4. Processed gas pipelines

For dehydrated, deacidified and calorific value-calibrated processed gases, pipelines are an efficient means of transport from producing areas to consumers. Belgium, France, Great Britain and Germany receive natural gas from various producing countries, including Norway and Russia, via a vast interconnected network of pipelines.

Much of this gas comes from onshore gas production. The pipeline market is therefore largely separate from that of offshore gas production.

The first offshore pipelines, such as the Frigg pipeline, had a diameter of 32 inches (0.81 m). Today, diameters are generally between 42 inch (1.07 m) and 48 inch (1.42 m). These pipelines are weighted with 0.1 m of concrete at the radius, giving them an external diameter of 56 inch (1.42 m). The lines are epoxy-coated on the inside. The steel used is API X 65 with a yield strength...