Where
Qatar
When
2018-2023
Solutions
Offshore E&C

The project

The Barzan Pipeline Project included the decommissioning and installation of new pipelines to deliver sour gas from three well sites with unmanned wellhead platforms, all located in the North Field Offshore of the State of Qatar, to an existing onshore Gas Plant located at Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. The Barzan Gas Plant is operated by Qatargas and jointly owned by QatarEnergy (93%) and ExxonMobil (7%.) The complexity of the Barzan scope came from the requirement to replace an existing carbon steel infrastructure with a fully internally clad system. This involved the decommissioning and partial demolition of the existing subsea pipeline and riser systems and the subsequent installation of the newly designed concept of a fully clad and flangeless pipelines and risers with the associated brownfield tie-ins to the existing platform topsides. It also involved the installation of new onshore facilities including pipelines, beach valve stations and the associated brownfield tie-ins to the existing LNG plant.

The high focus on quality for the Barzan project was paramount throughout the project, from procurement of the CRA (Corrosion Resistant Alloy) line pipes, valves, and fittings to the final inspections during mechanical completion. This ensured that the sour gas system could fulfil the objective of providing domestic gas to Qatar. 

An extraordinary project

Saipem utilized its expertise in welding to develop the Barzan welding procedures to meet stringent inspection and Hi-Lo requirements. The SWS (Saipem Welding System) was mobilized to the newly long- term chartered DeHe pipelay vessel comprising of GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding) and IPW (Internal Plasma Welding) for the mainline and GMAW and SAW (Submerged Arc Welding) for the pre-fabrication stations. Saipem also developed stringent manual CRA welding procedures to ensure that all the fabrication and tie-in welds met all the same criteria as the mechanized welding. Barzan was the largest offshore CRA project undertaken by Saipem at the time, and it solidified Saipem’s position as an industry-leading expert in CRA welding and an experienced and reliable contractor for future projects in Qatar.

Key facts and figures

138
km of offshore pipelines
100+
tie-in welds
200+
CRA manual fabrication welds
1st
project using the DE HE pipelay vessel
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    BARZAN PROJECT
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    BARZAN PROJECT
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    BARZAN PROJECT
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    BARZAN PROJECT
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    BARZAN PROJECT
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    BARZAN PROJECT