HDD Bundle Bumpers

 Bumpers for HDD Bundles

     As JSI's BBS system for HDD Bundles is entering its 10th year of regular use, I think the jury has returned to the court room:  these things work.  

As a point of reference, this is a 16" line resting on a 12" line.  Bearing the full weight of that 16" line and we can still clearly see the space being held between the lines.

      As a quick overview - an HDD Bundle is a situation in which more than one pipeline is pulled through the same bore hole (together at the same time).  In our time as leaders and innovators in this sector; we've been involved with TWO lines being pulled together; with ELEVEN lines being pulled together (wow that one was wild!) and many other configurations in between.

     Our BBS bumpers have been installed on everything from 2.375" pipe up to 36" pipe.  We can certainly go larger than 36" as well; but haven't had an opportunity to do so just yet. 

     You may be wondering:  why are bumpers needed on an HDD bundle?  There are two obvious reasons and both are equally important - for the sake of simplicity let's picture the 11 line bundle that we were involved with:

1. During the pull through, you absolutely want to be certain your pipelines are not going to damage one another.  Picture multiple lines being pulled through the bore hole and one of them hits a rock; a root; a hard pocket of clay, etc -- and that one line 'bounces' and collides with the other line.  Even though pipe coatings are very tough, a 16" line bouncing and slamming into a 6" line is very likely to cause some damage to one or both of those lines.  Beyond that, picture 11 lines all resting on one another travelling through a 5000 foot bore hole.  Imagine those 11 lines vibrating against one another.  That would be a lot of abrasion happening for quite a long time (since the pipe is pulled through so slowly).  How much abrasion force would be put on those lines?  I don't know.  How much pipe on pipe vibration are the pipe coatings you selected able to withstand?  I don't know.  The best plan is to be certain your pipe will not be colliding or resting on one another through the pull through process.  That is where our BBS comes in.
2. Equally important, when the lines reach their final destination....where they will spend their next 40+ years doing their job; you need to be certain that your cathodic protection system can reach all areas of your pipelines.  Picture that 11 line pull through that we were involved with (though the same logic applies to a 2 line pull through).  11 lines all sitting in the ground in a jumbled mess; touching each other and a huge pipe pile.  In cases where two or more lines are touching one another (in their final resting place) there is no room for soil and water to fill the voids around the lines and create a path for CP current to get through where needed.  Your own lines are obstructing the CP -- effectively giving you zero CP coverage in some areas.  That is a problem.  

     HDD bundles are excellent solutions that bring cost savings and bring options in highly congested pipeline areas.  But, you need a plan to help you avoid pipe on pipe damage and to make certain you aren't handicapping your CP system from the get go.  We can help you with that.

If you have questions - reach out!  steve@jsicoatings.com    936/321-3333

Video of Two Inch Bumper System for Bundled Road Bore

     Recently posted a quick written description of our two inch bumper system for bundled road bore application.  This system utilizes a two inch tall by two inch wide, high durometer rated bumper material.  It also utilizes a one inch tall by two inch wide bumper taper on the front end to reduce mud drag and shear forces.

     The system is installed over a two part epoxy which acts as a bonding agent and brings superior shear resistance into the equation.  Used often in the one inch tall bumper configuration, we are pleased to announce our ability to now offer two inch bumpers for pipe sizes 3.5" and larger.

     So without further ado:  here is a link to the short video:


     We now have 1" tall bumpers and 2" tall bumper systems available.  Let us know how we can get you all of the information you need in order to make the best decision possible for your upcoming bundled road bore.  

(you can also view this video at: http://youtu.be/_jzLSr2R_0s )

Two Inch Bumpers for Bundled Road Bore

2 Inch Bumper System for Bundled Directional Drill

    If you've browsed this blog before, you've undoubtedly seen that we have numerous successful cases of our 1" Bumper System being used.  From time to time, what we've heard from end users and engineers is that they love our 1" system, but they would love a 2" system even more.  It took a little development time and it took a few different systems that were ultimately ruled out during our evaluation process, but we are now comfortable that we have come up with a 2" bumper system that will offer the same great performance as our proven 1" system has. 

3.5" Pipe and a 4" wide bumper that is 2" tall at its highest.

In this case, pipe would enter the bore offscreen to the right.

This bumper has an OD of 5.5" and is locked in place on the 3.5" pipeline.

     This material has been used previously and successfully held a 1" bumper in place.  For this system, we have created a star stepped bumper which will ensure shear and stress forced for this 2" bumper will be very similar to those experienced and survived on the 1" bumpers in the past.  To be on the safe side, we have increased the bond area of the sleeve to offer more square inches of bond, which will improve shear resistance even beyond what was needed for the 1" bumpers. 

     This is a great system.  With questions, or to schedule a demonstration, contact us today (steve@jsicoatings.com / 936/321-3333)

Pipeline Coating for a River Bore

River Bore Pipeline Coating

      In the pipeline world it is a fairly common occurrence that a pipeline be bored underneath a river; just like it is common for pipelines to in a directional bore under a road, a directional bore under a railroad, a directional bore under a lake, a directional bore under a bay or sometimes even a directional bore under land that could not be torn up due to right of way or environmentalist reasons.

