Worlds largest pipelaying vessel enters Baltic to start work on Nord Stream pipeline

The consortium constructing the Nord Stream pipeline have announced that the

Allseas’ Solitaire, the world’s largest pipelay vessel, has passed under Storebælt Bridge, the Great Belt Bridge, on its way to construct a key section of the 1224 km Nord Stream natural gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea. 

The Solitaire will start constructing the 342.5 km section of the pipeline from kilometre point (KP) 7.5 in Russian waters to KP 350 in the Finnish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). This part of the Baltic Sea presents particular environmental challenges, as it is congested and has many historic mine lines. The Solitaire is ideal for laying pipe in this environment, as it uses full dynamic positioning, dispensing with anchors, thus only touching the seabed with the pipeline.

The Solitaire is equipped with ten thrusters with an integrated propulsion power of 50,000 kW to counteract waves, currents and winds for precise manoeuvring and to maintain the vessel’s position. These thrusters keep the pipelay vessel automatically in place. They are steered by a computer system that constantly monitors the actual position of the vessel in comparison to its target position (in this case the agreed pipeline route). Should there be any deviation, the thrusters instantly propel it back into the target position, so that the vessel is always operating along the precise agreed route.

The Solitaire is 300 m long (excluding stinger) by 40.6 m wide. It has a massive 22,000 t pipe-carrying capacity and work stations on several levels to enable it to receive and store the 12 m long 23 t pipes, weld them together, test the welds, join the pipes to the pipeline, and lay it on the seabed along the agreed route at a rate of about 2.5 km a day.

When completed in 2012, the Nord Stream Pipeline will be 1224 km long and comprise 202,000 concrete weight coated steel pipes. The pipeline will transport 55 billion m³ of natural gas a year to Europe.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/25082010/worlds_largest_pipelaying_vessel_enters_baltic_to_start_work_on_nord_stream_pipeline/