Person in high-visibility clothing beside a utility trench, with solar panels and wind turbines in the background.

Explosive ordnance surveys for gas and hydrogen pipelines

Before pipeline construction, pipe trenches, crossings, stations and temporary work areas are checked against existing indications of explosive ordnance hazards. FONTANA-EOD plans suitable surveys according to the construction alignment, working width, depth and phase. Send route plans, cross-sections, special structures and the construction sequence so that services and documentation can be defined before pipe trenching, drilling and station construction.

Break down the corridor

Identify the route, working strip and special structures.

Define depths

Assess the pipe trench, bore path and stations.

Hand over status

Document sections and outstanding areas.

Assess the pipeline project in its overall context

Have your pipeline section assessed Select suitable investigation services

Before pipe trenching, crossings and station construction

Clarify survey requirements before pipe trenching and crossings

Before pipeline construction and drilling, existing hazard indications and planned ground interventions are used to clarify which explosive ordnance surveys are required. The pipe trench, ground investigation points, crossings, stations and temporary construction areas are considered. The actual construction geometry, including alignment, working strip, depth, slopes or shoring, is decisive, rather than the overall planning corridor alone.

Submit route and structure documents Clarify historical indications along the route

Divide the pipeline project by construction geometry

Plan pipe trenches, crossings and stations separately

A pipeline consists of more than the linear pipe trench. Crossings, stations, welding areas, access routes, excavations and temporary areas change the depth, working width and technical survey feasibility.

The explosive ordnance assessment follows the construction-ready geometry. The corridor, construction alignment, working strip and special structures are maintained within a shared spatial reference that can be updated.

For projects lasting several years, section identifiers are retained through planning, procurement, construction and completion. Changed methods or relocated alignments can thus be checked against the existing work status.

Transmission pipeline corridors alternate between arable land, woodland, transport routes, watercourses, industrial areas and existing utility systems. Each transition may involve different access, survey and ground conditions; section boundaries therefore follow actual technical transitions as well as contract boundaries.

Standard sections and special structures are planned separately. A uniform pipe trench can be prepared section by section using area-based methods; deep crossings, stations and foundations require their own point, alignment or depth geometries.

Survey trolley on an undeveloped construction site, with soil piles and a row of trees in the background.

Open pipe trench and working strip

The standard section includes the pipe trench, slopes or shoring, vehicle track, pipe storage, topsoil stockpile and lateral assembly areas where applicable.

Working width and trench depth may change with pipe dimensions, ground conditions, dewatering and construction method.

The survey and documentation geometry relates to the actual construction cross-section and the alignment built.

Assess the pipe trench and working strip

Person beside a survey instrument on a construction site; a wheeled excavator with drilling equipment stands behind them.

HDD, thrust-bored and microtunnel crossings

Roads, watercourses, railway lines and sensitive areas are often crossed using trenchless methods. The launch pit, reception pit, bore path, reaming and exit area form a connected volume at depth.

A near-surface survey along the alignment does not automatically cover the deep drilling corridor.

Bore geometry, target depth and possible positional deviations are coordinated with depth-specific assessment at an early stage.

Investigate the crossing volume at depth

Valve, metering and compressor stations

Stations combine foundations, pipe bridges, chambers, earthing, access roads, drainage and internal utilities within a compact area.

Deep individual ground interventions and area-wide excavations are recorded separately even though they lie within the same installation area.

Design revisions and additional equipment locations are checked against the documented assessment area.

Assess the station area

Illustration of a person beside a GPR instrument, with schematic waves in a ground section

Existing route and surrounding utilities

Parallel routes, crossings, cathodic protection, cables, old pipelines and existing valves may affect survey methods and access.

Existing asset plans are reviewed as a working basis; their positional accuracy and currency determine how they inform survey planning.

Areas where data cannot be evaluated adequately are shown on the plan. Suitable supplementary methods and survey access are assessed for them.

Assess survey feasibility around utilities

Welding, storage and logistics areas

Pipe storage, welding areas, access roads, turning areas and temporary haul roads may require ground intervention, load transfer or ground profiling.

Some of these areas lie outside the permanent protection strip and are absent from early route documents.

