Vaca Muerta Oil Sur Project Advances with Offshore Pipeline Fabrication

The Vaca Muerta Oil Sur (VMOS) project has entered a critical phase of its marine infrastructure with the start of preparations to fabricate a subsea pipeline of approximately 7 kilometers in San Matías Gulf.

The pipeline will connect Punta Colorada Terminal with two monobuoys positioned offshore. From these structures, crude oil can be transferred directly to large-capacity vessels destined for export to international markets.

For the project, 721 steel tubes of 38 inches arrived on site, featuring three-layer coating and concrete protection for underwater placement. The pipes were manufactured by domestic companies in Buenos Aires province and transported from Dock Sud to San Antonio Este Port, which serves a logistics role for the project.

A self-elevating modular platform, called a combifloat, was installed in the area to support offshore welding operations. The structure has a load capacity of up to 400 tons and was designed to work in demanding maritime conditions.

The factory vessel Seminole will be responsible for joining the pipeline sections and progressively placing them on the seabed until the pipeline is completed. This task will proceed in parallel with the transport of the two monobuoys to Río Negro.

The structures have already transited the Strait of Hormuz and continue their route to Punta Colorada. Each weighs 272 tons and has a diameter of 15.3 meters; additionally, they are prepared to allow crude oil loading onto VLCC vessels, which are used for international crude transport.

Information from Energía Online.