Balticconnector pipeline close to start-up
Officials and government representatives have attended simultaneous ceremonies in Finland and Estonia to mark commissioning of the two countries’ Balticconnector gas pipeline.
The final phase of commissioning finished late last month when the offshore section of the pipeline through the Baltic Sea was filled with gas, pressurised and connected to Estonia’s gas transmission network.
Balticconnector is due to start commercial operations from the 1st January 2020.
Allseas completed construction of the offshore section through the Gulf of Finland this summer.
In order to fill the pipeline with gas, it was first rinsed with nitrogen which was then purged by conveying natural gas behind the pigging system.
Once the pig had arrived at Inkoo in Finland from Paldiski in Estonia, the pipeline was filled with gas and ready for use.
Total length of the offshore pipeline is 77 kilometres (48 miles), with a diameter of 50 cm (19.7-inches).
Trial runs of the Inkoo compressor stations were also successful.
The total cost of the project was €250 million (US$277 million).
The transmission capacity of the pipeline will be 7.2 MMcm/d, with a facility to transport gas bi-directionally between Finland and Estonia according to market demand.
Source: Offshore Magazine