Pipelines

From large-diameter, long-distance transmission pipeline systems to small inch gathering and distribution systems, the Colt Pipeline unit has designed and managed the construction of over 40 000 km of pipeline and related facilities in Canada and internationally.

Since the formation of Colt Engineering Corporation in 1973, the company has relied on best-in-class technical and project management personnel to deliver safe, reliable, on-time and on-budget projects for our clients. 

With over 400 pipeline specialists and multi-discipline personnel, the Colt Pipeline unit has the expertise and

Colt Pipelines has earned a world-class reputation for providing innovative engineering solutions and for possessing second-to-none technical expertise in the areas of:

• Limit states and strain-based design
• Complex fluid hydraulics (oil, heavy oil, bitumen [diluted and hot], condensate, natural gas, erosive slurries, dense-phase and multiphase flow)
• Aboveground and buried design and construction
• Arctic and permafrost design and construction

Colt Pipelines personnel have the depth and breadth of knowledge within the domestic and international pipeline markets to assist clients with any phase of a pipeline project, from project conception through to commissioning and start-up.  We offer a full range of EPC/CM services, including:

• Conceptual, feasibility and viability studies
• CAPEX and OPEX cost estimating services
• Pipeline route reconnaissance, assessment and selection
• Environmental impact assessments (EIA) and environmental field report (EFR) preparation
• Complex regulatory filing, permitting and support services (environmental, land and crossing acquisition, public and industry consultation planning, compliance audits)

Dilute Bitumen/Diluent Pipeline System (EPCM)

Colt was responsible for the engineering, procurement and project and construction management for a dilute bitumen and refined products pipeline system with an overall length of 497 km.

The project consisted of two distinct dual pipeline systems: the Dilbit System, installed from Muskeg River north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, to a refinery near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta; and the Upgrader System installed from the Fort Saskatchewan refinery to an existing pipeline terminal in Edmonton, Alberta.

Dilbit System

454 km each of NPS 24 (610 mm OD) and NPS 12 (323.9 mm OD) pipeline installed in a common trench, with 75% of the route following existing pipeline corridors.  The NPS 24 pipeline was designed to transport 220 600 BPD of diluted bitumen, and the NPS 12 pipeline to transport
71 200 BPD of recovered diluent (solvent).  Both pipelines were designed for a maximum operating pressure of
9 930 KPa, and a maximum operating temperature of 40⁰C.

This project is a new integrated pipeline facility designed to collect natural gas from producers in the Northwest Territories of Canada and deliver this gas into receiving pipelines in Alberta, Canada.  New facilities include production pads at three locations, compressor stations, a gathering system, a process plant, a high-pressure system to transport the gas to Norman Wells, a liquids pipeline to Norman Wells and a natural gas mainline running south to the Alberta border.  The total length of the pipeline system will be about 1 200 km.

Colt developed the conceptual design and provided technical input into the required regulatory permit applications.  Conceptual design included the selection of pipe sizes and operating pressures and temperatures for the pipelines, along with the associated compression facilities.  The method of gas processing was determined as well.  Based on this conceptual design, estimates were prepared to allow our client to test the economic feasibility of the project.

Colt was responsible for the engineering, procurement and project and construction management for a dual sour gas and fuel gas pipeline system installed in a common trench through the mountainous terrain north of Grande Cache, Alberta.

72 km each of NPS 12 (323.9 mm OD) sour gas pipeline and NPS 4 (114.3 mm OD) fuel gas pipeline were installed in a common trench, with 70% of the route following existing pipeline or transportation corridors.  The NPS 12 pipeline was designed to transport 130 MMCFD of raw dry gas with a 12.5 % H2S content at 13 500 kPag.  The pipeline system was strategically located and sized to accommodate future production of several producing companies in the area.  Additional volumes can be easily tied into one of 11 valve stations that were strategically placed along the pipeline route.

The primary challenge faced by the project was the safe installation of the pipelines across the extremely difficult terrain of the Smoky River Valley.  To make the assessment, design and installation of the crossing possible and cost effective, the project elected to develop a 3D digital terrain model (DTM) from LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) acquired data to look at multiple routing options across the valley.  Conventional crossing options were considered, but were deemed to be unsafe and cost prohibitive due the flow rate of the Smoky River and the steep approach slopes.