Pipeline Construction

Still lots of activity at the pipeline valve site on our property. The crew is cleaning the "Pig Launcher" after it received a cleaning "pig" to remove scale and rust from the 20 inch pipeline.


The cleaning "pig" that was send through the pipeline.



Loading a foam "pig" into the launcher.



Workers check and adjust the pressure in the pipeline to push the "pig".



A worker releases pressure from the pipeline. A light blue stream of compressed air can be seen venting from the top of the pipe.



Workers torque the bolts on a flange.

Poppies

My wife has a lot of flower gardens and Poppies are starting to bloom. Her Papaver Poppies are large and spectacular but don't keep their blooms very long.

Papaver Poppies

When you see the large buds start to open, you need to watch the flowers daily.


Papaver Poppy Bud

When the poppy flower blooms it will have a very large, dark center.


Papaver Poppy Center

The flower petals only last a day or two before they fall off and leave a seed head.

Poppy Seed Head

Here are some of the different poppies in my wife's garden.


Papaver Poppy - Orange


Papaver Poppy - Patty's Plum


Papaver Poppy - Royal Wedding


Papaver Poppy - Salmon


Papaver Poppy - Turken Louis


Papaver Poppy - Watermelon


Icelandic Poppy - Appricot

Pipeline Construction

With the frac tanks full of water, more equipment was brought in for the hydrostatic test of the Wesauking Pipeline.



Workers prepare a large pump to transfer water from the frac tanks to the pipeline.




A large supply of foam "pigs" to clean out the pipeline.

Dragonfly

Within the last week our pond has come alive with dragonflies. The fast flying insects are hard to photograph while in flight. After studying the dragonflies for a short time, I noticed that they are very territorial and claim preferred perches. Once you identify a drogonfly's perch, just have the camera ready and wait for the dragonfly to return to the perch. Here are some of the photos taken at our pond.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer (Libellula pulchella): These two photos are of males, the females don't have the white spots on the wings.




Blue-eyed Darner (Aeshna multicolor)



Common Whitetail or Long-tailed Skimmer (Libellula lydia), male.





Unidentified Dragonfly



Another fan of dragonflies waits for a close up view (taste).

Pipeline Construction

It may be a holiday but some people still have to work. The frac tanks are installed and need to be filled with water before the hydrostatic test of the Wesauking Pipeline can begin.



The water is being hauled from Towanda and it should take about 35 truck loads to fill the frac tanks.

Dragonfly

While walking around our pond I was able to sneak up on this Green Darner (Anax junius) dragonfly. This is one of the most common and abundant dragonfly species throughout North America. (Click on image to enlarge and see the detail in the wings)

Spring Wildflowers

While preparing a wildlife food plot at our cabin, I came across some "Yellow Toadflax". With a name like "Yellow Toadflax", some people prefer to call this flower Butter-and-eggs (Linaria vulgaris). This flower is native to most of Europe and northern Asia. It has also been introduced and is now common in North America.



This flower appears to be popular with members of the weevil family. I found several weevils on these flowers.

Spring Wildflowers

The Oxeye Daisy (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) is one of the more common springtime flowers in our area. The daisy, along with many other common meadow flowers, was introduced from Europe and is not a native wildflower.

Pipeline Construction

As an excavator hauls the last load of timber mats to the access road, the first frac tank arrives for set up for the hydrostatic testing of the Wesauking Pipeline.



By the end of the day, seven frac tanks had been moved into position at the valve site.



A check valve and shut off valve on the 12 inch valve assembly have been removed and the pipes capped.



View of the valve site and frac tanks.

Pipeline Construction

The 12 inch Wesauking Pipeline valve assembly installation is complete and ready for hydrostatic testing. In the background a dozer works to create a staging area for the water storage tanks needed for the hydrostatic test.



An excavator moves a stack of 12 timber mats to the access road to prepare it for the truck traffic that will haul the water in for the hydrostatic test of the 12 inch pipeline.



View of the three valve assemblies on our property.



Another "pig" was sent through the 24 inch pipeline to remove water from the pipeline.

Pipeline Construction

Wesauking Pipeline
A crew worked on the finial connections of the 12 inch valve/
pig receiver" for the Wesauking Pipeline.



Welding the last sections of the pipeline connection.



Cutting a 45 degree bend for the pipeline tie-in.



The welding and X-ray inspections are complete and once the GPS mapping is done they can start to back fill the trench.



On the west side of Joyce Road, a crew spreads straw on a reseeded area of the pipeline right-of-way on Maureen Brady's property near the wetland area.






Wilmot Pipeline
"Out with the old, in with the new." The supports for the 20 inch "pig launcher" have been removed...


New concrete forms for the new supports.



Filled with concrete.