Dictionary of Pipeliner's Terms

A Dolly
A trailer converter dolly that is towed from a single hitch located on the centerline of the towing
unit.
A Train
A combination of vehicles composed of a tractor, a semitrailer and either an A Dolly and a
semitrailer or a full trailer attached to the lead semitrailer in a like manner as if an A Dolly were
used.
AC (Athey) wagon
A tracked towing trailer
Axle Group
Any number of consecutive axles on a vehicle through which weight is intended to be equally
distributed.
Axle Spread
The longitudinal distance between the extreme axle centers of the axle group.
Axle Weight
The total weight transmitted to the highway by the axle or axle group.
B Train
A combination of vehicles composed of a tractor, a semitrailer, followed by another semitrailer
attached to the first semitrailer by the means of a fifth wheel mounted on the rear of the first
semitrailer.
Back End
Those crews behind the welding crew
Backfill
The dirt/sand material used to cover the pipe in the ditch
Bead
The root pass of the weld
Beaver tail
The extreme rear sloped, fabricated steel portion of a lowbed trailer used to facilitate a tractor
mounting the trailer from the rear
Bell hole
A widened and sloped section of the ditch where welders will work when doing a tie in
Bender
Machine for bending pipe
Berm
A dyke of earth material formed to contain fluid, such as fuel, in case of a spill or leak, or to diver
water on a slope in the prevention of erosion.
Blacktop
Tar sealed road
Bladder
Sack like container for storing water, diesel or other liquids
Blasting mats
Large mats fabricated of tires secured tightly together with bolts and chains. Used to prevent
projectiles of rock (flyrock) from becoming airborne out of the blasting site.
Blow down
Releasing air or water pressure through valves at a test head, after testing a section of pipe

Bone Yard
Lay down area for equipment adjacent to the pipeline area, usually either at kick Off or the end of
the line.
Boom
Pipeline sideboom tractor
Boxing a sag
Squaring off the R.O.W. at a creek/river crossing
Breakers
On hillsides and inclined slopes, the placement of sand bags or spraying of foam to surround the
pipe, as a dam, to the top of the ditch, to prevent water flow and subsequent erosion around the
pipe. Water breakers are berms built at an angle across the ROW to divert ground water and
prevent ROW erosion.
Buckles
A deformity in the pipe resulting in an inward protruding bend, often caused by ditch rock,
bending mistakes
Buddy system
An arrangement by which two workers work together to ensure the health and safety of each
other.
Buffing
Grinding the pipe with a wire brush
Bug
The automatic welding machine that welds inside or outside the pipe on a track
C Dolly
A trailer converter dolly, with a frame rigid in the horizontal plane that is towed from two hitches
located in a horizontal transverse line on the towing unit, that precludes any rotation in the
horizontal plane about the hitch points.
C Train
A combination of vehicles composed of a tractor, a semitrailer, followed by another semitrailer
attached to the first semitrailer by the means of a C Dolly.
CAD welding
Welding test lead wire on the pipe and casing
Calipers
A type of tongs designed specifically for and used for lifting pipe - faster than hooking and
unhooking slings
Cap
The top pass of the weld
Carry back
On setup and pipegang, the distance the pipe section is brought back to a "start stake" to ensure
that after the pipe section is lowered in, it will overlap the following section, necessitating the
removal of a "pup". The start stake is placed by the engineering crew to ensure a sufficient
overlap.
Chainage
The accumulated length of the pipeline from Kickoff marked in kilometers and meters
Charge
Any explosive which is loaded, placed or fixed and which may or may not contain a primer
Cheater
A length of pipe used to lengthen the handle of another tool for the purpose of increasing
leverage and power

Cherry Picker
Truck mounted crane
Choker
A wire rope or synthetic sling used to encircle the pipe by passing one end through a loop in the
other end thereby providing an attachment which can pull laterally as well as vertically
Choking pipe
Wood skids, wedges or rock material used to stop pipe from rolling on a flat surface
Clam
Excavating equipment
Clamps
A circular clamp that is hinged in half to facilitate encircling the pipe. Control the ends of two pipe
joints or sections during tie in welding
Coating
The paint, plastic or dope the bare steel of the pipe is covered with from the factory or that is
applied on the "Coating" crew
Cold-wrapping
Applying tape type coatings that do not require the application of heat
Combination
A bend incorporating a sidebend and a sag or overbend
Coming-in-side
The upstream side of a section or tie in.
Coupons
Sections of cut pipe, used for practicing welding
Cradle
Roller slings for lowering in pipe
Cradles
A lifting device through which the pipe slides, fitted with multiple padded rollers and wheels, used
on Lower-in that rolls along a section while supporting it. Used to lower the pipe into the ditch
Crotch
A cradle of skids which prohibits sideways movement of the pipe
Crumbing the ditch
Ahead of Lower-in removing material from the ditch that might damage the coating or cause a
buckle in the pipe.
Cutting bit
The business/cutting end of a road bore or directional drilling auger
Danger Zone
A location within 6 meters of a piece of heavy equipment
Daylighting
Exposing a utility that was previously buried
Deadman tractor
A tractor used as an anchor for a pipe section (such as on lowering-in) or when winching
equipment on steep slopes
Detonating chord
A flexible chord containing high explosives which may be used to detonate other explosive
materials
Diapers
Sorbent pads used to soak up oil spills

