---

Dept of Trade and Industry

Answer

Mr. Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment has been made into the use of SPC 2888 by major pipelines other than the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline where the pipeline is coated with a three layer, high density, polyethylene coating; and how many of the pipes coated with SPC 2888 (i) have been backfilled in Azerbaijan and Georgia and (ii) are waiting in trenches for backfill in Azerbaijan and Georgia; [179981] (2) whether the SPC 2888 coating was subject to a full field test in simulated weather conditions before approval for use on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline; [179983] (3) what measures were taken by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to check the specifications of the coating supplied by SPC for the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline; [179985] (4) whether the field joint coating specification used in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline included post- application heat induction. [179991] Mr. Mike O'Brien: The WorleyParsons report on the field joint coating issue (SPC 2888), included a case history of use of SPC 2888 on other pipelines. It showed that SPC 2888 had been used extensively in North America. I cannot confirm exactly how many of the pipes coated with SPC 2888 have been backfilled or are waiting in trenches for backfill in Azerbaijan and Georgia. Information on the progress of the project can be found on: www.caspiandevelopmentandexport.com WorleyParsons also checked the suitability of this type of field joint coating. They confirmed that SPC 2888 was subject to testing in simulated cold weather conditions in an independent UK laboratory and that the field joint coating specification used in the BTC pipeline included post-application heat induction.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

423 c50W; 179981;179983;179985;179991

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Construction Materials Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk