Allseas Completes Offshore Pipelay Project in Mexico Ahead of Schedule

Allseas has successfully finished its offshore pipelay project for a 700-kilometer natural gas pipeline in Mexico earlier than expected, meeting the requirements of its client TC Energy.

The Southeast Gateway 36-inch natural gas pipeline spans from Tuxpan along the coast through the Gulf of Mexico to Coatzacoalcos and Dos Bocas.

Allseas completed the pipeline in just 11 months, which included handling the intricate nearshore aspects and pre-commissioning the entire system, all under a contract secured in 2022.

The majority of the pipeline was laid by Solitaire, with support from Lorealay and Tog Mor. Pioneering Spirit tackled the nearshore section at Coatzacoalcos without a stinger, using the hanging stinger transition frame as a mini stinger, a solution tailored to the shallow water depth, as reported by Allseas.

Additionally, the company utilized its automated ultrasonic testing system Dolphin for the project, inspecting over 57,000 welds.

“The Southeast Gateway Pipeline Project, thanks to the exceptional performance of the combined Allseas/TC Energy team, showcases how large-scale offshore pipelay projects can be executed safely, in compliance with environmental regulations, and on schedule,” stated Mike Bagale, TC Energy’s Vice President of Mexico Projects.

TC Energy is constructing the $4.5 billion deepwater gas pipeline in collaboration with the Mexican state-owned power utility Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) to enhance the power supply in southeastern Mexico.

The Southeast Gateway Pipeline is designed to transport approximately 37 million cubic meters of natural gas per day and is expected to be operational by mid-2025.

Aside from the Mexico project, Allseas recently completed pipeline installation and post-lay activities for a significant project in the Dutch North Sea led by the Netherlands-based exploration and production company ONE-Dyas. Additionally, the company has bid farewell to a shallow-water pipelay barge it acquired in 1997, after using it for the installation of over 400 kilometers of nearshore pipelines worldwide.