braunintertec.com

Vol. 14 Issue 3 PRACTICAL AND ENTERTAINING SINCE 1997 Fall/Winter 2011

THE POCKET

ConsultantBy Liz Wortman, lwortman@braunintertec.com

Welcome to the Boomtown!

See BOOMTOWN - Continued on page 4

On a trip to Bismarck and western North Dakota this summer, I came to discover that wind shield time in this sprawling state is as common as the tall grasses that cover the rolling prairies. “We’ll start out towards Minot then head west to Williston,” said Ken Haag, as I scrambled into the pick-up for what surely would be a true North Dakota adventure. Haag, who is a Principal at Braun Intertec and runs our Bismarck operation, invited me to see firsthand many of our recent projects in the Bakken Field, or “oil patch” in Western North Dakota.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or sequestered from any form of modern media, you probably know that North Dakota has an abundance of energy resources, and that the oil and gas boom has arrived. Names like Dickinson, Williston, Tioga, Stanley and New Town have become synonymous with big oil and gas companies like Hess, EOG Resources, Marathon Oil and Whiting Oil and Gas. The production numbers are astonishing, with North Dakota reported to yield nearly a half million barrels of oil per day. This accounts for about six percent of the total US crude production.

As we continued driving, our eyes become a witness to wind turbines, a power station (fueled by area lignite mines), pump jacks, storage tanks, rail lines and offices sprouting up on the horizon.

Two lane highways fill with tanker trucks as they travel to and from the well sites, lining up on the roads that skirt the filling facilities.

For the past two and a half years Braun Intertec has been involved in the “boom” by providing geotechnical consulting, construction materials testing and nondestructive examination services on numerous projects ranging from compressor stations, rail load out facilities, well pad design and plant expansions, to oil

and gas separation facilities, administration buildings and oilfield services projects throughout the area. Staffing these projects has become crucial and skilled managers and technicians are in demand. In an environment where time is money, a 24 hour work day is the norm. It’s not uncommon for personnel to put in 60-80 hours per week during the warmer months to keep up with demand. Even when not on site, employees are rarely disconnected from

the field. “As a supervisor, I need to be available 24-7 to effectively manage these

projects,” says Dustin Elsbernd, Construction Materials Supervisor for Braun Intertec. “In situations where problems arise or clients have questions, we need to be available to answer their questions whether it’s 9:00 p.m. or 2:00 a.m.” Another big concern is employee safety. “Safety is a big priority for us, and we want to be ready to address any situation that may occur with our employees,” adds Elsbernd. “Working smart, staying safe, there is no compromising when it comes to that.”

Multi-well oil pads, known as Eco-Pads®, are a common site in the Bakken oil field. Eco-pads have four to six wells on a single well pad allowing companies to drill more economically from one site, while also lowering the environmental impact of each well pad.

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The Professor couldn’t resist spending some time with Xcel Energy’s Jerry Chezik, Project Manager for the firm’s CapX2020 Fargo to Monticello transmission project. Xcel is one of

11 utility owners involved in infrastructure design and construction that will bring renewable energy from North and South Dakota, and southwestern Minnesota, to under-powered load centers within these states and also western Wisconsin.

Through CapX2020, Xcel Energy and others are erecting more than 650 miles of 230kV to 345kV transmission lines along four corridors extending from Bemidji to Grand Rapids, MN (68 miles), Fargo, ND to Monticello, MN (238 miles), Brookings, SD to Hampton, MN (200 miles), and Hampton, MN to La Crosse, WI (150 miles). Through approximately 2015, an estimated 3,500 wood or steel H-frame or single steel pole transmission structures will be built at 750- to 1,200-foot intervals along these routes.

Braun Intertec is working with Xcel Energy to explore foundation materials along these routes with penetration test (SPT) borings and cone penetration test (CPT) soundings, is providing geotechnical and hydrogeological evaluation services to support the design effort, and is providing drilled shaft inspections, concrete testing, weld examinations and material quality assurance testing to support construction. Geologic conditions vary considerably along each alignment, and Xcel has had to adapt foundation designs and deal with new construction challenges in some areas on a structure-by-structure basis.

Here is what Jerry had to say about participating in and managing such a large and complex project.

PC: Xcel Energy is a large, multi-faceted firm managing a variety of projects from many levels. Can you tell us more about your organizational structure and geographic breadth?

JC: Xcel Energy provides generation, electrical transmission, and distribution services to a service territory involving 12 states. It includes three operating companies: NSP Minnesota and Wisconsin, PSCO based in Colorado, and SPS based in Texas.

PC: What is your role in the company?

