Editor's Log

Editor's Log: Honoring Quiet Success
October 2011, Vol. 66 No. 10

There are many types of awards or special recognition bestowed annually in our industry -- the underground infrastructure construction and rehabilitation market. Most are well-deserved and for the right reasons (though there does seem to be a lot of “political” thinking involved in some of that recognition – but that’s a conversation for another day).

Editor's Log: San Bruno Report Clears Pipebursting; Rehab Zone's Faith In Industry; UCT Program Announced
September 2011, Vol. 66 No. 9

On Tuesday, Aug. 30, the National Transportation Safety Board issued their final report on the pipeline explosion in San Bruno, CA, that occurred on Sept. 9, 2010. A 30-inch diameter natural gas transmission pipeline owned and operated by Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) ruptured in this residential area, killing eight people.

Fighting City Hall
Robert Carpenter, Editor
August 2011, Vol. 66 No. 8

Extreme economic hardships for many municipalities are pushing some cities to consider extreme actions – such as the rarely occurring municipal bankruptcy. Consider the case of Birmingham/Jefferson County, AL.

Twists In The San Bruno Saga
Robert Carpenter, Editor
July 2011, Vol. 66 No. 7

The search for the cause of the San Bruno gas pipeline explosion in 2009 that killed eight people has taken a new twist. On June 9, the California Public Utilities Commission issued a report from their hand-picked Independent Review Panel. This was a group the CPUC assembled ostensibly to get to the bottom of the San Bruno explosion.

HDD: Fundamental Change
Robert Carpenter, Editor
June 2011 Vol. 66 No. 6

Increasingly, horizontal directional drilling contractors come from every walk of underground construction life. Gas and oil pipelines, telecom, electric and gas distribution were the early adopters of the technology. But as the rigs and affiliated add-ons/complimentary equipment evolved, other underground niches have steadily became believers in the technology.

Editor's Log: Under Siege
Robert carpenter, Editor
May 2011, Vol. 66 No. 5

When considering the condition of America’s underground sewer and water infrastructure, there are several constants. For those in the know, the word ‘failing’ tops the list, closely followed by a perpetual dearth of funding.

What We Learned From UCT
Robert Carpenter, Editor
March 2011, Vol. 66 No. 3

At the 2011 edition of the annual Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT) held in January, a different mentality and perspective was apparent among both the attendees and many of the exhibitors.

Editor's Log: Half-Full
Robert Carpenter, Editor
February 2011, Vol. 66 No. 2

Underground Construction’s 14th Annual Municipal Sewer and Water Infrastructure Survey appears this month. While compiling and writing the report each year is always extremely interesting and revealing, I found this year’s survey to provide a particularly telling insight into the municipal market.

Many Programs, Many Visions
Robert Carpenter, Editor
December 2010 Vol. 65 No. 12

As the countdown to the 2011 Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition continues, the scope of the overall program is worth exploring. While the primary educational program runs Tuesday, Jan. 25 through Thursday, Jan. 27, a strategic inclusion of special programs rounds out almost a full week of educational opportunities.

Back To Reality
Robert Carpenter, Editor
November 2010, Vol. 65 No. 11

In this issue, Managing Editor Rita Tubb provides a round-up of oil, gas and product pipeline construction currently under way or projected around the world. It’s a reduced number, as expected, compared to recent years. However, it is a very realistic number as the “pipe-in-the-sky” projects that are inevitably thrown about during boom times have been dropped. The remaining projects are considered solid with a strong chance of coming to fruition. The numbers lead us to anticipate a reasonably healthy pipeline market going forward.

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