A consortium of Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. and Allseas Group S.A. has been appointed for the construction of a gas pipeline through the Strait of Magellan in Southern Argentina. The agreement was signed during an official ceremony attended by the President of Argentina, Mrs. Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The agreement was signed by Nación Fideicomisos S.A. as Trustee of the Estrecho de Magallanes Trust and Work Principal. The agreement is worth approximately € 180 million, with the share of Boskalis amounting approximately € 90 million. The project is expected to be completed before the end of 2009.
The work consists of laying a new 24-inch undersea gas pipeline joining Cape Espiritu Santo and Cape Virgenes in waters outside the eastern mouth of the Strait of Magellan, Argentina. The length of the undersea pipeline and shoreline sections is approximately 38 kilometers. The water depth (70 meters), strong currents and high tidal conditions create a challenging operating environment. The pipeline is of significant strategic importance linking the gas fields in the south with the main gas network of Argentina.
Boskalis will be responsible for the trenching and backfill of the pipeline in the near shore area on both the northern and southern part of the crossing. Boskalis will also execute near shore pipe pulls and the landing of the pipeline. A jumbo trailing suction hopper dredger will be deployed for this project.
The Boskalis strategy is designed to benefit from the key macro-economic drivers that are fueling global demand in our selected markets: global trade, increasing energy consumption, expanding population pressures and the challenges of changing climate conditions. This offshore project reinforces the requirement for infrastructure to accommodate the strong demand for energy resources.