WorldWide Drilling Resource

Project Aids Expansion of Natural Gas Infrastructure Adapted from Information by Midwestern Contractors Hydraulic fracturing technology has resulted in natural gas becoming an abundant resource in the United States. This has created many opportunities to utilize gas as a feedstock in the petrochemical industry, liquify it for export, and connect more com- munities by extending the distribution system. Midwestern Contractors (MWC) played a role in the expansion of the nation's gas infrastructure by building an interconnect and metering station. The project involved over a mile of 24-inch high-pressure lateral, and extensive civil work to prepare the site for the meter station. MWC conducted fabrication of all maintenance and repair piping, installation of the odorizer and inlet heater, as well as footing, foundation, and storm drain work. In addition, all electrical power and control wiring was performed by the company. Site preparation required segregation of all top soil from the right-of-way and station area. A large amount of civil work was needed to create the retention pond. Surface drains provided most of the inflow to the retention pond, while the outflow came from standard concrete storm sewer structures and pipes. The gas heater and odorizer were trucked in, lifted, placed, secured, and connected by MWC fitters. The heater lift alone was about 100,000 pounds. After the project was complete, all topsoil was restored, and the area inside the sta- tion was covered with geotextile and gravel. A gravel service road was built, and the retention pond was seeded and covered with straw mat. No accidents occurred on the project, which took four months to complete. The sta- tion will be in place for decades, giving MWC’s customer trouble-free service. C&G 54 AUGUST 2018 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®