The survey scope follows the area actually used and the planned ground intervention.

Include ancillary construction areas in the assessment

Two people discussing plans at a table beside a vehicle on a construction site.

Connections, modifications and conversion

Connection pipelines, network interconnections, extensions and conversion of existing gas infrastructure to hydrogen involve individual civil engineering and station works.

Existing pipelines or earlier construction work do not automatically provide a reliable assessment of new volumes of ground affected.

Each additional intervention is reassessed using its location, depth, construction conditions and existing documentation.

Check existing documentation against the new ground intervention

Corridor, approval and construction

Prepare surveys for planning, procurement and pipeline construction

Pipeline projects develop from broad alternative corridors to a surveyed construction alignment with specific special structures and work areas. Assessment requirements are updated as the design becomes more detailed.

Approval documents, land access, ground conditions, dewatering, HSE and construction schedules are linked to the explosive ordnance service specification so that procurement and construction use the same spatial scope.

Where hydrogen, electricity, data or other lines are built together, the volume of ground addressed for explosive ordnance remains traceable for each trade's geometry. Shared working strips may create efficiencies but do not replace assessment of deep special structures or different excavations.

Route option and corridor planning

Historical sources, known finds and existing official documents are related to possible corridors and stations.

The early assessment supports option comparison, land access and prioritisation of further surveys.

It clarifies further survey requirements. It does not replace a necessary technical survey of the construction alignment selected later.

Assess pipeline corridors using historical evidence

Approval and construction design

The alignment, working strip, depth profile, stations, crossings and ancillary construction areas are translated into specific assessment areas.

The design revision and chainage must be consistent between approval, tendering and the construction site.

Realignments or new special structures are checked against existing documentation.

Assess the detailed construction alignment

Ground investigation and route investigation

Boreholes, cone penetration tests, dynamic probing and groundwater monitoring points are separate deep interventions.

Coordinates, target depth and equipment access are checked against explosive ordnance assessment requirements before geotechnical investigation.

Point lists are maintained under revision control and linked to the subsequent ground investigation records.

Investigate ground investigation positions in advance

Procurement and HSE planning

The specification, responsibilities, hold points, data formats and acceptance criteria must be defined before mobilisation.

Generic items without section, area and depth references make comparison and coordination more difficult.

Provisional items receive a clear technical trigger and a defined documentation requirement.

Define procurement and HSE interfaces

Pipe trench and special structures

The standard trench, crossing structure, station excavation and deep individual ground interventions are addressed using methods suited to each.

The construction sequence, shoring, dewatering and technical installations can change survey feasibility during construction.

Departures are not accepted indiscriminately; they are related to the affected volume of ground.

Coordinate construction and remaining areas

Anomaly or find situation

A survey anomaly, a technical source of interference and a confirmed find require different decisions.

Location, depth, construction conditions and responsibility are documented for the affected pipeline section.

If an unexpected suspicious object is encountered, work is stopped immediately and the responsible authorities are notified without delay. Work resumes in accordance with their instructions.

Provide a traceable handover of findings and responsibilities

Suspicion, geometry and evidence

Record surveyed and outstanding areas for each section

Historical indications, technical survey feasibility and actual construction geometry are assessed separately and then brought together for the project decision.

An open field section may offer good survey conditions, while a station or crossing is strongly affected by existing utilities. Work status is therefore derived from the geometry technically covered, rather than route length.

Corridor with historically substantiated indications

Aerial photographs, archives or existing project documents substantiate possible explosive ordnance hazards along a section.

The spatial assessment is overlaid with the working strip, pipe trench and special structures.

The result is a prioritised technical assessment task, not an assertion that specific objects are actually present.

Define the spatial extent of the suspected hazard corridor

Open near-surface working strip

An accessible route without dominant technical interference can be surveyed geophysically over its extent.

Methods and survey grids depend on the target object, ground conditions, surface, depth and required assessment.

Interference zones and gaps remain on the plan and are not treated as part of the surveyed area.

Select area-based methods for the working strip

Crossing affected by technical installations

Roads, utility bundles, stations, earthing and metal installations can obscure survey data.

