PROPERTY CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE DURING ACQUISITION OF UPSTREAM OR MIDSTREAM PIPELINE ASSETS

PROPERTY CONDITION ASSESSMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL DUE DILIGENCE DURING ACQUISITION OF UPSTREAM OR MIDSTREAM PIPELINE ASSETS

 

Environmental due diligence during the acquisition of Upstream or Midstream natural gas gathering assets can present numerous challenges to the potential buyer.  Environmental liabilities may be significant, and can include remedial obligations and compliance risks that need to be quantified.  Customary due diligence approaches that are used in other industries are not relevant or practical due to the unique nature of the asset and the multiple regulatory frameworks.

The assets may encompass many miles of gathering pipelines and scores of gas processing plants, compressor stations, drip stations, metering stations or other facilities in multiple state or regions.  Without a good asset list, vacant parcels or idle, abandoned and dismantled facilities might easily be overlooked by both the Buyer and the Seller.

In addition to our due diligence services, METROPOLITAN provides comprehensive and dependable engineering, consulting, and automation services to pipeline companies, utilities, and industrial customers. With first-hand experience operating and maintaining energy infrastructure, our engineering professionals provide expertise in Pipeline Engineering, Integrity Services, Automation Integration, Electrical Design, Industrial Solutions, and Process Safety Management.  We apply this expertise to natural gas & oil pipeline infrastructure, gas distribution, petroleum refining, chemical processing, electric power generation & distribution, and heavy industry. Our team of more than 100 professionals offers engineering, consulting, and automation excellence wherever energy flows and goods are produced.

Transaction Screening Investigation

A Transaction Screening Investigation is usually undertaken to provide a scoping level of environmental assessment for virtually all property transfer transactions.

A Transaction Screening Investigation may also be initiated when a client has made a preliminary determination that the value of the property or other circumstances contraindicate initiating a full Phase I Property Site Assessment unless sufficient cause for further investigation can be demonstrated.

Findings of the Transaction Screening Investigation report may dictate that a Phase I Property Site Assessment is required or may provide sufficient information that a lender may decide to discontinue further environmental assessment activities.

In some circumstances, Transaction Screening Investigation reports may be appropriate for updating earlier Phase I Property Site Assessments to confirm that conditions have not substantively changed on a given property.

The scope of services for a typical Transaction Screening Investigation includes a site inspection; review of historical information from site records; and preparation of a written technical report with findings of the investigation, as well as conclusions and recommendations for further investigation, if necessary.

Although requirements for individual site studies vary, and supplemental assessment activities may be prescribed by individual clients, minimum standards have been established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard practices for a Transaction Screening Investigation (E 1528-96, Transaction Screen Process).

The Transaction Screening Investigation specifically would not include

·         review of historic property ownership records;

·         review of historical aerial photographs and city directories;

·         communications with agencies for available records of past spills, discharges or disposal of hazardous materials;

·         communication with utility companies; or

·         review of hydrogeologic data or other supplemental activities typically conducted during a full Phase I Property Site Assessment.

If the Transaction Screening Investigation were to reveal evidence of contamination or potential contamination or conclude that insufficient information was acquired during the Transaction Screening Investigation to adequately address an environmental issue of potential concern, recommendations for a Phase I Property Site Assessment would be provided in the Transaction Screening Investigation report.

Preliminary (Phase I) Property Site Assessment

A Preliminary (Phase I) Property Site Assessment is an investigation undertaken to evaluate properties for the existence, reasonable potential existence, or future potential for hazardous or toxic substance contamination.

The scope of services for a typical Phase I Property Site Assessment includes

A specific on-site investigation consisting of a pedestrian survey be performed.  Representative photographs of the subject property and adjacent properties will be taken to document conditions at the time of the on-site investigation.

review of historical information from site records and regulatory agencies;

preparation of a written technical report with findings of the investigation; and

conclusions and recommendations for further investigation, if necessary.

