Pipe installation work has begun in section 5 of the pipeline, which stretches from south of Burns Lake to north of Vanderhoof.
The work progress comes on the heels of the contractor change that happened in October on the section, when Coastal GasLink (CGL) quietly replaced the main contractor Macro Spiecapag Joint Venture (MSJV) to Pacific Atlantic Pipeline Construction (PAPC).
According to a TC Energy spokesperson, PAPC agreed to assume construction responsibility for Section 5 in addition to their current scope which includes pipeline construction for Sections 6 and 7.
The installation work has also meant an increase in the workforce staying at the Rock Lake Lodge, the accomodation dedicated to workers for section 5. The workforce has gone up from 87 in October to 113 as per the November update.
ALSO READ: PAPC takes over section 5 of the pipeline from MSJV
Workforce has increased on other sections as well, with 494 workers at 7 Mile Lodge for section 6 from south of Burns Lake to south of Houston; an increase from last month’s 425 workers.
The Huckleberry Lodge for Section 7 that stretches from south of Houston to north of Morice Lake, is now up and running, with 105 workers currently at the lodge, according to the November update.
A total of 528 new workers are now in the field, taking total workforce beyond 4,000 in November.
Currently, grading is underway in six of the eigt sections of the pipeline with Section 3 joining in Grading work in October.
In section 5, clearing has been completed, 24 per cent grading has already been completed with 1.3 per cent pipe installed. The report also points out that in the coming days and months, increase in traffic can be expected, from the pipe storage sites in order to transport the pipe for installation.
Section 6, which stretches from south of Burns Lake to south of Houston, has completed 99 per cent clearing activities and 33 per cent grading. 7.7 per cent of the pipe has also been installed in this section, including stringing and backfilling. In the upcoming days and months, while the work on the pipe installation will continue here, drone and controlled blasting activities would also be done according to the report.
The pipeline has been under construction for almost 19 months now, with the company aiming to start testing for natural gas transportation just over two years from now.
Priyanka Ketkar
Multimedia journalist
@PriyankaKetkar
priyanka.ketkar@ldnews.net
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