JC: I am currently a project manager for the CapX2020 Fargo to Monticello transmission project with interconnection to the load serving area in Alexandria. This is a 345kV line supported on double circuit structures. The eastern terminus is the Monticello Nuclear Generating station Substation and the western terminus is the new Bison Switching Station just west of Fargo.

PC: What do you like most about your job?

JC: I enjoy the project development and preliminary planning effort that is required to assure a high quality, well defined project which can be commissioned on time and within budget. I also enjoy planning for, identifying and mitigating risks by initiating planning, design or constructability reviews to uncover and solve the problems at hand, and develop plans for early resolution. A project of this size and scope has presented many challenges and it has been very satisfying to see the resolutions incorporated into the overall project planning to assure success.

PC: How is CapX2020 different than past Xcel Energy projects?

JC: This is one very large and complex project with five utility owners on my segment. The need for communication and oversight of risk, quality, project scope and contract execution and progress to the owners is very significant. Identifying and mobilizing the

Flying High: Xcel Energy Delivers Renewable Energy to Load Centers in Need

By Charles Hubbard, PE, PG chubbard@braunintertec.com

Anticipated energy use along the Fargo, ND to Monticello, MN, Brookings, SD to Hampton, MN, and Hampton, MN to La Crosse, WI, corridors.

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needed resources or expertise to perform the work to the project’s quality and performance requirements is much more dynamic an effort than that of smaller scale transmission capital projects.

PC: How have current trends in the energy industry – the continued expansion of wind energy projects and the pursuit of previously passed over or undiscovered oil and natural gas deposits in the Midwest – influenced or challenged your firm’s practices and culture?

JC: The need for major bulk transmission development is being driven by the new wind and other renewable energy sources being developed in southwestern Minnesota, and the Dakotas. There is a significant need for transmission outlet to bring the new energy to the load centers in our region. State regulators have recognized this need and have set goals for achieving 20% renewable energy by the year 2020, Hence CapX2020. This first phase of transmission development will be a major step to meeting this goal.

PC: What do you feel are the energy industry’s most pressing needs?

JC: Increased capacity, improved reliability and interconnect ability are the most important needs, and must be provided by new electrical transmission development across the whole Xcel Energy system. Paths must also be established to link new and as yet proposed wind and renewable energy source projects with the load centers that need the energy.

PC: What are the challenges you must face to meet those needs?

JC: Regulatory support for providing permits in a timely manner. Regulatory support is critical to delivering major transmission infrastructure projects on budget and on time, and providing consumers with reliable and continuous service at a reasonable cost to rate payers.

PC: What are the qualities you admire most (or desire, or require!) in an employee, whether a technician, engineer, project manger or facility supervisor?

JC: That they understand how the project is important, and that they understand how high quality work that is completed in a timely fashion supports the objectives and end goals of the project. No matter how technical, project participants need to take the time to understand the project goals, and what is required of them to make the project successful.

PC: What is the most important thing a leader can do to help his or her staff grow and flourish?

JC: Growth of technical and work management skills can be best provided by frequent face to face team interaction on actual project work. Opportunities for all to hear the problems, issues and concerns of others are opportunities to learn, and to gain team buy-in on cost and schedule requirements. The understanding of how each contributes to the success of the project usually provides motivation and a level of personal satisfaction to most individuals on the team supporting the project.

XCEL - Continued from page 2

Helicopters were used for tower erection in large swampy areas. The workers beneath the large helicopter braved the cold when attaching the bolts and flange splice bolts in subzero weather with 70 mph wind from the helicopter above.

By helicopter, workers are carried along the transmission line stringing spools of electrical line connecting the transmission structures.

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Project management presents challenges as well during a boom. Eric Wendlandt, Nondestructive Examination (NDE) Operations Supervisor in North Dakota states that, “Work out here is nonstop and the expectations of the oil industry are high. As a result, we are working long hours and even holidays to get it done.” Wendlandt oversees a staff of 22 NDE technicians, while managing numerous projects where Braun Intertec is providing welding and structural steel inspections. NDE work is performed prior to well drilling. Using ultrasonic and x-ray equipment, technicians provide inspection of flow lines, treaters, flare systems, piping and tank batteries. Wendlandt has worked in the oil patch since June 2009 on projects such as the Spiritwood Power Station and a water pipeline project in Devils Lake. When not working, he spends time reading up on clients so that he is knowledgeable about the company and the industry overall. “I took the opportunity when the economy was down to come out here and work. I go home every three to four weeks. My family misses me, but we have adjusted and we understand that there is a lot of opportunity for me out here,” adds Wendlandt.

