By the OGJ Online Staff
HOUSTON, Feb. 7 -- The North West Shelf Venture has awarded a contract to Saipem (Portugal) Comercio Maritimo, an affiliate of Italian company Saipem SPA, to install a second gas trunkline linking offshore production facilities to its gas processing plant near Karratha, Western Australia.
The contract is worth more than $100 million (Aus.). The trunkline will cost $800 million.
Saipem will use two specialist installation barges, including its own semisubmersible Semac 1.
The 42-in. line, which requires a special grade of steel and production techniques not available in Australia, is being made in Japan and weight-coated with concrete in Indonesia before being transported to Australia.
Saipem will dredge a 20-km section of the offshore pipeline route; collect and deliver the 11,000 12-m-long weight coated pipe-sections from Batam Island, Indonesia; weld and lay the 134 km of line with anodes attached; and flood and pressure-test the completed trunkline.
The installation program will run from May 2003 to August 2003, with construction of the trunkline scheduled for completion in April 2004 to coincide with completion of liquefied natural gas Train 4. First LNG production from Train 4 is scheduled for mid-2004.
"The second trunkline will provide extra capacity to supply existing Japanese and Western Australian customers, as well as for prospective gas-related projects on the Burrup," said the venture.
Woodside Energy Ltd. operates the North West Shelf Venture. The five other equal participants are: BHP Petroleum (North West Shelf) Pty. Ltd.; BP Developments Australia Pty. Ltd.; Chevron Australia Pty. Ltd.; Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty. Ltd.; and Shell Development (Australia) Pty. Ltd.