Low Impact Pipeline Systems

In a continuing effort to find ways to develop economic, environmental, and social standards, Stratus has been experimenting with a new concept called “Low Impact Pipeline Systems.” This process, along with a new way of thinking and innovative technology, can be described as “executing a plan to reduce, as much as possible, the impact of pipelining on the land, air, and water, to achieve the desired results of all parties.” It involves preliminary planning concerning all active participants including: client representatives, the contractor, field supervisors, and operators, as well as the landowners concerns to consider the many land issues surrounding pipeline construction. Prior to beginning, a Low Impact Planning form is filled out to determine how we will deal with land use, landowner concerns, saline soils or other problem areas, and how to minimize and lower the impact of traffic on the R.O.W.

Traditional pipeline practices have led to several environmental issues that have posed problems for the landowners, clients, regulators, as well as contractors. The conventional 42” excavating bucket is used to dig ditches that are up to ten times the width necessary for a 3-6” pipe. This amount of soil that is excavated leads to storage issues and makes it extremely difficult to keep topsoil and subsoil separate. This has led to mixing of soils causing many problems for cultivated land. As well, improper compaction of the ditchline is leading to erosion and sunken ditches. In the past, traditional farming methods of cultivating the land in spring and/or fall would repair any sinking of the ditch line. However, practices have changed and most landowners are a zero till operation. This means that any uncompacted ditches continually settle becoming a bigger and bigger problem. These results pose many problems for all stakeholders. The landowner may have crop loss for several years, damage to equipment, and possibly lose property value. Producers are spending many thousands of dollars to repair sunken ditch lines and additional clean up from spring run-off. Traditional pipeline construction practices cannot be cleaned up until July or August causing weed issues, problems crossing right-of-ways for seeding and spraying and possible damage to equipment while crossing.

It was time to recognize the need for change in the current practices of traditional pipelining. Over the past several years, Randy Galbreath Owner/President of Stratus Pipelines, along with many colleagues, have been working toward new and innovative ways to try and solve some of the obstacles they have been facing. The main goal is to minimize the overall disturbance to the ground, while improving efficiency and profitability for all stakeholders.
In order to minimize the overall ground disturbance, we at Stratus Pipelines have been able to reduce the R.O.W. width by approximately 20-40% to reduce costs, as well as minimize overall impact to the land. We can reduce topsoil stripping requirements by as much as 60% to help ensure our end result leaves minimal side effects. We can reduce the ditch width by about 60%, down to as little as 11”, considerably minimizing the amount of subsoil demolition.

A minimum amount of topsoil is stripped using a topsoil salvager tool that we have built in order to control the depth and width stripped. This can be used in both frozen and non-frozen conditions and is very precise.

The major contributor to our new system is the Cameron bucket used for excavating narrow ditches. Ranging from 8-22”, this narrow bucket allows for digging trench in virtually all conditions, significantly reducing excavated material.

With significantly less soil excavated, it becomes possible to avoid mixing of topsoil and clay stored at the side of the R.O.W. We can use a three lift method in which topsoil, subsoil, and bottom clay are all stored separately if necessary, and replaced into the ditch in the appropriate order. When the soil is being backfilled into the ditch, our operators ensure that the C horizon is replaced first, and packed. We use a packing wheel attached to an excavator to ensure 100% replacement of the excavated dirt. This is to guarantee there is no settling of the ditch line in the future, avoiding major clean up costs and topsoil loss. In the cases where we can’t replace the topsoil due to frost, clay will still be 90-95% returned allowing us to return in early May to tidy up the ditchline and replace the topsoil. This will allow the landowner to commence spring activities with far less inconvenience. Whereas, traditional methods tend to create circumstances that do not allow clean up to commence until July or August.

Low Impact Projects

Stratus Pipelines Ltd. is a leader in Low Impact pipeline.

Other Projects

Stratus Pipelines Ltd. has a full line Excavators, Dozers, Pipelayers, Stock vans, etc to ensure that the job is done in an efficient and expedient manner. Click on the images to look at more pictures from the job.

Stratus Pipelines LTD. © 2008 Last Updated: December 11, 2008