Allseas lands another TurkStream job

expat network

Allseas lands another TurkStream job

Offshore construction firm Allseas Group has signed a contract with Gazprom for the second string of the TurkStream gas pipeline.

Allseas was awarded the contract for the first 500 nm, 32-inch pipeline string in December. Gazprom says that the first line is intended to supply Turkish demand, while the second will be used for export to EU customers. Onshore lines will transport the gas to the Turkish border with Greece and the broader European market. If all proceeds according to schedule, construction will begin this year and both subsea pipelines will be in operation towards the end of 2019.

TurkStream (Türk Akımı) was conceived as an alternative to the canceled South Stream project. It was put on hold in 2015 due to diplomatic tensions between Turkey and Russia, but was finally approved in October 2016. Critics contend that there may not be enough shoreside pipeline capacity to transport so much gas from Turkey into the EU market; to address this problem, Ankara has promoted an onshore “Tesla Pipeline” to connect Gazprom’s supply to Central and Southeast Europe.

The TurkStream pipelay work will be performed by the world’s largest vessel by displacement, Allseas’ Pioneering Spirit. The Spirit is a single-lift platform topsides removal/installation ship, the first vessel of her kind; in addition to her unique equipment for decommissioning (see video below), she is also fitted with the world’s heaviest-capacity pipelay factory, capable of handing pipe up to five feet in diameter and S-lay tensions of up to 2,000 tonnes.

In her capacity as a heavy lift ship, the Spirit has been hired to remove Royal Dutch Shell’s Brent Delta platform, scheduled for later this year. The Brent Bravo, Brent Alpha and Brent Charlie topsides are expected to follow.

www.maritime-executive.com

Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.