IBP2107_12 GASCAC: A STRATEGIC PIPELINE TO BRAZIL AND INOVATIONS USED TO OVERCAME THE CHALLENGES FACED DURING CONTRUCTION Armando

P. Neto1, Felipe A. S. Soares 2, Jorge L. Baltazar de Jesus 3, Paulo R. Chacon Chiappeta 4, Regis R. Loureiro 5
Copyright 2012, Instituto Brasileiro de Petrleo, Gs e Biocombustveis - IBP Este Trabalho Tcnico foi preparado para apresentao na Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012, realizado no perodo de 17 a 20 de setembro de 2012, no Rio de Janeiro. Este Trabalho Tcnico foi selecionado para apresentao pelo Comit Tcnico do evento, seguindo as informaes contidas no trabalho completo submetido pelo(s) autor(es). Os organizadores no iro traduzir ou corrigir os textos recebidos. O material conforme, apresentado, no necessariamente reflete as opinies do Instituto Brasileiro de Petrleo, Gs e Biocombustveis, Scios e Representantes. de conhecimento e aprovao do(s) autor(es) que este Trabalho Tcnico seja publicado nos Anais da Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012.

Abstract
The Gasene Project- Southeast Northeast Pipeline was created aimed at connecting the Brazilian Southeast and the Northeast pipeline Networks and is approximately 1300 km long. The Cacimbas-Catu Gas Pipeline (GASCAC), a 28 and 958km gas pipeline, part of a larger project called GASENE (the Southeast-Northeast Gas Pipeline), designed to bring the gas produced in the southeast of Brazil to the northeast region of Brazil. As the construction progressed, innovation was required to overcome many challenging situations, and to comply with the deadlines the use of new technologies was decisive. This paper aims at presenting the new technologies used to overcame challenges faced (long floading areas, huge rock areas, long HDD rivers crossings, Carste areas, etc) on its 950km extension and the required schedule.

1. Introduction
Gasene Project- Southeast Northeast Pipeline was created aimed at connecting the Brazilian Southeast and the Northeast pipeline Networks and is approximately 1300 km long. The Project is planned in three steps: - Cacimbas x Vitoria Pipeline 100 km - Cabinas x Vitria Pipeline GASCAV 300 kim - Cacimbas x Catu Pipeline GASCAC 950km It is worth mentioning that GASCAC and GASCAV are performed under an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) management, carried out by SINOPEC INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM SERVICES CORPORATION, Chinese public company, that has worked in Brazil since 2006, for performing GASCAV. All steps of Gasene Project, whose final client is Transportadora Gasene and Petrobras is hired as inspector, started (services authorization) on March 25th, 2008 and its time for completion is 25 months.

______________________________ 1 PS Sector Manager - Equipment Engineer - PETROBRAS 2 Mechanical Technician TPCM - PETROBRAS 3 Manager of GASCAC - Equipment Engineer - PETROBRAS 4 Sector Manager of spread 2B - Mechanical Engineer - PETROBRAS 5 Sector Manager of spread 1A - Equipment Engineer - PETROBRAS

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The figure below shows the pipeline network in Brazil, in which the Gascac Project is included.

Figure 1 : Brazilian Pipeline Network

The Gascac Cacimbas Catu Pipeline, as it can be seen above, is part of Gasene Project, an international venture within PAC Growth Acceleration Program of Brazil, in a total of 950 km, at 28, in a X 70 steel pipeline, divided in six different spreads: Spread 1A - Galvo Engenharia - 103 km Spread 1B Jocec 140 km Spread 2A Conduto 150 km Spread 2B Bueno 160 km Spread 3A1 GDK 43 km Spread 3A MVT 130 km Spread 3B Conduto 160 km

The next figure (Figure 2) will show the spreads along the GASCAC pipeline.

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Figure 2 : GASCAC Pipeline Spreads Division

To connect the existing gas systems in the southeast to the northeast, the Cacimbas-Catu GASCAC Gas Pipeline crossed 51 municipal districts and 220 communities, becoming the major Gas Pipeline in length being constructed in Brazil. The use of new technologies applied to pipeline construction and assembling, aimed enhancing productivity has been searched by Petrobras, throughout its subcontractors, assemblers, by transference in the mentioned constructions. Each spreads has its own characteristics, difficulties and required different methodologies to archieve success.