Although requirements for specific sites vary and individual clients may require supplemental assessment activities, minimum requirements have been established by practicing professionals and have been institutionalized in pending legislation.

Minimum standards have also been established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard practices for a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (E 1527-97, Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process).

Phase I Property Site Assessments do not typically include soil or ground water sampling or analysis activities unless specifically requested prior to the investigation, or mutually agreed upon during the course of the investigation.

If the Phase I Property Site Assessment were to reveal evidence of potential hazardous substance contamination, recommendations for further investigation (Phase II Property Site Assessment), mitigation, and/or remedial actions would be recommended in the Phase I report.

Phase II Property Site Assessment

Previous investigations or activities, including Phase I Property Site Assessments or accidental discovery of suspected contamination, may require a sampling and analysis program (Phase II Property Site Assessment) to confirm or characterize the suspected areas of contamination.

Phase II programs usually include subsurface investigations for the purpose of collecting soil and/or ground water samples to be analyzed for suspected contaminants; however, Phase II investigations may also include sampling of surface waters, interior or exterior emission sources, soil gases, or multiple other focused assessment activities.

METROPOLITAN’ Phase II field investigations are designed and directed by geologists and professional staff with expertise in environmental site characterizations of all kinds, both above and beneath the ground water table.

Our professional staff adheres to rigid quality assurance and control guidelines set by industry, regulatory, and METROPOLITAN standards.

Field investigations are conducted in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, including notification of appropriate regulatory agencies, acquisition of all necessary permits, and preparation of a field safety program.

Representative soil and ground water samples are obtained following strict sampling protocol. The samples are transferred by standard chain-of-custody to certified laboratories for analyses.

Coordination with the client is maintained throughout the entire investigation to assure that any difficulties or unsuspected findings are resolved as soon as possible.

After completion of field and laboratory data analysis, a final report is prepared to summarize the investigation and to make recommendations and conclusions based upon the findings.

If the Phase II investigation were to confirm the presence of significant contamination on the property, then recommendations are typically provided for further investigation, if necessary, to delineate the vertical and lateral extent of contamination or to implement site remediation alternatives for cleanup of the contamination in conformance with the requirements of responsible agencies.

Site Remediation

If site remediation is indicated from the Phase II investigation, METROPOLITAN can assist clients with site characterization and management of remediation activities.

Site remediation may include any of the standard or innovative techniques such as:

• granular activated carbon adsorption,
• oil-water separation and free product recovery,
• biodegradation,
• solidification and stabilization,
• vapor extraction,
• incineration,
• barrier walls (either passive or active),
• in-situ chemical injection treatment,
• waste reduction/filtration techniques, or
• excavation and off site treatment and disposal.

The feasibility of any particular site remediation technique depends upon site specific conditions such as the nature of contaminants, regulatory requirements, and other factors such as cost, potential future consequences, pending regulations, and community concerns.

Key Changes to ASTM E 1527-13

The All Appropriate Inquiries Rule at 40 CFR Part 312 (“AAI Rule”) protects prospective purchasers of property from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“CERCLA”) for certain environmental conditions if the prospective purchaser conducts an investigation that meets the requirements of the AAI Rule.  The AAI Rule provides that prospective purchasers who comply with specified industry standards issued by the American Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM”) are deemed to have complied with the AAI Rule. 

 On December 30, 2013, the U.S. EPA formally recognized a new standard (ASTM Standard E1527-13) to demonstrate compliance with the All Appropriate Inquiry (AAI) Rule when conducting Phase I Environmental Site Assessments.  The ASTM E1527-13 Standard is similar to the previous ASTM E1527-05 Standard and was issued by ASTM International in accordance with its protocol for review of its standard practices and guides.  The EPA recommends that environmental professionals and prospective purchasers use the ASTM E1527–13 standard; however, the old standard is not yet invalid for purposes of AAI and won’t be until EPA formally amends the AAI Rule to remove the current reference to it.  The new Standard introduces several changes to the Phase I assessment process.

