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March 31 2019 Vol. IX • No. 7
“The Nation’s Best Read Construction Newspaper… Founded 1957.” 470 Maryland Drive • Ft. Washington, PA 19034 • 215-885-2900 • Toll Free 800-523-2200 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com
Inside
Can the Permian Basin Boom Be Even Bigger? By Lori Tobias
Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals photo
CEG CORRESPONDENT
Early Tech Upgrades Put Caliper Ahead of Competition...8
Education, Record Attendance Highlight NTEA Show...42
J. Stout Auctions Hosts Spring Auction in Portland, Ore. ...52
Table of Contents ................4
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is predicting U.S. crude oil production will average 11.7 billion barrels per day in 2019, putting it on track to surpass the previous record of 9.6 million b/d in 1970. More than half of that is expected to be produced in the Permian Basin in western Texas and eastern New Mexico. According to the report, the EIA expects Permian regional production to average 3.9 million b/d in 2019. Favorable geology combined with technological and operational improvements have contributed to the Permian region becoming one of the more economically favorable regions for crude oil production in the United States. The forecast bodes well for the economy. “It’s a huge boom to the infrastructure,” said Doug Eichorst, West Texas area manager of Associated General Contractors, Texas. “There is a significant effort by the Highway department to
Favorable geology combined with technological and operational improvements have contributed to the Permian region becoming one of the more economically favorable regions for crude oil production in the United States.
keep up with the amount of infrastructure needed to accommodate the fracking, the drilling, the sand, the water. Previously, they let $100 million in road contracts; now it’s about $400 million a year — four times the increase of work being
done to highways. Local counties and cities also have passed bonds to improve infrastructure, he said. “There’s enough energy down there for the next 40 years. It’s just a matter of how long the economy can keep
going and how long they can continue obtaining it at a price that is worthwhile.” Contractors are benefitting from the increase in oil and natural gas production as well. Bechtel Oil, see BOOM page 16
Central 70 Project — $1.2B I-70 Reconstruction
Recycling Section ........17-25 Attachments & Parts Section .......................................35-37
Central 70 Project photo
Truck & Trailer Section......... .......................................42-47 Business Calendar ............48 Auction Section ..........50-53 Advertisers Index ..............54
In an effort to bring an aging highway into the 21st century, construction teams in Denver, Colo., are reconstructing a 10-mi. stretch of I-70 between Brighton Boulevard and Chambers Road, as well as adding one new express lane in each direction and removing an old viaduct.
By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
In an effort to bring an aging highway into the 21st century, construction teams in Denver, Colo., are reconstructing a 10-mi. stretch of I-70 between Brighton Boulevard and Chambers Road, as well as adding one new express lane in each direction and removing an old viaduct. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is overseeing
the $1.2 billion project, which will lower the interstate between Brighton and Colorado boulevards and place a park over a portion of the lowered interstate. “The I-70 viaduct is at the end of its useful life, and needs to be replaced,” said Stacia Sellers, Central 70 communications manager. “In addition to that, this section of I-70 was not designed to support 200,000 vehicles per day, which creates safety, access and consee CDOT page 26