Medgaz
Encyclopedia
Medgaz is a submarine natural gas
pipeline
between Algeria
and Spain
.
. Work in laying the subsea stretch was finished in December 2008. The pipeline was officially inaugurated on 1 March 2011.
field in Algeria and the first section runs to the port of Beni Saf
. The offshore section begins from Beni Saf and the landfall site is at the Perdigal Beach in the coast of Almería, Spain. It will be hooked up to the existing Almería-Albacete gas pipeline.
Total estimated costs of project are €900 million, including €630 million for the offshore section. The Algerian onshore section of the pipeline is to be constructed by UTE Initec - Spie Capag and the offshore section is to be constructed by Saipem
. The offshore section of the pipeline was laid by Castoro Sei
, Saipem 7000
and Crawler pipe-laying ship
s. Steel pipes are delivered by Nippon Steel
, and three compressor trains were supplied by Dresser-Rand. Lloyd's Register would provide pipeline inspection and certification services, including vendor works inspection for the pipeline and equipment and certification for the onshore and offshore pipe lay and the construction of the compressor station.
In 2006, BP
and Total
withdrew from the project. Spain's Gas Natural
may become a partner of the project, taking part of Sonatrach's shares.
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
pipeline
Pipeline transport
Pipeline transport is the transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquids and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air are also used....
between Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
History
The idea of building a direct gas pipeline between Algeria and Europe arose in the 1970s. However, the technical limitations at that time prevented the construction and operation of an ultra deepwater gas pipeline. The preparation of Medgaz project started in 2001 by founding Medgaz pipeline company (Sociedad para el Estudio y Promocion del Gasoducto Argelia-Europa, via Espana S.A.). The feasibility study carried out in 2002–2003. The construction started on 7 March 2008 in AlmeriaAlmería
Almería is a city in Andalusia, Spain, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the province of the same name.-Toponym:Tradition says that the name Almería stems from the Arabic المرية Al-Mariyya: "The Mirror", comparing it to "The Mirror of the Sea"...
. Work in laying the subsea stretch was finished in December 2008. The pipeline was officially inaugurated on 1 March 2011.
Route
The pipeline begins from the Hassi R'melHassi R'mel
Hassi R'Mel is a town in Algeria located near the 18th largest gas field worldwide. Hassi R'Mel is located in Laghouat Province northwest of Ghardaïa. It is the capital of Hassi R'Mel District. Hass R'Mel has an airport....
field in Algeria and the first section runs to the port of Beni Saf
Béni Saf
Beni Saf is a town in northwestern Algeria, about 80 kilometers southwest of Oran. The town was founded in 1876 as a shipping port for iron ore, which is mined just south of the town. Other products of the town include zinc, marble and onyx, and the fishing industry is extensive.- Sources :...
. The offshore section begins from Beni Saf and the landfall site is at the Perdigal Beach in the coast of Almería, Spain. It will be hooked up to the existing Almería-Albacete gas pipeline.
Technical description
The length of Algerian onshore section is 547 kilometres (339.9 mi) and the offshore section is 210 kilometres (130.5 mi). The initial capacity of the 48 inches (1,219.2 mm) onshore and 24 inches (609.6 mm) offshore pipeline will be 8 billion cubic meter (bcm) of natural gas annually. It would be possible to increase the capacity of the first pipeline, and also the option to lay a second same diameter pipeline with minimal extra construction is foreseen.Total estimated costs of project are €900 million, including €630 million for the offshore section. The Algerian onshore section of the pipeline is to be constructed by UTE Initec - Spie Capag and the offshore section is to be constructed by Saipem
Saipem
Saipem S.p.A. is an Italian oil and gas industry contractor. It is a subsidiary of Italian energy company Eni, which owns approximately 43% of Saipem's shares. Saipem has contracted for designing and constructing several pipelines, including Blue Stream, Greenstream, Nord Stream and South...
. The offshore section of the pipeline was laid by Castoro Sei
Castoro Sei
The Castoro Sei is a column stabilized semi-submersible pipelay vessel. She has an overall length of , a width of and a operating draught of . The Castoro Sei is equipped with 2 rotating gantry cranes 134 tonnes capacity and three 110 tonne pipe tensioners for pipelaying...
, Saipem 7000
Saipem 7000
Saipem 7000 is the world's second largest crane vessel, after the Thialf. The crane radius of the Saipem 7000 grants a lifting capability of 14,000 tonnes at 42 meters while the Thialf can lift 14,200 tonnes at 31.2 meters...
and Crawler pipe-laying ship
Pipe-laying ship
A pipelaying ship is a maritime vessel used in the construction of subsea infrastructure. It serves to connect oil production platforms with refineries on shore...
s. Steel pipes are delivered by Nippon Steel
Nippon Steel
, also referred to as , was formed in 1970. Nippon Steel Corporation is the world's 4th largest steel producer by volume.-Early years:Nippon Steel was created by the merger of two giants, Yawata Iron & Steel and Fuji Iron & Steel...
, and three compressor trains were supplied by Dresser-Rand. Lloyd's Register would provide pipeline inspection and certification services, including vendor works inspection for the pipeline and equipment and certification for the onshore and offshore pipe lay and the construction of the compressor station.
Project company
The head of the Medgaz company is Pedro Miro. The shareholders of Medgaz consortium:- SonatrachSonatrachSonatrach is an Algerian government-owned company formed to exploit the hydrocarbon resources of the country. Its diversified activities cover all aspects of production: exploration, extraction, transport, and refining...
(Algeria) - 36 % - CEPSA (Spain) - 20 %
- IberdrolaIberdrolaIberdrola , headquartered in Bilbao, is a private utility with a global footprint and over 150 years of experience...
(Spain) - 20 % - EndesaEndesa (Spain)Endesa, S.A. is the largest electric utility company in Spain. The firm, a majority-owned subsidiary of the Italian utility company Enel, has 10 million customers in Spain, with domestic annual generation of over 97,600 GWh from nuclear, fossil-fueled, hydroelectric, and renewable resource power...
(Spain) - 12 % - Gaz de FranceGaz de FranceGaz de France was a French company which produced, transported and sold natural gas around the world, especially in France, its main market. The company was also particularly active in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other European countries. Through its part-owned Belgian subsidiary SPE...
(FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) - 12 %
In 2006, BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
and Total
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
withdrew from the project. Spain's Gas Natural
Gas Natural
Gas Natural SDG, S.A., trading as Gas Natural Fenosa, is an energy company which operates primarily in Spain but also in such countries as Italy, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico and Morocco...
may become a partner of the project, taking part of Sonatrach's shares.
See also
- Trans-Mediterranean PipelineTrans-Mediterranean PipelineThe Trans-Mediterranean Pipeline is a natural gas pipeline from Algeria via Tunisia to Sicily and thence to mainland Italy. An extension of the TransMed pipeline delivers Algerian gas to Slovenia.-History:...
- Greenstream pipelineGreenstream pipelineThe Greenstream pipeline, part of the Western Libyan Gas Project, is a natural gas submarine pipeline from Libya to Italy.-History:The idea of natural gas from Libya to Italy originating from the 1970s. Feasibility studies were carried out in the 1980s and 1990s. Construction of the pipeline...
- GALSIGALSIGALSI is a planned natural gas pipeline from Algeria to Sardinia and further northern Italy.-History:The feasibility study was completed in 2005...
- Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline
- Trans-Saharan gas pipeline