Key Changes to the Standard

There are three major changes in the new Standard: 

Changes to the definitions of Recognized Environmental Condition (REC) and Historical Recognized Environmental Condition (HREC), and the introduction of the term Controlled Recognized Environmental Conditions (CRECs). 

Clarifications regarding vapor migration/intrusion assessment requirements.

Requirements pertaining to Regulatory Agency File Reviews.

The major changes are summarized below.

REC, HREC, CRECs

The new Standard revised the definition of the terms regarding Recognized Environmental Conditions.  The new Standard simplifies the definition of a REC, to align more closely with the AAI rule, as a release, a likely release, or a material threat of a release of hazardous substances to the environment on the property. The revised Standard also modifies the definitions of “release” and “environment” to more closely track the definitions of those terms as set forth in CERCLA.  Although the definition of a REC has been simplified, its application in practice should be largely unchanged.

The definition of an HREC has been modified to apply only to historic releases, which have been remediated to the satisfaction of regulatory authorities for unrestricted use.  Thus, the new Standard limits an HREC to past releases that do not subject the property to any use restrictions, activity and use limitations (AULs), or other engineering or institutional controls.  The new definition also requires that the environmental professional evaluate whether releases that were addressed in the past may be subject to revised cleanup criteria that could require further remedial action (if residential criteria has become more restrictive the HREC could potentially become a REC). 

Although some environmental professionals routinely conducted an analysis of current regulatory cleanup standards for HRECs, the new Standard makes this exercise mandatory to comply with the AAI Rule for the first time.

Following the revised definition of an HREC is the new category of releases called a CREC. This term is newly added to describe releases that have been addressed to the satisfaction of regulatory authorities, but from which residual contamination has been permitted to remain in place subject to the implementation of use restrictions, AULs or other institutional or engineering controls on the subject property.  Because a CREC is a new type of REC (whereas the new definition of an HREC is no longer considered a REC), the new Standard requires that the condition also be identified as a REC in the conclusions section of the Phase I report.  Under the prior standard, these types of controlled, known conditions were often characterized as HRECs, since regulatory closure had been achieved.  These conditions are now considered RECs, and may have a practical impact on transactions in the form of financial holdbacks or escrow demands, insurance coverage exclusions or limitations, or requests for sale price or lease concessions.

Vapor Migration

The new Standard indicates the need to clarify that the potential for vapor migration must be considered in the Phase I report.  The definition of “migrate” now expressly includes releases that migrate in the subsurface as vapor. Consultants preparing Phase I assessments under the updated standard will need to assess possible indoor air quality impacts from vapor intrusion pathways if there is subsurface soil or groundwater contamination at or near the subject site.  The standard explicitly states that ASTM E2600 is not a requirement of a Phase I ESA (E1527). ASTM E2600 is a separate, more comprehensive assessment of vapor migration.

Agency File Reviews

If a property, or an adjoining property within the required search distance, appears on a federal, state or tribal record, the standard requires, within the environmental professional’s discretion, the review of “pertinent regulatory files and/or records associated with the listing.” If the environmental professional chooses not to conduct a file review, he/she must document the reason(s) for this decision in the Phase I report.

The practical impacts of the file review requirement are likely to be on timing and cost.  Agency file reviews can often take several weeks (or months, in some jurisdictions), and could add additional unforeseen costs to the Phase I assessment process.  The file review requirement could dramatically increase the probability that a Phase I assessment is not truly complete at the time of closing. 

Other Revisions

The Standard also indicates a review of title and judicial records for environmental liens or AULs continues to be a User (Client) requirement that is to be conducted by a title professional. The environmental professional may conduct this work instead of the user, but does not have an affirmative obligation to do so. These user responsibilities are now mandatory, and the user must also consider its own specialized knowledge, commonly known or reasonable ascertainable information about the property, and the degree of obviousness of the presence or likely presence of releases or threatened releases. 

