.

ipelines of various diameters transport energy resources (e.g. crude oil, refined petroleum, natural gas, and biofuels) and other fluids within facilities and across vast distances. Today, there are millions of pipeline structures all over the world, yet many of these infrastructure systems are ageing and degrading. The integrity of these pipelines is a top concern to help ensure the safety of people and the environment. Pipes can corrode internally, resulting in a loss of wall thickness. If the wall becomes too thin, the pipe can leak or even break. A pipe’s wall thickness can degrade for many reasons, including temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) content, flow velocity, and surface conditions. Sometimes this corrosion is expected based on what a pipe is made of and what it transports, but other times it is unexpected. Replacing all the older pipelines in the world would be cost prohibitive. Fortunately, a rigorous pipeline inspection programme using nondestructive

testing (NDT) is a sustainable option. NDT makes it possible to accurately assess a pipe’s condition for validation of expected rates of corrosion, and/ or to detect unexpected corrosion. Areas of concern can then be corrected before a breakdown or Figure 1. The visual schematic of a single element transducer (left) compared to a dual element catastrophic failure occurs. transducer (right). As a result of nondestructive inspection analysis, operators and organisations can determine the need for localised repair or more involved pipeline replacement. This promotes cost control while sustainably maintaining pipeline operations and high safety standards.

How ultrasonic NDT helps inspectors monitor for corrosion

Figure 2. An example A-scan waveform display showing a thickness measurement of 0.500 in.

Many times, an inspector only has access to the outside surface of a pipe, leaving them blind to the inside conditions. The use of ultrasonic technology can provide a nonintrusive monitoring of corrosion in pipelines. Ultrasonic NDT is used to accurately measure pipe wall thickness. Ultrasonic NDT using dual element transducers can help inspectors measure the remaining wall thickness of pipes to determine a pipe’s condition more accurately.

Theory of operation: how ultrasonic NDT technology works

Figure 3. The area in red illustrates the presence of corrosion and the thinning effect that it has on pipe wall thickness.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

Single element ultrasonic NDT technology works by sending high-frequency sound waves into the pipe through a transducer. The transducer contains a piezoelectric element, which is excited by a short electrical pulse to generate a burst of ultrasonic waves. The sound waves travel through the pipe until they encounter a back wall or other boundary. They are then reflected back to the transducer, which converts the sound energy back into electrical energy. In thin-walled materials, such as those used to construct pipeline infrastructures, this energy can sometimes generate noise that can result in false indications and lead to unnecessary pipeline repair or replacement. Dual element transducers, commonly used in corrosion survey applications, differ from single element in that they have separate transmitting and receiving elements separated by a sound barrier. The dual element transducers also have integrated delay lines with a slight roof angle (Figure 1).

These design combinations optimise signalto-noise ratio by reducing electrical crosstalk or signals interfering with one another (caused by transmitting and receiving signals to and from a single element) while more effectively focusing the sound beam into the material, particularly advantageous in thin-walled material. An ultrasonic flaw detector or thickness gauge can read these ultrasonic signals from the transducer and provide a visual waveform output on the device’s display, called an A-scan (Figure 2). The visual display of the waveform on the device offers an inspector confidence in accurately assessing the thickness of a pipe as they can see what a digital reading corresponds to in real-time.

