Surerus gets Ekwan pipeline contract - By Richard Macedo

Alaska Highway News - Thursday, November 06, 2003

Local company Surerus Pipeline Inc. has been selected as the prime contractor to construct the EnCana Ekwan pipeline.

Sean Surerus, company project analyst, said he received word of the decision late last week. He said some of the work, like trucking and welding, will be sub-contracted to local businesses. Larger jobs, like directional drilling, will be tendered to other service providers.

There aren't any contractors around here that really do that, Surerus said, noting the company has undertaken much larger jobs.

When the company is qualified, we definitely should be given an opportunity to bid on these things, he said. 'This is a big opportunity for Surerus, there's no question.'

A crew of about 200 will likely be needed, and Surerus said he's fielded calls from individuals in the four western provinces.

We hire locally as much as we can, he said. We take applications and we hire from our databank of job seekers.

The $55-million pipeline will stretch 82.5 kilometers and measure 610 millimetres in diameter. It will run from an EnCana plant 85 kilometres east of Fort Nelson to a tie in point on the Nova Gas Transmission Ltd. northwest mainline, about four kilometers east of the Alberta/B.C. border near Rainbow Lake, Alta. Construction is to occur this winter with completion scheduled for the spring.

Bob Fedderly, president of the Northern Society of Oilfield Contractors and Service Firms, applauded EnCana for its decision.

I certainly think that it's a good starting point, no doubt about it, he said. We're very happy that they're using a B.C. contractor.

Spinoffs from the use of local sub-contractors will also boost local businesses, he added.

There's welding jobs there, he said. There's a lot of sub-contract work.

EnCana has taken a very positive step, and it's good to see. B.C. companies are capable, competitive and very ready to step up to the challenge.

EnCana Ekwan pipeline project manager John Christoffersen said Surerus was in the running with about eight other companies, and he commended the company's diligence in involving local and First Nations content in the work and how sub-contracts would be distributed.

Christoffersen said he couldn't release financial details of the bid, citing confidentiality. We wouldn't have (awarded the contract) out if we didn't feel comfortable that they had the capacity to be able to do it.

© Copyright 2003 Alaska Highway News