Known installations are incorporated into the assessment with their location and function.

Supplementary methods and suitable survey access are assessed for areas where data cannot be evaluated adequately. Explosive ordnance surveying during construction is planned only where technically suitable.

Technically assess the crossing area

Deep drilling or foundation geometry

HDD bore paths, deep chambers, piles and shoring alignments extend beyond the area that can be covered by near-surface surveys.

Point and alignment geometries are described in three dimensions with target depth and the possible volume of ground affected.

The documentation applies exclusively to the documented assessment geometry.

Assess the deep special structure for the project

Excavation that cannot be fully assessed in advance

Existing utilities, shoring, made ground or lack of access can limit surveys in advance.

For remaining areas, the technical suitability of explosive ordnance surveying during construction is assessed. Each working layer is technically surveyed and evaluated before controlled removal in layers with supplementary visual inspection. These steps are repeated down to the agreed excavation base.

Areas not supervised or later deepening remain outside the assessment.

Prepare investigation work during construction

Documented section completion

The report, site plan, point status, survey limitations, findings and outstanding measures are assigned to chainage.

Design changes are checked against the documented volume of ground affected.

Completion provides a reliable basis for civil engineering, installation, HSE and project records.

Define section status and handover

Project records along the chainage

Documents demonstrating the status of work on the pipeline

A long pipeline needs documentation that clearly links sections, construction conditions and methods. Maps, point lists and reports use the same identifiers as design and construction.

The documentation describes not only results but also inaccessible zones, method limitations and the resulting follow-up decision.

The coordinate system, chainage format, file naming and handover formats are agreed before fieldwork. Consistent identifiers help designers, surveyors and site management clearly assign special structures already addressed and outstanding tasks.

For long corridors, design revisions, chainage, work status and follow-up measures must be named consistently across all contract sections. Only then can partial clearances, variations and later additions be clearly assigned to the area actually assessed.

Route and structure baseline

The alignment, chainage, working strip, pipe trench, stations, crossings and ancillary construction areas are maintained within a consistent design revision.

Design revisions and relocated structures remain traceable.

Construction and assessment geometries are not conflated.

Historical data basis

Aerial photographs, maps, archives, known finds and existing documents are documented with their source and scope.

Conflicting information or data gaps are updated as outstanding tasks.

The historical assessment remains distinguishable from the technical field assessment.

Survey and drilling records

Methods, grid, point coordinates, assessment depth, surface conditions, ground conditions, interference sources and survey areas actually reached are recorded by section.

Departures from the plan receive a unique identifier.

Raw and evaluated data remain assigned to the relevant section.

Anomaly and findings register

Anomalies are recorded with chainage, location, depth, assessment status and follow-up measure.

Known technical installations and unclear reflections are shown separately.

Exposure and handover information remain linked to the original identifier.

Limitations and remaining areas

Inaccessible areas, utility zones, shoring, structures and depths not adequately covered are mapped.

A next technical step is identified for each remaining area.

The final assessment is not extended beyond this boundary.

Section report and project status

The report, plan, data register, quality checks and conclusions are brought together for each contract or construction section.

An overall status overview links the partial reports.

This allows designers, HSE and site management to reliably receive the status of work along the route.

Define the documentation structure for the project Send project records for assessment

Data that can be updated across many construction sections

Keep route plans and survey results at the same revision

The project records contain historical evidence, survey data, borehole locations, findings and decisions for individual sections.

File names, coordinates, chainage and status identifiers are organised so that new design revisions can be added without obscuring earlier work.

GIS and chainage structure

The route alignment, sections, special structures, working strip and ancillary areas receive unique geometries and identifiers.

The spatial dataset provides the common basis linking planning, fieldwork and project management.

Drawing and revision register

Each report and survey file refers to the design revision used.

Changes to the alignment, depth or structure are recorded as a new revision with an assessment of technical effects.

Point and action register

Ground investigation points, anomalies, supplementary boreholes, exposures and remaining areas receive a traceable status.

Duplicate or displaced identifiers are avoided.

Quality and assessment records

Equipment checks, positioning, survey conditions, repeat surveys and technical plausibility assessments are assigned to the relevant dataset.

