Government puts new conditions on Keystone pipeline after defects found in S. leg

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"The new conditions were added four months after the pipeline safety agency sent TransCanada two warning letters last year about defects and other construction problems on the Keystone Gulf Coast Pipeline, which extends from Oklahoma to the Texas Gulf Coast."From the start of welding, TransCanada experienced a high weld rejection rate," said one letter dated Sept. 26. Over 72 percent of welds required repairs during one week. In another week, TransCanada stopped welding work after 205 of 425 welds required repair."Here's the full text of the article.  It goes on to explain about the use of improperly qualified welders and weld procedures.  Everyone, me included, wants to see this project go forward.  But not without a better record of quality than this article implies.http://www.startribune.com/politics/...260723541.htmlAnybody out there have any experience with the southern leg of the project from the Gulf Coast to Cushing, OK?  Is this article biased or not?Benson's Mobile Welding - Dayton, OH metro area - AWS Certified Welding Inspector
Reply:DAB,Over all I think the article probably raises some valid concerns that need to be looked into.   As to whether or not it's biased well, this passage sent a red flag up for me...The weld failure rates are "horrible," said Robert Bea, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. "The level of defects is indeed cause for alarm and indicative of something that is going on in the Keystone organization that isn't satisfactory."Besides the fact that Berkeley is pretty well known for it's New Age activism and anti-industrial viewpoint my guess would be that Professor Bea would like nothing better than to have every one believe "the sky is falling" in hopes it will land him another high priced consultants gig at the tax payers expense.
Reply:Is it true or another Keystone road block put up by the environmental lunatic fringe?
Reply:I read that same passage with a healthy amount of skepticism.  He states elsewhere in the article that a defect rate of 0.1% is unreasonably high.  I know that in the real world defect rates between 0.5% and 1% are reasonable on transmission pipeline girth welds(for manual and semi auto welding).  Rates can be lower than that with automatic bugs running.The astronomically high rates quoted in the article sound like weeks 1 and 2; where there are still bugs being worked out of the "system"; but that's just guesswork on my part.I was just curious if there were any WW members who worked on these spreads and saw anything first hand that would backup or disprove what's stated as fact in the article? Originally Posted by 4956DAB,Over all I think the article probably raises some valid concerns that need to be looked into.   As to whether or not it's biased well, this passage sent a red flag up for me...The weld failure rates are "horrible," said Robert Bea, professor emeritus of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. "The level of defects is indeed cause for alarm and indicative of something that is going on in the Keystone organization that isn't satisfactory."Besides the fact that Berkeley is pretty well known for it's New Age activism and anti-industrial viewpoint my guess would be that Professor Bea would like nothing better than to have every one believe "the sky is falling" in hopes it will land him another high priced consultants gig at the tax payers expense.
Reply:Sounds like back dooring an anti pipe line agenda.Where they allow the pipe line to start and load it down with so much bureaucracy and bs in hopes of shutting it down one way or another. All they have to do is set the standard so high it will shut down the operation. Dont think they can do that? The epa all ready has done it, they kept lowering allowable lead emissions from the only operating lead mine in the country for no practicle reason what so ever until they finely forced them to close.Because using less efficient, more spill prone methoids than a pipe line (rail shipping, tractor trailer, ect.)  to move oil is some how better for the environment. Doesn't make any sense does it?old Miller spectrum 625 Lincoln SP-135 T, CO2+0.025 wireMiller model 250 and WP-18V torchCraftsman 100amp AC/DC and WP-17V torchCentury 115-004 HF arc stabilizerHome made 4 transformer spot welderHome made alternator welder
Reply:Maybe they are using 6013's instead of 7018's.  This ain't Ireland!!!!!  Lincoln Power Mig 216Lincoln AC/DC-225/125Miller  625 X-Treme PlasmaMiller 211 Forney 95FI-A 301HF 91110Victor Journeyman O/PMilwaukee DaytonMakita  Baileigh NRA Life Member
Reply:Too important a question to be forgotten.  Still waiting for someone to explain the failures.