Project Profile
Value: US$530 million
Location: From Brandov in Hora Sv Kateriny in Czech Republic to the Rozvadov / Waidhaus transfer station on the Czech-German border in the west, Czech Republic
Capacity: 30-33bcm per year
Length: 169 km
Start-up Year: 2013
Net4gas began construction of the 169km Gazelle gas pipeline in the Czech Republic in October 2010. The 56in diameter pipeline has a transmission capacity of 30-33bcm per year and will import gas from Russia.
Route:
The pipeline cost US$530 million to build. In September 2011, the European Commission announced that the pipeline is exempt from European revenue and third-party access (TPA) regulations for 23 years. The Gazelle pipeline follows the path of existing pipelines. It starts from Brandov in Hora Sv Kateriny on the Czech Republic\'s north-western border of Germany. The pipeline ends at the Rozvadov / Waidhaus transfer station on the Czech-German border in the west. The pipeline then connects to the MEGAL transit system, which transports gas to southern Germany and then on to France. A 300m-long section from Olbernhau in Germany to Brandov is also part of the project.
The Gazelle pipeline carries natural gas from Russia to Czech Republic through interconnections with the Opal and Nord Stream pipelines. The Nord Stream pipeline carries gas from Russia to Greifswald in Germany. The Opal pipeline is connected to the Gazelle pipeline here, for carrying gas further to Brandov. The pipeline is linked to the Czech Republic\'s existing gas system through various interconnections at Brandov, Jirkov, Svinomazy and Primda.
Construction:
The Czech Republic Government approved construction of the project in September 2008. Construction of the transfer station at Rozvadov / Waidhaus began in October 2010. The Gazelle pipeline was connected to the Opal pipeline in November 2010. The pipeline is laid with a 36m-wide minimal land annexation. Pipeline sections to be laid under railways, motorway, and class I, II and III roads is built using the \'push\' technique, which ensures minimal damage to the surface. The pipeline is laid about 0.8m underground. The soil stripped during construction is restored to its original condition after laying the pipeline to avoid mixing of different underlying layers.
Technology:
An optical cable is laid along with the pipeline to monitor its operation. Pipeline inspection gauges (PIG) is installed to examine the condition of the pipeline. The PIG, driven by the pressure of gas, moves through the pipeline and helps in inspecting the condition of the pipeline without the need for excavation.
Stroytransgaz was awarded a US$83.2 million (€62.6m) contract to build a 52.3km section of the pipeline between the towns of Hora Sv Kateriny and Rozvadov. The company is also responsible for the design and construction of the metering station at Brandov and the procurement of technological materials. The construction designer of the new pipeline is ILF Consulting Engineers, s.r.o., which is also preparing all the project documentation, running from the Basic Design through to the Detailed Design materials. Negotiations regarding property rights and public hearings in relation to the construction and associated engineering work are being handled for NET4GAS, s.r.o by RWE Plynoprojekt, a.s. In May 2011, a joint venture between ALPINE Bau and Denys was awarded a US$90 million contract for constructing two sections of the pipeline. The two sections are 52.4km and 53.4km long and belong to the line linking north-west Czech Republic with the Opal pipeline.
Operators:
NET4GAS: Operator with 100% interest
Contractors:
Stroytransgaz: EPC contract to build a 52.3km section of the pipeline
ILF Consulting Engineers: Construction designer of the pipeline
RWE Plynoprojekt: Responsible for the negotiations regarding property rights and public hearings in relation to the construction and associated engineering work.
Joint venture for EPC contract for constructing two sections of the pipeline:
ALPINE Bau
Denys