This keeps data evaluation auditable after changes of contract section or personnel.

HSE and project communication

Hold points, work interruptions, closed areas and authorised next work steps are documented with location and responsibility.

Technical assessment and operational decisions remain identifiable in their respective roles.

Handover and final records

Partial reports, plans, findings registers and outstanding measures are brought together for each construction section and the overall project. After actual exposure or clearance work, the corresponding findings and clearance records are included.

The handover identifies the status achieved and prerequisites for later changes or extensions.

Coordinate the pipeline dossier and data handover Submit chainage and documentation requirements

From corridor planning to construction handover by section

Schedule surveys and handover of results before each construction section

The work follows the maturity of the route design. As the route design becomes more detailed, we assess which supplementary surveys are needed and at which construction stages they are suitable.

The required results are coordinated with planning, procurement and ground intervention dates.

Field campaigns can be phased according to land availability and construction priority. Overall status management ensures that special structures addressed early and standard sections addressed later follow the same quality and documentation requirements.

Define the project commission and priorities

The corridor, preferred alignment, contract sections, station areas, construction methods and required decision are described together.

Early planning sections and sections ready for construction receive separate work objectives.

Organise documents spatially

Site plans, historical sources, existing utilities, ground investigation points, crossings and station layouts are related to a shared coordinate and identification system.

Missing baseline information is recorded by section.

Assess the historical evidence of ordnance

Suspected hazard areas and data gaps are related to the working strip, pipe trench and special structures.

This creates technical assessment areas and priorities for further planning.

Define methods and construction stages

Area-based surveys, deep-ground surveys, later access and measures during construction are selected by section and construction method.

Survey limitations and suitable supplementary measures are described before tendering. Necessary surveys and protective measures are planned before ground intervention during vegetation clearance, surface breaking, demolition or creation of access.

Carry out fieldwork and setting out

Surveys, borehole assessments or supplementary investigations are carried out with chainage and design revision references.

Departures, interference zones and inaccessible areas are updated immediately within the project geometry.

Assess data and findings

Readings, anomalies and field observations are assessed for plausibility against existing asset data, the basis for suspicion and the planned ground intervention depth.

A clear follow-up measure is defined for outstanding points.

Hand over the construction section under controlled conditions

The report, plan, status register and limitations are prepared for civil engineering, HSE and site management.

The next work step begins on the basis of the documented scope of work.

Update design changes

Relocated alignments, additional stations, changed crossings or deeper interventions are checked against the existing assessment.

Necessary supplementary work is documented as a new, traceable stage.

Alignment, working strip and volumes at depth

Show the alignment, working strip and depths on the route plan

A broad approval corridor is insufficient for construction. The construction alignment, working strip used, depth profile and all special structures are needed.

The assessment geometry is structured so that near-surface areas, deep areas and those accessible only during construction remain separate.

Soil protection, topsoil management and separate material storage affect lateral use of the working strip. These areas are included in the explosive ordnance assessment only where their construction or use involves relevant ground intervention or corresponding loading of the ground.

Derive assessment areas from the route cross-section and construction method

The standard cross-section includes the pipe trench, slopes or shoring, working space, vehicle track, pipe storage and soil stockpiles. Lateral areas are included where ground intervention, compaction, heavy loads or changes to ground levels are planned.

Geometry changes at crossings, stations and connections. Launch and reception pits, deep bore paths, piles, chambers and foundations are treated as separate volumes at depth, rather than extensions of the standard trench.

For each geometry, the method capable of providing a reliable assessment under the existing interference conditions is defined. Zones that cannot be surveyed are not counted as areas addressed.

Chainage and section boundaries

Route kilometre references, construction section, contract section and structure identifiers must be used identically in design, field records and the final report.

Transitions between sections are documented with continuous spatial coverage.

Pipe trench and working width

The trench base, slopes, shoring, lateral working spaces and temporary vehicle areas determine the area-based assessment geometry.

Depth changes and special profiles are marked along the chainage.

HDD and thrust-boring corridor

The bore entry, inclination, target depth, reaming and possible positional deviations describe a three-dimensional working volume.