Working example To demonstrate evidence of corrosion using the ultrasonic NDT technique, we used dual element transducers in the pitch-catch (also called transmitFigure 4. No evidence of corrosion: the ultrasonic flaw detector shows the nominal wall thickness of this pipe is 0.322 in. receive) mode. The dual element transducers contain two independently operated elements in a single housing. This means that one of the elements in the transducer acts as a transmitter (pitch) of sound energy and the other element in the transducer acts as a receiver (catch). Using the pitch-catch technique enables operators to detect areas of corrosion and accurately measure the remaining wall thickness from just one side of the pipe. The dual element transducers used in this application have a frequency of 7.5 MHz and a nominal element size of 0.375 in. dia. Small dual element transducers such as these can be easily gripped with the fingertips, enabling them to be used in areas that are hard to access. They work well on pipes with a diameter of 1 in. and above. Figure 5. Evidence of corrosion: the ultrasonic flaw detector shows the The transducer is connected to an ultrasonic minimal remaining wall thickness in this area is only 0.251 in. flaw detector. Here, we used an Olympus EPOCH™ 650 instrument. Combining the dual element transducer with the flaw detector enables users to accurately assess and identify corrosion zones, such as the pipe and displays a measurement of 0.251 in. The area illustrated in Figure 3. differential between the pipe’s post-corrosion nominal wall Using the DC1 (standard housing) or DC2 (thick-wall, thickness of 0.325 in. to this lower measurement number wear-resistant housing) in a light scrubbing action, the indicates significant corrosion/material loss. Based on inspector can identify areas consistent to nominal pipe industry/inspection criteria, the operator can report the thickness prior to degradation, as well as detect a corrosion recommendation and disposition of the pipe for repair or zone and accurately measure correlative metal loss within replacement before a breakdown or failure occurs. that zone. It is vital that every pipeline integrity management For this working example, and as shown in Figure 4, a system includes corrosion inspection and monitoring to DC1 transducer is used to measure the wall thickness of a help ensure the continuous operation and safe transport metal pipe with a post corrosion nominal wall thickness of of energy resources around the globe. As shown in the 0.325 in. The transducer and ultrasonic flaw detector work example, the accurate detection of pipeline corrosion can together to display a measurement of 0.322 in., indicating enable these areas to be repaired promptly before the no real evidence of corrosion. corrosion leads to a more serious problem. This proactive Comparatively, as shown in Figure 5, a DC1 transducer pipeline maintenance approach helps protect the health is used in a different zone location on the same metal and safety of people and the environment worldwide.

MARCH 2021 / World Pipelines

Steve Jackson and Terri Mathis, Baker Hughes, Process & Pipeline Services, Houston, USA, detail a successful pre-commissioning project in the Gulf of Mexico.

Pumping The sheer volume of testing medium needed for hydrostatic testing at ~4000 psi required very large pumps that are not easy to find. High-power, high-pressure,

positive-displacement pumps, which Baker Hughes built specifically for this type of application, proved to be the right equipment for the job – with two very successful hydrostatic tests.

Filling One of the major technical challenges the project faced was pipeline stability. Since the line wouldn’t be buried until a later date, and it was in depths of just 10 - 40 m, filled only with air, there was concern that a tropical storm or hurricane

could move or seriously damage the line and delay the project. To solve this, Baker Hughes provided progressive filling of the complete offshore segments. The operation was originally planned to be executed with a filling spread from the beach; the amended construction schedule for the beach approach tunnels prevented this. The Baker Hughes technical solution to negate this was to contract an offshore jack-up rig equipped with a flooding spread. On the commencement of pipeline lay, Baker Hughes began the introduction of the test medium at the same rate as pipelay so it would be more stable on the sea floor. Great care was taken to keep the pigs and water far enough away from the lay vessel to avoid stressing the lay mechanism of the lay vessel. As the project developed, Baker Hughes worked from four different offshore vessels with full crews and large equipment spreads. Baker Hughes needed to show flexibility in adapting to the changing construction schedule, providing solutions, and keeping all teams well-briefed and extremely focused on safety throughout the entire operation.

Transporting equipment The southern-most connection site is separated from the mainland by a river and has no road access. Baker Hughes therefore utilised a cable-pull barge to transport equipment to the site at the edge of the beach. With the beach only about 2 ft above sea level, tropical storm season caused flooding difficulties and a small delay. All things considered, this part of the operation was not technically complex as far as pipeline pre-commissioning is concerned, but some creative problem-solving was required to address the scale and logistics challenges that had to be tightly managed to keep pre-commissioning on track.

Project safety Figure 1. Sur de Tuxpan pipeline route.

Figure 2. Equipment spread staging in Brownsville, Texas.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

Baker Hughes completed the project, having successfully filled, tested, dewatered, dried, and purged both the north

and south pipelines as well as the shore approach sections that were laid independent to the main line. Potential safety risks were presented by performing the hydrostatic tests from the deck of an offshore jack-up with around 4000 psi (275 bar) and such large volumes involved. In these limited spaces and conditions, a component failure could be catastrophic. Baker Hughes’ Red Zone policy leads the industry into safer working practices – requiring the use of technology to remove all personnel (from Baker Hughes, the client, and other contractors) from the line of any potential pressure loss. To accomplish this, Baker Hughes designed and built a Remote Hydrostatic Test Manifold (RHSTM) that let Baker Hughes pressurise the pipeline, hold that pressure, top it up, and bleed it without any human contact with pressurised equipment. Traditionally, this would all require manual manipulation of pressurised valves connected to hose but Baker Hughes completely removed any potential injury risk from unexpected pressure loss.

