CASE STUDY
Intel, Co Kildare
Direct Utilities are accustomed to high-pressure, high-stakes situations in working with live gas mains and this was particularly evident in a recent project in Intel, Co Kildare. Direct Utilities were tasked with laying 1,200 metres of 250mm and 180mm gas main from an existing gas skid on the old site to a new FAB. As it is a working site, it was extremely important that the site could remain using gas even when we were connecting to the skid.
“The purging of gas was a big concern in Intel,” explains Darren Gorman, Director of Direct Utilities. “They have major air intake units dotted all over site and if they take in a certain level of gas it could close the factory down costing millions. We conducted huge amount of planning and preparation with Intel around this.
To get the task done Direct Utilities had to utilize a 300-metre section of existing gas main, which required a full camera survey of the pipe and test.”
Complex project
“We had to work with different contractors in different areas which took a lot of planning and communication. We had a supervisor on site at all times to plan the works with other contractors/trades and we used a specialist contractor to camera survey the existing main,” explains Darren.
Direct Utilities experience and resources gave them the confidence and ability to carry out the works required. They were able to up the number of crews on site as needed and they supplied all pipe and fittings so these were kept track of each day. “We were able to have a crew butt fuse some sections of the pipe in a workshop off site while another crew worked on site,” explains Darren.
Intel were so impressed with the quality of the world performed by Direct Utilities for Gas Networks Ireland two years previously, they specifically requested Direct Utilities for this project.
As a result of the success of this particular project, Direct Utilities have now been commissioned by Intel to oversee all work on the natural gas system.