Offshore staff
ZUG, Switzerland -- Allseas’ Solitaire has finished its installation work for line one of the twin Nordstream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
Two of three sections of line one of the pipeline now are complete. To date more than 83,300 segments of pipe have been laid over a distance of 1,000 km (621 mi). Saipem’sCastoro Sei should complete the remaining section by April.
“We have completed this most challenging part of the pipeline through the Baltic Sea on schedule and have now laid over 80% of line one of the twin pipeline,” said Nord Stream Deputy Director of Construction Ruurd Hoekstra.
“Together with our main contractor Saipem we chose Allseas’ dynamically positioned pipelay vesselSolitaire to lay part of this section because it operates without anchors, so that only the pipeline itself touches the seabed along the precise route agreed with the Finnish authorities.
“This has been an added safety guarantee for us in this congested area of the Baltic Sea known for its historic mine lines. I am pleased to say that everything has gone according to plan.”
Connection of the three major pipeline sections will be performed at the two offshore locations where the design pressure changes, respectively from 220 to 200 bar (3,191-2,900 psi) and from 200 to 170 bar (2,465 psi).
This spring, the Gulf of Finland and central sections will be connected off the coast of Finland in a water depth of around 80 m (262 ft). In summer, connection of the central and southwestern sections will take place off the coast of Gotland, Sweden, in a water depth of 110 m (361 ft), marking the completion of construction of Nord Stream line one.
02/07/2011
