Chevron advances Cabinda-ALNG pipeline

Jan. 15, 2013
Cabinda Gulf Oil Co. Ltd., a Chevron Corp. subsidiary, has completed pipe-end measurement of 19,402 20-in. and 22-in. OD joints for its Congo River Crossing Pipeline project.

Cabinda Gulf Oil Co. Ltd., a Chevron Corp. subsidiary, has completed pipe-end measurement of 19,402 20-in. and 22-in. OD joints for its Congo River Crossing Pipeline project. Optical Metrology Services Ltd. performed the measurements.

Pipe installation will occur in strong currents at the mouth of the Congo River as it enters the Atlantic Ocean, in 117 m of water. Saipem last year won an engineering, procurement, construction, and installation contract for the project. Saipem expects Castoro 7 to complete pipelay work on the project by this year’s fourth quarter.

Chevron has drilled a well intersection conduit below the Congo River canyon which will hold the two pipelines as they cross the river mouth, preventing exposure to the currents.

The 81-mile Congo River Crossing Pipeline will transport 250 MMcfd of natural gas from Chevron-operated Block 0 and Block 14 offshore Angola to the Angola LNG Project (ALNG). The pipeline will start at Block 0’s South Nemba platform.

Inpex Corp. of Japan last year acquired a 9.99% indirect interest in Block 14 from Total SA (OGJ Online, Aug. 21, 2012).

Contact Christopher E. Smith at [email protected].