McConnell Dowell was the contractor on this project and was now faced with laying the pipeline through a shallow 8 km lake that wasn’t there earlier. The 10 in. pipe needed buoyancy compensation to keep it in the ditch. Concrete set on weights are expensive, difficult to manoeuvre and take time to construct. Concrete coated pipe is expensive, and brings some environmental concerns. This did not stop Australia’s world famous contractor from finding a quick and cost effective solution to the problem while protecting the environment at the same time. The answer? PipeSak Geotextile Polypropylene Buoyancy Control Weights. McConnell Dowell decided to contact Proline Pipe Equipment Inc. Proline is the international distributor of PipeSak weights, located in Canada.
Proline Pipe Equipment Inc. (a manufacturer and supplier of specialised pipeline equipment) has been serving pipeline contractors in Canada and around the world since 1967. They explained to McConnell Dowell how North American contractors with environmental and cost concerns are now using the PipeSak buoyancy control system. PipeSak can be delivered faster, cheaper and installed quicker than all other buoyancy compensation techniques. Besides, McConnell Dowell had used these weights before in the UK a few years earlier and knew how well they performed.
Another advantage is less risk of cathodic shielding since the type of geotextiles used has a high permeability to water. Transportation costs are lower as well because these PipeSak weights are empty when shipped and are filled at the project site.
With the PipeSak filling hopper, an unskilled crew of three can fill between 100-120 weights per day. Fill as many as you need, then store the remaining unfilled weights on a warehouse shelf for the next project.
McConnell Dowell is once again using PipeSak, a very advanced cost effective weighting system, on the Telfer project. This is consistent with how this contractor has gained its superb reputation over the years. The life expectancy of a PipeSak weight is in excess of 100 years. If repairs are ever required on the pipe, simply lift the weight off, make the repair and place the same weight back onto the pipe. And because PipeSak is heavier under water than concrete, McConnell Dowell will install less weights, saving time and money.
Being a Canadian manufacturer, Proline is able to offer a wide variety of pipeline equipment at very competitive prices. Let them challenge your traditional imported suppliers. Proline now has Perth-based David Bradley as their Australian representative. David has been active in the Australian pipeline industry for many years. Proline looks forward to a long relationship with David and the Australian pipeline industry.
Proline is coming to the APIA Convention to meet Australian pipeline contractors and introduce their wide variety of products that can lower costs on your pipeline projects. Whether it’s with their BM0420 heavy-duty bending machines, internal pneumatic line up clamps or bending mandrels, pipe facing machines, lowering in belts and cradles, or the PipeSak buoyancy control system, they’re here to serve you. So stop by booth 52 and say hello, they’d love to meet you!