TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020
Earlier this month, California-based manufacturer Thompson Pipe Group announced that it planned to begin production for Oklahoma City’s Atoka Pipeline at its manufacturing plant in Grand Prairie, Texas.
The news comes just months after Oklahoma City Water Utilities Trust selected Thomson as the exclusive pipeline provider for the project.
About the Atoka Pipeline Project
Completed in 1962, the first pipeline was constructed using 60-inch line to transport raw water from Lake Atoka in southeast Oklahoma to Lake Stanley Draper in Oklahoma City.
“This project is special to us. More than 60 years ago, our city leaders saw fit to expand our water footprint beyond the drought-prone prairie lands where Oklahoma City got its start in 1889,” said Utilities Director Chris Browning.
“Now, as our service area continues to grow, it’s time to expand upon our current infrastructure and build a new line that will ensure the resiliency of our raw water delivery system for future generations.”
Up and running in #Oklahoma at our #Atoka water pipeline site! The BG 30 is towering over the trees! #BuildOnUs #Atoka #secantpiles pic.twitter.com/t3hTUHY2Hy
— Nicholson Construction Company (@NicholsonConst) November 19, 2019
In setting an example of how local and regional utilities should invest in critical infrastructure, according to Thompson Pipe Group President Ken Thompson, the company was chosen in November to build a new line parallel to the existing pipeline.
As per the contract agreement, Thompson will build more than 10,000 pieces of 72-inch polyethylene-coated and cement-mortar lined steel pipe for the historic project at its Grand Prairie facility—the largest of its facilities employment wise, with roughly 400 workers.
Once completed, the 100-mile long pipeline will transport raw water from Lake Atoka to Lake Stanley Draper, where it will be treated and delivered to more than 1.4 million people in central Oklahoma. The pipeline is slated to move more than 100 million gallons of water per day.
What Happens Next
As reported by the Dallas Business Journal, the first section of the pipe to be built this month will be used in the river crossing portion of the project, located around the center point of the pipeline. Thompson will continue to produce piping for the project, while Oklahoma City Water Utilities awards bids for various tunneling work or trenching of pipe in concrete.
Unfortunately, project officials add that logistics issues could be experienced as a result of the multitude of possible contractors Thompson will be working with makes it nearly impossible to but a completion target date on the project.
According to Grand Prairie-based Manager for Business Development at Thompson, Pat Whiteley, there is no hard timeline for the project’s completion. However, given that Thompson was awarded an eight-year contract, Whiteley estimates that the pipeline could be completed in five to six years.
Tagged categories: Cement; Coating Materials; Construction; Infrastructure; Infrastructure; Linings; Pipelines; potable water; Program/Project Management
