Compliance Verification Activity Report: CV1617-537 - TransCanada PipeLines Limited

Overview

Compliance verification activity type: Field Inspection

Activity #: CV1617-537
Start date: 2017-03-29
End date: 2017-03-30

Team:

Regulated company: TransCanada PipeLines Limited

Operating company: TransCanada PipeLines Limited

Province(s) / Territory(s):

Discipline(s):

Rationale and scope:

Inspection of construction of Vaughn Mainline (XG-T211-020-2016)

Compliance tool(s) used:

Facility details

Facilities:

Regulatory requirements

Regulatory requirements that apply to this activity:

Regulatory instrument number(s):

Observations (no outstanding follow-up required)

Observation 1 - General Safety Observations

Date & time of visit: 2017-03-29 07:00

Discipline: Safety Management

Categories:

Facility:

Observations:

Discussed 4 site specific hazards as identified in the Banister Site Specific Safety Plan (SSSP) and then observed control measures in field as follows:

Additional observations were made as follows:

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observation 2 - Integrity Observations - Day 1

Date & time of visit: 2017-03-29 07:00

Discipline: Integrity Management

Categories:

Facility:

Observations:

NEB inspectors received the Banister Orientation and the TransCanada Environmental Project Orientation.  Banister is the prime contractor for this project.  Banister also provided a copy of the project Emergency Response Plan.

NEB inspectors were provided with records at the Opening Meeting. TransCanada confirmed that they have their own safety, welding and coating inspectors on site. TransCanada also confirmed that the non-destructive examination (NDE) was conducted by Acuren, a company hired directly by TransCanada.

TransCanada’s Senior Welding Inspector explained and provided the following records:

NEB inspectors went to the Kick Off site. TransCanada explained the assessment that has been conducted on the pipe before the hot tap fitting to be installed later.  The exposed pipe was visually inspected and magnetic particle tested (MT) on its entire surface; the seam weld was inspected by ultrasonic testing (UT) on its entire length; and the weld areas for the hot tap fitting was inspected by UT.

NEB inspectors went to Shoo-fly 13. A massive culvert has been installed for the crossing of a small creek. Two drills were working together to ream the Horizontal Directional Drill hole under East Humber river.

NEB inspectors went to shoo-fly 12.  TCPL coating inspector was present on-site, however the coating process was completed for the day at the time of the inspection.  A multi-component liquid epoxy coating was used for the coating of the girth welds.  It was confirmed that the required quality assurance activities such as adhesion, hardness, atmospheric conditions, salts, profile, materials, dry film thickness, visual, and holiday detection were being performed. Hardness, profile and adhesion testing is completed on each crew at the frequency of the first weld and every 5 welds for tie-ins. Thickness measurements were performed for each weld location along the entire circumferential profile of the pipe after the coating application was complete. 

The coating crew had just completed the coating of a cold bend. TransCanada decided for this project to remove the manufactured coating of FBE2B coated pipe after the cold bending and to replace it by a spray applied liquid epoxy coating.

NEB inspectors also observed tie-in welding at this location.  Tie-in welding was conducted using the SMAW (shielded metal arc welding) process and using cellulosic rods for all the passes.  A poor boy crew was performing the final cap at this location at the time of the NEB inspection.  TransCanada's welding inspector was present on site and welding parameters were being regularly verified for each crew. The heat was maintained between passes as per the procedure requirements.  NEB inspectors verified that the TransCanada welding inspector on site maintained a log of the parameters taken, and that they were within the specified ranges in the welding data sheet (2016-008-04).  It was observed that the welding consumables were properly stored and handled.  NEB inspectors reviewed the Welder Qualification Register containing the records of all the welders for the stick welding processes. Each welder was tested to the indicated Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) and a corresponding pass or fail score were assigned.  The chief welding inspector confirmed that all welds are 100% visually and non-destructively tested (i.e Ultrasonic or radiographic methods).
 

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observation 3 - Integrity Observations - Day 2

Date & time of visit: 2017-03-30 13:00

Discipline: Integrity Management

Categories:

Facility:

Observations:

NEB inspectors went to shoo-fly 12.  Two teams of welders were welding at this site. TransCanada had a welding inspector monitoring the welding.  Banister also had a welding inspector onsite.  The Banister inspector provided a log of the welding parameters taken that day at the NEB inspector’s request.  It was confirmed that the recorded parameters were within the welding procedure specifications. TransCanada’s welding inspector confirmed that at least 50% of uniform weld on the root pass is completed before the external clamp is removed.  TransCanada confirmed that all SMAW welds are non-destructively examined at least 24 hours after completing the weld. The welders were qualified for the welding in progress.
 
NEB inspectors observed the coating application process for the girth welds on the tie-ins at Shoo-fly 7.  The coating crew was brush applying the SPC 2888 coating at a thickness between 20 to 70 mm.  Each completed coating was tagged with the technician number to ensure their traceability.  TransCanada had a coating inspector monitoring the work. Banister also had a coating inspector on site. It was confirmed that the tests required for quality assurance activities such as adhesion, hardness, atmospheric conditions, salts, profile, materials, dry film thickness, visual, and holiday detection and blotter were being performed.  The coating applicators were qualified for the coating application that was in progress.

Compliance tool used: No compliance tool used

Observations (company follow-up required)

Identified non-compliances to company plans or procedures are non-compliances either to:

- the condition of an authorization document that requires the implementation of that plan or procedure; or

- the relevant section of the regulations that requires implementation of that plan or procedure including those sections that require implementation of plans or procedures as a part of a Program