Electricity

• Electrical Transmission Line, Rutland, VT

Gas
Pipelines:

• Millennium Pipeline, Phase 1 2007, Tuxedo, NY
• Millennium Pipeline, Phase 2, 2008, Tuxedo, NY
• Spectra Energy Pipeline, Ramapo, NY
• Iroquois Pipeline, Newton, CT
• UNH/Turnkey Landfill Bio Gas Line, Durham, NH

Compressor Stations:

• Spectra Energy, Brewster, NY
• Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, Westbrook, ME
• Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, Woodchopper’s Ridge, ME

Electrical Transmission Line, Rutland, VT

SCOPE OF WORK:
Drill and blast for new transmission poles immediately adjacent to existing and energized poles.

CHALLENGE:
To have all drills and explosives productive, along a 30-miles access road within the woods.

OUTCOME:
25% more poles per day than the general contractor anticipated.  No call-backs for partially blasted rock.  No power outages.

SCHEDULE:
The work was completed ahead of schedule.

SUMMARY:
Power line work is successful when the planning and execution understand the access constraints.

Millennium Pipeline, Phase I 2007, Tuxedo, NY

SCOPE OF WORK:
12 miles of 36-inch gas line was installed by Precision Pipeline with MD Drilling & Blasting performing all blasting. The work connected Tuxedo, NY to Ramapo, NY.

CHALLENGE:

• This is very rugged terrain near I-87 through the hills just below the Catskill Area. Many areas need to be preblasted above the trench to allow access for construction traffic.
• The ROW width and environmental constraints were significant. Many times we worked inside the pipe laying crew so we had no access by them back to the road.
• Material planning for a productive day was essential.

OUTCOME:
The pipe contractor needed 1,000 running feet per day. It was ready for them, while we adhered to the environmental constraints as well as traffic requirements along the busy interstate highway.

SCHEDULE:
We needed from one to eight drills with appropriate blasting crews to meet the productions. Our Project Superintendent had access to whatever he needed to keep up.

SUMMARY:
The pipeline contractor is now planning the next 75 miles. We are looking forward to keeping them as another repeat customer.

Millenium Pipeline, Tuxedo, NY

Millennium Pipeline, Phase II, Tuxedo, NY

SCOPE OF WORK :
75 miles of 36-inch gas line from Tuxedo, NY to Hancock, NY. Pipeline installation by Precision Pipeline Company with MD Drilling and Blasting performing all blasting for the right-of-way and the trench line. The project has been divided into two spreads; 28 miles in the south and 47 miles in the north.

CHALLENGE:
A very aggressive schedule, further complicated by permitting difficulty on the southern spread, has prevented the pipeline contractor from excavating through miles of onion fields. With a mobilized fleet of over 200 excavators and D-8 dozers, along with a 250 plus workforce, the only area available is in the rock zones. MD is tasked with producing enough open and trench blasting in extremely steep terrain to make the contractor efficient in a very congested section of the project with limited access. Add to this, strict environmental guidelines, high tension transmission lines, poisonous snakes … and the challenge requires the absolute best in the industry.

Concurrently the North spread has kicked off after similar permitting, terrain and conditions and the race is on to stay ahead of the equipment show in our rear view mirror. Resource planning is essential to meet the daily productions.

STATUS:
There are currently 9 drilling and blasting crews on the south spread working seven days a week and are successfully staying in front of Precision. There are 4 drilling and blasting crews on the north spread actually pushing Precision to clear and grub out in front of MD. Precision, at one point, requested 26 drills to perform at the current level MD is obtaining with 13. The project is scheduled for completion in October of this year. For more information, please see the Pipeliners Hall of Fame News (PDF).

Millenium Pipeline, Tuxedo, NY

Spectra Energy Pipeline, Ramapo, NY

SCOPE OF WORK:
Drill and blast adjacent to an existing (in service) high pressure gas line in Ramapo, NY, for a new line adjacent to the original one. Blasting will occur within 18 feet of the existing line. Contract is by-the-day for Otis Eastern Pipeline.

CHALLENGE:
MD’s initial challenge was to submit to the owner, Spectra Energy, well-defined blast plans using strict criteria so that blasting would be permitted. The majority of the work will occur within 15 feet of the existing line and, in some areas, within 12 feet. Access is difficult and resources have to be planned well as once we are in the site there is no going back until the end of the shift. Strict environmental constraints are also in place.

STATUS:
Spectra Energy has approved all of the blast plan submittals and the work has commenced. The project has required full-time supervision by an MD Regional Superintendent to interface with the contractor and owner on a daily basis. MD is currently exceeding Otis Eastern’s expectations for daily production. The project is scheduled for completion in September of this year.

Iroquois Pipeline, Newton, CT

SCOPE OF WORK:
Drill and blast within 25 feet of an existing high pressure gas line for the installation of a new line adjacent to the old one in Newtown, CT.

STATUS:
Upcoming.

UNH/Turnkey Landfill Bio Gas Line, Durham, NH

SCOPE OF WORK:
R.H. White installed 12.7 of miles Methane Gas Transmission Line with Maine Drilling & Blasting performing the drilling and blasting. The project connected the Turnkey Landfill in Rochester, NH with the University of New Hampshire Co-Generation Facility.

CHALLENGE:
The work was along a busy highway easement with several structures surrounding blast areas.

OUTCOME:
Maine Drilling & Blasting performed all the blasting on time and safely.

SUMMARY:
We participated in this innovative project using waste gas from a landfill as fuel for a power boiler at the University of New Hampshire.  The gas is considered a “Greenhouse Gas” and previously it was collected and burned off as it was emitted from the decomposing landfill material.  This project built the infrastructure that created the opportunity to collect and transmit this gas for use as fuel to make power and steam.

Spectra Energy, Brewster, NY

SCOPE OF WORK:
Drill and blast adjacent to an existing high pressure gas line and compressor station in Brewster, NY, for the installation of a new compressor station. Contract was with Ben Ciccone Excavating.

CHALLENGE:
The contractor had planned to hoe-ram the rock and the existing compressor station and pipeline were to be blown down. The rock proved to be too hard to hoe-ram and MD Drilling & Blasting was requested (at the 11th hour) to submit blast plans to the owner (Spectra Energy) for approval to blast within 15 feet of the station and the line while they were in service. The schedule had suffered delays prior to our mobilization. Get approvals and remove the rock safely and as quickly as possible to maintain schedule.

OUTCOME:
Blast plans received an accelerated approval due the comfort that Spectra had with the Ramapo project. MD mobilized a drill and blast crew within days, and completed the work within a week. The contractor is back on schedule and the owner is very pleased.

Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, Westbrook, ME

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Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline, Woodchopper’s Ridge, ME

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