UNVEILING THE UNSEEN: NAVIGATING UNKNOWN PIPELINES
Pipelines – they're an everyday sight, encountered during excavations, and sometimes necessitating cleanup in their designated rights-of-way. These corridors are meticulously marked, designated, and cataloged in GIS systems, equipped with advanced location technologies. These systems not only pinpoint their contents but also provide ownership details and precise locations. These are the pipelines that are straightforward to identify. However, what happens when you dig and stumble upon an unmarked pipeline? Contractors often prioritize speed, and when these hidden pipelines unexpectedly emerge, the surprise is often met with a more forceful impact than anticipated. Environmental contractors, acknowledging the risks, adopt a more cautious and deliberate approach, considering the potential unknowns they might encounter.
Many of these pipelines trace their origins back to the early days of development, now forgotten by their original owners or the present property holders. Even today, consultants, contractors, and real estate owners commence digging on properties, oblivious to the lurking potential hazards. Such occurrences are all too common – pipelines dating from the initial oil boom days, ranging from bootleg pipelines to remnants of undocumented conduits (predating the era of satellites and GPS), meandering across properties and thoroughfares inherited by current property owners, some knowingly, others unknowingly. It might astonish many to learn that thousands of miles of 3-to-6-inch pipes snake alongside many older routes, their existence unrecorded, and their paths unknown, with no record of their contents, installers, or routes.
Infrastructure projects often encounter situations where IKON is summoned to address unidentified piping discovered adjacent to highways, roads, or even in remote locations. Frequently, scant information is available regarding the unearthed pipe. Consultants and experts begin researching to glean facts about the unidentified conduit, often hitting roadblocks due to the absence of data in state databases or clues in historical topographical and aerial maps.
In such instances, IKON steps in at the ground level. Known information is aggregated, and health and safety plans are formulated to mitigate risks across all project facets. In these scenarios, IKON frequently taps into these unknown lines to ascertain the presence and nature of material within them. Moreover, determining the volume of material in the line can be crucial. In uncommon circumstances, if the line is operational and conveying substances, a new challenge arises – identifying the owner of the line. Almost invariably, these lines are abandoned and hold minimal remnants of materials from their past use.
Tapping into a line can also aid in establishing the lower explosive limit (LEL) within it, which informs decisions on whether to use cold cutting or hot cutting for its removal. LEL refers to the minimum concentration of a specific gas that is potentially flammable or combustible. If the gas concentration is below the LEL, the mixture lacks sufficient gas to ignite.
Once a tap divulges the approximate contents and volumes of material, and the LEL is determined, a removal plan is devised. This comprehensive strategy addresses the pipe's cutting method, location of the cuts, and the extent of removal. It also outlines how the pipe ends will be sealed and left, the disposal of the pipe itself, and the management of its contents. The course of action can vary significantly based on the type and condition of the pipe. Uncoated steel pipes are usually scrapped, while pipes coated with mastics containing asbestos are meticulously wrapped and consigned to landfills. The typically oily contents are often directed to licensed facilities equipped with oil-water separators for effective oil removal. The treated water is subsequently processed and released from the facility.
Although these unexpected pipelines can be surprising, they can generally be managed efficiently and cost-effectively, ensuring the progress of the larger projects they impact. Occasionally, more intricate pipelines come to light, offering a unique insight into how such challenges are navigated. To delve deeper into the handling of these complex pipelines, stay tuned!
Abandoned pipelines can quickly turn an easy project into a complex and costly cleanup. In an interesting turn of events, IKON often helps our Clients when these unexpected items are identified on their Sites. But we also frequently encounter these unknowns when working on other cleanups or projects, and we are often just as surprised. Join our industry leaders on IKON’s upcoming webinar, Underground Storage Tank and Pipeline Removals. IKON Environmental Solutions will cover topics concerning all kinds of UST removals and Pipeline removals we have performed, and dive into some of the lessons learned. Register here for the Webinar. For additional information, or for help with UST and Pipeline removals contact Greg Blomquist or John Savage.
