The Society of American Military Engineers

Transcription

1 The Society of American Military Engineers PRESIDENT Colonel Richard L. Hansen, USA VICE PRESIDENT & CAO Richard C. Entwisle, P.E. FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Anthony F. Goodgion, P.E. TREASURER Jennifer M. Snape, P.E. JUNIOR VICE PRESIDENT Joshua C. Cohen Louisiana Post ESTABLISHED IN TOBY LANE KENNER, LOUISIANA SECRETARY Charles E. Settoon, P.E. MONTHLY NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 2015 HOST SUSTAINING MEMBER INFORMATION We still have some luncheon meetings available for Sustaining Members to host. Hosting our monthly meetings is a great opportunity to put your firm in the limelight and showcase your firm s experience and abilities. If your firm is interested in hosting one of these meetings, please contact Charlie Settoon at (504) We would like to thank all the Sustaining Member Firms who have hosted a monthly meeting in the past. If it has been a while since your firm hosted a meeting, you are welcome to host another meeting. Let s continue to show our support for the Louisiana Post through this great professional opportunity.

2 MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION AND NEWS MEMBER INFORMATION LOUISIANA POST MEETING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015 SOCIAL 11:30 A.M. POST LUNCHEON - 12:00 P.M. LOCATION: GUEST SPEAKER: TOPIC: MENU: COST: RESERVATIONS: JEFFERSON ORLEANS SOUTH 2536 EDENBORN AVE. METAIRIE, LA ARTHUR J. SMITH, III, P.E., SR. VICE PRESIDENT & MANAGER OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING WALDEMAR S. NELSON & CO., INC. 115kV HDD INSTALLED UNDERGROUND TRANSMISSION LINE FEEDING ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA SALAD, CHICKEN W/ ARTICHOKE MUSHROOM, GARLIC MASHED POTATOES, STEAMED MIXED VEGETABLES, DESSERT, ICED TEA & COFFEE $25.00 MEMBERS; $30.00 NON-MEMBERS; $5.00 STUDENTS FOR RESERVATIONS VIA RICHARD.C.ENTWISLE@USACE.ARMY.MIL YOU MAY ALSO CALL RICHARD AT (504) OR MAIL PAYMENT TO: SAME, LOUISIANA POST 5321 TOBY LANE KENNER, LA DEADLINE FOR RESERVATIONS IS 3:00 P.M. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 th THIS WILL QUALIFY AS 1.0 PDH DON T FORGET THAT EVERY MONTH YOU CAN EARN 1.0 PDH (PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT HOUR) FOR ATTENDING S.A.M.E. LUNCHEON MEETINGS.

3 SPEAKER S BIOGRAPHY Arthur J. Smith, III, PE, (Arthur.Smith@wsnelson.com) received his B.S.E.E. degree from Tulane University in May of He joined Waldemar S. Nelson and Co., Inc., (NELSON) a New Orleans consulting engineering firm, while attending Tulane University. Upon graduation, Mr. Smith remained at NELSON and progressed through the ranks to his current position as a Senior Vice President and Manager of the New Orleans Office s Electrical Engineering Department. He is presently the IEEE Electrical Safety Committee Standards Chairman and Executive Committee Member, IEEE Petroleum and Chemical Industry Committee (PCIC) Standards Vice-Chair, represents the IEEE as Principle Member of NFPA 70 Code Making Panel (CMP-11) and he is the Elections Officer, acting Secretary and Executive Committee Member of IEEE Standards Coordinating Committee (SCC-18). He is also a member of the National Fire Protection Association International (NFPA), Louisiana Engineering Society (LES), National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), Society of Tulane Engineers and American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Mr. Smith s professional experience includes project engineering management, construction supervision, electrical design, construction cost estimating, commissioning and startup of electrical systems for oil and gas facilities and chemical plants with particular emphasis in electrical safety. His responsibilities have also included the following: Engineering project manager for PowerSouth 115kV transmission line installed via Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) under an energized and working substation, Wolf Bay and the Intracoastal Waterway feeding Orange Beach Alabama from mainland Alabama. Engineering project manager for Entergy 230kV transmission line installed via Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) under the Mississippi River. This project replaced the only overhead transmission lines and obstructions between New Orleans and the mouth of the Mississippi River. Project management, project engineering, concept and detailed design, supervision, and engineering for onshore and offshore oil and gas production facilities, offshore drilling rigs, gas processing plants, chemical plants and marine terminals. Responsible charge of detailed engineering design, and supervision of industrial power generation and distribution systems, turbine and engine drivers, generators, substations, switchgear, transformers, instrumentation, control and automation systems and high voltage submarine cable specifications and design. More than 30 years of consulting for Exxon, ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, ChevronTexaco, etc., on offshore production platforms, onshore production facilities, gas processing plants, LNG Facilities, and drilling rig electrical and instrumentation. In 2006, Mr. Smith received the John Noll Crisp Award for Technical Excellence from the University of New Orleans for his role in the Directionally Drilled 230kV Transmission Line installed under the Mississippi River. Mr. Smith is a registered professional engineer in Louisiana, California, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas and Alaska.

