Statoil ASA (STO) said Sept. 28 the final pipe in the 482.4 km (300 miles) long Polarled Pipeline was laid in the Norwegian Sea.

Polarled is the first pipeline on the Norwegian continental shelf that crosses the Arctic Circle and opens up a brand new highway for gas from the Norwegian Sea to Europe.

The pipeline, which has a diameter of 92 cm (36 inches), extends from Nyhamna in Møre og Romsdal to the Aasta Hansteen Field, at a depth of 1,260 m (4,134 ft), in the Norwegian Sea and was laid by the world's largest pipelaying vessel: Solitaire from Allseas.

The pipelaying work commenced in March this year and the pipeline consists of more than 40,000 pipes, each of which is 12 m (39.3 feet) in length. Polarled is the deepest pipeline on the Norwegian continental shelf. At the Aasta Hansteen field, the pipeline reaches a depth of 1,260 m (4,134 ft).

It is the first time ever that a pipe that is 92 cm (36 inches) in diameter has been laid at such a depth. The pipeline’s capacity will be up to 70 million standard cubic meters of gas per day.

In the initial stage, only the gas from Aasta Hansteen will be transported through Polarled, however the 92-cm (36-inch) diameter pipe has space for more.

The Polarled Pipeline is expected to be delivered under budget at around NOK 7.5 billion (US$881.6 million), said Torger Rød, head of projects in Statoil, in the release.

Offshore