Pipeline work set near Sandpoint

July 8, 2013

Gas Transmission Northwest LLC (GTN), a natural gas pipeline system owned by TransCanada, will perform maintenance activities near a section of its pipelines that cross the Pend Oreille River west of Sandpoint.

Ongoing monitoring of the system shows a natural washing away of the riverbed under the pipelines that requires GTN to perform the work needed to ensure that the pipelines are properly supported for continued safe and reliable operation.

GTN has received the appropriate work permits and agency approvals and expects to begin work on the project the week of July 15. Activities should wrap up at the end of August, and all work – including restoration – should be completed by the end of September.

“We have been communicating with residents in the area about our upcoming activities for the past several months and we are committed to keeping the community informed about our progress,” said Richard Torres, the project’s manager. “Safety is very important to us, and we will work toward keeping our workers and the public safe while this necessary maintenance is performed.”

Recreationalists will still be able to use Pend Oreille Lake and the Pend Oreille River. GTN is working with the Marine Division of the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office for assistance in keeping boaters safe during this time.

Torres noted that work hours and movement of equipment will be scheduled to have as little impact as possible on nearby communities. Residents may notice increased vehicle traffic from Highway 95 heading west on Lakeshore Drive to Wooded Acres Drive and Boat Club Road.

In preparation for the project, GTN consulted with both the U.S. Corps of Engineers and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department to ensure that all material selection and engineering practices used throughout construction would have the least amount of current and future impact to sensitive lake resources, including the threatened bull trout. We are performing the work at this time of the year to avoid interrupting the normal upstream migratory pattern of the bull trout.

GTN’s goal is to safely complete work in the area prior to performing an In Line Inspection (ILI /smart pigging) test of the pipeline by November, as mandated by the Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the federal agency that regulates interstate pipelines.

To re-establish riverbed support, GTN will place pre-washed natural stone under segments of the 2,200-foot section of the two concrete-encased, 36-inch diameter natural gas pipelines that traverse the river. The clean angular shaped stone – ranging in size from 1-inch to 4-inches – will reduce the amount of fine particles in the water, which will minimize the amount of turbidity created while we are doing the work. No crushed stone is being used for this project.

The material will be trucked in, placed on 30-foot long barges and then delivered below the surface through a tube, much like the chute on a concrete truck. During the process, underwater divers will continuously monitor the placement of the material to ensure it is properly packed into wedge-like sections to ensure the material remains locked in place. The maximum depth is 60 feet at the bottom of the river.

GTN is working closely with all the appropriate agencies to ensure the work is being conducted safely and with as little impact to residents, native species and recreationalists as possible. Employees and contractors performing the work will follow all applicable safety regulations to ensure public and worker safety.