As the most expensive pipeline ever constructed, the 1770 km crude oil line traverses Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey along the shores of the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. A total of 10 million barrels of oil is required to fill the 42 inch line over its length and once fully operational, it has the capacity to deliver 1 million barrels per day into the world’s oil supplies.

The pipeline has captured the world’s attention and not only for its $US4 billion price tag and the immense construction effort needed to deliver it. The development also has important geopolitical implications as it provides an alternative new oil source for energy hungry western countries such as the United States, reducing their heavy reliance on Middle East oil.

McConnell Dowell’s participation in the project drew on many of the capabilities and resources which place them at the forefront and in this case the frontier of major cross country pipeline construction.

Working with their joint venture partners on the 442 km Azerbaijan section, McConnell Dowell mobilised approximately 300 items of specialised pipeline construction plant from the Dubai facility, along with over 40 professionally skilled personnel drawn from Dutco-McConnell Dowell and McConnell Dowell’s own pipeline operations. From site management through to general construction and plant maintenance, McConnell Dowell’s broad range of skills and resources were important contributors to the success of this high profile project.

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McConnell Dowell’s trenchless construction expertise also came to the fore with Stockton Pipelines performing seven successful directional drill crossings. The crossings were 500 - 1,000 m in length with the longest a 1002 m crossing beneath Qarabyork Village in Azerbaijan.

The 42 inch diameter pipeline crossings included a DN150 Steel pipe for a fibre optic cable. The Pilot Bore was drilled with a 9 7/8 inch jetting assembly and utilised a Para Track 2 survey magnetic guidance system. This process ensured an extremely high level of accuracy in the drill profiles with Stockton’s rig operators frequently knocking the exit peg out of the ground.

The bores were pre-reamed up to 54 inch diameter using a combination of Flycutters and Barrel reamers to combat the silty clay ground conditions. To control buoyancy, the team inserted 500 mm diameter and 150 mm HDPE pipelines into the strings prior to pullback and filled the anulus of the pipeline with water during the pullback process.

Drilling and pipe pulling operations in the generally silty clay and sand formations went exceptionally well, adding to Stockton Pipelines’ already extensive project reference list.

Focus now shifts to the completion of the next phase of the project, the South Caucus Pipeline, a natural gas pipeline running along the same easement. As McConnell Dowell continues its successful involvement it is timely to reflect on their positive contribution to this landmark, potentially world changing project.