Offshore staff
WARSAW, Poland – Saipem has completed the final weld on a new offshore gas pipeline connecting the coasts of Denmark and Poland, part of the Baltic Pipe project.
According to Gaz-System President Tomasz Stępień, “The laying of the gas pipeline on the seabed was the most challenging part of Baltic Pipe from an organizational and technical point of view...
“We still have to go through tests, technical tests, and approvals. We have about a year to complete this work, so that from Oct. 1, 2022, we can start commercial gas transmission from the Norwegian shelf to Poland.”
For the 275-km (171-mi) long pipeline across the maritime sectors of Denmark, Sweden and Poland, Saipem laid and welded more than 22,000 pipes with a nominal diameter of 900 mm (35.4 in.).
The Castorone was the largest of the three vessels employed, laying around 150 km (93 mi) of pipeline in the deeper water areas over a 35-day period.
The Castoro Sei installed 104 km (64 mi) in Polish and Danish waters, and the Castoro 10 around 20 km (12.4 mi) in shallower waters off the Danish coast. During the campaign about 1,100 people were involved, with crews exchanged by helicopter.
Thirty five other vessels supported the program, delivering pipes to the lay vessels, dredging the seabed, dumping rock material and surveying the seabed using ROVs.
During pipelaying, all necessary crossings with third-party offshore infrastructure were also implemented and secured. And two tunnels were drilled at the exit points of the offshore gas pipeline in Poland and Denmark.
12/02/2021
