Gasunie rolls out Porthos CO2 offshore pipeline setup tender

Dutch natural gas infrastructure and transportation company Gasunie is seeking a contactor for CO2 offshore pipeline installation from Port of Rotterdam to the riser of the offshore platform as part of the Porthos CCS project.

The Porthos project centres on the capture and storage of CO2 in the North Sea floor.

It is a joint venture between the Port of Rotterdam Authority, Gasunie and EBN.

The scope of the assignment includes: Installation of the aproximately 20-kilometre offshore pipeline section; The execution of the shore crossing by pipe pull through a pre-installed HDPE carrier pipe; The fabrication and installation of the subsea spool pieces and also the related tie-in to the riser; Trenching and backfilling; And also pre-commissioning activities from onshore battery limit to the top of the riser.

The primary pipe configuration is a 16 inch nominal diameter, MLPP anti corrosion as well as thermal insulation coating with a concrete weight coating on top of the MLPP.

Gasunie has set the application deadline for 30 November 2020.

The European Commission recently proposed 102 million euros in funding to the Porthos project.

If the European Parliament endorses this proposal, Europe will bear a substantial share of the investment in Porthos, which totals 450 to 500 million euros.

For a term of 15 years, Porthos will be storing some 2.5 megatons of CO2 per year.

Specifically, this is equivalent to 10 per cent of the total emissions produced by Rotterdam’s industrial sector.

Part of the EU contribution will go to the construction of a future-proof CO2 pipeline across the port area. The capacity of this pipeline will be such that other companies can also make use of the facility. This avoids the need for constructing a second pipeline in the future.

Besides investing in the construction of the pipeline itself, the EU will also contribute to the overall project budget.