METROPOLITAN’S PCA’S

METROPOLITAN is the industry leader in Property Condition Assessment (PCA) services for engineering due diligence projects associated with commercial real estate transactions.

We designed our PCA to determine the present physical condition of the project and its improvements.  We provide our decision intelligence regarding future anticipated issues, which may result in a financial risk or liability.

A METROPOLITAN Property Condition Assessment process includes:

·         A visual walk-through to observe the existing conditions.

·         Interviewing persons with knowledge of the property and its maintenance;

·         Review of the available construction documentation, maintenance records, drawings, public records and current budgets.

·         Deciphering the information gathered and presenting it with intelligence for repair or further detailed review if the issues cannot be determined through visual observation alone.

Drawing on three decades of pipeline and bulk terminal environmental consulting experience, METROPOLITAN is uniquely qualified to complete environmental due diligence assessments and liability valuations for pipeline companies. Our clients have come to trust our judgment, and rely on us with their largest and most time-sensitive projects.

METROPOLITAN works with our clients to develop the proper scope of work for each environmental assessment to meet the requirements of the individual transaction. This can range from a desktop database evaluation to a comprehensive full-scale Phase I, or even Phase II investigation. We endeavor to provide the appropriate information in an expedited manner to enable our clients to make informed financial decisions concerning environmental conditions related to mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. METROPOLITAN can also assist clients by making recommendations of ways to eliminate, reduce, manage or transfer the environmental risks associated with a specific transaction.

METROPOLITAN has years of experience in supporting our pipeline clients by developing defensible environmental reserve amounts.  

 We are familiar with accounting and cost estimating standards for liability estimation.  We have assisted clients in reducing the environmental liabilities shown on their balance sheets by structuring and implementing Risk-Transfer and Risk-Sharing programs. In addition, we have been successful in inexpensively closing large numbers of sites associated with small historical leaks, thereby reducing the companies’ overall reserve.

METROPOLITAN provided due diligence expertise in several significant pipeline acquisition projects, including due diligence (both environmental and property condition assessments) of:

A major international energy company negotiating the acquisition of an extensive portfolio of natural gas production, gathering, transmission, and distribution assets in the South and Northeast.  Activities included assessment of attached production, evaluation of system capacity, market assessment and pipeline integrity evaluation.

Assisted private equity investor who was acquiring a Gathering System, with the review of natural gas gathering and transmission system.  Activities included assessment of attached production, evaluation of system capacity, market assessment and pipeline integrity evaluation.

An investor bidding on the acquisition of a significant Midwestern petroleum pipeline, including a number of inland and marine terminals and related assets.

Assisted private equity investor, who was acquiring an interstate pipeline, with the review of operating and maintenance practices and forecast capital expenditures related to expansion of a major interstate transmission pipeline holding company and its subsidiaries.  Facilities were located in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.

An investor bidding on the acquisition of significant natural gas pipeline assets located in the Northwest.  Activities included assessment of attached production, evaluation of system capacity, market assessment and pipeline integrity evaluation.

An investor bidding on the acquisition of an 8,000-mile interstate natural gas pipeline, gathering and storage system located in the U.S. Gulf Coast.

A West Coast municipality's purchase of a non-functioning, intrastate petroleum pipeline for the purpose of conversion to provide natural gas delivery to electric power generation facilities and other entities.  Performed a review of operating and maintenance practices, pipeline integrity evaluation and compressor stations auditing.

A Southeastern utility company bidding on the acquisition of a portfolio of natural gas gathering, transportation, and distribution lines in the State of Texas.

An investor acquiring a portfolio of propane terminals in the Midwest and Canada.

As part of these projects, we assited clients on actual and potential liabilities arising from natural gas gathering, transmission, and distribution lines, as well as petroleum transportation pipelines, terminals, and refineries. These transactions involved assets located in almost every state in the continental United States.  Activities included assessment of attached production, evaluation of system capacity, market assessment and pipeline integrity evaluation. 

