After
Before
Nestle Pipeline Orbital Welding
Project
Nestle Pipeline Orbital Welding
Project Value
£850,000 (Labour & Equipment Only)
Date
Project Completed 2006, 2012 & 2020
Job
Nestle Rockhead Pipeline
Overview
Install approximately 9.5KM of underground stainless-steel pipeline to deliver spring water from the wellheads in the Buxton hills to the bottling plants in Buxton town centre.
Capability
Design, Fabrication, Installation,
Watermark has completed three contracts over fourteen years to install approximately 9.5KM of underground stainless-steel pipeline to deliver spring water from the wellheads in the Buxton hills to the bottling plants in Buxton town centre.
In all instances the weather and terrain provided numerous obstacles to achieving and maintaining programme of works.
Using the latest technology, the 3” diameter thin wall tube was butt welded with orbital welding equipment guaranteeing 100% quality. An initial weld was undertaken for approval by a third-party Inspection lab. Once approved all the Orbital welding machines were set to the same parameter so that every weld was exactly the same.
As with most engineering principles preparation is all important and this project was no different.
Firstly, the ends of tube were squared using a tube facing tool (as picture above) before being laid into position in the 1metre deep trench.
The Orbital welding head was clamped into position around the pipe to keep the pipe joint in place ready for the next stage.
A purpose made inline pneumatic pig was then inserted into the pipe so that it was positioned centre of the pipe joint before the pneumatic tyres were inflated to create a hermetic seal. A separate line was then used to fill the cavity between the pneumatic tyres with Argon purging gas in preparation for Orbital tack welds.
Once purged the joint was Orbitally tack welded before a full weld was undertaken.
On completion of the weld the Orbital head was removed to allow an external visual inspection by the qualified operative.
The orbital welding solution offered the following benefits:
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The Argon pressure in the pig cavity was increased to enable a local pressure test as confirmation of weld integrity
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A tight-fitting removable plastic cap was attached to the end of the pipe to prevent ingress between welding operations
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The first two contracts required a video recording of each weld internally so that they could be inspected by a third-party lab
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Two thousand seven hundred welds were successfully completed within programme and on time
