The Polish-Lithuanian gas pipeline is ready. The NDI Group has built the Konopki – Kuków section.
Since May 1, gas has been flowing through the Poland – Lithuania gas pipeline. The infrastructure necessary for its operation is also ready. A consortium consisting of companies of the NDI Group was responsible for the construction of almost 77 km of this investment in Poland.
The construction of the Konopka-Kuków section was carried out by a consortium of companies of the NDI Capital Group, composed of NDI Energy Sp. z o.o., NDI Sopot S.A., NDI Sp. z o.o.
The aim of the project implemented jointly by two investor, GAZ-SYSTEM from Poland and Amber Grid from Lithuania, was to create a cross-border connection of the natural gas transmission systems of both countries.
“The linear part of this task – No. 2, for which our NDI consortium was responsible, included a high-pressure gas pipeline with a diameter of DN700, MOP 8.4 MPa, which was connected to the Lithuanian transmission system. On the linear part of the gas pipeline, we have built a blocking and bleeding unit [ZZU] Moczydły, an angle blocking and bleeding unit [ZZUP] Pisanica and an angle blocking and bleeding unit [ZZUP] Kuków,” reports Rafał Cichacki, Project Manager.
Drilling under Rospuda River
As part of the investment, the so-called trenchless crossings were made. 28 of them were executed using the ramming method and horizontal drilling, 3 with the microtunneling method and 3 using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method, including an 818-metre-long (linear metres) drilling under the naturally valuable Rospuda River.
The investment required the use of modern technologies, thanks to which it was possible to reduce the impact on the environment.
Modern technologies
“In order to obtain stabilisation of non-load-bearing soils and to avoid their replacement, the gas pipeline on three sections was laid on a leca bed,” says Rafał Cichacki. “Linear welding of almost the entire section took place using the fully automated CRC EVANS method.”
Optimisation of the gas pipeline route was also applied. In addition, earthworks were carried out using the GPS location system, which is quite rare in this industry.
The investment has already received a technical acceptance, permits for use and operational acceptance. In May, GAZ-SYSTEM started operation of the gas pipeline. The total cost of this part of the task is PLN 176,004,506.25 net, excluding the cost of pipes provided by the investor, i.e. GAS-SYSTEM.
