Haley & Aldrich sprints to safely analyze bay sediments and keep offshore pipeline project on schedule

Client challenge

A deficiency finding from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection had delayed federal regulatory approval for an energy company’s roughly 23-mile pipeline through New York Bay. With their project already behind schedule, our client needed to quickly address the agency’s concerns about possible historical contamination in the bay’s sediments — the very material our client planned to dredge to install their pipeline. The energy company turned to Haley & Aldrich to augment its existing consulting team. Because of our reputation for accurately characterizing offshore sediments and safely meeting stringent deadlines under pressure, client representatives knew they could count on us to navigate the project’s complexities and complete the seven-month dash.

Our approach

The impending winter made it nearly impossible for us to collect samples past mid-November. And getting a report to regulators by February left no slack in the schedule to redo lab analyses. Both had to be done correctly the first time. To meet these expectations, we had to clearly understand what the agency required from our client and what our client needed from us. We started by sifting through a large amount of the energy company’s existing project data and regulatory history so we could tailor our exploration to meet the agency’s requirements.

Then, through our relationships with New York and New Jersey regulators and other stakeholders, we rapidly aligned our client’s objectives and our work with the agencies’ desired outcomes. These negotiations also ensured sampling progressed smoothly throughout the program, allowing us to collect and accurately analyze sediments from 69 vibracore borings in four months, then issue a final report that satisfied the agencies’ requirements in time to help the energy company keep its project on track.

Value delivered

• Ensured our client could meet the mid-winter permitting submission deadline and other regulatory deadlines by completing the work without delays, change orders, or downtime
• Improved our client’s position with New York and New Jersey regulators by making certain we understood both parties’ goals, interests, and expectations
• Protected our client’s reputation with regulators and with a scrutinizing, skeptical public by prioritizing safety throughout the three-week dawn-to-dusk offshore sampling effort