Compliance verification activity type: Field Inspection
Team:
Regulated company: NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd.
Operating company: TC Energy
Province(s) / Territory(s):
Discipline(s):
Related events:
Rationale and scope:
Edson ML Expansion Project construction inspection - The project consists of approximately 86 km of 48" pipe, compression and associated facilities to transport gas from the Peace River Project Area (PRPA).
Compliance tool(s) used:
Facilities:
Facility Types
Life-cycle Phases
Regulatory requirements that apply to this activity:
Observation 1 - Orientation and Documents Review (Alford Creek Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-02-07 09:15
Discipline: Integrity Management
Categories:
Facility:
Observations:
CER inspectors met with the Project Construction Manager and the Senior Welding Inspector at the Project Construction Office in Rocky Mountain House, AB, to discuss the project-related joining procedures on file. TC Energy representatives informed that Midwest Pipeline Inc. (Midwest) was the prime contractor for the Project's construction. Also, TC Energy directly hired STANLEY Inspection (STANLEY) to conduct all Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for the Project. CER inspectors and TC Energy representatives discussed the project-related activities including welding, NDT, and coating. CER inspectors reviewed:
Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used
Observation 2 - Field Bending (Alford Creek Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-02-07 11:00
Observation 3 - Automated Ultrasonic Testing (AUT) (Alford Creek Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-02-07 13:39
An NDT crew was conducting mainline AUT. CER inspectors observed a field technician’s process for assessing weld # ML-0965 that was rejected for a root porosity defect. He was a certified UT Level II of the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB). He explained the reason for the rejection. CER inspectors also observed the scanning of weld # ML-0967 (which was rejected for a volumetric porosity of 178 mm, while the maximum allowed dimension was 25 mm) and weld # ML-0966. The NDT assessment for mainline mechanized welding (GMAW) was being done based on CSA Z662, Annex K - Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA). For manual welding (SMAW) and repairs, the assessment was done using CSA Z662 Clause 7 criteria. The UT equipment gets calibrated every hour or at every 10th tested weld, whichever comes first. It also gets calibrated for every repair. A total of 5 welds were rejected out of 44 welds completed during the day (i.e., repair rate of 0.11%). They explained that this rate is acceptable as per the procedure. The company's specification is that corrective action be implemented at 10% repair rate for three consecutive days.
Observation 4 - Mechanized Welding (Alford Creek Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-02-07 14:13
CER inspectors observed a Midwest welding inspector completing the visual inspection of ML-0975 at GPS 52.308742, -115.2773071 location. He explained that the maximum limit is 0.5 mm for the undercut and 3.5 mm for the cap. There was an external porosity at the 6 o’clock position. They sandblasted it and concluded that no other repair was needed. TC Energy was conducting NDT immediately after the welding, as it was low H2 welding. CER inspectors observed some mechanized welding steps including root, fill, and cap passes. A TC Energy inspector was on site. TC Energy inspectors verified some of his recorded welding parameters for the day and how they ensure that minimum and maximum preheat temperatures remain within specifications. CER inspectors observed an area on a welded pipe with a gouge (imperfection). The construction crew had identified and marked the gouge for further assessment (including sandblasting and NDT) and repair as required.
Observation 5 - Orientation and Documents Review (Elk River Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-03-23 10:00
CER inspectors met with the Project Construction team at the Project Construction Office located in Drayton Valley, AB, to discuss the Project-related procedures and plan for the day. TC Energy representatives informed that Surerus Murphy Joint Venture (SMJV) was the prime contractor for the Project construction. Also, TC Energy directly hired INSEV NDE Solution to conduct all Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for the Project. TC Energy representative stated that all welding, bending, and coating for the mainline had been completed before the inspection. But tie-in welds and associated NDT and coating were being conducted. CER inspectors reviewed copies of the following documents:
Observation 6 - Tie-in Welding (ELK River section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-03-23 14:40
CER inspectors attended the Tailgate Safety Meeting and completed the Field Level Hazard Assessment. TC Energy representatives confirmed that a copy of the Project Emergency Response Plan is present on-site in every truck. They also stated that SMJV’s tie-in foreman was authorized to halt construction activity, should it not be conducted in accordance with the construction safety manual, as per the CER Onshore Pipeline Regulations (OPR) section 18 (1) (d). CER inspectors observed a string of welded mainline and coated piping. The pipe was well supported. TC Energy representatives explained the tests that were performed on the welding and coating. All welds are marked with information such as welder ID, day and time, AUT result, coating, Dry Film Thickness test (DFT), X-Cut test, and other workmanship information. The jeeping of pipe coating was done successively after welding, 24 hours or less before lowering, and during lowering. CER inspectors observed a pipe segment in the ditch that was about to be backfilled. The ditch appeared to be having sufficient depth and its bottom did not contain things that could damage coating and pipe. They also observed a mechanical sifting process separating big rocks from the excavation soil before backfilling. CER inspectors observed the tie-in for weld # TI-0101 that was ongoing as per the procedure EDME-SMJV-01. Root and hot passes were conducted using semi-automatic welding and the fill and cap pass by automatic welding. Warning signs for open excavation were installed. There were two access and egress ladders in the ditch (one on each side). The delineation cord (i.e., the orange warning barrier along the ditch's edge facing the workers and equipment) and associated poles were lying on the ground. CER inspectors recommended that based on the shape of the ditch's edge and the work conditions, the construction crew raise the delineation cord to potentially increase the safety of workers (walking along the ditch) from falling in. CER inspectors requested and reviewed the excavation procedures of TC Energy (TES-CT-EXC-GLE Excavation Specification (CAN-US-MEX)-final) and SMJV (00871-SMJV-CM-PRO-001_00_Excavation_Procedure). As per welding specification, welding parameters are recorded for 5% of the welds. This equates to 1 per every 20 welds. Both SMJV and TC energy welding inspectors were on site. The CER inspectors requested documentation including welding parameters, the visual inspection report, the NDT report, and welders' qualification for weld # TI 0096 conducted on 23 March 2022 prior to the CER inspectors' arrival. The documentation was received and reviewed on 24 March 2022.
Observation 7 - Non-Destructive Testing (ELK River Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-03-23 15:10
An NDT crew was conducting AUT (Time-of-flight diffraction – TOFD) on tie-in weld # TI-0096. Two CGSB Level II NDT technicians were present. They explained how CSA Z662 Clause 7 criteria were used to accept or reject the tie-in welds.
Observation 8 - Documents Review (Elk River Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-03-24 10:07
CER inspectors met with the Project Construction team at the Project Construction Office, located at a TC Energy office located in Drayton Valley, AB, to review some documents requested the previous day and plan for the field inspection.
Observation 9 - Poor Boy Coating (ELK River Section)
Date & time of visit: 2022-03-24 11:29
At CER Inspectors' arrival, the pipe surface preparation of girth weld GW # PB-0362 (including sandblasting and pre-heating) was completed and the coating was ongoing. A TC Energy Lead Coating Inspector was on site. An SMJV coating QA/QC crew was also on site. The following summarizes the discussion:
Identified non-compliances to company plans or procedures are non-compliances either to:
- the condition of an authorization document that requires the implementation of that plan or procedure; or
- the relevant section of the regulations that requires implementation of that plan or procedure including those sections that require implementation of plans or procedures as a part of a Program