Ditch line
Centerline of ditch, marked by red stakes, stones or markers along the right of way
Ditchside
The side of the right of way on the opposite side of the ditchline from the workside, where the
spoil pile is placed
Dog it
Stop heavy equipment operation
Dogleg
An irregularity in a straight line - in a pipe section, lay of the right of way etc.
Donut
Internal brace used in bending operation when end of pipe is near the die. Used to prevent
egging of pipe
Downstream
The direction the product will flow when in the pipeline is in service
Dozer
Caterpillar tractor with a blade for pushing dirt or sand
Dragup
To quit or resign
Dragup Tank
A large tank built into the deck of a welders rig
Drawbar
Structural member of a sled, full trailer, pony trailer or trailer converter dolly that includes a device
for the purpose of coupling with a trailer hitch, fifth wheel or hook on a sling
Drill pattern
Predetermined pattern and spacing of bore holes for loading explosives on blasting crew
Egging
Pipe becoming out of round, during bending process
Eye balling
Judging by sight rather than using an instrument
Fill line
Small inch light wall pipe 6-10 inches diameter used to carry water from a water source to a fill
point, during testing operations
Fill point
A test point used to fill a pipe section with water for testing
Final Tie Ins
The crew that welds together or ties in, after test, the tested sections to complete a continuous
pipeline.
Flume pipe
Pipe used in ditches to control the flow of water
Flyrock
Rock projectiles ejected skyward from a blasting zone
Foreign line
A pipeline that crosses the centerline of the new pipeline under construction
Front End
Those crews ahead of and including the welding crew
Going-out-side
The downstream side of a section or tie in

Goose
Internal hydraulically operated internal clamp used by pipegang welding crew
Goose
Internal clamp on front end welding crew
Grousers
Horizontal lugs on tracks of tracked equipment
Hammer wrench
Large wrench with square end designed to be struck by a sledge hammer. Used on Final Tie In
crew when tightening flanges on valves
Hand
Pipeline worker
Headache Rack
Strong (reinforced steel) barrier mounted on the back of the cab of a truck to prevent the load
sliding forward and breaching the rear cabin wall injuring the driver
Heating coils
Electrical coils, used on the coating crew that are hinged to enable encircling and heat the pipe
Heavy wall pipe
Mainline pipe with a thicker wall thickness than line pipe
High boy
A conventional truck trailer with deck approximately 5 foot off the ground
High-low
When the pipe and weld is slightly out of true
Hoarding
Plastic over a wood frame used at a test point to maintain temperature of exposed test section
Hoe Rock Hammer
Backhoe fitted with rock hammer
Holiday
Hole or gap in pipeline coating
Hot Dope
Old method of coating pipe with hot melted tar like substance
Hot Pass
Second weld layer
Hot-wrapping
Applying tape type coatings that require the application of heat
Hotpass
The filler pass of the weld
Hustle skids
The work involved in the loading/unloading of skids, building cradles to support the pipe etc.
Jeep (Holiday detector)
Electrical device used to detect abnormalities/holidays in pipeline coating
Joint
A length of pipe
Kick Off
Where the work starts on a pipeline project. The work site at the very beginning of a pipeline
mainline or looping project.
Kilometer post
A post indicating the kilometer chainage from kickoff

Lathe
A stake, sharpened on one end, driven into the ground and used to mark centerline of ditch,
chainage, or other purpose
Line pipe
The mainline pipeline pipe
Load line hook
The hook that supports the weight
Loop
A parallel section of pipeline
Looping
Work on a section of pipeline that parallels an existing pipeline system.
Loose end
The free, open end of a longer section of pipe
Low Boy/Low Bed
A low slung trailer used to haul heavy equipment
M-Scope
An electronic device used to locate buried facilities: pipelines, powerlines etc.
Mandrel
Internal, maneuverable die inside the pipe used in bending operation
Mormon Board
Backfilling implement
MSDS Sheets
Material Safety Data Sheets - Sheets providing the worker with information of hazardous products
so he may protect himself
Mud board
A wooden elevated (4-5 inches) platform for welders to lie on when welding under the pipe
Nightcap
Caps made out of material, plastic, wood etc to fit over and close off the end of the pipe to
prevent entry of foreign material
Overbend
A bend in the pipe that is convex - low on the ends and high in the middle
P.I.
Change in the direction of the right of way centerline, usually identified by a stake/lathe with the
chainage written on it
Padding
Selected finer material placed in the ditch, beneath, beside and on top of the pipe to prevent
damage to the pipe or coating by rocks. Usually 8" is required under the pipe and 12" beside and
on top of the pipe.
Pass
A weld once around pipe
Pig
Internal pipeline cleaning or inspection device
Pig Catcher
A device for receiving a pig
Powder man
The worker on a blasting crew whose job is to load explosives in the bore holes

