OIL UNDERWATER PIPELINE IN CRETE
CONSTRUCTION COST : US$ 0.85 million
CLIENT : PUBLIC POWER CORPORATION


A feasibility study and environmental constraints indicated that an offshore oil unloading terminal to refuel the Heraklion Power Station would be uneconomical & environmentally unacceptable. As a result an underwater oil pipeline was chosen in conjunction with an open sea mooring system to unload tankers of up to 20,000 DWT capacity. The project involved the detailed design of the pipeline the installation procedure and the protection of a 600m. long underwater pipeline. The pipeline is installed in a trench because of the very poor bearing capacity of the seabed.
The trench is back filled and armoured with stones against wave action and anchor dragging. The unloading tankers are anchored on the Multi Buoy Mooring facility specifically designed to withstand a maximum wave height of 5m. and gale Force 6 of the Beaufort Scale.