The Pipestoppers division of British company Huntingdon Fusion Techniques has launched its new Accu-Freeze System, which will allow pipe repairs to be performed without having to shut down and drain the entire system. According to HFT, Accu-Freeze will work on both metal and plastic pipes of diameter up to 12” (305mm). The system creates ice plugs on either side... [Read More]

The Minnesota Department of Commerce has released the draft environmental impact statement for the proposed Enbridge Line 3 pipeline project. A public comment period on the project has now opened, and will last until 10 July 2017. Enbridge Energy is proposing to construct a new oil pipeline in Minnesota to replace its existing Line 3 pipeline. At $7.5 billion (€6.8... [Read More]

The amount of water lost though pipe leaks by UK water companies has not fallen in four years, according to an article by the Guardian. As fears of a drought rise in the UK following a particularly dry few months, the Guardian analysis observes that many companies in the particularly dry south and east of England have been set leak reduction targets of zero, or even targets... [Read More]

Following a decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to limit construction on the Rover pipeline, US gas futures have surged. An order posted on 10 May has barred Energy Transfer Partners from carrying out any new drilling on certain sections of its new, $4.2 billion Rover pipeline. The limit comes after horizontal directional drilling (HDD) on the pipeline... [Read More]

To overcome the challenges of onsite welding in the petrochemical industry, COB Industries has produced the PurgEye Site Weld Purge Monitor. The company claims the new guarded oxygen monitor is “virtually non-destructible”, and specifically designed for onsite conditions. COB Industries said: “The PurgEye Site measures oxygen levels from 1,000 ppm, right... [Read More]

Construction has begun in the Black Sea on the offshore section of the TurkStream gas pipeline. Pipelaying is being carried out off the Russian coast by Audacia, a vessel owned by Allseas – the contractor responsible for the construction of both strings of the gas pipeline’s offshore section. The vessel will also be used for pipe pulling through microtunnels... [Read More]

Trans Mountain has announced a supply deal with Canadian steelmaker EVRAZ North America. In November 2016 the Canadian government granted approval for the expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline, deciding the estimated $7.4 billion (€6.7 billion) project was in the interests of Canada and its population The 1,150km pipeline was originally built in 1953. The expansion... [Read More]

A £1 million (€1.2 million) project to replace over 1,700 miles (2700 km) of water pipes in Dolgellau, Wales, has just started. The investment scheme, launched by Welsh Water, aims to ensure the people of Dolgellau and its surrounding area have access to clean, high quality drinking water for “decades to come”, according to the Cambrian News. The... [Read More]

Pipelines are still one of the safest ways to transport liquid energy, according to a new report. The American Petroleum Institute (API), along with the Association of Oil Pipelines (AOPL), have published the Pipeline Safety Excellence performance Report and Strategic Plan 2017-2019, which summarises the pipeline industry’s record on safety and outlines the steps... [Read More]

A long undetected leak in a 12 inch fire plug likely led to over 730 million gallons (3 billion litres) of water being lost in the space of twenty years, according to MidHudsonNews.com. The long lasting leak in the city of Newburgh, New York, was discovered after the city began using new leak detection equipment. It has since been repaired by authorities. “It is... [Read More]

US pipeline manufacturers and oil producers, including the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, have called into question President Trump’s call for US pipelines to be constructed from domestically produced steel. One of Trump’s campaign pledges was to scrutinise US steel imports and seek a revitalisation of the American steel industry, promising “we... [Read More]

A successful pilot of the Sensus FlexNet communication network has been completed by Vitens, the largest water company in the Netherlands. Vitens provides drinking water to 5.6 million consumers and businesses in the Dutch provinces of Flevoland, Fryslân, Gelderland, Utrecht and Overijssel. Each year, Vitens delivers 350 million m³ of water through 100... [Read More]

Xylem, a global water technology company, designed and built a major emergency sewer bypass for Memphis, Tennessee, in just six days, according to a news release from the company. The record breaking feat came following disastrous rainfall in the city. In spring 2016, sixteen inches of rain fell on Memphis, with eight inches of that coming in a two day deluge. The intense... [Read More]

The controversial Dakota Access Pipeline is scheduled to start transporting oil on 14 May, according to Reuters. Energy Transfer Partners LP has filed a ‘tariff’ with the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, laying out details about the pipeline and the quantities of oil it will transport. It marks another landmark in the story of the highly controversial... [Read More]

A large diameter pipe production facility in Charleston, South Carolina, operated by Agru America has commenced production. The new facility is aimed at meeting the growing international demand for next generation large diameter high density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes. Located in Charleston Harbour, along the Cooper River, the impressive new plant is producing AGRULINE... [Read More]

An innovative new leak detection method which uses aircraft to survey buried pipes has successfully completed its first test. The system is designed to spot leaks in expansive rural areas quickly and inexpensively. Aircraft capture infrared images which are then scanned for signs of soil humidity – a sure sign of a subterranean pipe leak. According to a press release... [Read More]