Balticconnector Offshore Pipe Laying Complete

The offshore section of the Balticconnector pipeline, installed between Estonia and Finland, has been completed.

Laying the offshore pipeline on the seabed of the Gulf of Finland began in May 2019 in Inkoo and was completed in Paldiski in June 2019.

“It feels great to have the ends of the offshore pipeline in plain view on both sides of the Gulf of Finland. Installing the offshore pipeline is the biggest single work phase in the Balticconnector project, and completing it ahead of time is the result of an excellent cooperation between different stakeholders,” said project director Tom Främling.

After the pipe laying, the next phase is shielding work, in which the offshore pipeline is partly covered with quarry stones. This phase has already been started in parallel with the pipe laying work and will be completed in July.

An offshore pipeline pressure test will be carried out in July-August, after which the pipeline will be emptied and dried.

The offshore pipeline will be connected to the onshore pipelines in Finland and Estonia according to plans during the autumn, the company noted.

“I’m happy to say that the targets set for Balticconnector are being met one by one and we are progressing according to plan and heading towards the completion and commissioning of the pipeline by the end of 2019,” added Herkko Plit, the president and CEO of Baltic Connector Oy.