4 Waldemar S. Nelson and Company Engineers and Architects High Voltage Transmission Lines Under Navigable Waterways 230kV HDD Installed Transmission Line under Mississippi River Shipping has been vital to the city of New Orleans since French colonials founded the city in However, more recently a boom in cruise ships has complimented our city. Not only do voyagers have easy access to world class cruises, they can also visit New Orleans before and or after their cruise, which is one of the most unique and sought after tourist destinations throughout the world. Existing overhead transmission lines created the only and shipping height limitation between the city of New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. Cruise ship popularity from the Port of New Orleans flourished due in part to our unique city, resulting in an increase in cruise ship capacity and size. Unfortunately, the existing overhead power lines started to impact this flourishing industry by preventing ship access to the city under high water conditions as well as limiting larger ship access to our city. Considering the imminent economic impact to our city, as well as the need for reliable power, NELSON provided a screening study to determine if Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) could be successfully applied to install transmission lines under the Mississippi River. If possible and practical, this design concept would once and for all eliminate all overhead limitations between the city and the Gulf of Mexico. The NELSON study determined that the project was not only technically feasible and practical but also that the regulatory agencies could provide the required permits to meet our client s schedule and maintain reliable electrical service to the area. This was the first time such a long HDD installed transmission line of this voltage and high capacity had been attempted. However, in a few short weeks the NELSON team determined that the project was not only technically feasible and practical but also that the governing agencies could permit the project in a timely manner. The crossing was energized May 1 st, 2004 ahead of schedule and under budget. The Mississippi River underground transmission line s most significant challenge to date occurred a little over one year after energization when Hurricane Katrina impacted New Orleans August 29 th, With the river crossing designed to consider hurricane effects, this crossing not only remained energized throughout the hurricane, it also sustained zero damage. This allowed the local utility to concentrate on the repair and recovery of other transmission lines that were more vulnerable to the extreme weather forces generated by Hurricane Katrina. The above highly successful HDD installed underground transmission line and similar future projects not only prove these installations are feasible, but also that they can minimize weather related hazards as well as eliminate overhead clearance issues. A final benefit is that HDD installed transmission lines, if properly designed, can have minimal effect on local areas, while at the same time eliminating visual evidence of the power transmission line, a highly sought after design feature.

5 Waldemar S. Nelson and Company Engineers and Architects High Voltage Transmission Lines Under Navigable Waterways 115kV HDD Installed Underground Transmission Line Feeding Orange Beach, Alabama NELSON developed a screening study to determine if Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) could be successfully applied to install High Voltage (HV) transmission lines under the Intracoastal Canal and Wolf Bay between Sapling Point and Orange Beach, Alabama. Although this technology had been successfully applied in the past, the Orange Beach Wolf Bay underground crossing was particularly challenging due to its 6,131-foot length and extremely high ampacity requirements which greatly exceeded all previous installations. Upon completion of this study as with the Mississippi River crossing, NELSON determined that the project was not only technically feasible and practical but also that regulatory agencies could agree with the design and installation concepts, and provide permits required for such an ambitious undertaking. The completed installation now supplies 115kV electrical service from the Alabama mainland to the city of Orange Beach and surrounding Island communities, helping to maintain critical electrical service to the area. Overhead lines in coastal areas, especially ones that cross navigable waterways, create unique challenges. Not only are these overhead lines exposed to hurricane force winds, they are also vulnerable to damage from shipping traffic passing underneath. One of the existing 115kV overhead feeds to the island was interrupted when a barge mounted crane failed to properly lower the crane boom and snapped the power lines as it passed. The new underground transmission line not only eliminates all height restrictions above the Intracoastal Waterway crossing, it also eliminates wind exposure an overhead transmission line would be subjected to during a storm. A similar technology was successfully applied in 2004 to install 115kV and 230kV transmission lines under the Mississippi River just south of New Orleans. The Mississippi River crossing was not as long as the 6,131-feet required for Orange Beach, however, the 3,495-foot Mississippi River crossing strained technologies and construction limits when the crossing was installed. 2 Northpoint Drive Suite 300 Houston, Texas (281) Fax (281) St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, Louisiana (504) Fax (504) Richmond Avenue Suite 600 Houston, Texas (281) Fax (281)