N2 technology, which removed the cost and potential delays to truck in traditional liquid nitrogen.

Conclusion From start to finish, Baker Hughes used its highly trained workforce, specialised equipment and extensive knowledge to engineer solutions to challenges, reduce risk to personnel and property and customise a solution to produce the best possible result for our customer.

Note Baker Hughes would like to thank TC Energy and IENova for their permission to publish this article.

Live stream hydrostatic testing During the hydrostatic test, Baker Hughes also utilised the Nanoplex data management system that has the technical capability to live-stream via satellite a dynamic graph showing pressure and temperature at various points along the pipeline. With a simple web link and password, the client could monitor the test in real-time from PCs and mobile devices anywhere in the world. When undertaking such a large test on an asset of this significance, many stakeholders are very interested in tracking progress – Baker Hughes’ use of Nanoplex made that easy.

Drying Baker Hughes provided two epic dry-air spreads, both in excess of 20 000 ft3/m, located at Brownsville and the Tamiahua beach site. Drying time for the two pipelines were estimated and agreed on during pre-engineering with Baker Hughes. Actual drying time for the north line was significantly shorter than planned, which saved valuable days. This efficiency gain was attributed to the high quality of dewatering pigs that Baker Hughes designed and manufactured specifically for this pipeline, and the consistent dryness of high-volume injected air. After drying the lines, a pipeline nitrogen purge with on-site generated nitrogen was also successful – thanks to Baker Hughes’ highly efficient membrane

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Aaron Madden, T.D. Williamson, USA, details aftermarket services designed to ensure that HT&P equipment is in prime operational condition.

n excavator strikes a pipeline, causing an immediate incident that needs to be addressed quickly. A natural gas pipeline has to be moved to accommodate the construction of a federal highway. A valve change-out requires the decommissioning of a pump house while the system remains in service. These real-life situations may seem vastly different, but a fast and effective intervention and isolation solution was part of the successful response to each. Without a hot tapping and plugging (HT&P) isolation to create a safe work zone, other activities would have ground to a halt, which would cause additional cost and a reduction in throughput.

Whether you’re faced with an emergency or you’re planning a repair or replacement project, it’s no time to find out the intervention and isolation equipment you own isn’t in prime operating condition. Yet without regular maintenance, your HT&P isolation tools might not be up-to-date and ready to press into service when needed. As part of the evolution of equipment maintenance, a growing number of manufacturers, including those who make intervention and isolation technology, are offering aftermarket services to owners of OEM products. Like encouraging someone to get an annual physical or take their car for regular oil changes,

Figure 1. SANDWICH® valves, ready to be shipped.

the idea is to provide an equipment wellness check – with the ultimate goals of ensuring operational readiness, maximising investment value and minimising unexpected downtime. For intervention and isolation equipment, aftermarket services often include maintenance, repairs, overhauls, spare parts, training and emergency response contracts. Whether you use these services in conjunction with your own in-house maintenance efforts or on their own, the result is the same. They allow you to: ) Reduce total cost of ownership. ) Extend the life of your tools. ) Focus on core business functions. ) Reduce warehousing of spare parts and tools required to

perform maintenance. ) Improve labour productivity. ) Ensure parts and equipment availability. ) Engage in flat expense budget planning.

Part of continuous improvement The impulse to ‘do better’ has been a driving force in the pipeline industry since the first wildcat well hit pay dirt in the 1850s. Our never-ending quest for improvement, reliability and risk reduction has led to innovations in all areas of the industry, including equipment maintenance and asset management.

At the start, the emphasis was on reactive maintenance. When something stopped working properly, it was taken out of service, and a mechanic restored it to normal operating conditions. Although many companies still subscribe to this reactive approach, over the past three decades, the industry has also adopted more proactive models. The aim is to identify and fix the reasons things go wrong. The first significant shift was to preventive maintenance. The idea that you could perform regular maintenance to reduce the probability of failure was considered somewhat revolutionary when it was introduced. Today, though, it’s so entrenched that most young people probably can’t imagine there was ever any other way of doing things. More recently, two even more forward-looking approaches have followed. The first is predictive maintenance, which is datadriven, condition-based and highly effective. Often used in coordination with preventive maintenance, predictive maintenance relies on continuous or routine measurements to identify variations from predetermined conditions – signals that failure may be pending, but there’s still time to do something about it. A report from audit and consulting firm Deloitte suggests predictive maintenance – which it defines as “utilising a wealth of process data and advanced analytical methods to predict failures well before immediate action has to be taken” – reduces breakdowns by 70%. But even a figure like that still leaves room for improvement. Predictive maintenance isn’t the terminal point in the journey towards ‘better’, but it did help lay the groundwork for the next step: prescriptive maintenance.