Launch and reception pits are also considered as separate excavations.

Station and structure area

Foundations, chambers, pipe bridges, earthing and internal utilities create area-wide and individual ground interventions.

Each component is recorded with its own depth and design revision.

Existing utility and crossing zones

Parallel pipelines, cables, cathodic protection and existing structures can obscure survey data.

Known installations are documented spatially and considered when selecting methods.

Ancillary construction and logistics areas

Pipe storage, welding areas, access roads and assembly areas are assessed according to their actual use and ground intervention depth.

The route status is not indiscriminately extended to areas not used.

Assess pipeline geometry Coordinate chainage and data handover

Select an investigation

Select surveys for new construction and work on existing infrastructure

Two people with a tablet beside a marked construction area; plans lie in the foreground.

Record changing ground conditions along the pipeline

Within one contract section, pipeline projects pass through different historical, geological and technical settings. Agricultural land, former industrial sites, transport routes, watercourse corridors, existing utilities and built-up areas may each have different suspected hazards and survey conditions.

Select surveys according to ground conditions

Describe ground interventions for network conversion specifically

For new hydrogen pipelines and conversion of existing gas infrastructure, the explosive ordnance assessment remains related to planned ground interventions. Work at existing stations, new connection pipelines, additional valves or changed route sections are described as separate volumes of ground affected.

Determine suitable services for the planned ground interventions

Methods by route section

Which specialist service addresses which volume of ground along the pipeline

The methods detect different properties and cover different spatial areas. Their combination follows the suspected hazards, construction geometry and survey conditions of each section.

Historical aerial photograph analysis

Assesses whether and where historically substantiated indications exist along the corridor.

Does not replace a technical assessment of individual objects currently present or the full volume at depth.

Magnetometry

Detects ferromagnetic anomalies in accessible areas and can efficiently survey open working strips.

Existing pipelines, vehicles, stations and metal installations can substantially limit survey feasibility.

TDEM

Measures time-dependent electromagnetic responses from conductive objects and can provide additional object information in suitable surroundings.

Depth, ground conditions, existing utilities and electromagnetic infrastructure determine suitability.

Ground-penetrating radar / GPR

Shows reflections at material and structural boundaries and can provide supplementary information in paved areas or areas affected by magnetic interference.

A reflection does not automatically identify an object; ground conditions and moisture affect the depth of usable data.

Deep-ground and downhole surveys

Assesses defined borehole locations, piles, chambers, shoring alignments and deep crossing corridors.

The assessment remains linked to point location, survey depth and documented geometry.

Excavation supervision

Where explosive ordnance detection during construction is technically suitable, each working layer is surveyed and evaluated using technical methods. Controlled removal in layers and supplementary visual inspection then follow; these steps are repeated down to the agreed excavation base.

Excavation layers, stopping points, authority to give instructions, communication procedures and documentation are defined in the work instruction before work begins. Merely watching the excavator at work is insufficient.

Responsibility by section

Check route plans against survey results before excavation

Designers, the field team and site management use the same chainage and point identifiers.

Before construction, the route design, survey results and outstanding tasks are checked against each other.

Hand over results for the pipe trench and special structures separately

FONTANA-EOD relates historical evidence and technical surveys to the alignment, working strip, depth and construction method. This keeps the assessment linked to the subsequent ground intervention.

Methods are selected according to suitability. Technical interference, lack of access and method reach are assessed before fieldwork and openly identified in the results.

During construction, departures, additional special structures and changed construction conditions are updated. Existing reports are not applied to new volumes of ground without assessment.

Communication follows clear identifiers and responsibilities. Designers, HSE, civil engineering contractors and specialist contractors refer to the same section status.

The conclusion describes the area actually addressed and the next technical decision. It avoids blanket assessments of route volumes not surveyed.

Have your pipeline project assessed Agree quality requirements and section records

State the area and depth

The alignment, working strip, depth and special structures are defined before method selection.

Identify interference early

Existing pipelines, stations, earthing, transport routes and technical installations inform survey planning.

Maintain data by section

Survey data, borehole locations, findings and remaining areas remain linked through chainage and identifiers.

