In 2010, ATCO began its Urban Pipeline Replacement (UPR) program, a transformation of its high-pressure transmission and low-pressure distribution pipeline infrastructure in Calgary and Edmonton, the most populous urban centers in Alberta, Canada. The UPR program established an alternative for ATCO to address its vintage transmission assets in urban settings by utilizing the province’s Transportation Utility Corridors (TUC). ATCO’s redesign of the transmission and distribution systems included qualitative considerations to improve system reliability and integrity management capabilities, support future system growth, and minimize the risk to the public through the significant reduction in probability of a pipeline failure. Supply of natural gas for heating is an essential service in Alberta and system changes are evaluated with that fact held paramount. ATCO presents an insight to the rationale that led to the evaluation of vintage urban pipelines, the benefits of the UPR program in comparison to replacement in place and integrity review and repair alternatives, and logistical challenges related to execution of UPR needed to maintain service throughout the program.


Access the Conference Proceedings Paper on ASCE Library 

In 2010, ATCO began its Urban Pipeline Replacement (UPR) program, a transformation of its high-pressure transmission and low-pressure distribution pipeline infrastructure in Calgary and Edmonton, the most populous urban centers in Alberta, Canada. The UPR program established an alternative for ATCO to address its vintage transmission assets in urban settings by utilizing the province’s Transportation Utility Corridors (TUC). ATCO’s redesign of the transmission and distribution systems included qualitative considerations to improve system reliability and integrity management capabilities, support future system growth, and minimize the risk to the public through the significant reduction in probability of a pipeline failure. Supply of natural gas for heating is an essential service in Alberta and system changes are evaluated with that fact held paramount. ATCO presents an insight to the rationale that led to the evaluation of vintage urban pipelines, the benefits of the UPR program in comparison to replacement in place and integrity review and repair alternatives, and logistical challenges related to execution of UPR needed to maintain service throughout the program.


[Access the Conference Proceedings Paper on ASCE Library](https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/9780784483602.002) 

ATCO’s: Urban Pipeline Replacement Program

Papers from sessions of Pipelines 2021, held virtually August 3–6, 2021. Sponsored by the Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute of ASCE.

This collection contains 43 peer-reviewed papers on the planning and asset management of pipelines.
Topics include: machine learning and artificial intelligence; sewermain condition assessment; asset management; watermain condition assessment; and case studies.
This collection will be of interest to design and consulting engineers, utility and pipeline owners, and researchers in the pipeline profession.

[Paper Proceedings](https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483602)