 

     Isn't that a beautiful sight?  Boring a pipeline underneath a river like this is going to raise ALL KINDS of questions.  Some very fair.  Some not fair.  It will politics as usual, that you can be certain of.  One of the concerns with a directional drilling project is that once the pipeline goes down into the wet, black hole....no one is EVER going to see it again!  No one is going to be able to inspect the pipeline to be certain the pipeline coating you've selected is still in place and functioning properly.  In some cases it will even be difficult to be certain that your cathodic protection system is going to be able to properly protect your pipeline if there was any damage during the pull through.

 

     Beyond that, if there is some kind of pipeline catastrophe, where will all of the product from the pipeline go?  There will certainly be no way to repair a pipeline -- replacing the line will be the only option and that is incredibly expensive.  In light of all of that, obviously, the external pipeline coating selection for this section of the pipeline is incredibly important.

 

     For the main line coating, here in the USA it is generally accepted that the best coating option is going to be either a dual layer FBE (with the outer layer having more ARO qualities) or an FBE with a Powercrete type ARO (abrasion resistant overcoat) installed over the outside of it.  For the field joint coating, there are more schools of thought.

 

     Believe it or not, I live in The Woodlands, TX.  A wonderful community just north of Houston, TX.  It is a booming part of the state with people moving in by the droves.  Many large corporations are also in the middle of moving their bases of operations to this area.  Given all of that, you would think we might be on the cutting edge of technologies when it comes to the pipelines that are constructed in our neighborhoods.  You would be wrong!

 

     Just two years ago, I saw a bore underneath one of our largest creeks.  Right next to this creek where the bore took place sat a bridge that sees heavy traffic just about all day long.  Whoever owned/worked on that pipeline chose to put a cold applied tape on the field joints of the road bore section of the pipeline!  (Are you wondering what happens to cold applied tape during a road bore?  Read and find out).  This was a unique situation for us as we had a good contact with that very tape manufacturer.  He was horrified that his product was used on a road bore in a heavily populated area underneath a bridge and a creek.  Horrified.  So horrified in fact that he went in with us to visit with a couple of engineers and tell them that they had made (and had been making) a terrible mistake by using his product for that purpose.  Amazingly, they either didn't care -- or were uninterested in getting involved.  I drive over that bridge twice a day (once with my children in the car with me) and I am absolutely certain that those field joints are now bare.  I sure hope the CP system is working because that is all they've got. 

 

     Likewise, near my neighborhood there is a section of pipe that has been welded and coated and lying in the dirt next to the golf course for weeks!  It might even be months.  Just driving by there I can see that the cold applied tape is bubbling up in some spots; peeling back in some spots and getting disfigured already from the weight of the pipe.  I can see it going by at 40 miles per hour!  Why has the pipe been sitting so long?  Well it looks like they are waiting for the boring equipment to come out so they can pull it underneath a different creek! 

 

     There is always the option of bringing out flocking equipment and applying dual layer FBE in the field, but given the cost of the equipment that often doesn't make a lot of sense (since bores tend to be somewhat short in length).  Another option is to apply a two part epoxy like Powercrete or Protal.  Those are good options and they have been quite successful as long as the surface preparation is done properly, the crews are experienced and the job allows for a longer cure time. 

 

     In my world though, the absolute best solution for any critical service field joint (like underneath a river) is to use the DIRAX shrink sleeve system.  It has been proven again and again and again.  Cure times are down under thirty minutes.  Install times are down under 6 minutes (depending on pipe size).  Heck, it has even been used to hold bumpers in place during a bundled directional drill.  If this product can prevent pipes in a bundle from banging against each other while passing through a bore - and it doesn't move - and it doesn't disappear - and it isn't damaged - just imagine how much less taxing simply coating a field joint is!  Read about a recent BBS success here.

Bumper Doughnut Sleeve for Bundled Directional Bore

    Question:  I have a bundled directional drill that includes a 6" pipe.  What can I use to hold a doughnut in place to prevent the pipes from bumping into and damaging one another?

     Answer:  When you're dealing with a 6" pipe; that presents a challenge.  In the world of heat shrink sleeves, the important dimensions are 6.625" (the OD of the pipe) and 8.625" (the OD of the substrate which is the 6" pipe plus two layers of 1" thick rubber.  Unfortunately, that 8.625" down to 6.625" would require just a bit more shrink ratio than the DIRAX is able to provide.  So in case like that, we must use a different product that is still fiber sheet reinforced; but is also a high expansion product. 

Bundle Bumper Sleeve for Smaller Diameter Pipe

     What you see here is our BBS/CCS for a 6" pipe.  The doughnut is 2" wide (along the pipe) and 1" tall (two 1" x 1" doughnuts pushed together).  An excellent product and those doughnuts are not going to be going anywhere!