Hampton Roads Submerged Pipeline

Weeks installed 5.5 miles of 24” diameter API 5L X60 steel pipe across Hampton Roads Harbor and the Elizabeth River for the marine segment of the Virginia Natural Gas HRX Project. The project crossing was defined by seven horizontal directional drills (HDDs), including one world-record length drill of 7,357 feet and three “water-to-water” drills over 3000 feet each. These, along with a 5100-foot length of concrete weight coated pipe which was pulled across the bottom of the harbor are exemplary of the large scale we are able to operate at. Five flanged tie-in spools were fabricated, tested and installed to complete the line. Working closely with our dredging team at Weeks for the HDD entry/exit pits and the mile long trench for the weight coated pipe, over 200,000 cubic yards of dredging was required in total. The pipe was protected at each tie-in location by 4.5-inch-thick concrete mattresses and an additional 6 feet of rock riprap placed over the pipe. All work was completed per DOT requirements.