Dahej-Uran pipeline put on fast track

In order to expedite the Rs 1,416 crore Dahej-Uran Pipeline (DUPL) project, Gail India has invited bids under international competitive bidding for the supply of pipes.

The gas transmission utility had appointed Tractebel Engineering as its project management consultant on a competitive bidding route. Tractebel, after carrying out a detailed exercise on the cost advantages of longitudinal seam submerged arc welded (LSAW) pipes for the DUPL project, concluded that Gail had saved Rs 157 crore by opting for LSAW pipes over helically submerged arc welded (HSAW) pipes.

Based on these findings, and owing to the economic and technical superiority of LSAW pipes over HSAW pipes, Tractabel has recommended the use of LSAW pipes for the project.

Gail Chairman and Managing Director Proshanto Banerjee said, "We have taken various innovative steps to ensure that the project schedule is limited to a 17-month timetable, down from the 33 months envisaged earlier. The procurement of coated line pipes, prefabricated metering skids, use of automatic welding machines for faster pipeline laying are a few of the modern project implementation practices that will be adopted for swift completion of the project."

The project has many unique features. Gail is introducing the concept of 'bi-directional flow' in this project. Gas will normally flow from north to south through the pipeline, that is from Gujarat to Maharashtra, by connecting the sources from Dahej, Hazira and additional gas from fields at Gujarat to the gas market in Maharastra.

Alternatively, if required, the pipeline can be the link for flow of gas in the reverse direction, ie south to north, from gas sources such as Uran, Dabhol and the KG basin in the south to the gas markets in Gujarat and further north.

An internal pipeline coating, which will reduce friction and enhance capacity, use of ultrasonic metering for better accuracy and metering at IP stations with leak detection provisions for enhanced safety and accurate reconciliation will be some of the latest systems to be introduced for the efficient operation of DUPL.

The 475 km DUPL project, which will transport about 12 million standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) gas, will be a vital link between the key gas markets of Maharashtra and Gujarat. The DUPL project covers Baruch, Surat, Navsari and Valsad in Gujarat and Thane and Raigad in Maharashtra, and has over 30 river and creek crossings.

Gail has already completed the survey work of the entire pipeline route. No-objection certificates from the respective state pollution control boards of Gujarat and Maharashtra have also been obtained.

In order to ensure the efficient execution of the project, Gail has decided to engage specific backup consultants for quality and schedule monitoring of the DUPL project.