ESIA Albania Section 4 Project Description

Transcription

1 ESIA Albania Section 4 Project Description

2 Page 2 of 108 TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 PROJECT DESCRIPTION TAP Project Overview Purpose of the Project Description TAP Project Scope and Location TAP Project Rationale TAP Project Schedule Gas Properties TAP Design Philosophy TAP Throughput Applicable s and Standards Safety Contracting Goods and Services and Provision of Local Content Main Project Components in Albania Introduction Pipeline Block Valve Stations Compressor Stations Coastal Pipeline Landfall Offshore Pipeline Project Construction Introduction Project Duration and Timing Machinery, Equipment, Transportation and Traffic Vessels Storage and Pipe Yards Main Storage Yard Pipe Yards Access to Storage and Pipe Yards Construction Camps Pipeline Construction Camps Compressor Station Construction Camps Special Crossings and BVS Construction Camps Access, Transportation and Traffic Overview Access to Compressor Station(s) Access to Pipeline Eastern Access Option Services and Utilities Construction of the Onshore Pipeline Land Acquisition Pre-Construction Activities Construction Methods Overview Team 1: Route Surveying and Preparation of Working Strip Team 2: Trenching of the Pipeline Team 3: Pipe Bending, Stringing and Welding Team 4: Pipelaying Installation and Backfilling Team 5: Site Clean-up and Restoration Pressure Testing during Construction (Hydrotesting) 49

3 Page 3 of Hydrotest Concept Water Abstraction Sources Discharge/Disposal Options Construction Methods at Crossings Overview Road and Railway Crossings Watercourse Crossings Pipeline Protection and Pipeline Stabilisation against Landslide and Instability River Bed Laying Ridge Modification Construction in Areas with High Water Table Construction of the Coastal Pipeline Construction Duration and Timing Construction Method Cofferdam Floating In Pipeline Temporary Land Take Hydrotesting Construction of the Offshore Pipeline (60 km) Location and Sections Layout and Configuration Offshore Pipeline Construction Method Offshore Pipeline Installation Crossing of Marine Infrastructure (Cables and other Pipelines) Nearshore Pipeline Installation Marine Landfall Location Layout and Configuration Construction Duration and Timing Construction Method Offshore Hydrotesting Flooding the Offshore Pipeline Cleaning and Gauging the Offshore Pipeline Hydrotesting the Offshore Pipeline Dewatering the Offshore Pipeline Drying the Offshore Pipeline Cleaning and Hydrotesting Water Quality Construction of Block Valve Stations Location and Layout Construction Duration and Timing Construction Method Construction Plant and Equipment Construction of Compressor Stations Location Layout and Configuration Construction Duration and Timing Construction Method Construction Plant and Equipment Use of Resources and Environmental Interferences during Construction and Pre- Commissioning Introduction Temporary Land Take 77

4 Page 4 of Materials and Fuel Usage during Construction Aggregate Materials Other Materials Fuel Usage Water Consumption Air Emissions Noise Emissions Construction Phase Operation Phase Liquid and Solid Waste Generation, Handling and Disposal Waste Management Waste s and Amounts - Onshore Waste s and Amounts - Offshore Operation Phase Operating Philosophy Operation Control Cathodic Protection Installation Leak Detection (LDS) Marking of Pipeline Operational Pipeline Safety Block Valve Stations Data Management Pipeline Maintenance Compressor Stations Monitoring Facilities Fire Fighting Electrical Power Supply Diesel and Gas Air and Noise Emissions from the Compressor Stations Drainage and Effluent Management Compressor Stations Telecommunication system Permanent Land Take and Operational Restrictions Operational Workforce Pipeline Monitoring and Surveillance Decommissioning Phase Preliminary Identification of Project Interactions with the Natural and Socioeconomic Environment 104

5 Page 5 of 108 LIST OF TABLES Table Summary of Installed Capacity at each Compressor Station Table Overall Duration of Construction of Project Components Table Location, Area and Capacity of the Pipe Yards Table Access to Pipe Yards Table Number of Employees, Temporary Land Take and Infrastructure of the Large and Small Construction Camps Table Sites suitable for Construction Camps Table Number of Employees, Temporary Land Take and Infrastructure of the Camp for Compressor Station Table Road Construction Works Summary Table Potential Location of Work Spreads and Rate of Advance Table Potential Water Sources and Discharge Points for Hydrotesting Table Major River and Canal Crossing Points Table Summary of the and Number of Watercourse Crossings in Albania Table Vessels expected to be used for Offshore Pipelaying Table Vessels expected to be used for Nearshore pipelaying Table Equipment Expected to Be Used for the Construction of BVSs Table Temporary Project Land Take during Construction and Pre-Commissioning Table Estimated Material Consumption Table Estimation of fuel consumptions for construction activities Table Water Consumption during Construction and Commissioning Table Typical Noise Levels for Construction Equipment Table Typical Noise Levels for Pre-commissioning Equipment Table Categories of Waste Generated During Construction and Pre-Commissioning Table Typical Wastes Generated during Onshore Construction and Pre-Commissioning Table Construction and Pre-Commissioning Waste Inventory Table Typical Waste Generated during Offshore Construction Table Benchmarking of Compressor Stations against EBRD Standards Table Permanent Project Land Take Table Potential Interactions between Project Activities and Resources / Receptors...105

6 Page 6 of 108 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Typical Working Strip (Regular and Reduced) Figure Example of Cofferdam Figure TAP Offshore Route Figure Example Photographs of Pipeline Construction Activities showing Location and Arrangement of Teams within Work Spread 1 (indicating Rates of Advance) Figure Typical Anchored Pipelay Vessel (S-Lay) Figure Typical Dynamically Positioned Lay Vessel (S-lay) Figure Typical Tug Figure Typical Nearshore Pipelay Barge Figure Indicative Arrangement of Construction Equipment across Teams within the Work Spreads Figure Working Strip during Preparation and Construction Figure Schematic Diagram Illustrating the Rolling Sequence of Works within the Spreads Figure Indicative Construction Activities in Work Teams 1, 2, 3, 4 and Figure Location of Work Spreads and Arrangement of Teams showing Indicative Rates of Advance Figure Pile Driving Hammer Figure Example of Anchor Spread for an Anchored Pipelay Vessel Figure Concrete Mattress Figure Typical Pull-in Winch Arrangement Figure Potential Dredging Area Figure Access Channel Arrangement Figure Typical Cutter Suction Vessel Figure Submarine Plough LIST OF BOXES Box Main Pipeline Design s Box Applicable Safety Directives, Standards, s, Guidelines and Design Considerations Box Applicable Directives, Standards, s and Guidelines relevant to Environmental Protection Box Applicable Directives, Standards, s and Guidelines relevant to Safety Box Measures included in Local Content Strategy... 13

