BJ Process and Pipeline Services (BJ PPS) has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd (HHI) to provide pipeline pre-commissioning services in Kuwait. These services will be carried out on Kuwait Oil Company’s (KOC) Crude Export Facilities Project in the Fahaheel-Ahmadi region, approximately 30 kilometres from Kuwait City.

KOC Pipeline Network Central to KOC’s Crude Oil Export Facilities Project

The Crude Export Facilities Project – Offshore Expansion is a key feature of a project which is intended to achieve crude oil production capability of 3 million barrels per day when completed. BJ PPS will be working on three 56-inch diameter subsea pipelines extending 25, 19.3 and 14.2 kilometres to the onshore terminal at the North Pier pumping station and metering station, and another 24-inch diameter sub-sea pipeline that measures 23.5 kilometres, which arrives onshore at the Port Mina Al-Ahmadi – or South Pier station. The new pipeline project is an expansion of these facilities.

BJ PPS is providing a range of pre-commissioning services, including flooding, cleaning, gauging, leak testing, dewatering, hydrotesting, and nitrogen purging and packing, for these new lines. It is also performing de-oiling services on the existing pipelines to facilitate tie-ins and replacement.

Due to the large diameter of the pipelines, BJ PPS will be using a high-flow pumping spread which can pump upwards of 16 m³ per minute at pressures of up to 35 barg. In addition, BJ will be using its large-volume/high-pressure pressurisation units that are capable of pumping 2.5 m³ per minute at pressures of up to 340 barg. During the dewatering process, BJ will employ its new dewatering compressor package. This comprises five 1,100 scfm at 350 psig air compressors to deliver a total air supply capability of 5,500 scfm. This will be the first time BJ PPS has provided pre-commissioning services on 56-inch offshore pipelines, having previously woked on such large lines only onshore.

BJ PPS has commenced operations on the first two phases of the four-phase programme. Operations are being carried out by engineering and technical personnel with dedicated equipment based at permanent BJ PPS operations facilities in Dubai and Qatar. Logistics, administrative and ground support are being supplied by staff at the BJ base in East Ahmadi, Kuwait. The target for completing the 18-month pre-commissioning contract is summer 2008.

Tags: BJ Process and Pipeline Services, Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. Ltd