The Pineywoods CCS Hub will service manufacturers, industrial producers and power generated facilities in Beaumont and along the Houston Ship Channel to help meet environmental requirements. With more than 5,000 miles of active CO2 pipelines in operation in the U.S. today, this is a safe and environmentally responsible solution to reduce emissions.
Pipeline routes are determined with safety as a key part of the design. Attention is also given to minimizing impacts to communities and the environment. Pipeline operators prepare extensive emergency response plans before construction even begins. The plans are reviewed by regulators and shared with local first responders and officials to ensure a coordinated response if an incident does occur over the life of the project.
Pipeline operators work with local authorities, first responders and other local stakeholders to practice this plan. Emergency personnel will know in advance what to bring and what to do. The pipeline will also be part of the 811 “Call Before You Dig” system.
Pipelines are designed to fit their operating use and conditions. For this project, the pipeline would be designed and built to only transport liquefied carbon dioxide (CO2) that must meet strict purity tests.
The pipeline’s high-grade steel must meet industry and federal government quality requirements for toughness and strength.
Pipe segments are transported to the construction site and then laid out along the pipeline route. Pipeline segments are welded together to form the pipeline. Pipe welders must be qualified in accordance with industry standards incorporated into federal regulation. Weld types and procedures are also set by federal regulation. Welders must demonstrate their abilities in field tests before construction.
Welded segments along the pipeline must be inspected for quality. An X-ray or ultrasonic scan ensures there are no defects in the connection.
After passing inspection, the weld joints receive an anti-corrosion protective coating and are tested to verify coverage. The pipeline receives further protection through a slight electrical current system, called cathodic protection, which helps prevent corrosion.
An assembled pipeline must still undergo pre-operational testing before it is allowed to go into service. Operators pump water into the pipeline and hold it at high pressure to demonstrate there are no leaks in the pipe or its weld joints. If any issues are found, they are repaired before the pipeline begins operating. The pipeline will also be inspected with high-tech probes, called Pipeline Inspection Gauges or “smart pigs,” to locate any defects in the pipe.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has many measures to strengthen its safety oversight of CO2 pipelines around the country and to protect communities. These include, but are not limited to, design requirements, construction, operation and maintenance parameters, and emergency preparation. Learn more at phmsa.dot.gov/regulations-and-compliance.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has many measures to strengthen its safety oversight of CO2 pipelines around the country and to protect communities. These include design requirements, construction, operation and maintenance parameters, and emergency preparation. Learn more at phmsa.dot.gov/regulations-and-compliance.
This CCS project’s operation is anticipated to span 30+ years. After that time, the pipeline will either be repurposed or decommissioned.
The project will have an on-site operations team. Once that team is hired and trained, information will be provided to the public about how to reach the team for questions or contact an emergency call line. For now, please reach out to our local representative or submit your information on our Contact page.
We work with specialized restoration companies to develop and execute construction mitigation and restoration plans. These plans include analyzing the unique conditions of the landscape and local land use practices. Construction impacts are temporary, and we will make sure the land is returned to pre-construction conditions or better. Soil will be segregated, protected and de-compacted upon replacement. Landowners will be compensated for the impact caused by construction of the pipeline.
Newly constructed pipelines avoid contact with major bodies of water by tunneling deep beneath them. Before a pipeline reaches a waterbody shoreline, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) can burrow the pipeline 100 feet or more beneath the bottom of a waterbody, never coming into contact or close to the water itself.
The minimum depth of the pipeline is three feet.
To learn more about Tenaska’s approach to CCS and CO2 pipelines, including how the technology works, how pipelines operate, and how rigorous regulations and safety standards protect communities, please reach out to us directly or share your information with us and we will be in touch.