13 May 2024

Onshore is all about connection

While the drilling from the Maasvlakte below the seawall has been named as the start of construction of the pipeline, a large part of the Porthos project lies on land. Before the actual CO2 pipeline can be drawn and connected, work therefore needs to be carried out on land well into 2025. The Onshore team is responsible for the engineering and realisation of these facilities.

The onshore section of the pipeline
As Manager Onshore, Yke Norg is responsible for the realisation of the onshore pipeline, the compressor station and the cooling water pump building. ‘Separately, these are not necessarily innovative projects by definition; we are building a system from existing techniques. But that system is indeed innovative and in some aspects also complex. The combination of these facilities and the fact that CO2 rather than natural gas passes through the pipes makes this work unique. Another factor is the enormous time pressure associated with the climate targets, which also makes the project more difficult and requires a lot of extra attention to connection.”

Complex work requires expertise
The realisation of the onshore part of the Porthos route is done both serially and in parallel. This calls for specific expertise. The Rotterdam port has dozens of pipeline owners; the ground is full of existing cables and pipelines. And in addition to the Porthos pipelines, other pipelines such as hydrogen pipes have to be laid. “It is not only important that the work is carried out safely and responsibly, coordination with all stakeholders is also essential for successful implementation,” Norg said.

The realisation of the compressor station is ‘first of its kind’ and has been developed while learning. “For the first time, CO2 rather than methane is being pumped through the pipes. This not only requires something different from the engineering, but also from the way the structure is realised. In addition, the transport direction is different: no natural gas is coming from the sea, but CO2 is instead pumped AFTER the sea, into depleted gas fields far below the seabed. These new aspects require a lot of flexibility and creativity from the experts involved.”

In the realisation of the cooling water pump building, the disciplines of civil, hydraulic and mechanical engineering come together. These work in parallel and on a small plot, making safety, effectiveness and efficiency necessary for successful implementation.

More than construction
Porthos is more than building the facilities needed to transport CO2 from industry in the port of Rotterdam to empty gas fields under the North Sea. Yke also sees Porthos as a training institute. “This project needs a mix of people with the tough seniors on one side and the young dogs on the other. At Porthos, we do new things every day. This makes you learn something every day. By mixing expertise with young people with a lot of ambition, you form an optimal team. Moreover, it allows us to pass on our knowledge to the next generation.”

Connection is the magic word
Since his appointment, Yke Norg has mainly been working to bring together the different parts of the onshore project. Before his arrival, there were three separate teams for the engineering and realisation of the land pipeline, the compressor station and the cooling water pump building. “This took a lot of efficiency out of the work. Connecting the different components and making it one team Onshore has created a robust organisation. In this respect, too, much of my job is about connecting: not only the project parts in relation to each other and the environment, but also within the Porthos organisation.”

Lessons learned
Porthos is an innovative project, which means there is a good chance that things will turn out differently than previously thought or planned. The important thing then is not to lose sight of each other. Norg: “I believe we always approach developments from a positive angle. Everyone is here with the best of intentions. We run into surprises in our work and that is sometimes difficult. Then the trick is to stay calm and not panic, but keep talking to each other and looking for solutions. Calmness is necessary for good reflection and makes it easier to think and oversee things. Calmness creates safety and quality.”