Specialized Services
Specialized Pipeline Services and Technical Capabilities
Most of a pipeline is mainline construction, but a job is rarely just mainline. There are roads and rivers to cross, lines to test, pipe to fabricate and coat, and stations to build. We self-perform the specialized scopes too: horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for trenchless crossings, hydrostatic testing, fabrication, concrete coating and weight installation, meter station and civil construction, marsh and wetland work, and stringing, pipe handling, and right-of-way maintenance. Keeping that work in-house is how we control quality and schedule instead of handing it to a sub.
Key Takeaways
- HDD (horizontal directional drilling) to cross roads, rivers, and sensitive areas without an open trench.
- Hydrostatic testing to prove a line holds pressure before it goes into service.
- Fabrication, concrete coating and weight installation, and meter station and civil work.
- Marsh and wetland construction, plus stringing, pipe handling, and right-of-way maintenance.
Trenchless crossings with HDD
Horizontal directional drilling, or HDD, is how you get a pipeline under something you cannot or should not dig through, like a highway, a river, or a sensitive wetland. Instead of an open trench, a steerable bit drills a path underground, and the pipe is pulled through behind it. It keeps the surface intact and is often the only permitted way to make a crossing.
It is precise work that depends on good engineering up front, which is one reason it pairs well with our design-build and EPC delivery.
Testing and integrity
Before a new pipeline goes into service, it gets hydrostatically tested. We fill the line with water, raise the pressure well above operating pressure, and hold it to confirm there are no leaks or flaws in the pipe or the welds. It is a basic safety and integrity step, and it is one of the last things that happens before a line is put to work.
Testing is not a place to cut corners, and our crews treat it that way.
Stations, civil, and specialty environments
A system is more than pipe. Meter stations measure and control what moves through the line, and they take civil construction, fabrication, and tie-in work to build. We handle that scope, along with concrete coating and weight installation for buoyancy control, and we are set up for marsh and wetland construction where the ground itself is the hard part.
When a job calls for several of these at once, self-performing them under one contractor keeps the hand-offs from becoming the problem.
Capabilities
What we do in this area
HDD
Appalachian Pipeline self-performs horizontal directional drilling (HDD) to install pipe under roads, rivers, and wetlands without an open trench.
Hydrostatic Testing
Appalachian Pipeline performs hydrostatic testing to prove a new pipeline holds pressure with no leaks or flaws before it goes into service.
Fabrication
Appalachian Pipeline self-performs fabrication for pipeline and station work, from spool pieces to the tie-in assemblies that connect a system together.
Concrete Coating
Appalachian Pipeline installs concrete coating and weights for buoyancy control, keeping pipe in place through wet, marshy, and water-crossing conditions.
Meter Stations & Civil
Appalachian Pipeline builds meter stations and the civil work that goes with them, from the pad and fencing to the piping, valves, and tie-ins that measure and control flow.
Marsh & Wetland
Appalachian Pipeline is set up for marsh and wetland pipeline construction, where access, ground conditions, and environmental controls are the hard part.
Stringing & ROW
Appalachian Pipeline handles stringing, pipe handling, and right-of-way maintenance, the logistics work that keeps a spread moving and the land in good shape.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
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