Nustar Energy

Previous failures drove NuStar Energy to consider a new revetment solution when it came time to repair their pipeline crossing site in Louisiana.

The site, located in the city of West Monroe, is a perennial stream that has continuous flow in parts of its stream bed all year round. During heavy rain, the stream reaches full capacity with high water velocities passing through. The culmination of past events eventually washed out the sandy, highly erosive soil and exposed the gas pipe that crossed through the site. This exposure put the pipe at risk for potential damage. NuStar sought a permanent restoration measure that would hold up to the site conditions and protect the pipe integrity over the long term. They chose HydroTurf because of its ability to permanently cover the stream bed so that water could not penetrate and erode through the subgrade to the piping underneath.

In order to repair the site, the stream was regraded to completely cover the pipe. Once contoured, the membrane, engineered turf and HydroBinder® cementitious infill were installed over a one-day period with lightweight equipment, which is especially important to a site with limited access.

In addition to immediate stabilization and long-term protection, HydroTurf also restored the site to a safe habitat and natural-looking landscape.