March 2020, Vol. 247, No. 3
Editor's Notebook
Yes, I know, opening a column with the words of a long-defunct progressive rock band seems like an odd choice and will probably accomplish little beyond pointing out how truly old I have become.
Features
Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) refers to corrosion caused by the presence and activities of microorganisms – microalgae, bacteria, archaea, and fungi. While microorganisms do not produce unique types of corrosion, they can accelerate corrosion reactions or shift corrosion mechanisms.
Steeped in New Mexico politics and public service from an old line Democratic Party family, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham did not hesitate to jump on the climate change bandwagon and commit to address the issue aggressively when she ran for the governor’s job in 2018 while still serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Don Raikes didn’t enter Fairmont University with plans for a career in energy, but a two-year internship at the U.S. Department of Energy set the course for his first job at Consolidated Natural Gas, which was later acquired by Dominion Energy.
With an additional 2,000 pages of charts, data, maps and explanations, the state-led Alaska liquid natural gas (LNG) team finished out 2019 by answering the last batch of questions from federal regulators for the project’s final environmental impact statement (EIS).
A new standard for site investigation, engineering, planning and execution of pipeline installation through horizontal directional drilling (HDD) has been published by DNV GL, the technical advisor to the oil and gas industry.
In a nutshell, supplies of North Sea gas to Europe are in terminal decline. This fact, combined with EU enlargement, underpins the current wave of long- and short-distance pipeline projects, designed to bring gas to Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe.
The subject of abandoned pipelines is tricky. The idea of an abandoned or out-of-use pipeline reverting in ownership to the easement or landowner is even trickier.
Calgary-based Gibson Energy Inc. said it has approved the construction of one million barrels of new tankage at its Hardisty Terminal.
The United States has more than 2.5 million miles (4 million km) of pipelines dedicated to liquid and natural gas. Although many are unaware, this large network provides a lifeline to everyday activities like pumping gas, generating electricity and even heating a home.
Longtime industry veteran Stanley “Stan” G. Chapman, III has been selected by the Board of Directors of INGAA to serve as the organization’s chairman.
As the discussion around the skills gap in pipeline continues, clients ask me what they should be doing as a business to attract new talent, and how they can help those from outside the industry transition into a career in the market.
Williams Cos canceled its Constitution natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York in the wake of years of opposition from environmental groups and others in New York.
Global News
Freeport LNG Starts Commercial Operation of Train 2 Photo: Freeport LNG Freeport LNG launched commercial operation of the second liquefaction train at its three-train facility, with initial gas deliveries from BP under a 20-year agreement. Th..
Government
Two key Trump administration environmental regulators have made moves to wipe away potential barriers to new pipeline construction. The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a proposed rule that would make it more difficult for environmentalists to block infrastructure construction because of concerns raised about the project’s creation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Tech Notes
Commonly, pipes are stacked several meters high in the shape of a pyramid, meaning that in order to attach lifting equipment, someone must climb the stack. This can be a dangerous situation; however, lifting by vacuum offers a solution.
Executive Profile
Over the last decade, podcasts have emerged as a popular form of distributing audio content to a broad, international public that covers specialized topics. In November 2017, the Pipeliners Podcast became the first such podcast focused on pipelining.
Projects
Enbridge-Annova LNG Deal to Expand Valley Crossing Pipeline Enbridge’s Valley Crossing natural gas pipeline from Agua Dulce to Brownsville, Texas, will be expanded along with the construction of a 9-mile (14.5-km) lateral to Annova liquefied natural gas’s ..
Enbridge’s Valley Crossing natural gas pipeline from Agua Dulce to Brownsville, Texas, will be expanded along with the construction of a 9-mile (14.5-km) lateral to Annova liquefied natural gas’s (LNG) Brownsville export facility.
MPLX LP said the reversal of the Capline pipeline was on schedule, with the line expected to begin light crude service in mid-2021 and heavy crude service in 2022. Once the reversal is complete, the Capline will increase the flow of Canadian and Mid-Continent crude to the St. James, Louisiana, market.
What's New
Juniper Systems Juniper Systems released the Mesa 3 Rugged Tablet. Built on the success of the Mesa 2, it grants users access to the Google Play Store, providing the data collecting, mapping and productivity applications needed. Mesa 3 operates on an octa-c..
People in the News
Dresser Natural Gas Solutions appointed Chris Watkins as district sales manager for its Industrial Products Group. Watkins will be responsible for managing channel partners for the RCS actuator brand. Watkins brings nearly three decades of sales and management experience in the oil and gas industry ..
Companies in the News
Lineal Industries, the specialty construction, maintenance and pipeline integrity services company, announced the opening of a new field operations office in Houston. The 65-year-old company, which originally focused on the U.S. Northeast midstream and upstream markets is based in the Pittsburgh sub..
Associations in the News
The PE100+ Association, founded in 1999 to assure consistent quality at the highest level in the production and application of materials for PE100 pressure pipes, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. The global industry organization includes 13 leading PE manufacturers by monitoring the most ..
Obituaries
Gene Smith, chief metallurgist at EN Engineering and a longtime contributor to the development of pipeline industry standards, died Jan 1. He was 79. A native of the Chicago area, Smith earned a degree in metallurgical engineering in 1962 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In 1965..
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