Coastal GasLink (CGL) has pipe on the ground in Northern B.C.
The company confirmed today it has received its first shipments of pipe to storage sites north of Kitimat and in Chetwynd via the port in Stewart and the Fraser Surrey Docks.
A spokesperson for CGL said in an email they currently have 25 kilometres of pipe on the ground in Stewart.
“The delivery of pipe is an exciting and important milestone in advance of welding and pipelay that will commence next summer,” said David Pfeiffer, CGL president.
READ MORE: LNG Kitimat work camp takes shape
Although laying pipe is still months away, the company said in its most recent project update manufacturing and transport timelines require advance acquisition of pipes.
“Steel pipe is one of the longest lead time items for any pipeline project and it is important that all materials are available for pipeline assembly and installation once site preparation is complete,” the update stated.
The majority of the pipe is being sourced in Canada, the email stated, from Evraz in Regina, Saskatchewan. Two other mills in India and Japan are also being used because of constraints of manufacturing capacity, it said.
Other delivery locations include rail siding sites at Chetwynd, Terrace, Prince George and Houston.
“Pipe will be delivered at varying times and locations over the next 18 months and is dependent on when the pipe arrives from the manufacturer, among other factors such as where it’s received, proximity to the storage site, and weather,” the email said.
Approximately 390 tonnes of pipe will go into the 670-kilometre route from the gas fields of northeast B.C. to the LNG Canada terminal in Kitimat.
As of Nov. 18, contractors have cleared 14 per cent of the route according to a CGL construction update. Currently construction activities are employing 1,070 people.
So far, the majority of the clearing activity has been concentrated on the two end sections (1 and 8), from Groundbirch to south of Chetwynd and from south of Smithers to Kitimat with 41 per cent and 44 per cent completed respectively.
Clearing has begun on sections 2 (south of Chetwynd to south of Mackenzie) and 3 (south of Mackenzie to north of Prince George).
Sections 4 through 7, from north of Prince George to south of Smithers are still in pre-construction stages.
Another recent milestone for the project was the opening of the first work camp. Sukunka Lodge, 42 km south of Chetwynd opening Oct. 30 and will house 700 workers when construction reaches its peak in the South Peace region in the fall of 2020.
Assembly of LNG Canada’s worker camp at Kitimat is also well underway.
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