Natural Gas Assets

In the last three years, our environmental professionals have taken the lead role in environmental due diligence with respect to a total of approximately 50,000 miles of natural gas transmission pipeline, 50,000 miles of natural gas distribution lines, and 10,000 miles of natural gas gathering lines.  In these matters, we have coordinated and managed all aspects of the environmental due diligence process.  We have scoped out environmental issues and developed environmental due diligence teams, as necessary, to meet the client's specific needs, including retaining and directing the work of lawyers and other technical experts as necessary.  

 We have reviewed relevant documents, reports, records, and other materials, interviewed representatives of the target companies and other entities as necessary, and conducted on-site inspections and audit processes to verify information.  As contract engineers, we have also negotiated and drafted environmental-related provisions in the purchase agreements with respect to each transaction.

In our work on these projects, we have evaluated and managed, in a manner favorable to the clients, environmental liabilities relating to the following:

Liabilities arising from known and unknown land and groundwater releases of ethyl glycol, metals, mercury, solvents, and other hazardous substances at scores of active remediation sites, and thousands of inactive or potential sites,

Liabilities relating to a total of 120 manufactured gas plant (MGP) sites in more than a dozen states;

Compliance with NSR, NESHAPS, and other Clean Air Act requirements at more than 230 compressor stations, nearly half of which were subject to Title V air permits, as well as at facilities collectively providing more than 770 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage capacity;

Compliance with RCRA and Clean Water Act regulations and requirements; and

Compliance with the integrity management and other requirements of the Pipeline Safety Act and state regulatory counterparts, including detailed evaluation of the adequacy of capital budgets to upgrade aging lines to allow for in-line integrity testing ("smart pigging") and other management practices.

Petroleum and Other Hazardous Liquid Assets

The office has also undertaken environmental due diligence on more than 16,000 miles of petroleum pipeline, as well as more than a 2,000 miles of other "hazardous liquid" pipelines.  These reviews have included assessments of:

Liabilities, including toxic tort liability, arising from petroleum releases, PCB contamination, and other known or suspected releases at more than 100 active remediation sites, including compressor stations, metering stations, inland and marine terminals, refineries and various other types of facilities;

Compliance with NSR, NESHAPS, and other Clean Air Act requirements at approximately 60 compressor stations and at tank farms with collectively more than 26 million barrels of storage capacity;

Compliance with RCRA and Clean Water Act regulations and requirements; and

Compliance with the integrity management and other requirements of the Pipeline Safety Act, including assessments as to the adequacy of capital budgets to upgrade aging lines to allow for "smart-pigging" and other management practices;

METROPOLITAN’ S DUE DILIGENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY

Due Diligence for Acquisitions

·         Develop the appropriate scope of work for a specific transaction

·         Support clients in understanding the magnitude and potential financial exposure associated with environmental risk

·         Assist clients with transferring specific environmental risks to third parties

·         Completion of desktop database evaluations

·         Review seller-provided records

·         Conduct comprehensive Phase I

·         Complete Phase II to further evaluate areas of concern

Remediation Cost Estimation for Acquisitions

·         Remediation liability valuations provided with an assessment of various price risks

·         Staff experienced in pipeline remediation conduct cost estimation and assess potential cost risk

·         METROPOLITAN utilizes time-tested computerized templates for all aspects of remediation cost  estimating

·         @Risk software utilized to generate cost probability curves

Environmental Liability Reserve Estimation

METROPOLITAN has assisted several publicly traded pipeline clients with SEC-required reporting of environmental liabilities

·         Familiarity with FASB 5, FASB143/FIN 47

·         Experienced with ASTM 2001 Standard Guide for Estimating Monetary Costs and Liability for Environmental Matters [E2137-01]

Environmental Insurance Acquisition Assistance

METROPOLITAN can assist pipeline clients in obtaining both pollution liability and cost cap insurance policies

·         Experienced in presenting environmental data to the technical staff of the insurance markets