7 Page 7 of PROJECT DESCRIPTION 4.1 TAP Project Overview Purpose of the Project Description The Project Description describes the different components involved in the construction, operation and decommissioning phases of the elements of the TAP Project that crosses Albania. It also provides an overview of Project construction and operation management. The description provided reflects the level of design detail available at this stage of Project development. It should be noted that the ESIA considers the worst case in terms of potential environmental and socioeconomic impact (i.e. the ESIA identifies the likely significant effects arising from the largest possible footprint, including CS02, and the presence of all necessary installations for the 20 bcm/yr case). This Project Description is based on the technical input and engineering design documents provided by the Project s proponent. The Project Description therefore establishes a series of development parameters and principles, from which the ESIA practitioners can form the Basis of Assessment. These parameters and principles enable the ESIA to strike a balance between adequately identifying the likely significant effects of the Project, while at the same time providing flexibility in design during Project development and implementation. In addition to the text, the Project Description is supported with a number of specific figures and maps, which are presented under Annex 3 Project Description Maps and Figures. The remainder of this Section provides detail on the following aspects of the Project: Main Project components in Albania (Section 4.2); Project Construction (Section 4.3); Construction of the Onshore Pipeline (Section 4.4); Construction of the Coastal Pipeline (Section 4.5); Construction of the Offshore Pipeline (60 km) (Section 4.6); Offshore Hydrotesting (Section 4.6.5); Construction of Block Valve Stations (Section 4.7); Construction of Compressor Stations (Section 4.8); Use of Resources and Environmental Interferences During Construction and Pre- Commissioning (Section 4.9); Operation Phase (Section 4.10); Decommissioning Phase (Section 4.11) Preliminary Identification of the Potential Environmental/Socioeconomic Interferences (Section 4.12).

8 Page 8 of TAP Project Scope and Location The Project is a proposed gas pipeline starting in Greece, crossing Albania and the Adriatic Sea and coming ashore in southern Italy, allowing gas to flow directly from the Caspian basin into Western and South Eastern European markets. The route through Greece and Albania is shown in Annex 3.1 General Overview Route Map. The Project Description presented in this section corresponds to the Albanian part of the overall TAP, and includes the onshore pipeline from the border with Greece to the landfall in the Albanian coast, and the approximately 60 km long offshore section of the pipeline in the Adriatic Sea, until reaching the mid-point between Albania and Italy in the Adriatic Sea. Separate permitting documents will be issued for other sections of the TAP Project, namely the ESIA for the Greek sector and the ESIA for the Italian sector. The route of the TAP in Albania at this stage of Project development has been developed within a 2 km wide corridor (see Annex 3.2 General Overview Route Map - Albania). This corridor has been selected following an extensive and thorough alternative corridor selection and assessment process, performed by TAP between 2009 and 2011 with the aim to select a technically feasible pipeline corridor with the least negative environmental, socioeconomic and cultural heritage impacts. A detailed route refinement process, within the 2 km corridor, has been completed for the route. Local route optimisation will be undertaken during the detailed design (see Section 2 Project Justification). Similarly, site selection has been carried out for the metering and compressor stations in Albania (CS02 and CS03), (see Section 2 Project Justification for the location of the route options). The location of CS02 has not been finalised and one potential site on each side of the Albanian- Greek border has been identified. For the purpose of completing the ESIA for Albania it has been assumed that CS02 is located on the Albanian side, 6 km west of the border with Greece (some 1.5 km. from Trestenik). CS03 is located in the northwest of Fier, 4-6 km from the landfall at the Adriatic Sea. From CS03, the gas pipeline runs westwards to reach the landfall, which will be located at the Albanian coast near the city of Fier, (see Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Map). The landfall location is the point at which the onshore pipeline is tied in with the offshore pipeline. From that point, the route is approximately 60 km in length on Albanian territory, until the midpoint between Albania and Italy in the Adriatic Sea (see Annex 3.2 General Overview Route Map - Albania).

9 Page 9 of TAP Project Rationale The purpose of the TAP Project is to bring gas from new sources in the Caspian region to Western and South Eastern Europe. TAP will contribute to the security and diversity of Europe s energy supply by providing the necessary infrastructure to transport gas through the pipeline system from the Shah Deniz II field in Azerbaijan by the most direct route, via the pipeline system, to Southern Europe once production begins in The pipeline system through Albania would originate at the border with Greece and will initially consist of an approximately 209 km long onshore pipeline traversing Albania (211.8 km with elevation). A compressor station (CS03) will be located at the end of the 48 pipeline near Fier, at approximately Kp 203, to increase the pressure for the offshore 36 pipeline. Near the Albanian- Greek border a metering station will be expanded to a compressor station (CS02) at a later stage to increase the capacity of the pipeline to 20 bcm/yr. Beyond the landfall, which is approximately 6 km west of CS03, the pipeline will run approximately 60 km offshore to the Albanian-Italian border at the median line of the Adriatic. In line with international best practice, block valve stations will be installed at maximum intervals of 30 km along the onshore pipeline to interrupt the gas flow in case of maintenance or emergency. The pipeline will initially have a capacity to transport 10 bcm/yr (about 1,350,000 standard cubic metre per hour) of natural gas TAP Project Schedule Overall construction of the Albanian section of the project is anticipated to commence in mid and will take approximately 3.5 years, followed by commissioning during Gas Properties The pipeline will transport natural gas which is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with a range of 0 25% higher hydrocarbons, natural gas and accompanying substances (e.g. ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and sulphur). Before natural gas enters the pipeline, it undergoes processing to remove most of the impurities so that the natural gas can be used as a fuel. TAP will therefore transport natural gas, which is similar in composition to that provided for domestic and industrial supply, for uses such as heating and power generation.