Staying in touch is not easy and remote locations make communicating with staff and family via phone and email a challenge. According to Elsbernd, he communicates with staff via cell phone and email, but has had to learn where he can get reception and where he can’t. This takes planning ahead when crucial information needs to be exchanged in a timely fashion.

With a burgeoning infrastructure, lodging, schools, stores and other scarce amenities are at a premium. It’s not unheard of to spend upwards of $150 per night at a local no frills hotel chain or $1,000 to $2,000 per month to rent a spare bedroom in a local resident’s home. Fifth wheel campers and RVs can be found parked in commercial lots, and housed on the edges of well pads in close proximity to the oil derricks. Temporary manufactured housing, commonly called “man camps”, is set up in many of the adjacent areas to accommodate the expanding population that has arrived to seize employment opportunity and fuel the boom.

In the summer the weather is palatable and the constant winds keep the air moving under the hot sun. The winter presents another picture with temperatures falling well below freezing. “We have to build in the weather that is present,” says Sanford Tanner, a construction materials testing technician stationed in Williston, North Dakota. Makeshift structures are built at construction sites to provide the necessary warmth for pouring concrete. Tanner has been working on the 200-acre Stateline Gas Plant where he has been performing materials testing and inspection on concrete since summer. “My reward in working on these large scale projects is that I am able to be involved from start to finish. Seeing the whole thing come together and knowing that I had part in making it happen is exciting to me.” This kind of project dedication results in repeat performance for our field staff, so much so that many clients regularly ask for our technicians by name. “After I am done on one site I get calls from my client asking me to work on his next project.” To Tanner, it’s an ultimate compliment.

Using E-logging equipment and drill rigs, Braun Intertec drillers perform lignite exploration on land leased by BNI Coal, Ltd. The lignite is used to power the nearby Milton R. Young Power Plant, which provides electricity to cooperatives located in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.

Using ultrasonic and x-ray equipment, technicians provide inspection of flow lines, treaters, flare systems, piping and tank batteries.

BOOMTOWN - Continued from page 1

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Oil and gas aren’t the only hot service areas for Braun Intertec. In fair representation to my fellow employees, many others who have previously never traveled far outside the Twin Cities metro area have left their base offices to lend a hand in North Dakota. Engineers, environmental consultants, building scientists, materials inspectors and nondestructive technicians have been busy addressing the aftermath of floods, engineering flood control structures, and roadways and railroads; performing exploratory drilling for lignite; consulting on geothermal projects; and providing materials testing on what was once considered more typical building structures in cities such as Bismarck, Mandan, Minot, Devils Lake and Fargo to name a few. The scope of many of these projects has also been mind boggling; on a scale not seen by most. These scales represent numbers such as a 500,000 cubic yard landslide, 2,000 foot deep wells, mile-long excavations, and record rains and floods. These jobs, as big as the landscape, are not ordinary and the people working on them have gained a new level of appreciation of the collaboration - and ownership - needed to see them through fruition.

Staffing of these projects can present challenges. The rapid and comprehensive redistribution of resources to the state has been crucial to our success and that of our clientele. Prior to the boom, it was more common to bring project work to our primary metro services centers. The volume and remoteness of the work, however, has required a culture shift for many. Not only are our staff going to the work, they are staying for extended periods of time and learning how to function and make critical decision on longer, thinner lifelines. “We all have to help out and we rely on each other to get things done,” says Elsbernd. Trust is also paramount to project success. New hires from as far away as Connecticut, Georgia, Texas and Florida are being prepared and sent into the field as quickly as possible, knowing that the other workers on their jobs are going to

be the closest thing to “family” they’re going to have for a while. “It’s been interesting, I am meeting people from all over the US,” cites Tanner.

Late afternoon snuck up on Ken Haag and me, and with dusk just around the corner, we decided to head back to Bismarck, knowing there wouldn’t be enough daylight left to see the Williston projects. Even without reaching our final destination, I was able to gain a greater understanding of our North Dakota projects, the magnitude of the work being performed by Braun Intertec, and the

opportunities and rewards for our employees and other firms pursuing the work there.

“As employee owners we feel a strong responsibility to take ownership in our jobs,” states Haag. “The current amount of work is more than one office can handle, thank goodness we have the additional resources at Braun Intertec coming to our aid.” Staffing in North Dakota doubled from 2009 to 2010; and doubled again between 2010 and 2011. “What’s happening in western North Dakota is all about

teamwork and we wouldn’t be able to do it all unless we had the overwhelming cooperation of our other offices.”

