National Petroleum Construction Company of Abu Dhabi, UAE has recently awarded a contract to Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) for dredging work related to the installation of an offshore gas pipeline of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company as well as to an existing offshore gas pipeline. The activities are due to commence in the first quarter of 2016 and will be executed in phases with completion expected in the second half of 2017.
Boskalis will dredge a trench over a total distance of more than 50 kilometres between Das Island and Ras Al Qila onshore Abu Dhabi for the installation of the new offshore gas pipeline. For this project a medium-sized trailing suction hopper dredger and a large cutter suction dredger will be deployed as well as backhoe dredgers for dredging in shallow waters.
Following its installation, the pipeline will be backfilled. Apart from that, Boskalis will be backfilling an existing offshore pipeline with sand over a total distance of 34 kilometres with a trailing suction hopper dredger. This pipeline is located in the vicinity of the new pipeline.