The Nord Stream Project Progresses on Schedule
More Than a Quarter of the First Pipeline is Laid
Sept. 9, 2010 | Pipelay vessels working on the Nord Stream project laid 345 kilometres of the first of the two 1,224 kilometre long pipelines through the Baltic Sea. “These first 28 percent show that the project is well on track, and that we are now really seeing the result of our complex preparatory work,” said Nord Stream Project Director Henning Kothe.
With the Solitaire joining the pipelay fleet in September, three laybarges are simultaneously working on Line 1. The Castoro Dieci is continuing to work in shallow waters of the Bay of Greifswald, Germany, the Castoro Sei is operating in the western part of the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and the Solitaire is working in Russian waters.
On September 6, the three vessels together were able to lay more than 7 kilometres of the pipeline, which is a record for the Nord Stream project, and also a new benchmark for an offshore pipelay project with a 48-inch diameter pipeline. The fact that three vessels are working on the same pipeline at the same time is also unique for the offshore industry. The three vessels will continue working together on sections of Line 1 until the Castoro Dieci has completed pipe laying in German waters at the end of September. While the three vessels are operating simultaneously, production of Line 1 is at its peak, welding an average total of 500 pipe joints each day. Each pipe is 12 metres long, weighing about 23 tonnes.
Each of the three pipelay vessels is also supported by several other ships including pipe carrier and survey vessels. The Solitaire is using the marshalling yard in Kotka, Finland for pipe deliveries, the Castoro Sei is using Hanko, Finland, and the Castoro Dieci is using Mukran, Germany. During the period of deploying all three pipelay vessels, more pipes will be used than at any other time during the project.
In addition to the 345 kilometres of Line 1, 27 kilometres of Line 2 have also been laid under the more challenging conditions near the landfall areas. To mitigate environmental impacts, Nord Stream combined the construction for both pipelines in the coastal areas in Germany and in Russia.
