A significant milestone has been achieved in Greece's energy landscape as Saipem, the renowned oilfield services provider, successfully completed the installation of a vital gas pipeline for Gastrade's pioneering Alexandroupolis LNG terminal. This milestone marks the progress of Greece's first offshore LNG project.

In an update shared on August 8, Saipem announced the completion of the pipelaying activity using its specialized vessel, Castoro 10. The pipeline, spanning an impressive 24 kilometers, was laid off the coast of Alexandroupolis in the North-East of Greece. This critical link reaches a water depth of up to 40 meters, establishing a connection between the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) and the Greek National Natural Gas Transmission System (NNGTS).

The successful installation was realized with the collaboration of Corinth Pipeworks, a steel pipes segment of Cenergy Holdings. Under the contract awarded in September 2022, Corinth Pipeworks delivered the pipeline earlier this year.

The accomplished pipelaying operation is a component of a comprehensive project commissioned by Gastrade. This initiative encompasses diverse elements such as the pipeline and manifold, mooring lines, and a high-pressure natural gas transfer system. This intricate network facilitates the transmission of gas through a flexible riser to the pipeline end manifold on the seabed, where the gas transmission pipeline is seamlessly connected.

The Alexandroupolis FSRU project was officially launched on May 3, 2022. Set against the picturesque backdrop of the Aegean Sea, the project is on track to commence operations on January 1, 2024. Impressively, the contracted regasification capacity for the terminal has already reached up to 60% of its robust technical capacity, which stands at 5.5 billion cubic meters per year.

This transformational endeavor features the conversion of the former 153,500-cubic-meter LNG Carrier GasLog Chelsea, built in 2010, into the Alexandroupolis FSRU. Owned by GasLog, a key partner in the Gastrade consortium, the vessel underwent extensive upgrades at Keppel Shipyard in Singapore. The installation of regasification equipment, much of which was assembled beforehand, is nearing completion, with the vessel scheduled to exit the shipyard on November 8.

In line with the commitment to advanced LNG operations at the new import terminal, Svitzer, a global leader in towage services and part of A.P. Moller-Maersk, has forged a 15-year agreement to provide towage services and support for the terminal's operations. This partnership highlights the collective effort to ensure the seamless functioning of this groundbreaking LNG project, contributing significantly to Greece's energy aspirations.