10 Page 10 of TAP Design Philosophy The TAP facilities (e.g. compressors and gas turbines) will be designed for a lifetime of 25 years. The pipeline itself is designed for a technical life time of more than 50 years. The design philosophy is to ensure that the gas transport system fulfils all safety requirements of the base National and European s and Standards and that the impact to the environment is kept to a minimum. The pipeline and station will be designed in accordance with requirements listed below in Section 4.1.8: TAP Throughput Figure in Annex 3.5 Technical Drawings Layouts and Flow Diagrams shows the system flow diagram for the 10 bcm/yr operational scenario. Pipeline transportation capacity may be increased from an initial throughput of 10 bcm/yr to 20 bcm/yr. For the 10 bcm phase only two compressor stations (CS00 in Greece and CS03 in Albania) are required. CS02 will be used in the 10 bcm/yr phase only as a metering and pigging station. Location CS01 (in Greece) and CS02 (in Albania, near to border to Greece) will be extended to a complete compressor station in the 20 bcm/yr phase. The pipeline will have a design pressure of 95 barg (bars above atmospheric pressure), which will be sufficient for the TAP capacity base case of 10 bcm/yr as well as for the potential future extension of the TAP system capacity to 20 bcm/yr. This design pressure is valid for the pipeline section as far as CS03. From CS03 the pipeline will have a design pressure of 145 barg up to the Pipeline Receiving Terminal (PRT) in Italy Applicable s and Standards There are many design and environmental codes and standards applicable to TAP. All components (pipeline, compressor stations, and facilities) are designed, were selected, and will be commissioned and operated according to the following basic principles, as well as considering all national and international requirements: safety of the public and personnel working near to the pipeline and the compressor stations; protection of the environment; protection of property and facilities; third party activities; geotechnical, corrosivity and hydrographical conditions; requirements for construction, operation and maintenance; and national and local requirements.

11 Page 11 of 108 All project facilities will be designed in accordance with the European s (EN) and National Standards. The EU and local standards must be followed and other standards will be used to supplement these where it is beneficial to do so. For the pipeline the main codes to be used are shown in Box Box Main Pipeline Design s Onshore Pipeline EN 1594 Pipelines for Maximum Operating Pressure over 16 bar Functional Requirement. Offshore Pipeline DNV OS F101 Submarine Pipeline s Safety Examples of the other notable codes and standards to be applied include, but are not limited to, the examples in Box Box Applicable Safety Directives, Standards, s, Guidelines and Design Considerations Directive 2008/1/ EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 15 January. Design shall comply with BATprinciples (Best Available Technology). Greek Technical Regulation 4303 on Safety Zones [Albanian Gas Law 9946 is out-dated and temporary Minister Order 666 requires the gas system to be developed in accordance with Greek design and safety standards]. EN Steel Pipe Lines for Combustible Fluids Technical Delivery Conditions; Part 2. EN Pressure Testing, Commissioning and Decommissioning Procedures for Gas Supply s. EN Gas Supply s Welding Steel Pipework, Functional Requirements. EN Valves for Natural Gas Transportation in Pipelines. EN Cathodic Protection. EN Induction Bends, Fitting and Flanges. EN Mechanical Connectors. EN Gas Supply s Gas Pressure regulation stations for transmission and distribution functional requirements. EN 1776 Gas Supply s Natural Gas Measuring Station Functional Requirements. DNV RP E305 On-Bottom Stability Design of Submarine Pipelines. DNV RP F105 Free Spanning Pipelines. CEN/TS Guideline for Safety Management s for natural gas transmission pipelines. TAP-HSE-PR-0010 Safety Design for Onshore Plants. The entire pipeline system, including stations, will be designed in accordance with the applicable EU codes and standards, supplemented by local standards. EN "Compressor stations".

12 Page 12 of 108 EN "Gas pressure regulating stations for transmission and distribution". Avoidance routing was the primary approach to selected constraints that are identified and mapped inside an investigated corridor. For areas where avoidance of the identified geo-hazards and selected constraints is not entirely possible, the relevant sections of infringement must be "earmarked" for closer investigation during the subsequent site investigations and other studies. Parallel routes with other infrastructures, such as high voltage lines or roads, are preferred (so-called infrastructure bundling ). Crossings with other existing and /or planned infrastructural installations will be kept as short as possible. The pipeline will be installed in geologically stable areas side slopes and land slide areas must be avoided where practicable; geological construction measures to be considered. The pipeline will be designed according to Standard EN 1594 (Pipelines for Maximum Operating Pressure over 16 bar Functional Requirement). The pipeline will have the following design framework: a. Line pipe material: Steel Grade EN L485MB (or API equivalent X70) with 3-layer polyethylenebased coating; b. Cathodic protection system; and c. The minimum cover depth for the pipeline is 1 m in regular sections and this can be increased in sensitive areas or because of special requirements. The codes and standards relevant to noise and atmospheric emissions to be applied include, but are not limited to, the examples in Box Box Applicable Directives, Standards, s and Guidelines relevant to Environmental Protection 2008/50/EC European Parliament Directive on ambient air quality. 2001/80/EC European Parliament Directive on the limitation of emissions of pollutants. EU / EC of the European Parliament and the Council. The minimum health requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from physical agents (noise). 2000/14/EC European Parliament Directive on Noise Directive). 2008/1/EC European Parliament Directive concerning integrated pollution prevention and control (the IPPC Directive). Design will comply with BAT- principles (Best Available Techniques). 2003/10/ EC European Parliament Directive on Minimum health requirements regarding the exposure of workers to risks arising from physical agents (noise). IFC EHS Guidelines for noise levels from the World Bank Group. EN 4871 Declaration and verification of noise emission values of machinery. EN Noise levels for electrical rotating machines. IEC 225 Specification for Octave-Band and Fractional-Octave-Band-Analog and Digital Filters. IEC 651 Recommendations for Sound-Level M. EEMUA Pub.140 Noise Procedure Specification (formally OCMA Spec. NWG1, Rev.2, 1980) ISO Standards Acoustics-Inc: Basic Standards, Methods of Noise Handbook 35 Measurement, Audiometry & Human exposure to noise. The codes and standards relevant to safety to be applied include, but are not limited to, the examples in Box

13 Page 13 of 108 Box Applicable Directives, Standards, s and Guidelines relevant to Safety CEN/TS Frame of reference regarding Pipeline Integrity Management. CEN/TS Guideline for Safety Management s for natural gas transmission pipelines. TAP-HSE-PR-0010 Safety Design for Onshore Plants. A preliminary risk assessment of the pipeline route was performed with the aim of verifying the pipeline safety. The preliminary assessment determined that the route was feasible with respect to safety of the pipeline and the nearby population. In a few denser populated sections a potential for route optimisation was identified in order to further reduce proximities to settlements. Furthermore, the most populated sections identified are relatively short, enabling efficient technical risk mitigation to be applied where needed or required Contracting Goods and Services and Provision of Local Content TAP s Policy on Corporate Socioeconomic Responsibility (CSR) contains the commitment that TAP and its sub-contractors will recruit and source locally, work with local businesses and give preference to both. 1 The Project plans to achieve this objective through the implementation of a Local Content Strategy aimed at enhancing capacity of national level companies and increasing local (Project Area) employment and procurement wherever possible. Specific measures included under this strategy are described in Box Box Measures included in Local Content Strategy Enhancement of national supplier capacity: In order to identify and quantify local content potential, identify potential employees, contractors and suppliers and obtain information on their capability to comply with TAP AG s performance requirements, TAP AG will conduct a comprehensive demand- and supply-chain analysis; TAP AG will implement a phased capacity building programme (sector by sector) that will enable local companies to achieve qualifications and potentially certification with the relevant standards and requirements well in advance of the tendering process; TAP AG will engage with local government, industry and other organisations to determine opportunities for targeted training; and Following selection of primary contractors, the Project will carry out training of contractors on the Project HSE and social policies prior to the start of construction. Optimisation of national level contractor opportunities: TAP AG will break down construction contracts into smaller components to increase the likelihood of granting individual pieces of work to Albanian companies. Optimisation of local employment opportunities: TAP AG s Policy on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contains the commitment that TAP and its subcontractors will recruit and source locally, work with local businesses and give preference to both. The Project plans to achieve this objective through the implementation of and Local Content Strategy aimed at enhancing capacity of national level companies and increasing local (Project Area) employment and procurement wherever possible.

