TransCanada Grande Prairie Mainline Loop Mcleod River section Hwy #16 crossing
Innovative Pipeline Crossings (IPC) was selected by TransCanada to play an integral part in the TransCanada Grande Prairie Mainline Loop project. IPC’s scope of work included Direct Pipe installation for the Highway #16 crossing. Alongside general contractor Ledcor, IPC installed 217m of 48” continuously welded steel pipe with 1” wall thickness and FBE coating. This is a significant milestone project for both IPC and TransCanada as it is the first Direct Pipe project undertaken by TransCanada, and the first NEB approved Direct Pipe installation in Canada. This project has already received significant attention and interest from the client and within the pipeline industry.
CHALLENGE
Due to the time of year, complexity of the work-site surroundings and drill path, a number of challenges were encountered during installation. These included: • On-site obstacles – The drilling site was a congested space, especially around the entry locations which created logistical challenges. • Severe Weather – The project was completed under various weather conditions, with a temperature swing, from minus 45°C to plus 15°C within a 3 day period, which made for challenging working and road conditions within the Right of Way (ROW). • Soil and ground conditions – Heavy, sticky clay presented unique drilling challenges.
RESULTS
Overall, IPC completed the project successfully within the project budget and faster than the proposed execution schedule, despite weather challenges and site access delays. From the day of Site Access to End of Drilling IPC completed the project in only 21 working days. Total number of days on site was only 31 working days.
