GEOWEB® Geocells and High

Oct 07, 2023

October 26, 20225:46 AM BOE Report Staff

Project Background and Challenges

In late 2016, Harvest Energy's construction consultant, Drifter, was faced with rehabilitating and upgrading an existing access road to handle the rigors of a new plant expansion and commissioning. The modifications were being made to Harvest Operations Black Gold In-Situ Thermal SAGD plant located south of Conklin, AB. The existing Encana bypass road was 11.5 km (7.1 miles) long and originally served as a secondary access road into the facilities in the region, including Cenovus Christina Lake, Devon Pike, Jackfish, and Kirby.

The access road had not been in use for several years and became almost impassable during spring and summer rain events due to neglect. Harvest Energy turned to Presto Geosystems’ Canadian distributor—and well-known geosynthetics supplier/installer in the region, Layfield Group—for load support options to drastically improve the performance of the road.

Project Challenges

Keeping the road operational during initial subgrade preparation and staging of reinforcement material and gravel in advance of the road being closed for repairs was a concern. Work also needed to be completed on a short construction timeline. Layfield's execution plan called for the road to be closed for less than two weeks.

Building of a Reinforced Road

The decision was made to deploy the GEOWEB® Load Support System with Mirafi's enhanced woven geotextile. The materials were chosen due to their performance and speed of deployment. Several sections of the access road were in such poor condition that a second layer of GEOWEB/geotextile would likely be required for additional subbase reinforcement.

Layfield's experienced team provided on-site technical support and installation training for the general contractor. They worked closely with the contractor and Drifter's on-site project manager to ensure a smooth and timely deployment of the materials. Staging the magnitude of materials for the project took some serious planning and logistical finesse by Layfield's shipping department.

How Does the GEOWEB® 3D System Work?

Roads built with the GEOWEB® 3D geocells, geotextile reinforcement, and aggregate infill are extremely stable and well-equipped to support heavy traffic—even when faced with soft subgrades.• Low-maintenance, 3D confined aggregate surface is highly resistant to rutting and requires virtually no maintenance.• Lower-cost, local fill may be used.• GEOWEB panels and geotextile rolls are easy to deploy and install, even in remote or difficult-access locations.• The surface is ready for traffic immediately after infilling and compaction.

Fast, All-Weather Installation

A key to installation speed was the use of the patented ATRA® Key device to connect GEOWEB® panels. The corrosion-resistant keys are the strongest and safest connection method—dramatically speeding deployment of the GEOWEB® panels.

See the Project Case Study & Photos >>

For project assistance, contact Presto Geosystems at 800-548-3424.

WEBINAR: Building Resilient Oil & Gas Roads and Pads Using the GEOWEB® Soil Stabilization System

Tuesday, December 6, 2022 | 11:00 AM -12:00 PM CST | Earn 1.0 PDH Credit

When unpaved roads, drill pads, and work platforms are constructed over weak subgrades, base deterioration can lead to degradation. This degradation leads to unwanted deflections, rutting, and ultimately failure of the surface layer. The GEOWEB® Soil Stabilization System significantly reduces the vertical pressure reaching the subgrade, provides a high-stiffness foundation and reduces cross-section thickness up to 50% or more. Increasing the load capacity of the subgrade allows it to effectively handle heavy vehicle and drill rig loads while reducing maintenance cost.

Learning Objectives:• Understand the benefits of using the GEOWEB Soil Stabilization System to stabilize surfaces for unpaved roads, drill pads, and work platforms using low-quality fill or sand.• Discover how 3D-confined base material reduces cross-section depth and provides a more stable base, especially over soft subgrade soils.• Learn how the GEOWEB system reduces vertical pressure and subbase movement.• Learn how the GEOWEB system performs effectively when subject to heavy vehicle and drill rig loadings.

Register Today >>

Cenovus Encana Harvest Operations

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