One of CONPET’s Main Investment Objectives Completed
CONPET has completed the works of replacing the connecting lines on the import crude oil transport pipelines, Danube under-crossing and Borcea arm. The project is one of CONPET’s main investment objectives, with a major impact on the environment, safety, and national security.
On April 3, 2023, the acceptance took place at the end of the works of the project ‘Provision of design services and work execution for the replacement of connecting lines for C1-C2 Danube under-crossing and C3-C4 Borcea arm’, event that took place in Fetesti, Ialomita County.
The contract for services, with a total value of €26.5 million, was concluded on August 30, 2021, with CIS GAZ, as joint venture leader, and HORIZONTAL DRILLING INTERNATIONAL (HDI), an international company specialising in horizontal directional drilling.
The execution works (construction and assembly) started in May 2022 and were completed in March 2023, 4 months ahead of the contracted deadline.
The purpose of the contract was to install two new 20″ and 28″ crude oil transport pipelines for the under-crossing of the Danube and the Borcea Arm by Horizontal Directional Drilling and to make the technological connections to the CONPET working points, in order to replace the old 12 ¾” pipelines, which had been used for the under-crossing until that moment, successively put into operation between 1968 and 1978.
“CONPET proves, once again, that through the investment programmes undertaken year after year it succeeds in bringing safety in operation to the highest level. By the technical solution adopted, the step-by-step horizontal directional drilling, and by the scale of the works, the project is unique within CONPET and involved a significant financial effort,” noted Dorin Tudora, General Manager of CONPET.
Energy Minister Virgil Popescu stated on this occasion: “Modernisation of the national transport system is a priority and I congratulate CONPET for completing this project. Especially as the works have been completed ahead of schedule. This shows determination and seriousness. Romania is an energy hub in the region, and the investments of over €26 million made here show that we are serious and reliable partners.”
“In a global context marked by energy market instability and climate change, the implementation of this project will contribute to Romania’s security of energy supply, while reducing the risks of pollution. We are pleased to have successfully completed a large-scale project using the most modern technologies available globally,” said Horatiu Sebastian Calugar, General Manager of CIS GAZ.
“The reliability of the energy transmission infrastructure is of paramount importance, both from a supply and environmental perspective. The completion of this project, using environmentally friendly techniques, strengthens the level of security of energy supply in Romania, while reducing potential threats to the environment. We are proud of our contribution to the successful completion of this landmark project,” added Atef Khemiri, General Manager of HDI.
The Danube River is undercrossed by 10 pipelines, on a perpendicular corridor on the minor riverbed. The undercrossing of the Danube and the Borcea arm with the crude oil pipelines was carried out in two stages, in 1968 and 1978 respectively. Given the age of the pipelines, in order to ensure optimal conditions for transporting crude oil and to avoid the risk of damage with serious environmental consequences, work has begun on upgrading and rebuilding the pipelines.
CONPET is the operator of the National Petroleum Transport System by pipelines and manages a network with a length of over 3,800 kilometres throughout Romania.
CIS GAZ is one of the important players in the gas industry in Romania, and in the last four years it has been involved in some of the most important strategic projects included in the ‘Development Plan of the National Gas Transmission System for the period 2020 – 2029’, with Transgaz and Vestmoldtransgaz Republic of Moldova as beneficiaries.
Horizontal Drilling International, commonly known as HDI, is a construction company established in 1984, specialized in the installation of pipelines under natural or artificial obstacles using the so-called ‘trenchless’ methods, and particularly Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD).
