The longest HDD drilling in Poland. Reconstruction of the Goleniów-Police gas pipeline underway

NDI Energy’s new investment is located in the area of the Olszanka Nature Reserve and Roztoka Odrzańska, and its total length is approximately 7.6 km. The contract with GAZ-SYSTEM S.A. covers works in the gas industry, but also hydraulic and trenchless engineering. Thus, NDI Energy combines various specialisations into a single project.

The construction and reconstruction of the DN500 high-pressure gas pipeline consists of two sections. The replacement of the old gas pipeline with the new one is taking place from Stepnica, where the DN500 pig launcher is located, all the way to Police. Part of the gas pipeline is done by HDD drilling and part by open trench.

“The length of the gas pipeline is approximately 7.6 km. We have completed a total of three HDD drillings, including the longest one in Poland with a length of approximately 2 km,” says Łukasz Zasada, Project Manager. The work using this method consisted of simultaneously drilling a pilot hole in two directions (the so-called intersect).

Work on the Project began with the excavation of steel pipes left over from a closed gas pipeline from the bottom of the Szczecin Lagoon. Once the hydraulic engineering work was completed, pipes were delivered to the construction site and seam and assembly welding began. During this time, drilling works were underway – HDD Police 1 and 2. In the next stage, open trench, pipeline laying and backfilling were carried out. The length of this stage was 2.6 km. The Olszanka HDD drilling, the longest in Poland, with a length of approx. 2 km, was also commenced successfully in collaboration with the company GGTS Solutions S.A. Thanks to this solution, the unique areas of the Olszanka Reserve and the habitat of the white-tailed eagle remained intact.

Currently, we have proceeded with the Mańków HDD drilling with a length of approximately 1.4 km.

“It is worth mentioning that this is also a challenging technological project, as in order to carry out the final drilling, i.e. the Manków HDD, the pipe will be placed on the water surface of the Szczecin Lagoon before being pulled in.
Due to the geological complexity and the fact that some of the equipment was moved by water, the biggest challenge on site was the two-kilometre HDD drilling. Once all the drilling works, i.e., HDD and open trench, have been completed, we will face so-called hermetic works at four locations where we will be connecting the newly constructed gas pipeline to the already existing active one. These works are extremely complex. The flow of gas must be ensured at all times to the individual recipients,” says Łukasz Krawczyk – Technology Works Manager.

The Goleniów-Police gas pipeline is a very important infrastructure, supplying natural gas to, among others, the city of Szczecin and the Chemical Plant in Police. The gross value of the project is more than PLN 62 million. The investment is being carried out for the Gas Transmission Operator GAZ-SYSTEM S.A.

fot. GGT Solutions S.A.