Supply Chain - Water Mains - Pipeline Products
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Case Studies
- Project Pipeline - County Durham & Tees Valley (2024)
- Faringdon to Blunsdon Trunk Main Phase 2 (2023)
- Tees & Central Strategic Pipeline: Phases 1 & 2 (2023)
- Wells to Glastonbury Pipeline (2023)
- Crescent Link Trunk Main (2024)
- Stiles Way Trunk Main (2024)
- Parkmore Pumping Station & Trunk Main (2023)
- Anglian Water's Strategic Pipeline Alliance: Norwich to Wymondham Pipeline (2023)
Pipe laying - Courtesy of Farrans Construction[/caption]
Water processing lagoons - Courtesy of Farrans Construction[/caption]
Topsoil bund at Lartington - Courtesy of Farrans Construction[/caption]
(left) Penelope named the TBM after herself and (right) £1000 donation to Great North Air Ambulance - Courtesy of Farrans Construction[/caption]
Google Maps image showing pipeline route[/caption]
Archaeological investigations and (right) crouched burial - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Pipe material: As part of the design deliverables a technical note was prepared comparing ductile iron, carbon steel and HDPE as the three commercially feasible materials for this diameter range.
The recommendation was to adopt HDPE PE100 as the preferred pipe material, using 1200mm OD SDR17 from Aliaxis UK. Pipework used in cross connections, existing utility crossovers, shafts and other special cases was designed using ductile iron supplied by Saint Gobain PAM UK, with mechanically restrained VE joints as required.
Furthermore, for the tunnel sections, steel pipework with the E-Joint system was utilised supplied by Noksel España. To ensure asset design life, steel pipework was maximised for the critical tunnel sections with pipe wall thickness specified at 10mm, which was greater than Thames Water’s asset standard of 6mm. Based on the pH levels of the water the pipe would be conveying, a far superior asset design life of 100+ years could be theoretically achieved.
Environmental impact assessment (EIA): During the initial stages of the project, several desktop and detailed environment, archaeological and third-party assessments and reports were compiled. This highlighted areas where further surveys and investigations were later completed ahead of an Environmental Impact Assessment Screening Opinion being submitted to the relevant councils for review.
A full EIA was requested but this was, however, successfully challenged with the Secretary of State who did not consider the environmental impact would be of a magnitude necessary to suggest a scheme of this scale would result in significant environmental effects, which would exceptionally necessitate an environmental statement. This successful challenge still obligated Thames Water to work closely with the local approving authorities to deliver a comprehensive programme of environment and archaeological mitigation works for the route.
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Pipes laid along route - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
(left) Drive shaft, (middle) tunnel pipe insertion and (right) the completed tunnel - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Tunnelling: Open cut techniques were the predominant pipe installation methodologies and were undertaken by CPC Civils and OCC Services Ltd. However, several trenchless crossings were required for the major roads and rivers crossed by the pipeline route. The relatively straight forward digger shield tunnel boring machine was the predominant method used for trenchless crossings, including Bydemill Brook and the A361.
The crossing of the B4019 proved more challenging however, when hard rock was discovered. This was because of a last-minute change in the location of the micro-tunnel shaft to avoid a new attenuation pond being built by a developer in the immediate area.
Following a review of the new geotechnical investigation completed, it was agreed that the previous digger shield tunnel boring machine was not suitable to overcome the hard rock. Instead, the more robust variable density tunnel boring machine was employed with a specialist drill head brought in from Herrenknecht in Germany to cope with the density of the rock. Although the deployment of this complex machine took four weeks to set-up, the 180m long, 1.5m diameter tunnel was constructed in no time at all and was successfully completed in just over eight weeks. The trenchless crossings were undertaken by HB Tunnelling Limited.
Pipe welding: An automatic butt fusion welding machine was utilised on the project to enable the joints to be made in what was an industry first. The machine from McElroy Manufacturing was shipped from the United States for the project, and enabled butt fusion joints to made up to 1200mm in diameter; a first of its kind in Europe. The automatic nature of the machine enabled far higher quality welds to be made and on a consistent basis as the human element of checking temperatures, raising of the welding plates etc. was eliminated.
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Pipe welding operation and (inset) McElroy Manufacturing welding machine - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Welding work was undertaken by Fabricon Ltd and PTS Group with Technical Innovation Servis Ltd employed as an independent weld inspector to provide an additional level of assurance on the quality of the butt fusion joints made on the 1200mm OD PE100 SDR17 pipework.
