The Blue Stream will deliver Russian natural gas to Turkey by going under the Black Sea. The project involved the construction of a system to transport natural gas from Russia to Turkey, and across the Black Sea.

The total length of the system is approximately 1,250 kilometers. The gas line is designed to link the gas distribution network of the Krasnodar region in southern Russia to the central Turkish grid in the capital city of Ankara.

PIPELINE
The Blue stream pipeline is 1213 km long. The gas pipeline consists of three sections:

1. Russia’s land section is 373-km-long going from the town of Izobilnoye, Stavropol area, up to the settlement of Arkhipo-Osipovka, Krasnodar area, and to the Black Sea coast.

2. Russia’s marine section is 396-km-long going from the settlement of Arkhipo-Osipovka of the Krasnodar area (Russia) up to the Durusu terminal located 60 kilometers off the town of Samsun (Turkey)

3. Turkey’s land section is 444-kilometers-long going from the town of Samsun to Ankara.

The Blue stream gas pipeline is constructed of pipes with different diameters: mainland section, 1400 mm, mountainous section of inland pipeline, 1200 mm, marine section, 610 mm.

The designed capacity of the gas pipeline amounts to 16 bcm of gas per year. Under the contract natural gas supplies by the Blue stream pipeline is structured as follows: in 2003, about 2 bcm, in 2004, 4 bcm, in 2005, 6 bcm, in 2006,8 bcm, in 2007, 10 bcm, in 2008, 12 bcm, in 2009, 14 bcm and in 2010, 16 bcm.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Saipem 7000, the vessel for deep and ultradeep waters laid two 24″ lines together with another Saipem vessel, Castoro Otto, used for shallow water pipelay work from a 170-meter depth to the shore.

The two sealines enter the sea on the Russian side where the seabed profile near Beregovaya, falls dramatically. Along their sub-sea route, the two pipelines descend to a record depth of 2,150 meters before emerging on the Turkish side at the city of Samsun. The main craft employed for the pipelay work was the Saipem 7000.

Notably, technology also has had to overcome the challenge of pipe design related to the combination of high hydrostatic pressure with significant levels of hydrogen sulphide at the ultradeep seabed of the Black Sea. The pipeline has the following characteristics:

* Wall thickness: 31.8 mm

* Steel grade: X65

* Total steel weight: 350,000 tonnes

SAIPEM 7000

The Saipem 7000 was originally built as a semi-submersible crane vessel capable of lifting and installing offshore structures up to 14,000 tonnes in weight. In 1999, the vessel was converted to accommodate a «J» Lay Tower and pipe-handling equipment for laying pipelines in deep water areas worldwide. The tower has a height of 135 meters, while the overall weight of the complete pipe laying facilities is 4,500 tonnes.

The vessel’s Class 3 DP system of 12 thrusters ensures that the vessel maintains good station keeping in the most difficult of weather conditions. Additionally, because the S 7000 has accommodation facilities for close to 700 people, the vessel can assist hook-up and commissioning as well as initial platform life support activities.

In support of its underwater works, the S 7000 operates two Innovator type of working rov’s, which are an essential part of the vessel’s equipment that complement and integrate surface and sub sea operations of the S 7000.