Berkshire Gas Company installed approximately 2,250 feet of 12-inch gas main beneath the Connecticut River between Hadley and Hatfield, MA using horizontal directional drilling. The project involved drilling a pilot hole, reaming it to size, and pulling the gas pipe through in a single pull. It provided additional gas capacity for Amherst College and improved system reliability in the Hadley/Amherst area. The project was completed on schedule in November 2013 through careful planning, permitting, and execution of the directional drilling.

1. Connecticut River Crossing 2013
Hadley/Hatfield, MA
David M. Grande
Director – Gas Engineering & System Operations
Berkshire Gas Company
115 Cheshire Road
Pittsfield, MA 01202-1388
Phone 413-445-0265
dgrande@berkshiregas.com
Paul Scarpa
Senior Engineer
Berkshire Gas Company
115 Cheshire Road
Pittsfield, MA 01202-1388
Phone 413-445-0383
pscarpa@berkshiregas.com
Confidential – Not for internal distribution or public release.
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2. Berkshire Gas Company – Located in Western Massachusetts
Connecticut River
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3. Company Information
• 38,000 Customers
• 1,500 Miles – Mains & Services
• 1 Satellite LNG Plant
• 3 Propane Air Plants
• 120 Employees
• 160 Years Old
• 6 City Gate Stations
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4. Project Context – Connecticut River Crossing
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Installation of approximately 2,250 linear feet of 12-inch coated steel gas
main. The project commences on Bridge Lane in Hatfield, MA and continues
beneath the Connecticut River, terminating on Huntington Rd. in Hadley, MA.
Approximately 1,600 linear feet of the proposed gas main shall be installed
beneath the Connecticut River via directional drilling. The remaining 650
linear shall be installed within an open trench.
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Project is being done to provide additional firm volumes to Amherst College
and provide additional system reliability for the Hadley/Amherst area.
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New main will run in parallel with existing 6-inch coated steel main which was
installed in 1959 when the Company brought Natural Gas service to the
Hadley/Amherst area.
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5. UMASS & Amherst College – Amherst MA
UMASS – Central Heating Plant
Amherst College – Central Heating Plant
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6. Confidential – Not for internal distribution or public release.
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7. Project Mile Stones
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Engineering for Project began in November 2012
• The following was performed:
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Survey – current easement (Hadley) town ROW (Hatfield)
Test Borings – both sides of the river
Preliminary Design Plans- used to submit wetland filings
Wetland Delineation
Notice of Intent
• Wetland Notice of Intent submission to the Hadley and Hatfield Conservation
Commissions and Mass DEP
• Filing Notice of Intent with the Natural Heritage and Endanger Species Program
(NHESP)
Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Category 2 Permit filing
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Frac Out Plan
Final Design Plans and Details
• Final Permit Approval Received in September 2013
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8. Project Milestones
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Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued on 8/19/2013
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12/19/13
Bidders
• Hemlock Directional Boring Inc.
• C.B. Utility Co., Inc.
• JS Rae Construction
• Directional Technologies, Inc.
• Mears Group Inc.
RFP’s were due on 9/3/2013
Project Awarded to JS Rae on 9/9/2013
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9. Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
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10. HDD Steps
 Pilot Hole
 Reaming
 Pull Back
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11. Current Conditions
Milestone Schedule
Hadley
Existing 6” Coated Steel Main - 1959
Hatfield
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12. Current Conditions – Hatfield Side
Milestone Schedule
Hatfield – Westside – River Approx. 900 ft. wide
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13. Current Conditions – Hadley Side
Milestone Schedule
Hadley – Eastside
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14. Connecticut River Crossing
Milestone Schedule
– Hadley Side
Existing 6” Coated Steel Main
Company has existing 25ft. Permanent and working easement
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15. Connecticut River Crossing
Milestone Schedule
- Hadley Side
Environmental Protection Installed
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16. Connecticut River Crossing – Hadley Side
Milestone Schedule
Swamp Mats were required on the Hadley Side
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17. Connecticut River Crossing – Hatfield Side
Milestone Schedule
1,680 ft. – 12” Coated Steel – Induron Warrior 100 Coating – Designed for HDD
Remaining 12” Coated Steel – Pritec 40 Mil Coating
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18. Connecticut River Crossing – Hatfield Side
Milestone Schedule
Preformed 100% X-Ray of Pipe Welds
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19. Connecticut River Crossing – Hatfield Side
Milestone Schedule
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20. Connecticut River Crossing – Corrosion Control
Milestone Schedule
Warrior 100 Pipe Coating & Rubber Pipe Rollers
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21. Connecticut River Crossing – Corrosion Control
Milestone Schedule
Powercrete R-95 Epoxy Based Coating Used for Welds – Designed for HDD
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22. Connecticut River Crossing – Initial Pressure Test
Milestone Schedule
Final Pressure Test – 300 Psig – 4 Hours - Deadweight
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23. Connecticut River Crossing - Drilling
Milestone Schedule
During the pilot hole drilling, a directional guidance system is used to
navigate the pilot hole along its pre-designed profile.
Down Hole System – Wire Line
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24. Connecticut River Crossing - Drilling
Milestone Schedule
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25. Construction - Drilling
Milestone Schedule
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26. Connecticut River Crossing - Drilling
Milestone Schedule
Shallow Water Depths
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27. Construction - Drilling Pilot Hole
Milestone Schedule – 120ft. 30” & 130ft. 12”
Conductor barrel were used
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Used to minimize the potential of a drilling frac out and/or ground collapse near the entry location.
The conductor barrel created a clear pathway through the soft soil conditions so that drilling could begin in more preferable geology
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28. Construction – Drilling Pilot Hole
Milestone Schedule
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29. Construction – Drilling Pilot Hole
Milestone Schedule
Final Pilot Hole Maximum Depth was 60 ft. Below Existing River Bed,
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30. Construction - Reaming
Milestone Schedule
22” ream & 18” ream were used.
The 22” ream was used to go through the bedrock
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31. Construction - Reaming
Milestone Schedule
Reaming consisted of pushing from the drill rig in Hadley and pulling with excavator in Hatfield.
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32. Construction - Reaming
Milestone Schedule
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33. Construction - Reaming
Milestone Schedule
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34. Construction - Reaming
Milestone Schedule
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35. Construction – Pull Back
Milestone Schedule
Pull back began at approx. 12:30 PM on 11/20/2013 and took 5 Hrs. to complete.
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36. Construction – Pull Back
Milestone Schedule
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37. Construction – Pull Back Hatfield Side
Milestone Schedule
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38. Construction – Pull Back Hadley Side
Milestone Schedule
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39. Construction – Testing & Tie-In
Milestone Schedule
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40. Construction – Testing & Tie -In
Milestone Schedule
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41. Questions
David M. Grande
Director – Gas Engineering & System Operations
Berkshire Gas Company
115 Cheshire Road
Pittsfield, MA 01202-1388
Phone 413-445-0265
dgrande@berkshiregas.com
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