14 Page 14 of 108 Measures to spread employment opportunities evenly along the pipeline: The Employment Strategy will define target locations for recruiting local unskilled labour by each of the four working spreads. This will help to smooth the distribution of employment opportunities along the pipeline route. Integrity of recruitment process: The Project will work with local authorities and employment organisations to ensure that all positions are advertised in a manner that is accessible to the settlements and communes crossed by the pipeline; The Project will ensure that the recruitment process is fair and transparent, public and open to all regardless of ethnicity, religion or gender; and TAP AG will stipulate that the Primary Contractor provides clear contracts prior to mobilisation stipulating working hours, pay, and other terms of employment. Managing public expectations: TAP AG will provide clear information on the number and limited timescales of employment opportunities. Information on the employment strategy will be disclosed at a commune centres and at all settlements within the 2 km corridor. Sourcing local goods and services: As part of the tendering process, contractors will be required to develop a purchasing strategy that stipulates how national and local purchase of goods will be optimised. The purchasing strategy will be required to adhere to all TAP AG HSE policies and procedures. Agreed measures will be monitored and reported on; Advance information on tendering opportunities will be provided to local businesses through trade and industry chambers and local business organisations along the pipeline route; and Contractors will be required to show best efforts to fill unskilled service jobs in worker accommodation camps with local (commune level) residents. Source: TAP AG Policy on CSR (2011) (TAP-HSE-PO-0002), and TAP Local Content Strategy (2010) (TAP-HSE-ST- 0007) 4.2 Main Project Components in Albania Introduction The main Project components are the pipeline (onshore and offshore), and the compressor and metering stations. Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Map shows the location of the key Project infrastructure. The pipeline system assessed in this ESIA consists of the following components: A buried 48 inch pipeline, approximately 203 km in length, from the Greek-Albanian border to compressor station CS03; A buried 36 inch pipeline, approximately 6 km in length, from CS03 to the landfall at the shore of the Adriatic Sea; A metering/compressor station (CS02) facility and associated electrical grid connection (approximately 1.5 km medium voltage transmission line) near the Albanian Greek border; A compressor station (CS03) and associated electrical grid connection (approximately 8 km medium voltage transmission line) near the city of Fier;

15 Page 15 of 108 Approximately 10 block valve stations (BVSs) along the onshore route, with foreseen maximum intervals of 30 km, to interrupt the gas flow in case of maintenance or emergency; A 36 inch nearshore pipeline section approximately 7 km in length and offshore section approximately 60 km in length, from the Albanian landfall to the mid line of the Adriatic Sea. Figure in Annex 3.5 Technical Drawings Layouts and Flow Diagrams shows the system flow diagram for the 10 bcm/yr operational scenario. At the later 20 bcm/yr operation, the metering station near the Albanian Greek border will be expanded to a compressor station (CS02) Pipeline The buried cross-country pipeline from the Albanian border to compressor station CS03 is approximately 203 km in length and has a diameter of 48. The design pressure of the main pipeline is 95 barg. From CS03 to the landfall at the Adriatic Sea, the gas pipeline is approximately 6 km in length with a diameter of 36 and 145 barg design pressure. The minimum cover depth for the pipeline is 1 m in normal sections, but this can be increased if necessary where additional protection is required. For example at road and railway crossings, the minimum cover depth is increased to 1.2 m and 1.5 m respectively. The location of the buried onshore gas pipeline is shown in Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Map. Engineers will also be laying fibre optic cables parallel to the pipeline as these are needed for communication. The construction working width for the TAP Project is 38 m, and can be reduced to 28 m where physical constraints require. In areas of potential ridge modification the width will be further reduced to a minimum 18 m corridor. A typical cross section of the construction working width and a reduced working strip is shown in Figure

16 Page 16 of Block Valve Stations The number of block valve stations is not finally defined however at this stage of engineering approximately 10 are planned along the pipeline in Albania. Final design (e.g. number and distance between BVS) will be performed later and depends on pipeline risk assessment, accessibility, national and international standards and an agreed operation and maintenance concept. The block valves are unmanned and contain a small cabinet with a fence around them to prevent unauthorised access. Additional to the fenced area of approximately 12 x 33 m, a 3 m wide vegetation strip will be planted around each site and an access road installed to provide permanent access during operation. All of the BVSs will be installed below ground with access provided through an inspection cover.

17 SOURCE: CPL00-ENT-100-F-DFT-0011_02--Working Strip CLIENT: TRANS ADRIATIC PIPELINE PROJECT: Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Albania ESIA Report 00 11/12/12 Issued for Information ALB PIB REV TITLE: DATE ISSUE, SCOPE OF REVISION PREP. CHECK APR. Project Description Typical Working Strip (Regular and Reduced) SCALE PROJECT DRAWING NO: PAGE SAA No scale Figure of Size:A4

