Fast Facts: - Location: Kurdistan Region, Iraq - Client: Addax Petroleum International Limited - Capital Cost of Project: USD$ 141,000,000 - OSD's Scope: A$ 5,000,000 - Duration: Seven Months Overview In August 2008, OSD was awarded a FEED study for the Kirkuk Pipeline Project for Addax Petroleum International Limited. Addax, in cooperation with Genel Enerji AS, is developing the Taq Taq crude oil field in Northern Iraq and will export Taq Taq crude oil to the world market via the Iran–Turkey Pipeline (ITP) system. Addax completed a number of studies into options for connecting the Taq Taq field to the ITP, and elected to construct an approximately 70km pipeline from the Taq Taq field to the Baba Gurgur Tank Farm near Kirkuk. The objective of the Taq Taq site is to receive sweet crude oil from the upstream oil production facility and provide storage to allow transfer of oil to the ITP using either continuous or batched operation. The pipeline flow will be controlled over the design range of 40,000 BPD to 250,000 BPD by the pump systems located at Taq Taq and pressure controllers at the tank farm at Baba Gurgur The Taq Taq site included up to one million barrels of oil storage in floating roof tanks; pump systems; meters; office and warehouse facilities; and all utilities for the site such as fire water, power generation, control and SCADA systems; oily water treatment, diesel storage; etc. The pipeline system included a fibre optic cable with redundant satellite communications, emergency shutdown systems, pigging facilities and cathodic protection systems. Detailed Scope of Work OSD’s scope for the FEED project included:
• Design of the Taq Taq oil storage and pumping facility
• Design of the pipeline system
• Design of the receival site at Kirkuk
• Safety studies
• Site route investigations
• Preparation of prequalification packages for construction contracts and procurement of major equipment items
• Preparation of procurement packages for major equipment items and linepipe
• Preparation of two EPC contracts – one for the design and construction of the pipeline system; and the other for the design and construction of the aboveground facilities
• Preparation of capital and operating cost estimates and project schedules
• A variety of studies including logistics and transport; pre-commissioning; commissioning, as well as impacts of varying oil quality. Project Challenges The 24” oil pipeline traversed high undulating terrain from Taq Taq to Kirkuk, with the route influenced by topography, river crossings, and mine fields. At its peak, the highest recorded altitude is approximately 800 metres with the Baba Gurgur site at 335 metres. OSD utilised a multi-discipline engineering team, a project services team and a procurement team to prepare all of the FEED and procurement documentation. As part of the FEED requirements, OSD personnel completed field right of way and facilities site surveys in the remote Kurdistan region of Iraq. Outcome OSD completed the FEED study in less than seven months and undertook a number of additional studies for Addax associated with the development of the Taq Taq oil field. Addax Petroleum was impressed with the work completed by OSD, and references were provided by Addax regarding the excellent results accomplished over such long lines of communication. Click here to download a printable PDF of the Kirkuk Pipeline FEED case study |