(left) Funeral cortege - Courtesy of CPC Civils, and (right) Salvation Army Christmas present appeal 2022 - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Kier have also worked well with local councils donating materials for community initiatives, with CPC Civils also donating two portable defibrillators to support local campaigns, as well as supporting a Salvation Army present appeal on the run into Christmas 2022 to support families who would otherwise be unable to afford gifts for their children.
The project has also given the opportunity to work with the royal agricultural university and bring students to site to understand the ecological and environmental impact and considerations on a project of this scale, as well as visiting their workshops to build owl boxes to be installed along the route of the pipeline.
Flushing lagoons - Courtesy of Kier Infrastructure and Overseas Ltd[/caption]
Commissioning and beneficial use of the pipeline is expected in November 2023 with all site works being completed by August 2024. This will complete replacement of the 15.8km transmission system providing resilience to supplies to help meet future supply and demand requirements.
Figure 1: Project team organogram - Courtesy of IDeA[/caption]
Figure 2: Overall pipeline schematic - Courtesy of IDeA[/caption]
Figure 3: Phase 1 ArcGIS online tender package - Courtesy of IDeA[/caption]
Figure 4: Hazards recorded and managed within a geospatial CDE - Courtesy of IDeA[/caption]
Delivery of steel pipes to the site and (inset) pipes arriving in the UK - Courtesy of FT Pipeline Systems[/caption]
Tunnel shaft at the River Tees crossing - Courtesy of Mott MacDonald[/caption]
FP McCann jacking pipes - Courtesy of Mott MacDonald[/caption]
Ongoing construction works - Courtesy of envolve infrastructure[/caption]
(top left) 360° view stretching from Glastonbury Torr in the South to Wells in the north, (top right) pipeline easement at Wells and (bottom) the internationally important Somerset Levels and Moors, demanding the utmost of environmental and biodiversity care and attention - Courtesy of envolve infrastructure[/caption]
Drone views of works areas - Courtesy of envolve infrastructure[/caption]
In addition to this, investigations during the design process provided Bristol Water with £240,000 of potential value engineering opportunities:
An open cut section of pipeline at Wells - Courtesy of envolve infrastructure[/caption]
Welding activities - Courtesy of envolve infrastructure[/caption]
The in-house training team facilitated training requirements ahead of commencement. Self-delivery teams were supplemented with specialist subcontractors with whom envolve had long-standing relationships.
Works were constructed offline on up to six work-fronts, varying between site preparation, open cut, directional drilling and reinstatement, simultaneously working across the 5km route. Construction operations were managed by envolve’s highly experienced, directly employed, site management team supported by the in-house SHEQ department.
The scheme comprised two critical interfaces with Bristol Water live assets and these connections will be undertaken by Bristol Water Operations. Throughout the commissioning stage, assistance from envolve’s expert management and delivery teams will ensure a seamless interface between the specialisms.
Horizontal directional drilling - Courtesy of GMAC Utilities Ltd[/caption]
Construction activities - Courtesy of envolve infrastructure[/caption]
(left) Meter strainer and PRV construction and (right) connection to existing network from new trunk main - Courtesy of Farrans[/caption]
(left to right) (i) Pipe trench excavated around services (ii) placement of pipe bedding (iii) pIpe bedding and marker tape and (iv) 450mm PE pipe installation - Courtesy of Farrans[/caption]
PE pipe butt welding adjacent to Dungiven Road - Courtesy of Farrans[/caption]
Planer in operation in Dennet Gardens - Courtesy of Farrans[/caption]
Site overview - Courtesy of Farrans/Glanua Group JV[/caption]
Ditchwitch ready for action on Barnish Road - Courtesy of Farrans/Glanua Group JV[/caption]
(left) Site compound complete in advance of HDD crew arrival, (middle) towing head installed on pipe ready for pulling and (right), pipe pull completed - Courtesy of Farrans/Glanua Group JV[/caption]
Fluid recycler in operation - Courtesy of Farrans/Glanua Group JV[/caption]
315mm pipe welding - Courtesy of Farrans/Glanua Group JV[/caption]
Dual lay pipework inside steel sleeves - Courtesy of WSP[/caption]
(top left) traffic management barriers, (bottom left) notice of works and lane closure for pipeline installation and (right) pipeline track excavation - Courtesy of WSP[/caption]
(left) the existing baffle curtain and (right) new anti-siphon inlet pipework and baffle curtain at Parkmore Service Reservoir - Courtesy of WSP[/caption]
(left) The existing Cushendall WPS and (right) the new Grundfos pumps and inlet/outlet pipework - Courtesy of WSP[/caption]
The two modes of control available are the primary, level-based control, and the secondary, pump fixed speed mode control. The chosen method by the client is the level-based method, remotely controlled on Telemweb with agreed low and high Parkmore Service Reservoir set-point levels (pumps on at 2.2m and off at 2.8m).
