Erickson to Deploy Aircrane for Mexico Pipeline Project
When all else fails, fly it in. That’s the strategy one project in Mexico will take to deliver pipeline segments for a 329-mile project to deliver natural gas to city along the Gulf of California.
Erickson Inc. will deploy one of its Aircranes to assist in the transport of more than 1,000 pipeline segments for a 329-mile long project in Mexico.
Erickson Inc., a leading global provider of aviation services, announced April 14 that the company has contracted with Group Desarrollo Infaestructura, SA de CV (GDI), which is contracted with TransCanada Corp.’s Mexican subsidiary Transportadora de Gas del Noreste for a new rural infrastructure pipeline project that will bring clean burning natural gas to businesses and citizens in Mexico. The agreement will guarantee the use of an S-64 E Aircrane to assist in the external load transport of more than 1,000 natural gas pipeline segments that will complete the 329-mile long Topolobampo project. This project is a first for Erickson within the construction services market in Mexico.
The terrain surrounding the project is rugged and mountainous with minimal ground access. Transporting pipe segments by helicopter from a centralized staging area to multiple sites along the pipeline reduces transit time and avoids road construction. Current access roads are inaccessible for the equipment and pipe segments needed, and the helicopter allows for a more efficient project timeline. The Aircrane is an ecological and strategic solution for installation due to the lack of transportation infrastructure in this challenging location.
“This is a high priority project for the city of Los Mochis to help build infrastructure in austere and rugged locations,” said Jeff Roberts, president and CEO of Erickson. “We are providing an ecological solution when roadways aren’t available and the area is difficult to navigate by land. The Aircrane is very nimble in the air and our crews are a fast and affordable solution for rural infrastructure projects.”
The work will be completed early in the second quarter of 2015. The precision capability of the Aircrane, combined with the skill and experience of pilots and project managers, has led Erickson to be uniquely suited for this project.
Erickson operates a fleet of approximately 80 rotary-wing (light, medium and heavy) and fixed-wing aircraft, including 20 heavy-lift S-64 Aircranes, all of which are used in such fields as oil and gas, government services and commercial services such as firefighting, HVAC, power line, specialty, construction and timber harvesting. Founded in 1971, the company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and maintains operations in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and Australia. For more information, visit ericksonaviation.com.
Tags: Aircrane, Erickson Inc., Mexico, TransCanada
