Orange Pipe being installed

[610Alpha]

In my AO, which covers parts of 2 counties, the Utilities company is using trenching machine and directional borers to install what looks like a heavy duty Plastic pipe. My initial thought was they were going to run some sort of telcom line thru the pipe. Talked to my FIL last night, he is an owner operator of a dump truck and does a lot of construction projects so he is in the know on this stuff. He said this pipe is a new Natural Gas line that is used out in California due to its stretch factor with regards to earthquakes and they are rolling it out in the rest of the country.

For once it sounds like companies are planning ahead and doing something smart.

Anyone else seeing this type of work?

[WAB]

In my AO, which covers parts of 2 counties, the Utilities company is using trenching machine and directional borers to install what looks like a heavy duty Plastic pipe. My initial thought was they were going to run some sort of telcom line thru the pipe. Talked to my FIL last night, he is an owner operator of a dump truck and does a lot of construction projects so he is in the know on this stuff. He said this pipe is a new Natural Gas line that is used out in California due to its stretch factor with regards to earthquakes and they are rolling it out in the rest of the country.

For once it sounds like companies are planning ahead and doing something smart.

Anyone else seeing this type of work?

My son does that. Around here, gas pipe is yellow, telecommunications conduit is orange and blue is used for water.


WAB

[Grantmeliberty]

The orange pipe they are putting in around here is going to be carrying fiber optic. We don't have natural gas up here in the hills. There is a standard color code for all the utilities, so I suspect your information may have been mistaken.

[Benn Gleck]

In eastern Ohio where I used to deer hunt there are a bunch of natual gas wells and they use orange plastic pipe on the newer ones.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Yellow pipe here

[trapper]

I'm thinking that the orange pipe is is conduit for telecom or electric wires, yellow is for gas kinda universal. Stop by and ask them they will probably tell you ,if you see some strapping that comes in thhe conduit laying around ask them if you have it or buy it is stong stuff and can be tied and untied even after a heavy pull ,I have quit a pile of and is very useful.

[eeyore]

There are at least two types of orange pipe they use. One type is used for gas it is about 4" in diameter and smooth. That is what they use for gas. Once they complete their install they should put in makers that say it is gas.
The other type used for communications is "ribbed" on the outside and smooth on the inside. We call it "inner duct" it is usually 2" (or so). When they are done with their install they should have some type of metal box at the places where they have to splice.

They have been doing a lot of gas line infrastructure in my area also.

[eeyore]

There are difference in color sometimes when different manufactures, manufacture different products. There are different requirements of different materials in different jurisdictions.
In the District of Columbia the gas pipe is yellow and they use a type of welding (electrical heating) to connect the pipes. In Virginia and Maryland to the best of my knowledge they use orange pipe and use glue to make connections. (i don't work for the gas companies, but i do have them on my constructions sites.

Now marking is (supposed to be) universal, http://fod.osu.edu/marking/index.htm

Color Code
Here is the color code from the Utility Location & Coordination Council of the American Public Works Association currently adopted by OSU:

RED - Electric Power Lines, Cables, Conduit and Lighting Cables

YELLOW - Gas, Oil, Steam, Petroleum or Gaseous Materials

ORANGE - Communication, Alarm or Signal Lines, Cables or Conduit, Tunnels

BLUE - Water, Irrigation and Slurry Lines

GREEN - Sewers and Drain Lines

PINK - Temporary Survey Markings

WHITE - Proposed Excavation

Sometimes i think it depends on whose cousin owns what and who is trying to get there brother-in-law a job, sometimes.

[dtalley]

I work for a natural gas company in Texas we use yellow pipe and the communications people use orange. However we did use orange back in the 80's for a short time but then the national color code scheme that eeyore has in the previous post kicked in and we went to yellow. I have seen communications pipe as large as 2" but not larger.

[eeyore]

across you my driveway today they were installing a (approx) 3" orange smooth pipe today. I stopped and asked the worker what it was for. It is for telecommunications. He said it was an inter county connection for schools , fire departments, rescue squads and police stations.