18 Page 18 of Compressor Stations One compressor station will be installed in Albania along the pipeline route near the city of Fier (CS03). There is a site for an optional second compressor station in Albania close to the border with Greece (CS02). The location of the compressor stations is shown in Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Map. The CS03 site is located approximately at sea level, originally marshy terrain crossed by numerous drainage ditches and channels. The highest ground water level is found at approximately the normal ground level height. Due to these facts and in order to avoid flood risks the station's area will be raised by 1.5 m with suitable soil material. The compressor stations are required to raise the gas pressure to the level required to drive the gas through the pipeline and deliver it at the required pressure to the offshore pipeline from the Adriatic coast of Albania. In the specific case of the compressor station near Fier, the diameter reduction for the offshore section from 48 to 36 (i.e. from m to m) requires an additional pressure increase. The power for the compressors is provided from gas turbines that are located at the compressor stations. The number and size of the gas turbines has been optimised to provide the appropriate power requirements for the desired operation of the pipeline. This means that there will be different numbers and set-ups of the gas compressor units at CS02 and CS03 to provide the flexibility required to meet the initial 10 bcm/yr and future 20 bcm/yr operational scenarios. Table provides a summary of the installed gas turbine units at each compressor station for the different operational scenarios (at full load). Each compressor station will have one compressor unit on standby for backup. Table Summary of Installed Capacity at each Compressor Station Natural Gas Flow CS03 CS02 (Optional Site) 10 bcm/yr Total 3 compressor units 2 x 15MW running 1 x 15MW on standby 20 bcm/yr Total 5 compressor units: 4 x 15MW running 1 x 15MW on standby N/A for 10 bcm/yr. Metering station only at CS02 site (no compressor station) Total 5 compressor units: 4 x 15 MW running 1 x 15MW on standby Note: Considering an average turbine efficiency of 33%, the thermal input of a 15 MW ISO engine is expected to be MW. Compiled by ERM (2012) Figure in Annex 3.5 Technical Drawings Layouts and Flow Diagrams shows the layout of a typical compressor station and identifies the seven key components.

19 Page 19 of Coastal Pipeline The onshore pipeline in the coastal zone is a small section which is buried and extends approximately 150 m inland between the landfall and the tie-in with the rest of the onshore pipeline. This section is needed to allow for correct alignment between the offshore pipeline (buried at 4 m deep) and the onshore pipeline (typically buried 1 m deep). Construction methods to be used will be different to those applied to the onshore pipeline. There are a number of possible construction methods that can be used for this section of the pipeline, these include: A cofferdam (a type of temporary sheet piling construction designed to facilitate construction projects in areas which are normally submerged); Via floating pipeline; or A combination of both of the above techniques. The preferred construction method is dependent on a number of variables such as soil characteristics and engineering design. Currently the cofferdam is considered the preferred construction method and therefore the impact assessment was made considering this technique, even though the first two are described in the Section This section of pipeline will have a diameter of 36 and 145 barge design pressure Landfall The offshore pipeline landfall is located 10 km west of the city of Fier and will be constructed using a cofferdam. A cofferdam (Figure 4.2-2) is a type of temporary sheet piling construction designed to facilitate construction projects in areas which are normally submerged. Use of a cofferdam will be to prevent natural backfilling and retain the depth of the dredged channel until the pipeline can be laid during the pipe installation. The length of the cofferdam will be approximately 200 m from the shore line.

20 Page 20 of 108 Figure Example of Cofferdam Source: ERM (2011) Offshore Pipeline The offshore pipeline crosses the Adriatic Sea and extends from the Albanian coast to the shore in Italy (Figure 4.2-3). It will be 60 km in length from the landfall to the Adriatic Sea median line, with a diameter of 36 and a 145 barg design pressure. The pipeline exits Albanian waters, in the middle of the Strait of Otranto at a maximum water depth of 820 m.

21 Page 21 of 108 Figure TAP Offshore Route Source: ERM (2012) The offshore pipeline is divided in two sections: The offshore section, which starts from the mid-line between Albania and Italian waters, to a point that is approximately 7 km west from the coast, and approximately 25 m water deep. At this point the pipeline will be laid directly on the sea floor; and

22 Page 22 of 108 The nearshore section, which starts from the above mentioned point (7 km from the coast and 25 m deep) to the coast/landfall and up to the cofferdam. This section of the pipeline will be buried under the sea bed. The offshore pipeline will be designed in accordance with the recognized offshore pipeline design code DNV OS-F101, and has the following preliminary design specification: Line pipe material: Steel Grade API 5L X65 or equivalent DNV grade 450; Internal diameter: 871 mm; Steel thickness: 22.0 mm with water depth less than 200 m, 37 mm with water depth greater than 200 m; Internal epoxy coating (flow coating); A 3 mm thick anti-corrosive coating, polyethylene-based coating if non-concrete coated, polyurethane or asphalt if concrete coated; Concrete coating at water depths less than 200 m; and Cathodic protection system.

23 Page 23 of Project Construction Introduction At the current stage of project development, a detailed construction concept is not yet available. First, the exact equipment needs, sites, and physical characteristics of the work areas cannot be known until the design has further progressed; and second, the successful bidders for construction contracts will have some leeway to select the work methods and equipment that they will use, based on their own preferences as well as price and availability at the time the contract is let. Some general principles and approaches that will guide the construction of the project can be, however, set out at this stage in order to limit the above uncertainties for the purpose of this ESIA. These, together with descriptions of plant and equipment that might typically be used in such circumstances are sufficient to indicate the likely nature and extent of the main environmental and socioeconomic impacts associated with construction of the TAP. This enables the ESIA to indicate the methods, procedures and codes of practice that contractors will be required to use in order to avoid, reduce or compensate for such impacts. These measures will then be incorporated into the bidding documents and the contractual conditions for construction. The following sections describe elements of the construction of the TAP in general terms and the way in which each element is likely to be addressed, focusing on those aspects of most relevance to the ESIA. Special variations from this general background, which may be needed for specific components of the scheme or at particular construction sites, are addressed in the relevant sections of the Project Description Project Duration and Timing Overall construction of the Albanian section of the project is anticipated to commence in mid and will take approximately 3.5 years, followed by commissioning during The final, specific construction schedule will depend on various technical and contractual matters and will take into account environmental and socioeconomic factors, for example times associated with sensitive wild fowl nesting and beach usage. These are discussed in further detail in the later sections of the document. Should construction commence in 2015, commissioning of the Project would then take place during Table provides a summary of the expected timescales for the construction of the major Project components. It should be highlighted that work will be sequential and the duration of construction at a specific location will be much shorter than the overall durations indicated below (see Table 4.3-1).