·         Relationships with most major environmental insurance brokers and product line managers

Risk-Transfer Programs

·         Risk-Transfer Programs that allow clients to move environmental liability from balance sheet

·         Risk-Sharing Programs for aligning our interests with those of our client’s

Historical Site Closure Program

·         Eliminate open files on historical spill/leak sites

·         Reduce reserve amount on client’s balance sheet

·        Many site closures require only desktop study and final documentation records

Focus on Records During Acquisitions, or Risk Significant Liabilities

The development of new oil and gas in various shale plays around the U.S. has led to a rise in the number of transfers and acquisitions of pipeline assets.  Prudent operators have always requested and reviewed documentation as part of their due diligence in making acquisitions, but it is becoming increasingly important that certain records be located during due diligence or factored into the transaction if such records are lacking and must be recreated.  Decision makers involved in pipeline acquisitions may only involve pipeline safety managers or counsel late in the process, without sufficient time to include the issue of records as part of the transaction.  That can be a costly mistake.

Construction and manufacturer records, hydrostatic pressure test records, computations of maximum allowable and/or operating pressure limits and class location reviews (for natural gas pipelines) are all now routinely reviewed during government inspections.  Those records are also given close scrutiny after any incident or during any litigation.  PHMSA regulations clearly require that certain records be maintained for the life of a pipeline (see 49 C.F.R. Parts 192.517; 195.310), but records are often lost or misplaced over time, as the result of transactions, office moves, etc.  

In addition, as a result of several pipeline incidents, PHMSA has redoubled its efforts to inspect for records that are required to be maintained or that the Agency expects that a prudent operator should maintain.  For example, with respect to natural gas transmission pipelines PHMSA now requires operators to submit annual report data on pipeline mileage that lacks verifiable records.  More recently, PHMSA advised operators to validate material and strength test records and prepare a plan to obtain missing material documentation in advance of undertaking flow reversals, product changes and conversions of service.

It can be very expensive to have to recreate records no longer maintained (e.g., conducting new pressure tests to validate operating pressures).  Civil penalties for not maintaining (or recreating) records can also be extremely costly.  Consequently, operators should consider these issues in any transaction and consider the implications to the overall cost of an acquisition both in terms of time, money and compliance risk.

ENGINEERING AND CONSULTING WORK AT PIPELINE SITES

Metering & Pressure Regulating Station Design in a Natural Gas Transmission and Distribution area: Designed the installation of a regulator station, including the design of the inlet/outlet piping, 2″ regulator runs with relief valves, as well as a station bypass and tie-in to a Bruest “HotCat” catalytic heater, replacing the glycol heater.

Engineering, design, survey and construction procurement services for the installation of approximately 8 miles of new 20” pipeline through an existing transmission power line corridor, including odorization facilities, three (3) mainline valves, launcher/receiver facilities and horizontal directionally drilled crossings.

Administered the site selection and preparation of site plans for well pads and impoundments including grading plans and erosion sedimentation control plans for construction of pipe lines, lease roads, meters sites, well pads, production pads and fresh water/fracturing (flowback) ponds. Coordinated with client and regulatory agencies for the preparation of ESCGP-1, general, joint, and highway occupancy permits, as well as existing condition, construction stakeout, and as-built surveying services.

30 Mile 20” ANSI 600 Natural Gas line from the processing plant to their compressor station.  The scope of work includes pipeline and pipeline appurtenance design and sizing. The analysis work includes hydraulic analyses, pipeline class analysis, stress analyses, and valve location studies.  The design work includes valve station and pig launcher/receiver station designs and specifications including electrical and telemetry designs, and the cathodic protection design for the pipeline.  METROPOLITAN is also providing design consultation for the horizontal directional drills on the project, including geotechnical studies and review, and HDD alignment design.   

METROPOLITAN is also providing commissioning and pressure testing procedures for the project and acting as an advisor on the many crossings for the project.

