With winter behind us and summer on the horizon, pump station construction has restarted in Alberta in Yellowhead and Parkland County following spring breakup.
Typically, break-up begins at the end of March and can last until the beginning of June. Timelines vary depending on the weather – a mild winter resulting in an early spring may shorten the duration of the break-up, while a cold, snowy winter may cause the break-up to last longer due to a higher amount of moisture in the ground.
In Parkland County, construction has restarted at Gainford Pump Station, and in Yellowhead County, work has beginning at Edson Pump Station, Hinton Pump Station and Wolf Pump Station. Pump stations play a critical component to the operations of our pipeline system. They contain electric motors to drive the pumps that maintain the pressure and flow rate in the pipeline. Learn more about pump station construction here.
In June, Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) will begin at the McLeod River, Hardisty Creek, and Wolf Creek. HDDs are used to cross under these watercourses and minimize disruption to the area. This work takes place in a phased approach beginning with the establishment of temporary work spaces on either side of the area being crossed. One site houses a drilling rig and associated equipment, and the other acts as a staging site for the pipe and includes welding and pipe stringing. After the site is prepared the crossing is drilled, and then pipe is pulled back through. After the drilling phase is complete the site is cleared and returned to its original use. In August, right-of-way construction is expected to start in Parkland County.
