Pioneering Spirit, with support from Oceanic, has successfully executed her first pipeline pull-ins in completing the nearshore pipelay scope for the new Statpipe landfall approach at Kalsto, Norway.
The project involved transport and installation of 2.4 kilometres of 28-inch and 2.2 kilometres of 30-inch pipe, both pulled into the onshore valve station through a 1-kilometre subsea S-shaped tunnel, drilled and blasted through solid rock. A challenging operation due to the narrow laying tolerances.
Operations kicked off with Oceanic installing multiple counteracts and replacing the messenger wires with bigger pull-in cables. Working in shallow water, the world’s largest pipelay vessel picked up the first pull-in cable, lay around the counteracts and laid down, repeating for the second line.
Good teamwork between the onshore winch operator and on-board tensioner operator was crucial, as any tension difference could lead the pipeline catenary to pulse and touch the tunnel entrance potentially damaging the pipeline.
