Rapid progress for Gazeley to Rede Strategic Pipeline Alliance team

The Gazeley to Rede Strategic Pipeline Alliance team has hit the ground running and is making rapid progress on site. Since March they have completed 98% (11.9km of the 12.1km) of the pipe welding (630mm SDR17 and 710mm SDR17 pipes) and 10.9km of the welding has been put through a light air pressure test, with all of the pipes passing.

The welding is being carried out with brand-new welding machines that have been brought into the UK from McElroy in America.

Tom Backhouse, Site Engineer for the South Schemes, said: I’m really proud of the team for their hard work and the progress they have made so far, a lot of planning and hard work has enabled the team to get to this stage.

“It’s been a real team effort and everyone involved is 100% committed to the “Right First Time” approach which means that we do it correctly to a high standard and should not have to return for repairs. In addition to this, the hyper hygiene standard that the welders are achieving is impressive.”

The team is due to finish welding on G2R this month and pipelaying is already well underway with 9.3km already installed.

Tom added: “The team has set high standards of how welding compounds for polyethylene welding should be done and I hope we can share our learning across the project.”

G2R is part of Bury to Bexwell in the South.

Kevin Ensell, Commissioning Manager (Infra) and & QA lead) said: The standards that Tom, Brendan and the team have set on G2R in food grade hygiene, and their aspirations for an assembly workshop that sets ‘Right First Time’ principles at the heart of their operation deserves full recognition as the site to follow on SPA. The set-up is impressive and their approach and passion should be the benchmark to follow. I would also like to say a big thank you to Pipeline Testing Consultants (PTC), our low water commissioning specialists, who provided the testing service.”