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406.docxThe installation of gas pipe through the designated wetland areas of Mississippi and Alabama could prove challenging for any contractor, but the thick-walled pipe specified on the Gulfstream Project presented new welding challenges for contractor Sunland Construction Inc. Because the pipe is two times as thick as that typically used, Sunland relies on innovative welding techniques to decrease the number of weld passes necessary and most importantly, to assure the welds produced are consistent, x-ray quality.
Sunland Construction Inc., headquartered in Eunice, Louisiana, turned to The Lincoln Electric Company's Autoweld® automatic orbital pipe welding system for the fill and cap passes and the STT® (Surface Tension Transfer®) process to lay the critical root pass. By implementing these new welding technologies, Sunland has been able to remove one electrode pass from the root pass process as well as eliminate all grinding from this step. With the Autoweld system, the company has reduced the time to put in the fill and cap passes.
"We have realized dramatic improvements since using the new Lincoln welding systems in both higher quality and time savings," said Joe Ratcliff, Project Manager for Sunland Construction Inc. "Our welders are proud of the new equipment, it has made the welding portion of this job run smoothly."
Gulfstream Project
The Gulfstream Project is a natural gas pipeline that originates near Pascagoula, Mississippi and crosses the Gulf of Mexico to Manatee County, Florida. Once onshore, the pipeline stretches across south and central Florida to Palm Beach County. This natural gas pipeline will serve Florida utilities and power generation facilities, generating 1.1 billion cubic feet per day of additional natural gas - enough to supply electricity for 4.5 million homes.
Sunland Construction Inc.'s portion of the pipeline includes installation of 6.1 miles of 36" diameter pipe in Jackson County, Mississippi and 9 miles in Mobile County, Alabama.
A 27-year-old company with five divisions, Sunland won the Gulfstream job through a competitive bid process. More than 250 employees are being utilized on this project - taking a total of seven months to complete. Sunland expects its portion of the Gulfstream project to be wrapped up in early 2002.
According to Ratcliff, preparing for pipe installation on this job is no small feat. "Before we can even begin to weld, we must first clear the land, prepare a right of way, install piling in some areas, erect construction bridges and bring in additional soil where need. Because of the conditions of the wetland areas, all welding crews have to work on large, 4 ft. x 20-ft. timber mats. These mats, sometimes put down in a number of layers, provide a stable, dry work surface. Once work is complete in an area, Sunland Construction Inc. is also responsible for restoring the surrounding area to its original condition.
"Welding for this job is completed with three crews, one welding right after the other," noted Ratcliff. "The first crew installs the root pass, the second crew immediately follows using stick welding to accomplish a hot filler pass, and then the Autoweld crew completes the welding process with fill and cap passes."
Because of the extreme conditions on the site, the Autoweld process is performed inside of a welding "house" or modular unit that is lifted and moved every 40 ft. (from joint to joint) by a Caterpillar Challenger with a side boom.
extreme conditions at the gulfstream project site
The Pipe
