Ameren is sending four teams – three from Missouri and one from Illinois – to compete in the 2024 National Gas Rodeo for natural gas workers – a two-day competition, September. 11-13, in Florence, Kentucky.
The Gas Rodeo attracts the best natural gas workers from around the country to compete in events based on traditional tasks and skills.
Best natural gas workers
“While athletes from around the world were training for the Olympics in Paris, our natural gas journeymen and apprentices were preparing for their own Olympic-style competition in Kentucky,” said Pam Harrison, senior director of Missouri Gas Operations. “We're excited to have teams from Missouri and Illinois participate once again to showcase their incredible talent and skill in this national competition.”
“These events represent the exact type of work we perform on an everyday basis, and everyone involved truly is the best of the best,” said Eric Kozak, vice president of natural gas for Ameren Illinois. “It’s also all about competing in a safe manner, and we know our teams will go out there and represent the values of our company.”
Meter gaskets and wrenches
There is a plate/board with two flanges on it for assembling the meter set
The events include meter set, service installation, pipe cut and hand dig. Meter Set: An assortment of fittings, a service regulator, meter, meter gaskets and wrenches are in a tote box.
There is a plate/board with two flanges on it for assembling the meter set. The meter set must be assembled to ‘National Gas Rodeo standards,’ which is wrench tight, level, correct fittings used and regulator is in the correct direction. Judge's box must be able to be placed over the meter set.
Service riser bracket
Service Installation: Install a service line with tracer wire from the 2-inch plastic main to the service riser bracket. The team will lay out 60 feet of half-inch plastic pipe along with tracer wire in one continuous piece, insert the half-inch plastic pipe and tracer wire through the 20-foot section of 2-inch plastic pipe, attach riser to bracket and connect pipe to riser with half-inch Permasert, connect pipe to stub with half-inch Permasert.
Once all components are installed above grade according to the Rodeo standards, the service tee is tapped, the service cap is installed, and the service pipe is purged. The service installation is finished when the riser valve is opened.
Mechanical 4-wheel cutter
Pipe Cut: 6-inch .250 Grade B wall pipe will be cut using only a mechanical 4-wheel cutter with no modifications to the cutter.
Hand Dig: Dig out a 3' x 4' x 3' box filled with a mix of sand and pea gravel. Expose the five green dots painted on the bottom of the box. (Two-person teams will dig out a box 3' x 4' x 18 inches).
Ameren Missouri will have two four-man teams and a two-man team representing the following divisions:
- Central
- Robert Hillerman II, Brandon Safranek, Nic Ditter and Nate Knigge
- Brent Gentges and Daniel Jahnsen
- Northeast
- Dan Cushing, Stephen Tedeschi, Jason Johnson, and Kyle Dunda
- Ameren Illinois will have one four-man team representing its Peoria Operating Center:
- Jonathan Dorich, Colt Foster, Mike Harenberg, Scott Snedden and Brandon Endres.