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UTILITY WEEK | 27TH - 3RD DECEMBER 2015 | 27 Operations & Assets Once inserted, pressurised water – up to 19 bar – is pumped down the pipe, expand- ing it back to its original size, forming a tight lining to the existing pipe, and effectively replacing it with a new polyethylene pipe. The Castleford project saw costs fall by a third compared with traditional open trench replacement, and it also saw the length of the job cut in half from 12 weeks down to six. What: Horizontal drilling Who: Wales & West Utilities Details: The £700,000 project to lay new gas pipes in Bideford presented more of a challenge than the usual experienced in the company's pipe replacement programme. The main challenge centred on the Grade I listed Bideford Long Bridge, which the exist- ing pipes ran through. To get around the problem, Wales & West Utilities has enlisted specialist contrac- tors G&J Engineering to drill horizontally beneath the River Torridge, negating the need to work on the historic bridge. Once the small tunnel from one side of the watercourse to the other has been drilled, new plastic pipes will be pulled through it and connected up to the wider gas network at either end. Wales & West Utilities programme director Rob Long said: "This job will be an impressive engineering achievement which will make sure Bideford has a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come. It's rare we can say that a gas pipe replacement project is exciting, but this one really is." What: Acoustek Who: SGN, WWU, NGN, National Grid gas distribution Details: Previously, when the gas distri- bution and transmission companies were searching for blockages in their networks, they would have had to dig holes every 50m to insert video cameras into the pipe. To reduce the need for multiple holes, the companies teamed up to trial Acoustek technology, which surveys the pipes for blockages. A flexible hose is inserted into the gas network through a single access point, such as customer service pipes and network pressure test points, potentially eliminating the need for excavation in some situations. The technology uses a patented tech- nique of transmitting acoustic waves through the gas within the pipe and analys- ing the pattern of the reflected waves to locate blockages and identify corrosion and holes in the pipe wall. The trial started in May last year, and is set to run until May 2016, but progress has been strong, with the prototype system able to detect blockages along 500m of pipe from the access point. Contractor view: Morrison Utility Services The desire to arm streetworks teams at the operational frontline with innovative devices, applica- tions and systems that can drive new efficiencies, improve customer service and optimise workflow have made mobile workforce investment a priority. Key drivers are the lowering of costs and improving the accuracy and effectiveness of the field force. Contractors are constantly chal- lenged to unveil the next generation of killer apps that will elevate street- works management to a new level, whilst ensuring that strict control on process compliance to industry requirements and health and safety guidelines are maintained. Yet, time stands still for no con- tractor and the rapid advent of new technologies ensures that there is both client expectation and scope for new efficiencies to emerge. It could be argued that the biggest challenge is not identifying the opportunity and making the technology work, but ensuring that the people – many of whom have worked in the utility sector for dec- ades – are ready, willing and able to embrace this constant evolution. The Google Project Tango Soware Development Kit (SDK) which is currently being trialled by the MUS Business Process Improve- ment (BPi) team, is a good example of such new technology. An Android tablet with a wide- angle camera, depth sensing camera, accurate sensor time- stamping, and a soware stack, the Project Tango SDK offers a myriad of possibilities that MUS developers are now seeking to exploit in key areas such as motion tracking, area learning and depth sensing. Project Tango is currently being evaluated for its potential around 3D scanning applications. 3D scanning will also enable more accurate calculation of excavation dimensions and volumes, rather than the traditional use of estimates based on length, width and depth measurements. There is also a critical health and safety benefit as scanning can remove the need to enter risky environments. To read the full article, visit: utilityweek.co.uk Wales & West Utilities will be horizontal drilling at its Bideford bridge project Northern Gas Networks' close-fit PE pipe lining Showcase your solutions at Utility Week Live. Email: nicky.shaw@fav-house.com