Pipeline Construction

A sunny day and the welders are down in the trenches connecting another section of 24 inch pipe to the pipeline as they work their way from the pullback bore pipe to the wetland area.



This year's warm, dry spring provided a dry section of trench for the welders to work in.






Almost as soon as one excavator digs a trench, another excavator is ready to lay a section of pipeline in it.



The excavators are busy digging and moving pipe.






Chris Bentley, on the ATV, is dwarfed by an excavator as he checks the progress of the pipeline.

Pipeline Construction

The welding of sections of 24 inch pipe completed and passed the X-ray inspection.



The completed sections of welded pipe were moved out of the welding area to allow the excavators to start digging the trenches to bury the pipe in.



While the trenches are being done, another crew will sandblast and coat the welded joints.



An excavator works on digging out the bore pipe so it can be cut off and welded to sections of pipeline that will cross the wetland area.

Pipeline Construction

The sections of 24 inch pipe are strung out in the right-of-way through our woods and ready for welding.



The welding trucks are lined up and waiting for the finial positioning of the pipe.





Worker move the pipe into position for welding.





Aligning the first two pipe sections.



The pipes are clamped into place and ready for welding.



Welding the first of many joints for the day.

A walk around the pond

The day was sunny, but cool, and I was checking on the two geese staying at our pond. As usual, I had my camera ready to photograph the many changes of springtime. The first photo will be a guessing game with the answer at the end.

What is it? Click on image to see the detail of this springtime visitor.



At the shallow end of the pond a large bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) was enjoying the sun while trying to stay warm.



At the far end of the pond, near the woods, the wild blueberry bush (Vaccinium corymbosum) was in full bloom.



Close up of blueberry flower.



Answer to "What is it?" ... A dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) seed head.

Spring Wildflowers

While walking along the pipeline right-of-way, near our wetland area, I found some Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) starting to bloom.



The flower starting to open.



The small, 1 to 1.5 inch flowers will range in color from rose-purple to violet-purple.



The tiny, 1/4 inch, Mouse-ear Chickweed (Cerastium fontanum) flower is easy to miss.



Flowers consist of 5 white petals that are deeply lobed, giving the appearance of 10 petals.

Pipeline Construction

The 1/2 mile long directional drilling project on the Wilmot Pipeline completed the pipeline pull back yesterday and only a few feet of pipe extends out of the ground. With the pull back complete, crews now work on connecting the pull back section with other sections of the pipeline.

Excavators were busy removing loose dirt from around the pull back pipe to reach solid ground for the placement of the next section of pipeline.



As one team start to lay out pipe for the next section of pipeline, another team works on the layout of complex pipe bending to tie the two sections together.



Laying out the 24 inch pipe sections.

Pipeline Construction

The morning was sunny and bright as the 24 inch pipeline started its 1/2 mile journey through the bore hole. A row of three excavators lifted the pipeline into position for its entrance into the bore hole.



As the pipeline is pulled into the bore hole it is coated with a bath of drilling mud to lubricate it.



Wide angle view of the pipeline as excavators guide it into the bore hole. (click on image to enlarge the view)



It didn't take very long for the first two of four sections of pipeline to be pulled into the bore hole. While pipeline section number three was being welded onto the pull back pipeline, it was a good time to inspect the bore hole entrance.



View of the excavators used to move section three of the pipeline through the wetland area where it was welded to the pull back pipeline.



Welding a section of the pipeline to the pull back pipeline.



Excavators getting ready, near our cabin, to move forth section of pipeline.



Lifting the last section of pipeline onto the rollers.



Cutting the trailing end of section three to prepare it for welding onto the last section of pipeline.



Welding the last section of pipeline onto the pull back pipeline. This will create the over 1/2 mile of pipeline needed to pull into the bore hole. Once the welded joint completes the X-ray inspection, sandblasting and coating, it will be ready for the pulling.

Pipeline Construction

Today marks another milestone for the Wilmot Pipeline construction as the equipment is readied for the pulling of pipeline into the directional drilling bore hole.



A device called a "pull head" is moved into position for welding onto the first section of the pipeline. The pull head will be attached to drill pipe, that is already in the bore hole, and then pulled back through the bore hole.



Welding the pull head onto the first section of pipeline.



The pull head welded on the pipeline.



Back at the bore hole, a reamer and swivel are attached to the drill pipe that runs through the bore hole.



A close up view of the reamer that clears the bore hole as the pipeline is pulled behind it.



View of the reamer and drill pipe as it enters into the bore hole.



View of the drill pipe entering into the bore hole. A pit full of drilling mud is located in front of the bore hole to lubricate pipeline as it enters the bore hole.



The first section of the pipeline is lifted and moved toward the bore hole.



An "Army" of excavators is required to lift and move the section of pipeline.



View of the excavators moving the pipeline through the wetland area to the bore hole.



The pull head on the pipeline is attached to the swivel on the drill pipe.



View of the drill pipe and reamer attached to the pull head on the pipeline.



With the first section pipeline in position for the "pull back", the second section of pipeline is moved into position for welding to the first section of pipeline.



Tack welding the two sections of pipeline.



Welding the two sections of pipeline. Once the welding is complete the welded joint will be X-ray inspected and a protective coating applied.



View of the pipeline as it stretches through the wooded wetland area to the bore hole.