The Steve Vick International Contract Service team help replace 200m of aging gas pipe on busy South Street, Chichester

The Steve Vick International (SVI) Contract Service was recently contacted by SGN to help carry out a gas mains renewal on South Street, Chichester.

The Live Mains Insertion (LMI) method was pioneered by SVI in 1981. It was chosen by SGN for this replacement project because closing the street was not an option. The busy street comprises commercial businesses as well as significant pedestrian and vehicular traffic.

By using LMI, SGN were able to replace the cast iron main by inserting new PE pipe whilst all customers remained on gas. Unlike dead mains replacement only two trenches were needed to complete the works, which allowed pedestrians and vehicles to continue using the street at all times.

Steve Vick International provided the hardware to enable the project to take place; the pipe was manoeuvred using the SVI Pipe Handler and the old cast iron pipe was cracked using the SVI Macaw Cracker.

Steve Vick International Contract Service

In addition to supplying the equipment, SVI also provided the man power to help complete the project.

Trained SVI Engineers from the Contract Service Team visited the site a total of 7 times to facilitate the reconnection of 30 services in total.

SVI expanding foam technology was used in the deployment of ENDSEALS™ and Insertion Seals; both of which appear in the UK gas industry ‘Main Laying Procedures’ and are considered best practice.

These techniques were used to stop gas tracking back along the annular space of the inserted gas main, allowing services to be connected to the new PE pipe. Only trained SVI technicians can deploy these methods when the size of the low pressure main is over 10”, kits are available for use on pipes smaller than 10”.

In addition to this SVI Engineers were asked to make a series of circumferential cuts using the N600 Keel Cutter, developed for cutting mains of 250 up to 1600mm.

SVI has been providing a Contract Service for over 35 years. The team are experienced in providing support on a wide variety of repair and renovation projects within both the gas and water industries.

SVI Contracting engineers are based in strategic locations across the UK; consequently they provide a fast, efficient emergency repair service; 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.