24 Page 24 of 108 Table Overall Duration of Construction of Project Components Project Component Onshore, buried pipeline: 203 km cross-country from Greek border to CS03 (48 diameter); and 6 km from CS03 to landfall (36 ) Compressor station CS02 Access roads to construction site and camps Approximately 10 block valve stations Compressor station CS03 Landfall Offshore and nearshore pipeline Construction camps Duration of Construction 39 months in total; (6 months preparatory works + 2 months material delivery (parallel, and ending with end of preparatory works) and afterwards 33 months construction of pipeline. 20 months 28 months, in advance of pipeline construction (included in the onshore pipeline construction) 26 months 8 months including reinstatement (not sequential - included in the pipeline construction) 4 months including dredging and backfilling (only for the nearshore section) Access road construction camps 2 months Pipeline construction camps 7 months Compressor station camps 5 months Potom area construction camp (between Kp 85 88)* 2 years 8 pipe yards (+ 1 optional at Qafa) 3 months Potom area pipe yard (between Kp 85 88)* - 2 years Landfall Offshore pipeline 8 months (including reinstatement after construction. 4 months for preparation of the cofferdam and 4 months to remove it and reinstate the beach) 4 months (including dredging and backfilling of nearshore section works) Offshore pre-commissioning (hydrotesting) 3 months * Size and exact location of facility to be defined during later Project phase Source: Onshore Information - ENT (2012) and Offshore Information - Statoil (2011) Machinery, Equipment, Transportation and Traffic Although of a very large scale, the TAP will be a conventional civil engineering project, and will not require unusual or unfamiliar equipment or construction techniques. The major items of construction equipment needed are bulldozers, heavy excavators, spoil removal trucks, large, heavy lift cranes, standby generators, excavators, side booms / pipelayers, rock breakers, etc. Figure shows some examples of the typical construction equipment and activities.

25 Page 25 of 108 There will be significant transportation for each spread along the pipe route, i) of the labour material and equipment, ii) of the steel pipelines, and of the excavation spoil, although this will be stored close to the trench, ready for backfilling. In order to facilitate the movement of equipment and the construction workforce, a number of roads will be upgraded for construction and the construction of new access roads will be required. The location of the new roads 1 and the roads which require upgrading are shown on the figures in Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Map. Large earth moving machinery and other special items of equipment will be required to prepare the construction working strip, to excavate the trench and lay the pipeline. To follow is an estimate of additional construction traffic (per day). These predictions are indicative only, but are based on Assumed Vulnerable Traffic for ESIA APL00-ENT-100-F-TCE Rev.: 0B (6 th December 2011). This traffic will differ from one section of the construction working strip to another, and will vary throughout the construction period. The range between the minimum and maximum number of movements per spread has been roughly estimated and is presented below: Between 25 to 125 two-way truck movements per day to transport pipe from the harbour to the pipe yards; Between 25 to 125 two-way truck movements per day to transport bedding and replacement material from the harbour to the pipe yards; Between 5 to 30 two-way truck movements per spread per day to transport pipe from the pipe yards to the construction working strip; Between 10 to 175 two-way truck movements per spread per day to transport soil from the working strip to the laydown areas; Between 7 to 250 two-way truck movements per spread per day to transport bedding and replacement material from the pipe yard to the working strip; Between 40 to 200 two-way staff transport and petrol transport per spread per day from the construction camps to the working strip; Approximately 35 two-way truck movements per day to transport construction materials from the harbour to the compressor station sites; and Approximately 4 two ways ship movements per day to transport pipe and materials from the support port in Italy and the offshore and nearshore vessel spreads operating in Albania. Further details of the equipment that could be used for construction of the main Project components and photographs showing examples of some of these major items are shown in Annex Although some of the routes of these access roads follow existing tracks, in order for them to be utilized in the Project extensive reconstruction (i.e. widening, stabilization or installation of retaining walls) is required and are therefore classified as new roads to be constructed.

26 Team 1 - Route Surveying, Set Out Team, Top Soil Stripping and Grading SPREAD 1 49 km Activities : Surveyors will put out flags and stakes to mark the route. Bulldozers and graders will clear away topsoil and stockpile in the working width. The graders and bulldozers will then level the right of way for the trench digging team. Team 2 - Trench Digging Team Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Team 4 Team 5 A Activities : Excavators will dig out 4 m wide trench for pipe. Trench will be dug to a depth of 2.2 m, allowing min 1 m burial depth from top of pipe. Bulldozers will then push excavated material to form windrows and level the bedding in the base of the trench. Team 3 - Pipe Bending, Stringing and Pipe Welding Team B Assumed rate of advance for the work team in Spread 1 450m/day. The individual teams will move along the 49km spread at a rate of approximately 5km every 11 days. Approximately 25km will be under construction at any one time. Team 5 - Clean Up and Restoration Team Activities : Pipe transporters will simultaneously deliver a steady stream of pipe alongside the working strip. If required, pipe sections will be bent at the pipe yards prior to delivery to the working strip. Welding teams will join pipe sections alongside the trench before lowering into the trench [see Team 4 activities]. Larger sections will be welded together in the trench. Team 4 - Pipe Laying, Installation and Backfilling Team. Activities : The dozers and graders will spread the reinstated material above the pipeline and blend the material into the natural contours. Activities : Side booms and cranes will lower large pipe sections and manoeuvre them into place. Pipe sections will be welded together in bottom of trench. Hydro test crews will carry out integrity tests using water abstracted from waterbodies. Bulldozers will then push excavated material to form windrows and level the bedding in the base of the trench. Small backhoes and conveyors will reinstate excavated material back into the trench. Handheld whacker plates will compact material under and around the pipe. Vibrating rollers will compact the material above the pipeline. CLIENT: TRANS ADRIATIC PIPELINE PROJECT: Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Albania ESIA Report 00 11/12/12 Issued for Information REV TITLE: DATE ISSUE, SCOPE OF REVISION PREP. CHECK APR. Example Photographs of Pipeline Construction Activities showing Location and Arrangement of Teams within Work Spread 1 (indicating Rates of Advance) SCALE PROJECT DRAWING NO: SHEET OF No scale Figure / ALB PIB SAA Size:A4

27 Page 27 of 108 The pipe and the materials to be used during the offshore and nearshore pipeline installation activities will be supplied from the Support Port in Italy (Brindisi Port), and no ground traffic will be generated in Albania due this operation. Construction traffic will utilise the existing local road network and the new and upgraded roads (road will be upgraded for construction only to the level required for construction purposes) to access points along the pipeline construction corridor. Traffic will then travel up and down the construction strip. Construction materials such as prefabricated pipe joints will be stored at established pipe storage yards which will be located as per agreement with the relevant land owners and/or municipalities. Materials will then be transported on heavy goods vehicles from these locations to the construction corridor. Each pipe will be around 12 to 18 m long and could weigh between 7 and 12 tonnes. Materials for civil construction will be temporarily stored within the construction corridor. A Traffic Management Plan will be developed in consultation with the competent authorities and municipalities, and implemented throughout construction Vessels The offshore construction activities will require a number of vessels. The main vessels will be the pipeline installation vessel, such as an anchored pipelay vessel (Figure 4.3-2) or a dynamically positioned lay vessel (Figure 4.3-3). Figure Typical Anchored Pipelay Vessel (S-Lay) Source: Gazprom, 2012 (retrieved November 2011)

28 Page 28 of 108 Figure Typical Dynamically Positioned Lay Vessel (S-lay) Source: Statoil, 2012 The main difference between anchored and dynamically positioned pipelay vessels is the way the position and movement is maintained while laying pipe. Anchored vessels make use of anchors which are positioned by tugs (Figure 4.3-4). Dynamically positioned vessels make use of a dynamic positioning system, a computer controlled system, which automatically maintains the vessel position and heading by using its own propellers and thrusters. No anchor handling tugs are required.

