Warren Poole

Warren Poole appreciates the challenge facing TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. and Evraz as they run pipeline above-ground across the vast and frigid north. The engineers working on the Alaska Pipeline project need an innovative welding technique that is not only strong enough to withstand extreme environmental conditions, but also economical because short lengths of pipe are transported north on trucks and welded together in the field, where welders are well-paid and in short supply.

“Pipeline failure is a huge problem for industry and an important public safety issue,” says Poole, Professor and Head of Materials Engineering.

To ensure the sturdiness of the Alaska pipeline and to keep the project within budget, the steel manufacturer Evraz is developing new grades of pipe and a new dual-torch welding procedure that cuts welding times in half. But to actually run it through Alaska and the Yukon, the company needs to know what the new procedures do to the integrity of the pipe.

TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. and Evraz matched funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to engage UBC Materials Engineering in testing the pipe. The partnership puts UBC students in Evraz facilities running experiments with professional engineers and welders.

“The students are gaining practical, hands-on experience,” said Poole. “At the same time, they’re also contributing to safe, cost-effective pipelines through northern wilderness and communities.”