Century-Old Pipe in "Excellent Condition"
Keywords: Pipes, Corrosion, Coatings
In an industry where 25 is considered over the hill, expectations for a pipeline laid almost a century ago should be low. But that's not the case in Los Angeles. Located a few miles outside of the city limits lies the Antelope Valley Siphon, a section of the Los Angeles aqueduct pipe system that will carry fresh,clean water to 25 percent of LA's water customers today - just like it did in 1911.The pipe is in excellent condition, said Russell Pierson, Civil Engineering Associate, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Corrosion is the number one reason pipes fail, which makes pipeline coating essential. CTE protects pipes against corrosion, and is the best coating on the market for corrosive protection.
The age and condition of the Antelope Valley Siphon section is quite impressive, but I'm not terribly surprised, said Brett Wilhelm, Global business director, Reilly Pipelines Coating Group. CTE is the most proven coating mechanism that can stand the test of time. Simply put, there are probably more stories out there that parallel the accomplishments of this project.
Attention is being focused and concerns are escalating about the hazards on old pipes and ageing pipelines at present. The Houston Chronicle recently studied the issue, and in an article published July 8, 2001 said, The nation's water and wastewater infrastructure is aging, forcing cities to replace or modernize pipelines and pumping operations regularly.
There's no question. America's pipeline infrastructure is aging; we're coming up on the century mark, and some pipes aren't holding up, said Brett Wilhelm, of Reilly Industries. The result is expensive and sometimes, dangerous. Pipes coated with CTE, however, are standing the test of time. CTE not only extends the life of a pipeline, it ensures reliability and safety.
The Associated Press has also taken a look at the issue. In a May 17, 2001 article, the AP cites an Environmental Protection Agency estimate pegging the cost to ensure safe drinking water at nearly $151 billion over 20 years. Of that, $83.2 billion is specifically earmarked to replace and repair aging pipeline.
The majority of the nation's water, oil and gas pipelines are aging. That's one issue. The other is demand. As the population grows and continues to spread out, demand for reliable water, oil and natural gas is increasing exponentially.
President George W. Bush addressed the issue of aging pipelines and increased demand in his national energy policy last May. Natural gas distribution is hindered by an aging and antiquated network of pipelines. It continues to match supply and demand will require some 38,000 miles of new gas pipelines, along with 255,000 miles of distribution lines.
If you're going to make the huge investment to put pipe in the ground, it needs to last said Jeff Bruny of Northwest Pipe Company. Pipelines are a large capital investment and you want to design them to last forever with minimal maintenance costs. Every effort should be made on the front end to make sure the pipe is protected. Northwest Pipe is a nationwide producer
of steel pipe in all sizes. CTE has a proven track record of excellent protection going back over 100 years. It makes sense to use something that you know is going to work.
For more than 80 years, coal tar enamel (CTE) has been used on more in-service pipelines than any other coating in the world. During this time, CTE has proven easy to apply, accommodating to difficult terrain, tolerant to high temperatures, resistant to intrusions, cost-effective, and most importantly,environmentally safe.
Reilly Industries is a leading world producer of specialty chemicals in the carbon, pyridine and esters businesses. It employs 900 people in eight facilities across the United States, Europe and Asia. Reilly is committed to Responsible Care*, an initiative to improve health, safety and environmental performance. For more information about Reilly's Pipeline Coatings Group, visit our Web site at www.reillypcg.com.
Details available from: Reilly's Industries Inc. Tel: +1 317 638 7531; Fax:+1 317 248 6472.
