Being built with an estimated investment of €8bn ($8.4bn), the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project will deliver Russian natural gas to the EU market. Under the terms of the contract, Allseas will build the first and the second strings of the Nord Stream pipeline 2 project in the Baltic sea.
The firm will use three pipe-laying vessels including Pioneering Spirit, Solitaire and Audacia to undertake offshore pipelay works for both lines in 2018 and 2019.
Nord Stream 2 AG chief project officer Henning Kothe said: “This is another key milestone for Nord Stream 2.
“Following the award decisions in 2016 for pipe supply and for coating & logistics, we now have the major contracts in place to complete the project on schedule.”
Allseas’ Solitaire vessel was previously used to lay parts of the Nord Stream pipeline in the Gulf of Finland.
The two strings of Nord Stream 2 pipeline will have capacity to transport 55 billion cubic meters of gas per year. This brings the aggregated design capacity of Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 to 110 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Gazprom has 50% stake in the project while other partners include BASF/Wintershall, Engie, E.On, OMV and Shell each with 10% interest.
The pipeline, which will transport gas from natural gas field of Bovanenkovo in Northern Russia's Yamal Peninsula, will run through territorial waters Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.
Image: The Allseas’ Solitaire pipelaying vessel at sea. Photo: © Allseas/Nord Stream 2.
