The offshore pipeline of the Baltic Pipe project has reached landfall in Poland, according to the latest update.
The pipeline was pulled from the Castoro Sei vessel using a 1,500-metre long and 119-millimetre wide wire rope pulled by a winch to the shore. In the nearshore area, the pipeline was pulled through a specially prepared 800-metre long and two-metre deep trench.
Under the beach and the cliff, it was pulled through a two-metre wide and 600-metre long tunnel. The pipeline was laid using micro tunnelling technology, ensuring no visible interference with the shoreline or the project’s onshore environment, the developers informed.
The strategic infrastructure project between Poland’s GAZ-SYSTEM and the Danish Energinet will create a new corridor supplying gas from Norway to the markets in Poland, Denmark, and neighboring countries.
The project faced a setback when the Danish Environmental and Food Appeals Board ruled to repeal the permit for the onshore part of Baltic Pipe in early June, stating that the environmental assessment does not sufficiently describe the measures taken to protect certain animal species.
However, shortly after the permit repeal, Danes allowed construction works to resume in certain parts of the project across Denmark.
On 27 June, Castorone started laying the Baltic Pipe at a site close to the island of Bornholm, Denmark and passed the 100 kilometre milestone on 19 July.
On 5 August, it was reported that all crossings with gas pipelines and cables intersecting the route of the Baltic Pipe had been completed and the day after Castorone and Castro Sei installed over 70% of the offshore gas pipeline.