29 Page 29 of 108 Figure Typical Tug Source: Photobucket, 2012 (retrieved November 2011) Two different pipelay vessels are foreseen during the offshore pipeline construction activities, one for the nearshore section (7 km offshore to the coast), and one for deeper waters. The nearshore pipelay vessels (Figure 4.3-5) are barges, specialized for this type of task, because their flat bottoms allow operation in shallow waters (6-7 m deep).

30 Page 30 of 108 Figure Typical Nearshore Pipelay Barge Source: Saipem, 2012 (retrieved February 2012) In addition, other vessels will be needed in the construction activities, such as supply vessels to provide the material needed, crew change vessels to ensure the crew shift, pipe carrier vessels barges, cutter suction dredgers for trenching and dredging works in the nearshore section, Tugs for assist the pipelay vessels, etc. The impact assessment in Section 8 refers to the use of anchored pipelay vessels for deep sea work, instead of dynamically positioned ones. This depicts a conservative worst-case scenario as the presence of anchor handling tugs use of anchors are additional sources to impacts to the seabed. More details on vessels operation are reported in Section

31 Page 31 of Storage and Pipe Yards Main Storage Yard There will be a main storage yard close to the main port, at Durres, which will have sufficient pipe storage capacity to provide buffer storage in case of construction delays. The main storage yard is used for storage only; there will be no bending, coating or cutting of pipe at this location. The option of locating large storage yards in the port itself has been discounted due to a lack of available space, safety concerns related to stacking, and the associated higher costs that would be incurred for storage in the port. Pipes will be distributed from the main storage yard to the 8 (plus 1 optional) pipe yards distributed along the route at the locations described in Table The locations of the main storage yard and pipe yards are shown in Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Maps Pipe Yards The locations of pipe yards for the intermediate storage of onshore pipes have been selected close to main roads near the pipeline track to provide easy access for long trucks. All methods of storing pipes will be designed to prevent any damage on line pipe and/or any coating material at any stage. A typical layout of a pipe yard is shown on Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings. Table gives the location and the approximate capacity of the pipe yards for 18 m long line pipe sections. Table Location, Area and Capacity of the Pipe Yards Yard Location Relevant Section Pipe Yard Area Pipe Capacity and Equivalent Length of Pipeline 1 Ecmenik 39 km 32,500 m 2 2,167 pipes (18 m) or 910 m of pipeline 2 Floq 39 km 35,000 m 2 1,084 pipes (18 m) or 455 m of pipeline 3 Potom* Qafa (Optional) Corovode 23 km 23,000 m pipes (18 m) or 270 m of pipeline 5 Buzuqi 16 km 17,500 m pipes (18 m) or 190 m of pipeline 6 Hoxhaj 30 km 26,000 m 2 1,667 pipes (18 m) or 700 m of pipeline 7 Drenovice 28 km 25,000 m 2 1,556 pipes (18 m) or 665 m of pipeline 8 Fusha Mbrostar 28 km 25,000 m 2 1,556 pipes (18 m) or 655 m of pipeline * Relevant Section, Pipe Yard Area and Pipe Capacity to be defined during the next phase of engineering Source: Preliminary Logistics Study Albania Update APL00-ILF-100-F-TRP Rev.: 0D (7th December 2011) Delivery of the pipes to the pipe yards will be in accordance with the construction time schedule. The concept will be optimized in order to avoid long storage times or supply shortfalls on the other hand. Transport of pipe sections will be limited to daylight hours.

32 Page 32 of 108 During storage pipes will be protected against corrosion and other degradation. Bending of individual pipes, according to surveys of each section of route, will also take place in the yards before the pipes are transported to the working strip. Measures will be taken to prevent rolling and ensure stability of the pipe stacks. Regular pipes of 48 diameter may be stacked in three layers. All pipe yards will be fenced, lighted and guarded. All installations are of temporary character and will be removed completely (including foundations) after the construction period. The entire area will be replanted after demobilisation of infrastructure Access to Storage and Pipe Yards All key material such as pipes, compressor station components and special construction equipment will be shipped to a large port close to the Project area. The most important port in Albania is Durres, which is situated west of Tirana and has effective loading and unloading capacities. The main storage yard is located approximately 15 km south of the port, where the pipes will be stored after unloading the ships. Easy access is given via the coastal main road along the bay of Durres. As a well-developed road network exists in Greece, transport of main equipment for east Albania could be via the port of Thessaloniki, however this option has not been considered in this study. Table describes the likely access routes to each of the pipe yards. The contractor will have the opportunity to optimize his working concept and operate additional pipe yards if required and once such changes or additions have been agreed with Albanian authorities and discussed with key stakeholders as applicable. Table Access to Pipe Yards Nr. Name Access description 1 Ecmenik Durres Rrogozhina Elbasan Librazhd Pogradec Korca - Bilishti Ecmenik 2 Floq as 1 up to Korca, Korca Mollas 3 Potom* as 1 up to Corovoda - Potom - Qafa (Optional) as 1 up to Corovoda- Qafa 4 Corovode as 1 up to Rrogozhina Lushnje Ura Vajgurore - Berat Polican -Corovode 5 Buzuqi as 4 up to Polican Fushe Buzuqi 6 Hoxhaj as 4 up to Berat Hoxhaj 7 Drenovice as 4 up to Lushnje Fier Roskovec Drenovice 8 Fusha Mbrostar as 4 up to Lushnje Fusha Mbrostar * Size and exact location of facility to be defined during the next phase of engineering Collated by ERM (2012)

