Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Statoil (OSE:STL) has awarded three contracts for the long-distance Polarled gas pipeline in the Norwegian Sea. Total value is about $720 million.
The 482-km (299-mi) long, 36-in. diameter pipeline will take gas from theAasta Hansteen field spar platform to the gas plant at Nyhamna on Norway’s west coast, currently dedicated to the Ormen Lange field. Water depths along the route will reach a maximum of 1,265 m (4,150 ft), the deepest for a pipeline this size, Statoil claims.
Marubeni Itochu/JFE will fabricate the linepipe, with Wasco responsible for coating, and Allseas for offshore pipelay.
The steel order includes pipes, bends, and buckle arrestors. Around 325,000 metric tons (358,000 tons) of steel will be produced.
Pipes will be shipped from the supplier in Japan to Malaysia, where flow coating will be applied on the inside and anti-corrosion coatings on the outside.
The pipes will then be shipped to a newly established production base at Mo i Rana for application of a protective exterior concrete weight coating, before being stored until pipelay starts in 2015. Wasco will use existing buildings at the Mo Industrial Park to establish the factory for the concrete coating application.
Preliminary engineering has started on the pipelay program. Allseas will use a dynamically positioned lay vessel without the use of anchors. The program starts with pulling in of the pipe at Nyhamna in March 2015 and will be completed with lay down atAasta Hansteen in summer 2015.
The contract includes an option for linepipe for a connection to the Kristin offshore complex.
Late last year Statoil and its partners submitted a $4.5-billion plan for installation and operation of Polarled to Norway’s Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. Sanction is expected by mid-2013.
2/19/2013
