Global Activity

US - Dakota Access Pipeline

The Dakota Access Pipeline is a 1,172-mile underground state of the art 30 in. pipeline extending from the Bakken/Three Forks production area in North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois.  Pipeline equipment and solutions provided by PLM for this project included PL83 and PL87 pipelayers, 72H pipelayers set up as shack tractors with the Weld Deck attached for continuous powered welding, 336F L and 349F L excavators, and some D7E LGP, D6T and D8T dozers.  The challenging terrain of the project was safely navigated by the Cat^® equipment on site.

US - Keystone XL Pipeline

The Keystone XL is a pipeline was built to transport synthetic crude oil and diluted bitumen from Alberta, Canada to multiple destinations in the United States, which include refineries along the Gulf Coast of Texas.  PLM provided approximately 91 machines for portions of the project, a combination of 587T, 336E L and 349E L excavators, D6T LGP, D7E and D6N LGP dozers, and 14M Motor Graders.  A significant amount of coordination between the PLM departments to include Sales, Rental & Used Equipment, New Equipment, and Cypress Service Facility,  made the facilitation and execution of a machine delivery this size a success.

Canada - Midwest Pipelines

72H pipelayers and PANTHER T8 carrier with crane configuration worked on the Midwest Pipelines project, Pembina - Canada. The 24-in. diameter and 16-in. diameter pipelines mean that Pembina will have four pipelines in the Fox Creek to Edmonton corridor with an ultimate capacity of over 1,000,000 barrels per day ("bpd"). This will allow them to transport four distinct hydrocarbons -- propane-plus, ethane-plus, condensate and crude oil - each in its own segregated pipeline. 

Canada - Access Pipeline

Access Northeast Expansion pipeline is a 297 km long project of 42 in. pipe that will carry LVP Bitumen Blend and runs from Conklin, Alberta to Redwater, Alberta in Canada. PLM provided an assortment of equipment on this project to include the 72H, PL61, and PL87 pipelayers in addition to D8T and D6T dozers and 349 and 336 excavators on rent.

As you can imagine, the climate during the winter months is harsh and very demanding. The 72H pipelayer received a custom fit cab with a heater available just in time! The 72H pipelayers were used to handle the welding shacks that contain the automatic welders (shack packers). PL61 pipelayers worked the end prep or beveling machines and the PL87 pipelayers handled the bending, lowering, and heavy lifting phases of the job.

Canada - Kananaskis, Alberta

The PL87 pipelayer made its debut in Kananaskis, Alberta as a prototype in 2012.  This project was to replace a 1.8km (just over 1 mile) wooden pipeline that has been in use for fifty years moving water from the dam to the hydroelectric plant.  An immense about of blasting took place in order to get this pipe in the ground before covering it back into the mountain. The new pipe is 11 ft. in diameter and each section of pipe is 40 ft. in length and weighs 30,000 lbs. Each joint in the pipeline required over half a day of welding and each joint once completed has 120 ft. of welding done.

Mexico

The Phase II North Los Ramones natural gas pipeline  program in Mexico starts at a compression station in Nuevo León state and runs approximately 279.6 miles (450 km) south to reach Villa Hidalgo in the state of San Luis Potosi.  All in all, the 531 mile (855 km) Los Ramones natural gas pipeline is designed to improve gas supply in Mexico's central region.  PLM equipment included the 583T pipelayers that lifted the pipe for initial alignment, holding it while the internal weld was completed.  This was followed 71H pipelayer tack rigs with the WELD DECK continuous powered welding configuration attached.  The PANTHER T8 dump bed carrier was also introduced on this project and well received for its efficiency and ability to travel roads where most vehicles cannot access.

Argentina

This project in Argentina consisted of of 130 km of 30” pipe and 21 km of 21” pipe – a total of over 93 miles of pipeline construction.  During the process of analyzing different options for the pipelayers that would be needed, the customer researched machines from older Caterpillar models as well as from competitors. The end result was the customer opted for new machines, specifically the Cat^® PL83 pipelayer.

Safety concerns played a large role in this decision. The project owner had very strict safety guidelines and the challenge was met in the PL83 pipelayer with the Caterpillar^® Certified Roll Over Protection Structure (ROPS). In addition, the project was going to take place on the northern part of the country as well as in the southern part of Argentina where temperatures can be very extreme. The cab on the PL83 pipelayer provided protection from the temperature and a comfortable operating environment making it the perfect choice for this climate.

QCLNG Pipeline

In July of 2012 the PLM sales and product support team visited the QCLNG pipeline in Australia. The trip began in Chinchilla, the start of the gas trunk line, and headed north to a camp at Cracow. At Cracow the group sighted approximately 200 m of pipe ready for lowering into the trench. Further north were our Weld Deck units for continuous powered welding with some of our D6N shack tractors and Cat 572R’s. All of the Cat pipelayers that worked on this project were supplied by PLM, around fifty-five side booms, to include 587Ts, 583Ts and 572Rs.

TANAP Project - Turkey

The Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline Project (TANAP) in Turkey is approximately 1850 km (1,149.5 miles) of a 56 in. gas pipeline that goes through Turkey bring Caspian gas to the European border.  In these photographs you will see Cat^® PL87 pipelayers being used on spread five and six, a total length of approximately 500 km (310 miles).

Saudi Arabia

PLM partnered with local dealer, Zahid Tractor, to provide pipelayer equipment for a pipeline project that ran through the Saudi Arabia region in 2016.  An international project coordinator worked Zahid Tractor in preparing the equipment package after delivery.  587T and PL87 pipelayers were part of the yellow iron that worked on this right-of-way.