American Gas - February 2011 - (Page 26)

Utilities share eight ways to improve productivity and cut costs without compromising safety, reliability or customer satisfaction. i s there a more efficient way than the conventional one to rehabilitate gas mains or gas service lines? can bar coding technology be put to use to save time performing a required meter inspection? Does keeping scorecards help improve field service employee productivity? yes, yes and yes. so say DTe energy–michcon, intermountain Gas co. and Washington Gas Light co., who share below these and other ideas they’ve turned into realities in their quests to improve efficiency and cut costs without compromising safety, reliability or customer satisfaction. Idea By KAren ryAn repair Mains and Service Lines Through a Keyhole Washington Gas is in the midst of a major project to rehabilitate about 143,000 gas service lines and 1,900 miles of gas mains. Specifically, the utility is renewing the steel service lines by inserting plastic pipe into them, and it’s encapsulating, or renewing the life of, the mechanical fittings that join the mostly 40-foot lengths of wrapped steel distribution main to prevent leaks on the couplings. “Unlike the couplings, the wrapped steel pipe is in really good condition and doesn’t need to be replaced,” says Katie Harkless, Washington Gas project manager, replacement. The use of keyhole technology has lowered the cost and improved the efficiency of this twofold replacement project, according to Clayton Munsey, Washington Gas manager of field technologies. “Making an 18-inchdiameter keyhole cut rather than a conventional 3- by 5-foot or 4- by 6-foot utility cut has reduced our costs by approximately 50 percent. A majority of that savings comes from eliminating the need for the extensive pavement restoration work associated with digging a conventional size hole.” Repairing the distribution main couplings through a keyhole excavation requires that #1 the location of each coupling be pinpointed before digging begins. “We do this by sending a tethered camera into the pipeline. At first we were digging conventional holes and physically disconnecting the pipe to insert the camera,” explains Munsey. “Then we moved to a second-generation technology that involves a 45-degree launch fitting for the camera and eliminates the need to shut off the gas flow. We’re now evolving to the next generation— inserting a camera into the pipe through a keyhole opening.” “One of the challenges with keyhole technology comes at the permit stage,” says Tracy Townsend, Washington Gas operating and engineering division head. In the case of the coupling project, keyhole technology entails removing a core of pavement to open up an 18-inch hole. When the job is done, the pavement core is restored to its original position. “We interact with about 100 permitting jurisdictions, and it’s taken a team effort to convince the jurisdictions to accept reinstalled and grouted pavement cores as a permanent restoration that won’t lead to degradation or decreased life of their streets.” The utility also is using keyhole technology to renew the 143,000 steel service lines. “When we insert the ½-inch plastic pipe into the existing ¾-inch steel service line, 26 february 2011 AmericAn GAs

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Gas - February 2011

American Gas - February 2011
Contents
Chairman’s Message
Industry News
Safety First
Return on Investment
Be Prepared
Working Smarter
Places to Be
Noteworthies
Advertisers' Index
Jobline
Marketplace
Facts on Gas

American Gas - February 2011