Statoil: Polarled gas pipeline crosses Arctic Circle

Aug. 21, 2015  + + +  The Statoil ASA-operated Polarled gas pipeline construction project reported crossing the Arctic Circle. The line will connect Aasta Hansteen field in the Norwegian Sea to Nyhamna in western Norway.
The 482-km, 70 million standard cu m/day pipeline is being laid in as much as 1,265 m of water, marking the first time a 36-in. OD gas pipeline has been installed at such depths, Statoil says, adding that Polarled is the first pipeline to take Norwegian gas infrastructure across the Arctic Circle.

During the start-up of construction in March, the pipeline was pulled in to Nyhamna (OGJ Online, Mar. 27, 2015).

“We are progressing well at the moment, conditions have been good for more than 50 days in a row, and at the end of July we set a record of laying 4.8 km of pipes in one day,” said Kenneth Aksel Kristensen, one of Statoil’s company representatives on board the vessel.

The Polarled pipe-laying operation is scheduled to be completed by the end of August. Nyhamna will be ready to receive Aasta Hansteen gas in 2017. When the pipeline comes on stream, Gassco will operate the pipeline and Nyhamna plant.

The original investment budget for the pipeline project was 11.1 billion kroner, Statoil said, but it is now expecting an investment level of about 7.5 billion kroner, “due to good planning, good market knowledge, and good execution.”

Source: Statoil - Article by Oil & Gas Journal