Provided detailed design, material specifications, and material lists for a new custody transfer meter station and interconnect.  The meter station consisted of a 12" ultrasonic meter, dual run 4"/6" regulator facility, and a 36" diameter filter separator.

Supervised site design and permitting of three different compressor station sites. Managed the preparation of site plans and grading plans, field review for wetland/stream impacts, and erosion/sedimentation control plans for construction of the site, access roads, and meters sites. Coordinated with the client, and their consultants, on equipment layout, as well as coordination with various regulatory agencies for the preparation of ESCGP-1 and general permits, and Township zoning/land development approvals. Additional work included: coordinating and managing the existing conditions; geotechnical investigation; sound studies; construction stakeouts; and construction inspection services.

We have designed projects for the replacement of hundreds of miles of pipe, whether it is due to obsolescence, corrosion, poor leak history, system integrity, or new construction. Our project experience includes: 

Bare Steel Replacement, 2” – 20” dia, 7.00” w.c. to 60 psig

Wrapped or Protected Steel Replacement, 1 – ¼” – 24” dia, up to 1200 psig

Cast Iron Replacement, 3” – 20” dia, 7.0” w.c. to 20 psig

Cut and Cover or Direct Burial

HDD or Auger Bore

Dead Insertion, Live Insertion

CIPP Rehabilitation Method

Engineered, designed and permitted the replacement, relocation or rehabilitation of gas facilities on hundreds of projects. 

SE Pennsylvania – Engaged in a two-year program to replace 40 miles of cast-iron main. Includes design, planning and permitting for approximately 20 projects/week resulting in four miles of upgrades. Also supporting a two-year Bare Steel Replacement project to replace 3,000 miles of utilities, as well as a two-year Transmission Pipeline project to upgrade 10 miles of line serving US Steel plants. Designed full compressor station encompassing buildings, station piping, electrical instrumentation design, and bi-directional metering.

Responsible for engineering, designing, planning and permitting of replacement of several hundred miles of mechanically joined pipelines with MDPE pipe and replacement of associated service laterals. Required high degree of coordination with construction crews, permitting agencies, neighborhood associations and county board of supervisors. Required high rate of design and engineering productivity to keep 80+ crews working over a three-year period. 

Provide detailed design, material specification, and material lists for a meter/regulator station sized to measure and regulate 750 MMSCF/D at a design pressure of 1440 psig. Facilities included a single 16" ultrasonic meter run and 10" regulator run.

One-Way Feed Elimination Project – Studied various single-feed systems to determine feasibility of providing secondary feeds. Designed several regulator stations and pressure ties to provide secondary full-redundant feeds. Designed and permitted transmission-to-distribution, dual-stage and regulator stations. Identified, negotiated and obtained easements for regulator stations from church, homeowner association and private owners.

Project management, engineering, design, drawing preparation, material specification and material requisition for the relocation of an existing 36” receiver to a new location.  Work also included a 36” horizontal directional drilled crossing of the James River.

Provided detailed engineering design and specifications for the modification of 28 valve sets along an 8” Lateral in order to prepare the line for pressure and in-line inspection tool runs.  The modifications included the detailed engineering design and specifications for 5 full ILI barrel- Launcher/Receivers.  In addition, 6 Hydrostatic Pressure Test Procedures were provided as part of the 2012 Integrity Management Program.

Install a bi-directional launcher and receiver on the line and make other piping modifications in order to assess 21 miles of pipeline with three HCAs. Design new 24” x 20” bi directional launcher and a 16”x24” bi-directional receiver (Barrel only) on the pipeline segment. Replace two main line valves, add platforms for the launcher/receiver valves, and tie launcher bypass back into an existing pipeline.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting & Forensics (MECF)

Providing Competent, Expert and Objective Investigative Engineering and Consulting Services

P.O. Box 520

Tenafly, NJ 07670-0520

Tel.: (973) 897-8162

Fax: (973) 810-0440

E-mail: metroforensics@gmail.com

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