Italian engineering giant Saipem completed the installation of the subsea pipeline of the Irpa project, led by Equinor, in one of the most challenging environments on the planet: the Norwegian Sea. This operation becomes the deepest executed so far in a Norwegian subsea development.
Subsea pipeline installation
For 84 uninterrupted days, the vessel Castorone – a vessel in Saipem’s fleet of Saipem– carried out the deployment of a double pipe line of approximately 80 kilometers, designed to withstand the demanding conditions of the seabed at a depth of 1350 meters.
The applied technology, known as Pipe-in-Pipe, consists of a double pipe system: an internal pipe that transports the gas and an external pipe that acts as thermal insulation and structural protection. This design maintains the temperature of the hydrocarbon and prevents the formation of hydrates or waxes, which is critical in Norway’s cold waters.
The subsea line will connect the Irpa field production system to the Aasta Hansteen platform located in the northern Norwegian Sea. This connection will expand Norwegian gas processing capacity from deepwater to existing infrastructure, strengthening Equinor’s energy strategy in the region.
Operations were coordinated from the port of Sandnessjøen, from where the prefabricated joints and equipment were loaded onto support vessels. Subsequently, all material was transferred to the Castorone for deployment on the seabed. Logistical execution was key to the success of the project in a complex operating environment.
Source and photo: Saipem