Consultants from the Building Sciences Group at Braun Intertec performed a Property Condition Assessment on the Erik Ramstad Middle School. The school was significantly flooded when a temporary clay levee constructed around the school failed, resulting in floodwaters nearly 12 feet deep.

BOOMTOWN - Continued from page 4

Braun Intertec is providing geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing and special inspection, and geothermal consulting on the North Dakota Heritage Center, scheduled for completion in 2014.

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As consultants in Braun Intertec’s Building Science group we often receive unusual phone calls and are asked to look at unusual circumstances at our clients’ buildings. Recently, we’ve been encountering a strange phenomenon within computer rooms that is raising questions and causing unforeseen problems with the system operations. The strange phenomenon is called zinc whiskers and can potentially wreck havoc on electrical circuits and computer equipment.

The zinc whisker phenomena has been around since the 1940s but the explosive growth of data processing demand has driven the need to put more and more processing capacity into smaller spaces which ultimately has led to smaller, denser processing chips and microscopic circuits getting closer together. Zinc whiskers are zinc crystals that get into the air stream of computers and servers where they land on these circuits causing electrical shorts which can lead to catastrophic failures in large, Tier 4 data centers.

The formation of zinc whiskers typically occurs in the underfloor air plenums inside computer rooms. Zinc whiskers forms on the exposed, galvanized steel components that make up a data center raised floor. These components include horizontal channels (stringers), floor panels, and pedestals. Zinc whiskers are most prevalent on older, wood core floor panels, particularly those panels that have electroplated galvanized coatings. Studies have shown that the electroplated galvanization process creates surface tension in the galvanization coating. This tension forces the formation of zinc crystals that project out from the surface of the metal. If left untouched, the zinc crystals accumulate until they start to look like grey velvet or whiskers. This formation can occur over a long period of time, with an estimated growth rate of approximately one millimeter per year.

Zinc whiskers can become airborne and sucked into computer equipment and sensitive electronic equipment whenever infected floor panels are disturbed. Raised floor panels are removed whenever computer rooms are remodeled or new equipment or cabling is installed in the data center. The floor panels are typically lifted up and slid out of the way to access the air plenum below, then returned to place once the work is completed. During this

Zinc Whiskers are not the Cat’s Meowmovement, zinc whisker can break off and get swept up by the air stream under the raised floor. Once airborne, the zinc whisker crystals are drawn up into server cabinets, disc drivers and other computer equipment where they come in contact with the electrical circuits in computer chips and circuit boards.

One of the ways to determine if zinc whiskers are present in a computer room, is to first look with a light parallel to the surface. The surface may appear dusty or dirty but lack a visible trace of whisker build-up. Floors that have been undisturbed for years can have extensive zinc whisker formations that look like ‘grey velvet’ or sparkling crystals. Fine zinc fibers can be confirmed through chemical testing and/or microscopic examination, but visual inspection and simple swipes with a damp cloth can typically detect the presence of zinc whiskers. Raised floor manufacturers stopped using electroplated galvanization in the 1980s but many wood core raised floor panels are still present in data centers today, due to the difficulty of replacing these panels without a major shutdown of the facility. Today, a change has been made to epoxy coated surfaces for most of the pedestals and floor structures, including the pans underneath the floor tile. Additionally, the elimination of galvanized coatings has removed the threat of zinc whiskers in modern data centers.

While replacing raised floor systems is not practical, there are measures that can be taken to minimize the continued growth of zinc whiskers. The most economical and effective method is a thorough clean-up by a qualified company experienced with this type of cleaning. Wiping down all surfaces with clean water and wipes is very effective but requires multiple passes to completely remove the zinc crystals. Experience has shown that thorough wipe down of floor panels is effective for two or more years, though annual inspection and testing of the floor is recommended.

Before remodeling starts, consider determining whether or not zinc whiskers are present under the floor. Braun Intertec can assist with testing for the presence of zinc whiskers and the development of plans to zinc whisker remediation.

By Steve Flaten, AIAsflaten@braunintertec.com and

Zinc whiskers can potentially wreck havoc on electrical circuits and computer equipment.

Ron Reigle, AIArreigle@braunintertec.com

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In April of 1986, disaster hit the Urkranian City of Pripyat when a sudden power output surge occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant

causing the rupture of a reactor vessel and a series of explosions. From a blast within Reactor 4 came a fire that sent out a cloud of highly radioactive smoke fallout into the air over Pripyat, the western Soviet Union and Europe. Between 1986 and 2000, more than 350,000 people were evacuated and resettled from the most severely contaminated areas of Belarus, Russia and the Urkraine. While recently rivaled by Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, Chernobyl continues to be considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history.

