River Humber Replacement Gas Pipeline Project
 

Planning and implementing jobsite assembly at the Humber

The task 

The existing gas pipeline under the Humber River is a key hub in the UK gas network, supplying millions of people with energy. Over the years, however, the river bed has changed with the result that sections of the pipeline are now exposed and at the mercy of the tides. A joint-venture by the experienced Skanska, Porr and A.Hak construction companies is therefore being commissioned to build a new safe gas pipeline under the river. Herrenknecht is providing consulting and operational support during jobsite assembly in an effort to ensure the project starts as smoothly as possible.

The Herrenknecht service solution

Over the course of the project, Herrenknecht supports jobsite assembly by providing a number of services. The focus is on consulting for efficient process planning as well as operative implementation by Herrenknecht service personnel on site. In close collaboration with the joint venture, Herrenknecht prepares the phase sequence plans for assembly and disassembly and a detailed personnel plan and time schedule. In joint coordination meetings, methods of assembly are defined which form the basis for Herrenknecht’s preparation of technical explanations and methodical instructions (RAMS). Exact planning means implementation can be commenced without delays or surprises.

Herrenknecht supplies more than 10 skilled workers for the 11-week site assembly period – two mechanics, two hydraulics engineers, an electrician, two manual workers, five welders and an operator. Herrenknecht also conducts one-week training for customer personnel parallel to commissioning and start-up. In practical training sessions on the tunnel boring machine and in theoretical courses, experienced service experts communicate their know-how to the site crew in a wide variety of areas such as visualization, hydraulics and electrical systems, oil and lubricants, working with the erector and ring building, maintaining the TBM and the grouting system, the bentonite circuit and operating the TBM.

All of these services have the aim of ensuring that the machine on site is “ready to bore” on time and tunnelling and pipeline installation can be started without delay. And the Herrenknecht crew is back in action again to disassemble the site after successful breakthrough.

Project advantages

• Exact and professional planning ensures smooth assembly of the TBM on site.

• Operative implementation by Herrenknecht specialists in cooperation with the customer ensures on-schedule assembly of the machine in a technically faultless state.

• Through additional training immediately after assembly, the customer's personnel is familiarized with the characteristics of the tunnel borer and capable of professionally supporting tunnelling operations.