OAO Stroytransgaz has completed construction of the Haud-el-Hamra – Arzew (OZ-2) oil pipeline 403 km long, 34” in diameter in Algeria.

Wednesday, December 03, 2003

On November 30, 2003 Mr. Valeri Kouznetsov, the director of Stroytransgaz affiliate in Algeria, and Mr. Sid Ahmed Boubekker, the manager of the project of the Sonatrach company, signed an official Certificate on temporary commissioning of the project.

According to the terms and conditions of the Contract after putting the project into service a two year guarantee period begins. During this period Stroytransgaz shall eliminate all the faults in case such faults are revealed. On expiration of the guarantee period a final acceptance Certificate will be signed.

The route of the oil main runs along rocky areas, 280 km of the pipeline is laid at an altitude of 1200 m and the remaining 123 km – at the sea level. The pipeline crosses 98 water obstacles, a mountainous terrain, existing pipelines and there are 154 motor road and railway crossings.

During construction of the oil pipeline Stroytransgaz has applied the most modern technologies used in the construction of pipelines including the automatic method of pipe welding by the use of the automated CRC-Evans welding complex and the method of automatic application of the polyurethane coating material Protegol. Special security arrangements were made during construction of the oil pipeline.

When the whole oil pipeline is put into operation including its southern part and six pumping stations the throughput capacity of the Haud-el-Hamra – Arzew oil pipeline will make up 34 million tons of oil a year.

OAO Stroytransgaz won an international tender for engineering, procurement and construction in Algeria of the northern section of the Haud-el-Hamra – Arzew oil main in November 2000. The actual construction of the project was commenced at the end of 2001.