Months of challenging pipeline construction have culminated this week in the laying of the final pipe in the 482.4 km long Polarled Pipeline project at a depth of 1,260 meters in the Norwegian Sea.

Polarled is the first pipeline on the Norwegian continental shelf that crosses the Arctic Circle and opens up a brand new highway for gas from the Norwegian Sea to Europe, transporting up to 70 million standard cubic meters of gas per day.

The pipeline, which has a diameter of 36 inches, extends from Nyhamna in Møre og Romsdal to the Aasta Hansteen field in the Norwegian Sea and was laid by the world's largest pipelaying vessel: “Solitaire” from Allseas.

"With this pipeline, we open up for the export of gas to Europe from a completely new area, and with the infrastructure in place it will also be more attractive to explore the area," he concludes.

“Energy supply security is essential to the EU and the individual European countries. Tying in a new Norwegian Sea area to the gas transportation network Polarled will be an important link for further gas export, thus strengthening Norway’s position as a reliable supplier to the European gas market,” says Grete B Haaland, head of asset management in Statoil’s Marketing, Midstream and Processing business area.