Balltec has secured a contract from Saipem in Italy for the supply of 2 off Sheave Connection Points (SCPs) for Dolphin Energy’s Emergency Pipeline Repair System (EPRS). The EPRS supports the Dolphin Gas Project where natural gas from Qatar’s ‘North Field’ is transported via two 36” diameter sealines to the company’s onshore processing plant at Ras Laffan, Qatar. Once processed, the gas is then transported via export subsea pipeline from Ras Laffan to Taweelah, UAE.
The SCPs will be deployed as part of the EPRS in the event of emergency cases, which will be mobilised, and used as a mechanical connection point during the laying of a replacement pipeline section. The SCPs utilise Balltec’s ball and taper gripping mechanism similar to that used in its PipeLOK pipeline recovery tools. The SCPs are due to be delivered in Q4, 2018, and will be stored at Dolphin Energy‘s EPRS base in Abu Dhabi, UAE.