The next level of better

Figure 2. AMS progression.

A mix of the best features of predictive maintenance and Industry 4.0, prescriptive maintenance uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to define root cause issues, identify what will fail and how, and present the user with specific options to avert failure and lead to the best outcome. Where the evolution leads from here isn’t easy to say, but it seems evident that forward-thinking models will prevail. Regardless of where you are on the maintenance continuum – or where you’re going – aftermarket services can add a level of ‘better’.

MRO programmes

Figure 3. Two tapping machines awaiting maintenance.

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

Maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) programmes help you avoid unscheduled downtime by ensuring your assets are available when you need them. In general, MRO programmes protect against failure stemming from overuse (mitigated by turn-based maintenance); infrequent use (mitigated by time-based maintenance); lack of robust maintenance and tracking; and unauthorised modifications. Without parts, machines don’t run, and work doesn’t get done, which is why spare parts inventory control is often an important part of the MRO plan. It’s been estimated that as much as 50% of prolonged unscheduled downtime across all industries can be traced to a lack of spare parts. MRO helps ensure spare parts supply chains can be adequately configured for ultimate efficiency. This begins by understanding your project demands,

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they’re located and expected timelines for response, to inform strategic warehousing and delivery planning. Usually, the OEM will inventory and maintain the customer’s equipment at strategically located facilities, enabling delivery to meet customer requirements. The TDW emergency response solution also includes a maintenance agreement to ensure customer equipment is in prime operating condition.

EROR plan speeds response Though rare, pipeline emergencies are urgent – and something operators prepare for day in and day out. Despite every precaution, every regulation and every live fire exercise, things can still go wrong. Third-party contractors can miss the markings indicating a buried line. Natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes can erode soil structures which could compromise pipeline integrity. A few years ago, the operator of a 30 in. pipeline in the Midwestern United States activated its TDW Emergency Response and Operational Readiness (EROR) agreement following a crude oil spill. The EROR agreement – which is still in place today – provides equipment and personnel when there is a leak or other pipeline problem requiring an HT&P solution and can include any or all of these features: ) Stocking of essential fittings to cover all system pipe diameters. ) All HT&P equipment necessary to perform a double STOPPLE® Figure 4. STOPPLE® isolation machine in for routine maintenance.

operation with a bypass. ) Welder qualifications.

tooling capacity, tool utilisation and maintenance plans early in the resource budgeting and strategy cycle.

) Strategic mobilisation locations and mobilisation plan. ) Equipment storage, maintenance and repair.

Training Without a qualified driver who understands all the bells, whistles and safety features, a brand new car might as well just sit in the garage. The same is true for fleet investments. When unqualified operators are at the controls, not only is the equipment being underutilised, accidents can happen. Technician training courses ensure a competent operator is maximising your tooling investment.

Maintenance-contractual service agreements These agreements are a prescriptive solution for customer-owned isolation equipment. Tools receive pre- and post-job, minor and major maintenance actions that are proven to lower the overall cost of ownership while extending the life of your investment. At T.D. Williamson (TDW), for example, these agreements allow the adoption of the OEM Fleet Maintenance programme, which has benefited from continuous improvement for more than 50 years.

Emergency response programmes Emergency response programmes are strategic solutions designed to reduce the chaos and overall exposure when operations do not go as planned. These programmes typically begin with an evaluation of customer assets, including where

World Pipelines / MARCH 2021

) Complete training and readiness drills.

In this case, the operator owns a full suite of TDW HT&P equipment, including tapping machines and fittings. Most of it is stored and maintained at TDW facilities in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And although that is 600 miles from the site of the leak, distance wasn’t an obstacle. Crews mobilised the fittings within three hours after the operator notified TDW of the leak; the rest of the equipment was staged and loaded for shipment within 17 hours. In slightly more than a day – just 27 hours – the technicians and equipment arrived at the worksite, and tie-ins were conducted during a 24-hour outage. The STOPPLE isolation plugs were removed and the completion plugs set in one day. The speed with which the isolation was carried out limited total downtime so the operator could reinstate service as quickly, and safely, as possible. If you want to improve your operational readiness plan, partnering with an OEM to ensure your equipment is in prime operational condition is one of the most valuable moves you can make. It enables you to maximise your equipment investment, reduce your exposures and ensure everything is prepped to perform when the need arises.

