The sun is out, spring has begun, and with that come the new enquiries. Although night temperatures here in Western Europe are still below zero, contractors currently are mobilizing equipment and are starting up their new projects. It is remarkable that at this moment there seems to be an abundance of 56” projects and therefore a large demand in pipeline construction equipment suitable for this diameter. These are either projects that are already in the early construction phase or that are being tendered with starting dates within 2011. After the 470 km. of the German OPAL project that is about to finish, a lot of new 56” pipelines are being constructed. To name a few: 440 km. on the NEL project in Germany, about 170 km. on the Gazela project in the Czech Republic and also hundreds of kilometers on various projects in Turkmenistan and Turkey. Not to mention the thousands of kilometers of 56” pipeline currently being constructed in Russia.
A LIEBHERR RL64 pipe layer, to be deployed on a 56" project
Although our rental fleet contains ample equipment suitable for these large diameter pipelines, Maats is still expanding her fleet in order to meet our customers’ demands. This not only with (relatively) smaller items like 56” IPLC’s, 56” mandrels, 56” pipe facing machines and 48-60” roller cradles, but also with larger items like LIEBHERR RL64 90-tons pipe layers, LIEBHERR SR714 LGP welding tractors and 48-60” bending machines. With this we want to be prepared for the upcoming projects in these larger diameters and prevent that we have to disappoint any of our customers.