Power & Energy Pipeline Systems

Natural Gas Pipeline

IKPS is a prime contractor capable of constructing natural gas pipelines with large or small diameters and self-performing pipeline remediation, IMP verification digs, and upgrades.

Our self-performing capability allows us to build the infrastructure from the wellhead to the end-user. Our team has extensive experience installing, replacing, and rehabilitating HDPE and high-pressure steel lines in high-population density areas, congested pipeline corridors, and rugged terrain.

We are fully equipped and qualified to complete mainline pipeline projects focused on the current regulated and midstream pipeline markets, lateral lines, and natural gas power and storage facilities plant feeder lines.

THE IKPS PROCESS:

ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS

Our experience includes installing environmental controls in compliance with E&S drawings and regulations and exercising our due diligence by making every effort to minimize our impact on the environment.

As part of our overall environmental control program, we comply with industry-standard management practices and the environmental construction standards of our clients.

GRADING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY

We are familiar with working in all forms of difficult terrain, including winch hills, steep side cuts, and wetlands. Right-of-ways are cut to grade to provide safe access to the construction site.

DITCH EXCAVATION

Our crews mechanically excavate the ditch, utilizing either a trencher or an excavator. The ditch is excavated to a specified depth and width for pipe placement, as determined by the pipe diameter to be installed.

We are prepared to use non-mechanical means to excavate when conditions are required to protect the existing pipe. Our crews can hand dig to expose the pipe or use air and hydro excavating.

ROCK EXCAVATION AND BLASTING

Often the geology of our client’s pipeline projects requires a little more effort to handle bedrock. Our crews are equipped with the necessary support and tooling for rock excavation, including hydraulic hammering, drilling, and blasting to break rock in a controlled manner.

PIPE STRINGING

We utilize a vacuum attachment to unload and string pipe along the right-of-way in a manner that protects the factory-applied coatings and bevels. Depending on the client’s preference, we can receive the pipe directly from the manufacturer and provide inventory and management of the materials for the client throughout the project or truck material from a client-provided pipe yard.

ENGINEERING AND BENDING

Our Bending Engineers have extensive experience fitting the right-of-way alignment to the topography. We are equipped with the bending machines needed to bend pipes of varying diameters to 36 inches.

WELDING

We utilize a vast network of skilled welders to perform all welding operations, including shop or field fabrication. Our welders are certified and tested to the client’s welding procedures, typically following the API 1104 standard.

COATING

After the welds are X-rayed, our coating crews sandblast and coat with an approved coating specified by the customer. The pipeline is calibrated with a holiday detector to identify and determine any defect in the coating before installation. Our crews are trained to perform internal coating on pipelines with special internal requirements, commonly found on steel waterlines.

LOWERING IN

The ditch is visually inspected regularly before and during lowering operations. A designated competent person completes an inspection of the excavation. We will confirm that the site is safe for both the team members and the pipe to be in the ditch. The bottom is cleared of rocks and debris or padded with soft dirt or sandbags. The pipe is carefully lowered into the ditch by side boom tractors and a combination of excavators using belts or cradles in a coordinated action.

BACKFILLING

During the backfill operation, the excavated material is returned to the ditch. When soil conditions are not suitable to be directly placed on the pipe, padding buckets are utilized to place filtered soil over the pipe to protect against sharp rocks and abrasion.

PIGGING AND TESTING

Completed pipelines are tested to ensure that the system will operate at designated pressures. Pressure tests are conducted using water (hydrostatic) or air/nitrogen (pneumatic). The test is carefully monitored, and once completed, the pipe is cleaned, dried to the customer’s standard, and ready to be put into service. Our crews are qualified to conduct both forms of testing and perform the necessary pigging operations to clean, size, and dry the line. All measuring equipment is calibrated within the interval specified by the customer or with a 12-month maximum.

We have qualified team members and specialized equipment to properly test infrastructure integrity to ensure the safety of all pipeline construction personnel and the public.

We properly prepare the pipe for all facets of testing. Before beginning any testing operation, we work with the client to draft a test plan detailing each step of the testing operation.

RESTORATION

The final phase of the construction involves replacing topsoil, seeding the right-of-way, removing construction material, and restoring the area to its original pre-construction condition. We understand the importance of restoring the site as close to the original conditions as possible. This is the final product that the community will see and remember as part of our craftsmanship.

CONCRETE

We perform various concrete services, including layout, foundation installation, formed columns and walls, slab on grade, structural concrete, and site concrete related to our compressor station and gas conditioning builds.