United Sistema de Tuberias Limitada, a Chilean subsidiary of Insituform’s United Pipeline Systems division, has been awarded two contracts valued at approximately $US6 million to install its Tite Liner System in pipelines for Minera El Abra in Calama, Chile.

The Tite Liner System is a high density polyethylene liner designed to resist internal abrasion and corrosion in pipelines.

The liner is being used to internally protect a new 42 inch diameter pipeline from highly corrosive sulfuric acid raffinate as part of the $US600 million Sulfolix expansion project. The pipeline will be nearly 25,000 feet long, and United’s on-site installation will take place in extremely challenging high desert conditions. The El Abra copper mine is located at approximately 13,000 feet above sea level where cold temperatures and high winds are prevalent. Work on the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2010.