GAZ-SYSTEM starts pipelaying for Baltic Pipe project

Polish GAZ-SYSTEM has begun laying the offshore gas pipeline for the Baltic Pipe project in the Baltic Sea.

On 27 June, Castorone, a 300-metre long and nearly 40-metre wide marine vessel, started laying the Baltic Pipe, the company informed.

After completing the final preparations, the pipelay took off in Danish waters, close to the island of Bornholm, at a place near the halfway point of the entire offshore gas pipeline route.

Castorone will be successively moving northwest along the pipeline route. The vessel has a helipad and several stations for welding individual pipe sections and joining them into the final pipeline.

The welded pipeline will be lowered into the sea using a special ramp at the stern of the vessel. It consists of three parts which, by adjusting the slope, enable the pipeline to be installed at different depths, according to GAZ-SYSTEM.

“GAZ-SYSTEM has reached another important milestone in Baltic Pipe implementation. After 5 years of planning, designing, and selecting contractors, laying the first offshore gas pipeline in history of Polish gas industry has just started”, said Tomasz Stępień, president of GAZ-SYSTEM.

“By the end of this year, we are planning to weld and lay on the Baltic seabed 275 kilometres of the pipeline which will connect the coasts of Poland and Denmark. Castorone, one of the largest special-purpose vessels of its kind will perform the pipelay operations in the deepest waters“.

Two more vessels, Castoro Sei and Castoro 10 are currently stationed in Rotterdam, ready to join Baltic Pipe laying operations. Other vessels engaged in subsea operations are currently working in the Baltic Sea.

Laying the almost 275 kilometres long offshore pipeline will take a few months. If weather allows, the entire process will be completed this year, GAZ-SYSTEM said.

Baltic Pipe project is a strategic infrastructure project between Poland’s GAZ-SYSTEM and the Danish Energinet which will create a new corridor supplying gas from Norway to the markets in Poland, Denmark, and neighboring countries.

To remind, Energinet enacted a temporary shutdown of construction following the ruling from 31 May from the Danish Environmental and Food Appeals Board to repeal the environmental permit for the Baltic Pipe project.

Last week, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency informed Energinet that the Baltic Pipe project can resume construction works in certain parts across Denmark.