WELDING World Pipelines asked Miller Electric Mfd and Huntingdon Fusion Techniques to answer some questions in relation to welding.

DR M J FLETCHER, Qualified Metallurgist, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques Dr M J Fletcher is a qualified Metallurgist with extensive experience in welding and nondestructive testing. He works as an independent consultant, providing support to a wide range of manufacturing industries on a global basis.

DANNY MORTENSEN, Construction/Fabrication Segment Manager, Miller Electric Mfd. LLC Danny Mortensen is the Construction/Fabrication segment manager with Miller Electric Mfg. LLC. He’s a second-generation welder who has been with Miller in various roles for six and a half years.

JAKE ZWAYER, Industrial Product Manager, Miller Electric Mfd. LLC Jake Zwayer has spent seven years with ITW Welding, the last three years as an industrial product manager for the Miller Power Systems Division, where he is responsible for the Trailblazer® and Big Blue® product lines.

What are the most common causes of welding quality issues? What can be done to reduce these? DR M J FLETCHER, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques A significant cause of poor quality is a lack of knowledge about loss of material, particularly chromium, because of oxidation during the welding process. This can be avoided by ensuring that an adequate inert gas environment is provided.

Welds carried out on most metals with inadequate inert gas coverage oxidise. The effect is even noticeable with many stainless steels. To some, the discolouration due to oxidation is an inconvenient feature that can be removed after welding, but this may be difficult and, in any case, costly, especially if access is restricted. Unfortunately, any oxidation can result directly in a reduction in corrosion resistance and in some cases loss of mechanical strength.

& Protection against oxidation needs careful consideration. It will come as a surprise to many that oxygen contents as low as 50 ppm (0.005%) in this protective gas is rarely totally effective. The solution is to use a weld purging system.

JAKE ZWAYER, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC Problems with the root pass or the hot pass are where you see most failed tests for pipeline welders. If there is too much heat used or if the welder does not get through the bevel enough, it can result in a faulty weld. With too little heat in the hot pass, they can also get slag inclusion. The best way to overcome it is making sure the arc is tuned up based on the joint. This is where solutions like Dynamic DIGTM technology from Miller can come in handy, since they allow the operator to tune the arc based on their general preference,

while also allowing for in-process adaptability to overcome things like changing joint conditions.

DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC A lot of the issues can be traced to joint prep, whether it be fit-up, the bevel and landing or setup. Then you’re going to have a problem with lack of fusion or suck back or blow back, and then not being able to burn the slag out on the hot pass. JAKE ZWAYER, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC When you introduce variables caused by bad joint prep or lack of fit-up, it can take a more experienced operator to overcome it.

Detail some recent developments made in welding equipment/ technology. DR M J FLETCHER, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques The importance of monitoring has been addressed through the introduction of advanced techniques, particularly continuous oxygen and dew point measurement. Weld purge oxygen monitors using rapid response, accurate instruments, introduced from 1996 satisfied the need for measurement as low as 50 ppm oxygen. Later developments led to instruments capable of meeting site applications whilst reading oxygen levels down to 10 ppm. Many of these products now incorporate software for downloading of data for quality control purposes, fault finding diagnosis, alarm features to warn of high oxygen levels, full colour touch screen control and IP65 rating. Methods for measuring dew point are well established and equipment is available. However, recent development work has resulted in the production of instruments specifically designed for welding applications. Since integration with oxygen monitors is now possible, this development allows welders to

measure and control purge gas oxygen and dew point with a single instrument.

JAKE ZWAYER, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC Dynamic DIG technology from Miller addresses arc adaptability, giving operators the ability to overcome joint obstacles. It provides a smoother, more consistent arc that can be tailored to match application, material, fit-up and welder technique. New Wireless Interface Control technology from Miller provides the operator with complete control of their machine in the palm of their hand so they can make adjustments where they are working. This provides benefits for weld quality, productivity and safety. In addition, wire welding technologies have progressed rapidly over the years with Smart Feeders and advanced capabilities, like pulsed MIG. We are starting to see contractors realise its benefits in terms of quality and speed of production. The throughput from a wire-based process can really impact a job timeline and the amount of pipe you can lay in a certain amount of time.

DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC Induction heating is not necessarily new, but it is gaining greater traction on pipelines. They’re able to heat more efficiently, quickly and safely with induction for preheating.

How is the quality of a weld tested? What options are available? JAKE ZWAYER, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC

HUNTINGDON FUSION TECHNIQUES: PurgEye API200 PHO-14C API 200,1000 and site.

There’s destructive testing and non-destructive testing. Most pipeline welders will have their welds X-rayed. An X-ray will expose any defects from root to cap. for other, less critical types of welding, they might use non-destructive testing that is less thorough, such as magnetic particle testing or dye penetrant testing.

WELDING

DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC

Phased array testing is becoming more popular in pipelines. It provides clear 3D images.

How are welders kept safe in a potentially hazardous working environment? DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC Each company has safety protocols in place for many different potential hazards, including environmental and personal safety. Welding equipment manufacturers provide safety precautions in their Owner’s Manuals and on

the equipment that contain the basic information needed to install, operate and maintain the equipment. Welders are kept safe by following company procedures and protocols and the equipment manufacturer’s safety precautions. On pipeline rights-of-way, safety meetings happen almost every morning.

What are the biggest hurdles still to be overcome in the welding process? DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC History can often be a big problem in welding. People are reluctant to try new things and adapt because something they tried 20 years ago didn’t work. The technology has changed but the perception hasn’t. JAKE ZWAYER, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC The metrics that every person in welding is always trying to improve upon are quality and throughput. Whether it’s because joint prep wasn’t done perfectly or some other reason, there will always be factors that affect quality. And as pipe chemistry changes over time, materials get harder

to weld and can be more sensitive to welding parameters. Throughput is also a main concern because, with today’s business atmosphere, operations are trying to get jobs done sooner. DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC I think the other challenge that pipeline companies specifically have is public perception. What the public does not recognise or know is how much detail and care goes into a pipeline project. The amount of detail from the welding to the routing to the excavation to the boring is something most people don’t understand.

What challenges differentiate welding in offshore and onshore environments? DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC The types of material used is a big differentiator. It’s more difficult to weld the harder offshore steels than it is to weld the traditional materials used in cross country pipeline. Offshore pipelines also have more environmental challenges that must be considered, including corrosion of salt water, tidal pressures and fatigue. The arc tends to be more erratic, harsh and difficult to control with the steels used in offshore pipeline welding.

JAKE ZWAYER, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC The key difference is definitely pipe chemistry and the weldability of the steel. For offshore applications, they start adding less corrosive, higher strength elements, and the pipe chemistry adds a lot of complexity from a welding and weldability standpoint.

MILLER ELECTRIC MFG. LLC: Sleeve welding.

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When it comes to automated VS manual welding, what are the advantages – and disadvantages – of each? DANNY MORTENSEN, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC Operator fatigue can be greatly reduced with mechanised welding, which can, in turn, help improve productivity, throughput and quality. It makes the troubleshooting and the welding much more consistent from start to finish. But there are always going to be places where you can’t put a mechanised unit, so both types of welding have a place. JAKE ZWAYER, Miller Electric Mfg. LLC There are benefits and downsides to both. On the manual side, there’s operator error and a reliance on someone with a pretty unique skillset. The benefit of manual welding is you can send a welder out to do a job, and they can drag some leads out and make a weld. That’s one of the reasons that people have been so resistant to change, because it’s so simple at its core. From a mechanised perspective, it takes some of the skill out of the process but adds a slightly more complex setup. Instead of a welder who can go out and heat the pipe and start welding, you have more set-up time and system complexity. The upside is that once set up with a semi-automatic system, throughput and efficiency can be drastically increased compared to traditional stick welding.

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MILLER ELECTRIC MFG. LLC: Safety protocols are key for protecting welders.

“With the lifting tech up, the potential for damage is down. The number of required personnel is down. There is very little risk of someone getting hurt with the vacuum lifting attachments doing all the work.” — Kelly Jackson, Freight Solutions

Risk minimized Our customers say it best. They put our systems to the test where it counts, on the job. They know what is important, and Vacuworx delivers every day. From the most reliable lifting systems to the best service and support in the industry. FASTER. SAFER. SMARTER. That’s the Vacuworx Advantage.

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World Pipelines – March 2021

Articles inside

Ready when you are

A successful start-up

Sustainable steel in the making

Heavy Equipment Review

Driving development

Pipeline isolation for the 21st century

Pipeline news

Full steam ahead for Asia-Pacific

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