David Chenoweth, Joe Schneider and Colby Reid

1. Kern River Natural Gas Line Expansion:A Case Study in Overcoming Adversity on a Mountainous Lineal Reclamation Project David Chenoweth, Joe Schneider and Colby Reid

2. Project Description • The Apex Expansion Project is located in the Wasatch Mountains in Morgan, Davis, and Salt Lake counties in northern Utah. • The new 36” diameter pipeline is an expansion off an existing pipeline which stretches from southwestern Wyoming to California. • 28 miles of new pipeline, 390 acres of revegetation, 175 acres of erosion control blanket, and 215 acres of seeding with straw mulch.

4. Overall Project Goals • Provide increased reliability and operational flexibility through additional looping and added compression. • Add a capacity of 266 million cubic feet per day to safely and efficiently transport natural gas. • Increase the availability of an abundant clean fuel for the generation of electricity. • Provide much needed take-away capacity for the increasing natural gas supplies in the Rocky Mountains producing areas.

5. Reclamation Plan • Developed by Kern River to address disturbances to current site conditions due to construction of the Apex Expansion Loop. • Incorporates standard erosion, sediment control, and restoration procedures. • Site stabilization would require the following: backfilling, decompaction, recontouring, rock mulch, imprinting, water bars and revegetation. • The pipeline contractor would perform everything but revegetation, which is the responsibility of WSRI.

7. Reclamation Plan • Revegetation included the following: seed bed preparation, seeding mixtures and rates, seeding methods, and reclamation treatments for steep slopes and erodible soils. • Pipeline crosses 3 identified vegetation communities: Great Basin Sagebrush, Mountain Mahogany-Oak Scrub, and Douglas Fir Forest. • Over 90 percent of the soil were considered to have moderate to high erosion, shallow bedrock or poor revegetation potential.

9. Short Term Reclamation Goals • Re-establishing pre-construction contours and hydrologic patterns • Minimization of on-site erosion • Minimization of off-site sedimentation • Re-establishment of the pre-construction vegetative communities, as appropriate • Where possible, replacement and/or enhancement to wildlife habitats crossed • Establishment of post-construction vegetative monitoring stations

10. Long Term Reclamation Goals • Soil stabilization • Establishment of a sustainable vegetative cover • Annual post-construction monitoring for a minimum of 3 years • Maintenance and repair of permanent erosion and sediment controls • A commitment to the restoration and protection of water resources • A return to pre-existing land uses to the extent practical and consistent with Kern River’s operations and monitoring needs

11. Specified Approaches for Reclamation • Slopes less than 30% - soil preparation, drill seeding, straw mulch, and crimping. • Slopes 30-50% - hand broadcast seed, hand raking, and installation of straw erosion control blanket with photodegradable netting. • Slopes greater than 50% - hand broadcast seeding, hand raking, installation of straw coconut erosion control blanket with photodegradable netting. • 4 seed mixes utilized for different vegetation communities.

13. Project Estimation • Factored in union wage rates, slopes, and access to pipeline ROW. • Initially assumed that access routes would be available, and that mild slopes (less than 30%) would be accessible to agricultural equipment. • WSRI realized there would be many challenges with the project schedule, but believed the project could be completed with standard crew sizes.

14. Contract Negotiations • WSRI created a union based sister company, WSRII, in which the project would be performed under. • Project general contractor was responsible for getting the pipeline in service by November of 2011 or face damages of $115,000 per day.

15. Initial Project Approach • To complete the first six sections of pipeline (168 acres) between November of 2010 and January of 2011. Then complete the rest of the 390 acres starting in June of 2011. • Anticipated a 24 man blanket crew and a 4 man tractor crew could keep pace with pipeline construction. It was expected that crew sizes would grow as the project progressed. • Expected to move equipment and laborers across the pipeline with low boy semis, 4wd pickup trucks, and UTVs. Hard to access areas were anticipated.

17. Modified Project Approach • Large amounts of precipitation in the fall of 2010 delayed revegetation until the spring of 2011. • In March 2011, an inventory of site conditions revealed that the original project approach was not possible because of site access and slopes. • WSRII hired extra laborers and utilized 2-9 passenger vans to get laborers to the access points, and then UTVs to get laborers and equipment to the pipeline.

19. Modified Project Approach • Helicopters were then used to transport laborers and equipment. • Additional project management was dedicated to the job. • By the end of August, WSRII had more than doubled its workforce. 2 school buses, a John Deere 650 dozer, and a Marooka dump truck were utilized to transport crew and equipment.

26. Project Outcomes • Even with all of the setbacks, WSRII was able to complete the project 5 days ahead of schedule. • This project ended up being one of the most difficult revegetation projects that WSRI/WSRII has completed in its 29 year history.

28. Lessons Learned • There can never be enough time spent ground validating access along pipeline ROWs, especially in challenging terrain. • Staffing a union project takes a large administration team and individuals experienced in union work. • Critical management decision need to be made right away on a project of this complexity. • WSRI has gained invaluable experience from this project, and we are eager to apply our knowledge on the next project.

30. Questions