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2. CHALENGES FACED AND TECHNOLOGIES APPLIED

2.1 Buoyancy Control

During the works at Spread 1A of GASCAC, located between the Cacimbas Gas Treatment Station in the Municipality of Linhares, in the State of Esprito Santo, and the future Compression Station of So Mateus, in the Municipality of So Mateus, also in the State of Esprito Santo, after a more detailed survey, it was found that the flooded or prone to flooding areas were superior to the ones found in the Basic Design. According to the Basic Design there was a total of 3km of flooded areas, requiring specific methods to assure buoyancy control. However, in the Detailed Design a total of about 25km was found. The situation got worse with the constant rain in the region, the most severe in the last 100 years. Given such difference and the short term, concrete coating would take a long time, considering that the amount was now higher than the one indicated in the Basic Design. This situation would impact the work schedule, especially the stringing and welding phases. The logistics had to be totally changed, taking into account the economic and financial impact this variation has caused. The most common techniques known to achieve buoyancy control were concrete coating and concrete saddles. Despite being not prohibited by Petrobras N-464 standard, concrete saddles present many disadvantages as low resistance, limitations concerning topography, longer time for weights to form and dry, gaps between the saddles and the pipe top common, difficulties for installing the saddles, among others. An alternative found to speed up the works, increase productivity, decrease discontinuities, as well as to guarantee the quality and the compliancy with the requirements and deadlines, was the use of bag weights. To achieve the same weight of concrete, we installed 2 bag weights on each pipe (12m), 3 tons each bag. Figure 3 shows their installation on the pipes.

Figure 3A: Installation of Bag Weights at Spread 1A

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Figure 3B: Installation of Bag Weights at Spread 1A Other spreads, as Spread 3B, also used the bag weights to achieve buoyancy control.

2.2 Vacuum Lifter GASCAC used for the first time in the Country (Brazil) a technology that in addition to providing a significant increase on productivity, assured more safety on moving and stringing the pipes. Installed on an excavator, VacuVietz is a pipe-lifting device, working according to the vacuum principle, being not necessary the use of steel cable or bands to lift the pipes. With this resource, an operation that used to take 10 minutes, now takes approximately 25 seconds, enabling the execution of other activities in time.

Figure 4 Vacuum Lifter

This equipment was applied specially on spread 2A where Conduto was the subcontractor of SINOPEC. Other technology applied by Conduto was the automatic welding solution. This solution increased production and decreased repairs on welding.

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Figure 5 Automatic Welding 2.3 Amounts of Rocks Rocks also had a great impact along the construction and assembly of GASCAC, especially at Spreads 2B (Subcontractor Bueno), 3A1 (Subcontractor GDK) and 3A (subcontractor MVT). To overcome this barrier, a great volume of rock was blasted. To easy dispose or recycle this material, the crusher a machine that reduces large rocks into smaller rocks, gravel or rock dust - was used. The use of this equipment improved production and reduced the amount of good soil import to cover the pipeline. In some situations and spreads the distance of good soil field and pipeline construction field was around 80km.

Figure 6 Blasting At Spread 2B the pipeline crossed a carstic area region, what required special studies and attention.

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Figure 7 Rock crushing machine

Figure 8 Rock sifter machine

2.4 HDD River Crossings

GASCAC Project had 6 river crossings by HDD technology. Crossing Itanas River Alcobaa River SINOPEC Mucuri River So Mateus River Jucuruu Sul River Megadrill Jucuruu Norte* River 2A 480m 1B 1A 2A 1.488m 579m 420m Companies Spread 1B 1B Length 1.020m 548m

Rio Oil & Gas Expo and Conference 2012 Table 01 : HDD River Crossings on GASCAC

One of the most difficult was the Mucuri River Crossing, 1500m, and Jucuruu River that was a combination of 2 methods.

Figure 9 HDD at Mucuri river - Bahia

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2.5 Others Others challenges, difficulties and technologies applied on GASCAC pipeline will be shown on the oral presentation.

3. Conclusion
For the Construction and Assembly of GASCAC, several challenges were faced along its 950km, as large flooded areas, presence of hard rock in long extensions, long river crossings and others, with a short time period to meet the defined Work Schedule. The use of new technologies as VacuVietz, pipesak, pipe layer, crusher and sifter equipments were of utmost importance to meet the goals. The application of all these procedures was an excellent cost/benefit alternative and a great option for the construction of gas pipelines. These equipment and technologies designed to increase productivity, brings to South Americas pipeline construction and assembly market a new development era.

4. Acknowledgements
The authors of this paper acknowledge all managers and workers that were responsible for the success of GASENE and GASCAC project.