A recent announcement from LIUNA Local 92 has generated significant discussion across Alberta’s pipeline industry after the union announced that its signatory partner, OJB Energy Solutions, has been awarded four of the province’s five mainline pipeline spreads for the upcoming 2026 construction season.
According to the announcement, the busy construction schedule will begin in late September with TC Energy’s Colt Project near Hinton before crews move onto the long-awaited ATCO Yellowhead Pipeline, which is expected to commence in early winter.
The union described the upcoming season as one of the busiest pipeline construction periods Alberta has seen in years. It also noted that this marks the first time since the Line 3 Replacement Project that union contractors will hold the majority share of Alberta’s mainline pipeline work.
If the announcement reflects work on the ATCO Yellowhead Pipeline, it would identify OJB Energy Solutions as one of the project’s largest construction contractors to date. ATCO has previously confirmed that the Yellowhead Pipeline has received regulatory approval and that major construction and procurement contracts have been awarded, but the company has not publicly identified the successful mainline contractors.
The LIUNA Local 92 announcement has quickly attracted attention from pipeline workers, contractors and suppliers who have been waiting for details on which companies would be leading construction of Alberta’s newest major natural gas pipeline.
The ATCO Yellowhead Pipeline is one of Alberta’s largest energy infrastructure projects and will transport natural gas from the Peers area west of Edmonton to Fort Saskatchewan. The project is expected to support thousands of construction jobs while increasing natural gas delivery capacity for industrial development in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland.
With construction expected to begin later this year, hiring activity, equipment mobilization and subcontract awards are anticipated to increase over the coming months as contractors prepare for one of Alberta’s most closely watched pipeline projects.
As always, Pipeline Rumours encourages readers to share what they’re hearing from the field. If you’re working on the project or have additional information about contractor awards, hiring, equipment mobilization or construction schedules, join the discussion in the comments below.
Source: LIUNA Local 92 Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/liunalocal92/posts/122262083300124918
Note: This article is based on the announcement published by LIUNA Local 92. ATCO has not publicly released a list of the successful Yellowhead mainline contractors.
