The Saipem Semac 1 semisubmersible pipelay barge has arrived in Darwin to prepare for work on the shallow-water section of Inpex group’s gas pipeline from Ichthys field in the Browse basin off Western Australia.
The 164-km shallow-water component of the total 882-km line will begin about mid-July. About 18 km of the line will run through Darwin Harbor itself to the LNG plant and associated facilities at Blaydin Point.
Semac 1 is scheduled to work from east to west in the harbor feeding pipe to the landfall site for a 3-km shore-pull. The onshore component will extend for 7 km from the beachhead at Middle Arm to the plant.
The laybarge will have 10-11 support vessels working alongside and helicopters will be used for personnel transfer to the vessel.
Saipem says the harbor work will last for about 4 weeks while the total shallow-water section will take just short of 3 months to complete.
On completion Semac 1 will hand over to Saipem’s deep water installation vessel Castorone to lay the remaining 718 km of pipeline to Ichthys field.
Saipem was awarded the pipeline engineering, procurement, construction, and installation contract for the project in January 2012.