Expect The Unexpected: Contracts For Underground Projects

Jill Jaffe and Brenda Lin authored the article “Expect The Unexpected: Contracts For Underground Projects” for Law360. The article begins:

“Construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline project, a $7.85 billion, 303-mile underground pipeline built to transport natural gas to the East Coast, was completed last month, after a part of the pipe burst on May 1 in Roanoke County, Virginia, during hydrostatic testing of the pipe.

The hydrostatic testing process uses water pressure to identify potential areas of leaks that may have been caused by weather exposure, such as heavy rainfall. Before obtaining approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Mountain Valley Pipeline project faced challenges with erosion control due to heavy rainfall in May.

Such environmental conditions and challenges encountered by the Mountain Valley Pipeline project underscore the importance of understanding underground site conditions and associated risks when engaging in new construction projects.”

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