Diving Deep in the Lone Star State
Global Diving Continues Work on a Major Marine Construction Project in Texas.
Global was contracted to complete marine support for the installation of two lake tap intake towers in Texas.
This project encompasses a unique set of trades to give the client the final product they are after.
The intake will supply drinking water to local municipalities. Intakes are typically installed in the deepest part of the lake. Due to the nature of this, the structure needs to be able to withstand intense water pressure and environmental conditions to ensure the safety and reliability of the water supply.
Additionally, to ensure optimal quality of water, Global has been tasked with installing multilevel screens within the intake structure. These act as filters, preventing debris and unwanted particles from entering the system while still allowing the clean water to flow through. In order for this water to flow properly, a gravity intake tunnel is being constructed concurrently. This tunnel will serve as a conduit to transport the water from the intake structure to the treatment processes.
Safety on the Lake
The installation of this deepwater intake has demanded Global's expertise and execution of logistical strategy and the highest safety standards.
Throughout this project, Global has collaborated with several companies, one of which is one of the largest drilling contractors in the world. They commonly conduct their work on land, so to ensure all involved remained safe and comfortable on site, Global ran a safety course to provide training and partnership while on the water.
To further ensure Global conducts their work in an extremely safe manner, safety meetings and stretch & flex sessions are carried out every morning before work begins. Additionally, pre-dive safety meetings are held before every dive and task change meetings are conducted if there are any major changes in the day's activities to ensure everyone understands the scope of the day's tasks.
Navigating Narrow Passages
Due to the scale of pieces required for this project such as the caissons, (pictured above and below) transporting these substantial components proved to be a challenge.
The tugboats were tasked with navigating the equipment through a small passage that has been progressively narrowing due to receding water levels of the lake. However, through coordination and strategic planning, Global was able to work with the changing levels and successfully transport the pieces to the work site.
Carefully Setting the Caissons
- Staying On Target -
Global's role on this project is logistically complex. Our team not only works both above and below water, but we are also providing support to every trade involved in the heavy civil engineering of this intake.
An example of this can be seen in setting of the caissons. The crew needed precise execution and attention to detail in order to provide a seamless transition to the next steps of the project.
The margin for error in this phase of the project was next to none, however through teamwork and coordination between the prime contractor, survey crew, and pile driving crew, the nearly 130-inch caissons were set on location, maintaining the extremely high tollerances.
Check Out the Setting of the Caissons from a Bird's Eye View!
A Few Words from the Project Manager
"I could not ask for a better crew from day one, to project completion, everyone is switched on and solving all the problems as they appear."