Team Fishel Reestablishes Gas Operations in Tennessee
Team Fishel is known throughout Kentucky and Ohio for our mainline gas and service installation abilities. After a 5-year absence from natural gas projects, Team Fishel reestablished gas operations in Tennessee with mainline projects for Clarksville Gas & Water and a $2.7 million mainline gas project for Middle Tennessee Natural Gas (MTNG).
MTNG is a municipal gas utility serving 20 counties in Tennessee with more than 53,000 customers. Last year, Regional Manager Rick Druin and Junior Cassity contacted Ed Kelley, General Superintendent of Operations, to introduce Team Fishel and their plan to resume natural gas pipeline capabilities in Tennessee. Mr. Kelley had a history with Team Fishel when he was the Operations Superintendent at Nashville Gas. Rick submitted a bid on Phase 2 of a natural gas pipeline project spanning five counties in rural Tennessee.
The Nashville Teammates completed the Operator Qualification training and certification last fall. Several new Teammates with experience in the gas industry were hired and “Fishelized” before the start of the project.
According to Rick Druin, Team Fishel crews are installing 68,000 lineal feet, 12.9 miles, of 12-inch steel gas main pipe for MTNG in Woodbury, approximately 60-miles southeast of Nashville. The Teammates encountered rock and steep terrain in the first section but as they proceeded eastward, the landscape changed to less rock and a more level terrain. To the credit of all involved in the project planning, the most difficult asphalt sections located in the rocky and hilly areas were completed first and during the wet winter months. “The weather and terrain have been our toughest challenges to date,” says Druin. “On the positive side, we’ve come across very few utilities and only minor traffic restrictions, and lots of wide open spaces.”
”Team Fishel has approached this very difficult project with a “can-do attitude” insuring a positive relationship with MTNG, the local property owners, County and State agencies,” said Ed Kelley of MTNG.
Recently, Team Fishel began new gas operations in California and Arizona. Per Scott Homberger, Midwestern Vice President, he is looking at expanding distribution gas construction services in other markets, such as Indiana.
“Like all Team Fishel operations, we like to develop diversity in our customer base and service offering,” Homberger added. “We review the services offered in geographic areas and expand them where it makes sense.”
The Middle Tennessee Natural Gas project is on schedule for completion in October.
