Our commitment to safety begins with choosing the pipeline route. We consider factors such as community and environmental impact, and we look for opportunities to minimize disruption to the environment and local communities. The route was designed to parallel existing infrastructure and to avoid environmentally sensitive areas and population centers as much as practicable. Collocating the pipeline with other infrastructure, such as highways, railroads or other pipelines, means placing the pipeline next to land that had already seen construction activity. In addition, engineering studies were used to determine the best places to locate remote-controlled pipeline valves to help maintain the safe operation of the pipeline system.
Materials and equipment used to build the Wink to Webster Pipeline System either meet or exceed regulatory requirements. The pipe itself was manufactured in the United States to customized specifications that are more demanding than the standard specifications and emphasize increased inspections and testing. As part of our quality assurance program, we require the pipe manufacturer to run several tests of the pipe’s integrity, including strength tests, before the pipe is even shipped to us, and our project team would visit the steel mill to monitor these on-site inspections. Finally, the pipe is painted with special coatings designed to prevent corrosion in the ground.
The pipeline system is being built by two of the most experienced pipeline builders and operators in the country. Combined, Plains All American Pipeline and Enterprise Products Partners have built tens of thousands of miles of pipelines and have nearly 80 years of experience operating them. In addition, the welders have to have been specially trained and certified and must demonstrate their abilities in field tests before they are approved to work on the pipeline.
In addition to abiding to all regulatory requirements, the Wink to Webster Pipeline System leveraged key learnings from previous pipeline projects and new construction techniques to maintain the safety of the pipeline and minimize impact to the environment. Special cranes would use magnetized lifts to move the pipe joints in order to avoid scratching or deforming the pipe. Multiple cranes were used to lower the pipeline into the trench to lessen the stress on the pipe joints. To minimize impact to the environment, during excavation, the different layers of the soil were kept separate so they could be replaced in proper sequence. And to avoid affecting shorelines and major bodies of water, horizontal directional drilling was used to install the pipeline starting from a good distance from the shoreline and well under the body of water.
In addition to all the safety features built into the pipeline, we thoroughly test the pipeline system’s integrity prior to placing it into operation. Every weld along the pipeline is inspected by X-ray or ultrasonic scan to check for defects. After the welding is completed, the pipeline is hydrostatically pressure tested by pumping water into the pipeline until it reaches pressures higher than it expected to experience during normal operation. This determines that the pipeline is safe to operate at normal pressure levels. Finally, before placing it into operation, all elements of the pipeline system are rechecked to verify they were properly installed.
Dedicated to the safety of our workers, community and environment.
Learn MoreWink to Webster Pipeline System strives for flawless performance concerning the safety of our operations, employees, neighbors and the environment.
Learn More