Assess changes traceably

New design revisions and relocated structures are checked against the existing assessment geometry.

Prepare communication about finds

Hold points, reporting procedures and local responsibilities are clarified before site deployment.

Hand over results

The report and plans show civil engineering contractors, HSE and site management which areas have been surveyed and which tasks remain outstanding.

Prepare the next construction section

Link surveys to the next construction phase by section

Select methods for each volume of ground

Survey requirements are assessed separately for the pipe trench, deep crossing, station foundation and ancillary construction area. Suitable historical and technical surveys depend on suspected hazards, construction geometry and survey conditions. Explosive ordnance surveying during construction is an option only where technically suitable.

Agree the appropriate service

Hand over work status for planning and construction

The documentation is linked to chainage, section identifiers, design revision, working depth and construction method. This allows grid operators, designers, HSE, procurement and site management to identify areas addressed, method limitations and the follow-up measure required before the next work step.

Identify the scope of the evidence

Responsibilities and information procedures

Who coordinates route planning, construction and communication about finds

Pipeline projects bring together network operators, designers, land management, HSE, pipeline contractors, specialist contractors and locally responsible authorities. Roles are defined by section before construction.

Project sponsors

Network operators and project promoters

Define the project objective, preferred alignment, construction sections, documentation requirements and priorities.

They provide existing documents and decide on commissioning the necessary specialist services.

Design

Route, civil engineering and approval design

Translate the corridor and installation concept into the alignment, working strip, depths, crossings, stations and point lists.

Design changes are communicated so that their effects on areas already addressed can be assessed.

HSE and project management

Safety and interface coordination

Link explosive ordnance requirements to work authorisations, land access, construction schedules, concurrent trades and reporting procedures.

They keep outstanding sections and hold points visible in the project status.

Construction execution

Pipeline, civil engineering and drilling contractors

Construct the pipe trench, crossings, stations and ancillary areas according to the agreed design revision.

Changes to the pipe alignment, trench depths or construction methods are checked against the documented assessment area before construction.

Specialist contractor

FONTANA-EOD

Reviews documents, plans the agreed survey, carries out the specialist service and documents the result, limitations and follow-up measures.

The work remains limited to the commissioned section and specific project question.

Competent authorities

KBD, KMBD, KRD and local authorities

In Germany, the ordnance disposal services of the federal states and the locally competent authorities carry out hazard-response and find-management duties. Their involvement is established for the project location; outside Germany, local responsibilities apply.

The local public order authority and, where applicable, building control are involved according to their project responsibilities. Conditions and contacts are assigned to the actual pipeline sections and stations; reporting procedures are defined before work begins.

If an unexpected suspicious object is found, notify the police immediately on 110 in Germany; outside Germany, the local emergency reporting procedure applies. The competent authorities determine the next steps.

Qualifications, HSE and construction site organisation

Technical foundations that work together in pipeline construction

The scope of activity, project location, construction conditions and possible finds determine requirements. The specification, risk assessment and responsibilities are tailored to each pipeline section and the construction method used.

Operational and technical pipeline requirements supplement explosive ordnance planning; they do not replace a clear description of the area, depth, methods and documentation.

Explosives law, occupational safety and coordinated route sections

In Germany, § 7 SprengG concerns the commercial authorisation for activities requiring authorisation; § 20 SprengG concerns the certificate of competence of responsible persons. Under § 1b SprengG, searching for found munitions also counts as handling them. The requirements applicable to the project depend on the activity actually commissioned and the allocation of responsibilities.

The risk assessment links earthworks, drilling, shoring, heavy equipment, existing utilities, exclusion zones, escape routes and communication with the explosive ordnance approach.

DGUV Information 201-027 supports risk assessment and protective measures for explosive ordnance clearance work. The Baufachliche Richtlinien Kampfmittelräumung contain requirements for historical and technical investigation, clearance concepts, procurement and documentation within their defined federal remit. Their application to the specific pipeline project is clarified separately.

If an unexpected suspicious object is found, stop work in the affected section immediately. Do not touch, move or further expose the object. Leave the danger area and keep others away without putting yourself at risk. In Germany, notify the police immediately on 110; outside Germany, use the local emergency reporting procedure. The competent authorities determine the next steps. Then inform site management and those responsible for the project.

