Mains Gas For Tandragee - A Step Closer

Some of you may have seen the fenced off strip either side of the Ballymore Road, or the diggers on top of Whinney Hill or the signs for no overtaking, out on the Portadown Road and wondered what is happening.

Well it is for the laying of a new gas pipeline from Kernan to Derryhale, which will reinforce the gas supply to businesses and residential customers in the Lurgan, Portadown, Craigavon and Armagh City areas.

The pipe is a spur off the main South North pipeline that was installed back in 2006. After nearly 3 years of planning, construction has finally started. I went along to meet Danny Barr the project Engineer for the pipeline who explained exactly what is happening.

The pipeline is a high pressure main which is taking a feed from the main South North pipeline at Kernan Above Ground Installation (AGI). The pipe then snakes its way across the countryside, passing across the land of 57 different owners, to Derryhale. Where there will be a facility to reduce the high pressure of the gas to a suitable pressure for delivery into homes and factories.

Nearly all 12 km of the pipeline will be laid by excavating a trench approximately 1.2-1.5 metres deep in which the 10 inch pipe will be laid and the trench then backfilled. The pipe will cross 18 roads in total and to minimise disruption to road users, the pipe will be fed through a “mini tunnel” which will be drilled horizontally under the road.

The biggest task faced by the project team is where the pipe has to go under the Newry Canal, the river Cusher and the main Belfast to Dublin railway line. At this point along the route approximately 200 metres of the pipe will be installed using a horizontal directional drilling technique – this involves drilling down and then under the railway line, canal and river.

On site there are a team of archaeologists who are monitoring the excavations to for signs of any artefacts. At the planning stage the engineers consulted with the NIEA to ensure that all known archaeological sites were avoided. There is also an environmental consultant who is advising on environmental factors associated with the works.

In the short term, the construction project has seen an influx of approximately 80-90 people working on site and at the project site office on the Ballymore Road. It is expected the number of people working on the project to peak to 150 people. Already some local businesses have benefited from the project as many of the people employed on the project are from Southern Ireland and are staying in local accommodation and using local shops and services.

The big question - Will Tandragee get gas?

Don't expect it for a few winters yet. It all depends upon demand as the low pressure gas network has to be laid starting from Derryhale. The decision will be made on the cost of installation against the number of customers. If it is economically viable then it is likely that Tandragee will sometime in the future get gas.