Construction of the oil-main in Algeria

Acquaintance to the line of oil pipeline OZ-2 has begun with its flight round by the helicopter in September 2001. At first sight, the line was smooth, without crossings, all the rivers were dry (Oued and Fieldo). The line of the oil pipeline (D 864 mm.) had extent of 266 km. and connected a site from the post SP-5 (the chamber of reception-launching of a scraper - km. 418), located near the city of Laguata, and the cock unit (km. 684). On flat and little broken-country the extent made 260 km., on very broken-country - 6 km. Besides, there were 2 crossings with railways, 19 - with roads and 2 - with the Oueds and Fieldo.
On November, 18th, 2001 70 persons arrived by a charter flight; almost all of them worked in Turkey during the construction of a gas main "Blue stream". Pipes with the wall thickness from 7,92 to 17,3 mm. were delivered from three factories of Algeria; therefore there was a problem with calibration, sorting on groups of pipes even produced by the same factory. The first ten joints were welded on February 3rd, 2002; inspectors of the customer checked these joints and gave a positive estimation.
In the beginning of May dusty storms, darkness, sand in eyes and in a mouth, a heat up to 50 degrees have begun. At such conditions it was necessary to work in respirators and glasses. The collective from Russia, unaccustomed to such heat, has sustained all the difficulties with honour and every month 27 - 30 km. of pipes were welded. The record on welding of pipes D864 mm. in Algeria was set up (by analogy to a record set up in Turkey on pipes D 1220 mm.). For a working day the brigade of A.M. Proskurin welded 251 joint.
In total for ten months and 18 days (from February, 3rd till December, 21st, 2002) 22116 joints have been welded. 3.93 % of the total amount of joints was repaired. Considering the multitude of automobile roads transitions, the scope of railway works, Oueds and Fieldo, underground communications, a brigade specialized in transitions carried out works behind the brigade of automatic welders. The brigade of horizontal drilling was engaged in drilling and arrangement of casings at transitions through automobile and railway roads.
All the 43 transitions through roads, Oueds and Fieldo, and also cock units, were preliminary tested, welding of guarantee joints was made. In parallel with automatic welding the laying of pipes and welding of laps were carried out. In many places under sand of Sahara rock came across which should be hollowed by hydraulic hammers, heavy dredges. For banking up and powdering of pipes a significant amount of soft ground and many dumpers and loaders were necessary.
Therefore the laying column and specialized brigades for liquidation of technological breaks "attacked heels " of the digging organizations. On December 15th, 2002 " the red joint " on a line has been made. All the welding sectors using installations CRC-Evans were rewarded honorary diploma and presents. Two hundred sixty six kilometers for incomplete eleven months have been welded.