The WPS automatic control is achieved using a Mitsubishi iQ-R series Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) system attached to a 12” Mitsubishi GOT Human Machine Interface (HMI). The PLC communicates status/alarms/events and exchanges set-points between the PLC and the telemetry talus unit via Modbus RS232. Critical status, alarms and controls are hardwired to/from the telemetry talus unit.
The HMI provides information to the MCC for pumps 1&2 with the following list of options for NIW operatives to manually operate inside the WPS:
(left) HMI screen and (right) Parkmore Dungonnell WPS - Courtesy of WSP[/caption]
(left) Ground heave and (right) minimal ground disturbance during trial - Courtesy of SPA[/caption]
(left) Two winches in use and (right) excavation of ploughed pipe to test compaction and scraping - Courtesy of SPA[/caption]
Air swabbing schematic for Low Water Commissioning - Courtesy of SPA[/caption]
Under the normal Anglian Water standards for swabbing this would have taken three pipe volumes of water to achieve, the water savings for SPA using the air swabbing techniques is therefore enormous. The pipe was then disinfected by a slug of super-chlorinated water, introduced between two swabs and driven at a low speed through the pipeline by air. The trial pipe was then filled with drinking water and then pressure tested to 1.5 times the maximum operating pressure. The pressure test passed first time.
Finally water quality samples were taken to ensure that it could be put into service as a water supply pipeline and further significant water savings were made at this stage.
Kevin Ensell, part of the SPA team who spearheaded the strategy said:
Route of the Norwich to Wymondham pipeline - Courtesy of SPA[/caption]
Mini CS & Company News
- Haweswater Aqueduct
Haweswater AqueductMMB engaged with FT Pipeline Systems late in 2018 for the supply of 9640m of 1626 x 12.5mm coated and lined steel water pipe and bespoke fittings. The project – Hallbank – consisted of four runs of 1600mm steel pipe running alongside each other, to replace a section of the Haweswater Aqueduct. The pipes originated from our pipe mill in Turkey and were shipped over on two dedicated vessels during 2019. FTPS had a team of staff at the docks to oversee the offloading operations. The pipes were 1600mm diameter and 14m long and were stacked in two layers inside the ship, with a total of 360 pipes on each. Once offloaded, each pipe was rolled twice to check for any nicks or damage. If there were any small areas needing repair, this was carried out prior to the pipes being restacked ready for delivery to the customer. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1200"]
Steel water pipe being shipped from Turkey[/caption]
Throughout the project we worked closely with our supply partner Lortub who manufactured the bends and fittings. The 10km of Ejoint/socket pipes utilised the maximum deflection in the joint allowable and rationalised the requirements for the bends. Assisted by Lortub we were able to remove close to 60 fittings from the scope thereby saving the contractor around £300k in terms of material cost, not including installation and fittings costs. In a demonstration of manufacturing control and quality, coupled with the logistical challenge, the pipework and fittings were delivered to site with a 1% ovality tolerance ensuring relatively easy fitting of these 14 long, 7-ton pipes.
Towards the end of 2020, after nearly two years constructing the new 2.5km section of pipe, United Utilities handed the entire site to framework contractor Mott Macdonald Bentley to complete the connections. They managed to do this in just under eight days. Connecting the brand new section near Hallbank meant shutting down the aqueduct.
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The coated and lined steel water pipe and bespoke fittings in place[/caption]
The work at Hallbank in numbers
- The first major upgrade on the Haweswater Aqueduct for 65 years.
- At 2.5km, the new section of pipe, is slightly longer than the piece it is replacing.
- One pipe is being replaced by four separate pipes laid in parallel.
- Each one of the four new pipes is made up of 200 pieces of 14m long in 1.6 diameter pipeline sections.
- To maintain the flow of water by gravity, the new pipes have had to take a slightly different route to the original.
- Having four pipes instead of one makes things easier for when we need to do maintenance like this in the future. We can take one pipe out of operation temporarily while the others keep supplying water.
- The time taken to connect the new pipe was 7 days, 22 hours and 46 minutes.
- More than three quarters of a mile (1.35km) of welds for the connections alone.
For more information: FT Pipeline Systems: +44 (0)1543 416024 | www.ftpipelinesystems.co.uk
