Pipeline Construction

A section of the Wilmot Pipeline was installed across the driveway to the cabin today. This section of pipe will connect two other sections of the pipeline which are already in the ground.



Before the pipe is placed in the trench it is checked to make sure there are no breaks or holes in the protective coating on the pipe.


Workers align the new section of pipe with the section already in the ground and tack weld the two sections.


Once the two sections of pipe are tack welded the alignment collar is removed and multiple layers of weld are applied.


With the one end of the new pipe section welded to the pipeline the other end of the new pipe section needs to be cut to length.


Once the cut location is marked a collar is clamped to the new pipe section.



A movable cutting torch is attached to the collar and the pipe cutting begins as an operator moves the torch by turning a crank on a flex cable.


The new section of pipe is now cut to the required length.



A clean, straight cut.


The two sections of pipe are positioned and the alignment collar attached.



The two sections of pipe are tack welded.



With the alignment collar removed the crew welds the inside seam of the pipe.


Multiple layers of weld are applied. Between each layer of welding the surface of the weld is ground clean.


Welding the bottom side of the pipe. Welding overhead is not easy under good conditions and even worse when you are on your back in a cold, muddy trench.


Once the new section of pipe is welded into the pipeline, the location of the weld is recorded with GPS.




Before the new section of pipe can be covered with dirt the weld is X-rayed to look for defects. Once all the inspections are complete the welded area will be sandblasted and a protective coating applied.