In 1991, decommissioning of the remaining three reactors began, and in 2000, the last of the three remaining reactors was decommissioned by the Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. However, removal of contaminated equipment and radioactive remains is expected to continue through 2020-2022. The decommissioning process involved the removal of the highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel, which is placed in deep water pooling ponds that are not suitable for long term containment. After the Chernobyl situation, a sarcophagus-like structure was constructed over Reactor 4 to protect it. Through age and time, the structure has become unsuitable and unsafe for containment purposes. In 2007, a steel containment structure called the New Safe Confinement (NSC) was announced to replace the aging structure to enclose and protect the area during the dismantling and clean up efforts for the destroyed unit. The new arched structure will be erected adjacent to the destroyed reactor and then slid into position. The NSC is expected to cost more than $1 billion with an estimated completed in 2013.

Weighing thousands of tons, the NSC will be no easy feat to put in place. To do the job, a Main Cranes System (MCS) is being designed, fabricated and tested by a Minnesota based company, PaR Systems, who will also be responsible for the site supervision of the crane system erection. The MCS - which is being erected and operated inside the NSC building to allow site dismantle and cleanup in a controlled environment - integrates overhead bridge cranes, two 55-ton trolleys that work in tandem to hoist up to 110 US tons, and a remote control and video monitoring system

for operating the cranes system in a radioactive area. Upon completion, the huge crane system will be used to push the NSC in place over the reactor. Project technicians will do the maneuvering using a remote control and video screen monitor. Evaluating the performance of the crane’s components is where Braun Intertec enters the picture.

Braun Intertec’s Nondestructive Examination team was awarded a subcontract by PaR Systems for the nondestructive examination services to help support the construction of the Main Cranes System. One aspect of our work entails inspection of the raw materials for the crane components. Prior to machining an ultrasonic process is used which sends sound waves through the materials to locate any defects or voids that may be detrimental to the parts. Additional NDE services include overseeing the welding procedure qualifications and inspection of the welded components of the crane system. To begin the welding procedure qualifications, a selected local welding vendor will create a welded sample that will be tested to document that a sound weld can be achieved. To then qualify the procedure, NDE technicians will x-ray the weld and perform mechanical tests. The weld component inspections will be completed using visual, magnetic particle, ultrasonics, and liquid penetrant examinations.

Pieces of the crane system are being assembled at PaR Systems in Shoreview, MN. The parts will be sent to Georgia before being shipped to the Chernobyl site for erection. While relieved to not be stationed on site at Chernobyl, our NDE field technicians will be committed to working on the MCS project locally for some time to come.

If you would like more information about the New Safe Confinement project please visit www.chernobyltwentyfive.org for more information.

Braun Intertec Takes Nondestructive Examination Services to Chernobyl

By Greg Ebeling gebeling@braunintertec.com

Braun Intertec’s Nondestructive Examination Group is providing services for the main crane system being designed to place the New Safe Confinement (NSC) structure what will enclose and protect Reactor 4 at the Chernobyl site.

11001 Hampshire Ave. SMinneapolis, MN 55438

braunintertec.com

Minneapolis 800.279.6100Bismarck 701.255.7180Cedar Rapids 319.365.0961 Duluth 218.624.4967Fargo 800.756.5955Hibbing 800.828.7313La Crosse 800.856.2098Mankato 800.539.0472Milwaukee 262.513.2995Rochester 800.279.1576Saint Cloud 800.828.7344Saint Paul 800.779.1196Geothermal 320.632.1081

Questions, requests and comments

Charles Hubbard, PE, PGBraun Intertec Corporation1826 Buerkle RoadSaint Paul, MN 55110Phone: 651.487.7060chubbard@braunintertec.com

Providing engineering and environmental solutions since 1957

©2011 Braun Intertec Corporation

This newsletter contains only general information. For specific applications, please consult your engineering or environmental consultants and legal counsel.

The Pocket Consultant delivers online!

In order to deliver more complete and timely information to our readers, we will be moving the Pocket Consultant newsletter to an online format. The change will occur in our first 2012 issue. If you would like to continue receiving the hardcopy version, please email lwortman@braunintertec.

By moving the newsletter online, we will be better able to serve you by providing more in-depth information, creating links to other valuable resources, and giving you the option to interact directly with Pocket Consultant authors. The Pocket Consultant is also accessible by visiting our website www.braunintertec.com.

For questions about the Pocket Consultant moving online next issue, please contact:

Liz Wortman, Marketing Manager, lwortman@braunintertec.com952.995.2070