Wood Group's Alliance Engineering has been awarded a contract to provide a variety of services for Rice Energy's proposed natural gas pipeline system in Washington County, Pa.

The system includes 6.5 miles of 16" steel pipeline along with a 12" clean water line, well connect lateral provisions and pipeline inspection facilities that will transport Marcellus Shale gas from locally drilled wells to others' sales gas pipelines. Alliance will provide overall project management for the project, including coordination of permitting, surveying, engineering, design, procurement and mapping, as well as construction management and inspection for the new facilities.

"Alliance's Canonsburg, Pa. office will perform the lead role in Rice's strategic development of this Marcellus asset locally," said Edmund Hugo Lunde, president of Alliance. "Our Canonsburg team members average more than 25 years of local experience in overall project management and project execution strategies that will help ensure a safe, efficient and quality field development for Rice Energy."

Pre-construction activities for permitting, surveying, engineering design and procurement of materials will take place through spring 2012. Construction is scheduled to start thereafter, with the pipeline to be placed into service by fall 2012.