Pulling head
A heavy reinforced end cap for a pipe section with a towing eye, for sustained lateral pulling of
that section, used on road bores and river/creek sections
Pup
Short length of pipe
Quad
Welding machines mounted on a tractor
Reach Rod
Long rod with wheel on end which is used to control the mandrel inside the pipe when bending
pipe
Reamer
A cutting head that increases the bore hole size
Ripper
A vertical earth/rock cutting blade mounted on the back of a dozer
River weights
Circular concrete weights attached to the pipe when pipe is laid under water or in wet swampy
areas.
Roach
A berm (mound of earth) over the pipeline
Rolling Seams
Rotating pipe in a sling to locate the longitudinal factory seam at a desired position for pipe
bending
ROW
Pipeline night-of-way
Rubber boot seal
The seal between the casing and pipe on either ends of a road/river bore
Safety Fuse
A flexible chord containing black powder which burns internally and is used to initiate a plain
detonator
Sag
A bend in the pipe that is concave - high on the ends and low in the middle
Set in tractor
The tractor on the front-end pipegang crew that picks up each succeeding joint and sets it into the
welding clamps
Setup
The phase of pipe handling which immediately follows bending. This crew positions the pipe
advantageously for the welding crew to ensure minimum required handling by the front-end
pipegang crew. It is also laid out as per carry back and other stakes left by the engineering crew
Sho-Fly
Access road to pipeline construction ROW
Shoot a bend
To calculate the degrees of a bend with a transit
Shotrock
Blasted shards of rock
Sidebend
A bend in the pipe that directs the pipe to one side or the other

Silk screen
Fine mesh plastic screening used to filter sediment out of flowing water for environmental
purposes
Skid
Wooden support used to build supports for the pipe
Slider
A simple type of skid support for pipe joints/sections
Sling
Looped wire rope or synthetic line used for lifting pipe
Sneaky
A manned internal pipe repair vehicle A pipeline construction project
Sourman
Equipment with used to yoyo a drag bucket at a river crossing
Spacers
Devices strapped/bolted to the pipe to prevent it being damaged by the metal casing when the
pipe is inserted into the casing. Used on road or river bores
Spiral Pipe
Pipe with a spiral factory welded seam
Splitter
A length of safety fuse which notches at 50 millimeter (two inch) intervals and is used to ignite
safety fuses
Spoil pile
The excavated ditch material
Spoons
Long handled (12-15 foot) shovels used ahead of lower-in cradles to remove rock from the
centerline of the ditch, under the pipe, which could cause buckles, when regulations prohibit
workers entering unsafe ditch.
Spotter
A worker designated to identify the appropriate location on the right of way to drop a load, park a
vehicle etc. to a driver or operator
Spread
A pipeline construction project
Spread Man
Construction Superintendent
Spudding
Intentional penetration as in "spudding' pipe in a bender
Squeeze iron
Iron from squeeze pump to test head
Stabber
Employee who helps line-up pipe for welding
Stemming
The material placed in the open end of a loaded hole which confines the explosive gases
Stemming piles
Loaded bags of stemming material used in blasting
Stinger
Welding rod and holder

Straw Boss
Crew foreman's lead worker
Stringing
The crew that moves the pipe from the pipeyard to the right of way and positions the joints along
the right of way parallel to but sufficient distance from the ditchline
Swabbing
Using a ring of pipe cut to a slightly smaller diameter than the line pipe with an outer layer of soft
rubber which is pulled through a joint of pipe to clean out the inside of the pipe
Swamp mats
Heavily constructed pads of wood used to support equipment in swampy areas
Tack Rig
Welding tractor
Tag line
length of rope attached to a suspended load which is used to control swinging motion in the load
Tail chain
Chain on the end of a equipment winch line
Tamping
Compressing of explosives into a hole usually by means of a rod designed for that purpose
Test head
A short section of pipe with a convex end cap and valves, welded to the end of a section. Used in
the filling of pipe and controlling pressure during testing operations.
Test point
A location in a pipe section chosen to be used as a work site for testing operations, where the
welders have left two loose ends.
To the house
Going home after shift
Torpedoes/Moles/Rockets
Underground earth piercing tools
Tow cat
Tractor used to pull any equipment or vehicles stuck on the right of way.
Upstream
The direction from which the product will come from when in service
Utility
Any pipeline, buried or overhead powerline, fiber optic cable, sewer etc.
Wobble
A strike. Workers collectively refuse to go to work in support of some demand
Workside
The side of the right of way on which the equipment and vehicular traffic move
Yoyo
Using bucket on a drag line to get ditch depth at a river crossing