Natural gas storage at a depth of 1,600 meters
One of the largest underground storage facilities currently in existence has been constructed in Austria in order to reliably meet the growing gas demand in Europe.
For this project, Kremsmueller fabricated and installed approximately 870 tons of pipes. Pipes with dimensions of up to 600 mm diameter and wall thicknesses of around 35 millimeters were incorporated here. Bolts weighing up to 38 kg were used in the construction of the pipes.
The more than 2,400 meters of underground pipelines allow for the integration of an outstation. Here, natural gas is pumped down to a depth of 1,600 meters at the requisite safe distance to the compressor station.
The scope of delivery also included the installation of around 900 tons of equipment:
Gas coolers, separators, preheaters, pumps, pig traps, etc. Individual components were so heavy that a 500-ton crane had to be used for the assembly work.
With short deadlines, the customer demanded both the highest quality and compliance with strict safety measures. Kremsmueller’s own nondestructive material testing system handled the inspection of the welds in-house. Finally, the TÜV (Technical Inspection Agency) confirmed the outstanding work performed by Kremsmueller’s pipe construction experts.
Read more about underground storage at wikipedia.com