Acceptance of services, operational authorisation to work and authority decisions on finds serve different purposes and are managed separately in the project organisation.

The First Ordinance to the Explosives Act (1. SprengV) includes requirements concerning specialist competence and state-recognised training courses. For pipeline projects, the required qualification is determined by the activities and volumes of ground actually commissioned.

DGUV Rule 113-003 concerns the dismantling or destruction of explosives or corresponding objects and also includes the disposal of found munitions. It applies according to this field of activity; it does not replace a risk assessment specific to the planned ground intervention.

Licensing and competence

The company, responsible individuals and task must match the specific scope of activity.

Risk assessment

Construction methods, personnel, equipment, volumes of ground affected and reporting procedures are defined by section.

Clearance and assessment concept

Suspected hazards, the clearance objective, method, quality and basis for acceptance are described before construction.

Documentation

Areas, depths, findings, limitations and follow-up decisions remain spatially traceable.

Before awarding the contract

The service, section, depth, qualifications, data format and required documentation are clearly described.

Provisional items receive a technical trigger and a clear payment basis.

Before fieldwork

Access, utility clearance, setting out, work areas, briefings, hold points and contacts are checked against the current design revision.

Departures are incorporated into the task before mobilisation.

Find in a pipeline section

If an unexpected suspicious object is encountered, stop work immediately. Do not touch, move or continue to expose the object. Leave the immediate area and keep others away without putting yourself at risk. In Germany, notify the police immediately on 110; outside Germany, use the local emergency reporting procedure.

The competent authorities determine the next steps when an object is found. Site management and those responsible for the project receive the location reference and instructions applying to the section.

Coordinate occupational safety and documentation Clarify the procedure for a find

From the route to project records

Documents used in practice for pipeline projects

The project documents link the route corridor, construction alignment, special structures, deep intervention points and construction progress. Site plans, status lists and field documentation refer to the same design revision and chainage.

Historical assessment, deep-ground surveys, excavation supervision, investigation of findings and final documentation remain identifiable as separate specialist services and are brought together for the specific pipeline section.

Pipeline corridor and section status

The corridor overview brings together the standard route, crossing structures, station areas and temporary work zones with their section-specific work status.

Assess the pipeline corridor within the utility project

Two monitors displaying aerial photographs and maps; further aerial photograph printouts lie on the desk.

Historical route assessment

Historical indications are mapped by chainage and working width; data gaps receive their own technical assessment recommendation.

Examine the historical route assessment in more detail

Depth-specific assessment at crossings and stations

The depth-specific documentation identifies the bore, alignment or corridor volume, assessment depth, survey conditions and remaining limitations for the planned construction.

Survey crossings and stations at the relevant depths

Person with a tablet at the edge of a cordoned-off excavation, with an excavator behind.

Supervised pipe trench excavation

The suitability of construction-phase ordnance surveying is assessed for each excavation layer. The documented investigation area limits the statement’s scope.

Provide specialist supervision of pipe trench excavation

Pipeline-specific findings and handover records

Anomalies, exposed sources of interference, confirmed finds and outstanding follow-up measures remain separately traceable through chainage and findings identifiers.

Document findings and follow-up measures by chainage

Final records for pipeline construction

The final report identifies the basis for suspicion, surveys carried out, area and depth covered and outstanding tasks for each route section.

Document section reports and handover

Four people in orange high-visibility vests in front of two excavators on a construction site.

Person with a yellow survey cart on a footpath in front of a hedge.

Relevant further information

Specialist services for pipe trenches, crossings and stations

Historical hazard assessment, deep-ground surveys, excavation supervision, investigation of findings and documentation each address a distinct part of the pipeline project.

Selection depends on the next planning step, the specific volume of ground affected and the assessment needed before procurement or construction.

Montage showing building construction, a railway, a utility trench, energy facilities, industry and road construction.

Sectors and applications

Plan ordnance assessments for transport, utility, energy and other infrastructure projects according to their ground interventions.

Have the project surroundings assessed by specialists