Part of a recent Brush Creek channel modification project in Prairie Village KS, included the installation of a small paved parking area adjacent to a stream. Near the end of the project it was discovered that a natural gas transmission pipeline that runs beneath the parking area was too shallow to safely lay the new asphalt. The pipeline’s owner, Williams Gas Pipeline Central Inc., was contacted to relocate the pipe in question.

The Central region of Williams Gas Pipeline is a 6,033-mi. (9,709 km) network that transports 2 billion cu. ft. (56.6 million cu m) per day. The transmission pipeline that travels through Prairie Village is 16 in. (40.6 cm) in diameter and originates in the gas fields of Kansas and Wyoming supplying various retailers in both Kansas and Missouri.

According to District Manager Mike DeGraeve of Williams Gas Pipeline, the contract cost for relocation totaled $380,000. Additionally, Quality Inspection Services Inc. (QIS) of Goodwell, OK, was contracted to supply the third-party inspection for the project. Bob Brown was the chief inspector for QIS.

H.D. Griffin of Carrolton, MO, provided the excavation and side-boom equipment, while Miller the Driller of Des Moines, IA, provided the drilling equipment. This included a horizontal directional drill, the correspondent mud return system, power plant and additional drill rod.

The project length was 913 ft. (279 m). Of that total length Miller’s directional drill bored 818 ft. (249 m). The maximum bore depth was 54 ft. (16.5 m) to avoid three storm sewers and one sanitary sewer that crossed the pipeline. Rock was encountered at 18 ft. (5.5 m) and was encountered the whole length, requiring Miller the Driller to bring in a larger drill.

The new drill was an American Directional Drill Model DD-90. Weighing in at 46,000 lbs. (20,865 kg), the DD-90 provides 20,000 ft./lbs. (88,960 N) in maximum drilling torque and 90,000 lbs. (400,320 N) in pullback thrust. The maximum drill speed is 180 ft. (54.9 m) per minute.

The pipe being replaced was 16 in. (40.6 cm) in diameter with a total length of 850 ft. (259 m). The pipe is manufactured with an epoxy coating to reduce corrosion and electrolysis. American Pipe and Supply of Birmingham, AL, was the pipe supplier.

Trucked to the site in 40-ft. (12.2 m) sections, the pipe was removed by a side boom where they were welded into a 120-ft. (36.6 m) length. The side-boom was then used to raise the assembled sections at the appropriate angle for pullback by the drill. In total, seven sections of assembled pipe were pulled back by the directional drill.

The new pipe was hydrostatically tested to 1,080 psig for eight hours. Due to the time of year, the pipeline was taken out of service to allow the new work to be done without any loss in service.

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