33 Page 33 of Construction Camps Pipeline Construction Camps Camp facilities for personnel, construction equipment and material will be located in the vicinity of the future pipeline, taking into account local infrastructure and good access possibilities. The locations depend on the forecasted work speed and directions. The Primary Contractor will make its own arrangements for the housing and welfare of its employees by the erection, fitting up and maintenance of temporary quarters and camp accommodation together with all services at the places of work. The camps will be open rather than closed camps, but worker off-time will be carefully managed. Construction camps will be developed for each part of the project before construction of pipeline and associated facilities begins. There may, however, be a requirement for some small-scale and temporary accommodation in towns outside of the camps during the pre-construction phase, while camps and roads are under construction. Camps will be located along the pipeline route at more or less regular distances, so that long transport time for staff to the work place can be avoided. If possible, camps will be located close to main roads with good connection to larger cities, allowing easy transport of personnel, food, utilities etc. to the camp. Communities will be consulted to identify the best location for the camps. The main camps will not be combined with major pipe yards and bending areas. Mass transport of pipes and other material produce a large quantity of dust and noise; therefore, these areas should be separated from accommodations and offices. The same concept applies for the protection of residential areas. Major pipe yards and bending areas will be located away from these areas as much as practical. Temporary, self-contained construction camps will be set up and operated during construction. A typical layout of a camp and examples of construction camps are shown on Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings. They will have their own water and electrical supply as well as facilities for wastewater and garbage treatment. Camp staff will provide housekeeping, meal services and medical services. Fresh water will be provided from existing water supplies if available or alternatively from springs in the camp s surroundings. All wastewater will be treated according to national requirements prior to dewatering in a river or leaching. Topsoil will be removed and stored during the occupation of land. The surface of all traffic areas will be temporarily covered at least with gravel. All camps will be fenced, lighted and guarded. All installations are of temporary character and will be removed completely (including foundations) after the construction period. The entire area will be replanted after demobilisation of infrastructure. As the terrain in Albania is characterized by a mountainous section with difficult access and a flat section following river valleys and crossing the coastal plains, two different types of pipeline construction camps were defined. These are described in Table

34 Page 34 of 108 Table Number of Employees, Temporary Land Take and Infrastructure of the Large and Small Construction Camps Large camps for flat regions Number of employees Temporary land take Infrastructure Small camps for mountainous regions Number of employees Temporary land take Infrastructure Approximately persons Approximately 50,000 m 2 (200 x 250 m), 1 year Offices for TAP AG and its Engineer and the Contractor; Accommodations, staff canteen, leisure room; First aid room, fire fighting equipment, access control; Workshops, storerooms, fuelling station etc.; Stock yards for main equipment; Parking areas; Utilities (electrical power supply, telephone, water supply, wastewater treatment etc.) Approximately persons Approximately 20,000 m 2 (200 x 100 m), ½ -1 year Offices for TAP AG and its Engineer and the Contractor; Accommodations, staff canteen, leisure room; First aid room, fire fighting equipment, access control; Workshops, storerooms, fuelling station etc.; Stock yards for main equipment; Parking areas; Utilities (electrical power supply, telephone, water supply, wastewater treatment etc.) Source: Preliminary Logistics Study Albania Update APL00-ILF-100-F-TRP Rev.: 0D. The sites proposed as suitable for camps are described in Table along with their approximate capacities. Table Sites suitable for Construction Camps Camp Location Relevant Section (Kp) Approximate Area Approximate Staffing 1 Ecmenik ,000 m Floq ,000 m Potom area* - 20,000 m Mali Azines (Optional) - 20,000 m Qafa ,000 m Manushtir/Corovode ,000 m Mbrakull-Vojaku (Optional) - 20,000 m Vodica ,000 m Fusha Mbrostar ,000 m * Exact location of facility and Relevant Section to be defined during the next phase of engineering Source: Preliminary Logistics Study Albania Update APL00-ILF-100-F-TRP Rev.: 0D and development of Potom area

35 Page 35 of Compressor Station Construction Camps The compressor stations will be built by separate contractors, hence they will install their own camp, independent from that of the pipelaying contractor. Table provides details of the potential arrangements at the construction camps for the compressor stations. Table Number of Employees, Temporary Land Take and Infrastructure of the Camp for Compressor Station Camp for Compressor Station Number of employees Approximately persons Temporary land take Approximately 48,000 m 2 (150 x 320 m), partly inside the fenced area for the compressor station, 24 months Infrastructure Offices for TAP AG and its Engineer and the Contractor; Accommodations, staff canteen, leisure room; First aid room, fire fighting equipment, access control; Workshops, storerooms, fuelling station etc.; Stock yards for main equipment; Parking areas; Utilities (electrical power supply, telephone, water supply, wastewater treatment etc.) Source: Preliminary Logistics Study Albania Update APL00-ILF-100-F-TRP Rev.: 0D Special Crossings and BVS Construction Camps At special points (e.g. larger river crossings and BVSs) temporary small camps for construction works will be installed. If possible the teams will not stay in these small camps overnight but be based in nearby hotels or main camps. Table provides details on the camp that will be required for special crossings. Table Number of Employees, Temporary Land Take and Infrastructure of the Camps for Special Crossings Camps for Special Crossings Number of employees Temporary land take Infrastructure Approximately persons Approximately 2,500 m 2 (50 x 50 m) for a few weeks/months Office container, leisure room, parking area, specific installations for construction works (e.g. drilling rig) Source: Preliminary Logistics Study Albania Update APL00-ILF-100-F-TRP Rev.: 0D. All construction camps will be fenced, lighted and guarded. All the construction camps are of temporary character and will be removed completely (including foundations) after the construction period. The entire area will be replanted after demobilisation of infrastructure.

36 Page 36 of Access, Transportation and Traffic Overview During the construction phase the pipeline working strip will be accessed via a network of existing roads, to be upgraded along some sections to allow the passage of construction vehicles, and new roads to be established. Following the completion of upgrade and establishment works, TAP AG will seek to keep all access roads on public land open for public use throughout the construction period. 1 The compressor station sites will require access for abnormal loads during construction. The largest transport units requiring access will be the turbo compressors, with a total weight of tons. The location of CS03, close to the coast, is near a large national road with good access from the Port of Durres. Table summarises the road works required to provide access for Project construction purposes. Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Map shows the location of existing roads that require upgrade and new access routes that will need to be established. After construction access roads on public land will remain open for public use. Some of the sections upgraded and established for construction purposes will also be maintained for use during the Project operation phase. 2 Permanent access will be maintained to the compressor station sites for operational demands Access to Compressor Station(s) CS03 is located in the vicinity of Fier near the Adriatic Sea coast. The station is located north of Topoje and west of Seman. Access to the station is possibly given by highway to Fier, following the national road from Fier to Topoje and connecting with the road to Seman. The entire road network between Topoje and Seman is not in good condition. New building of access road southeast of Gjokalli and further upgrading of roads northwest of Gjokalli to CS03 including new build of bridges crossing drainage channels is required. 1 Appropriate measures will be implemented to manage construction traffic operating on the public network refer to Section After construction is complete, TAP AG will only maintain roads that are required for the Project operation and maintenance phase.

37 Page 37 of 108 The entire road network in the vicinity of optional compressor station CS02, as well as the access road from Bilisht to Tresnik, is in poor condition and therefore some upgrading and construction of road accesses is planned. The optional CS02 will be located in a flat field within the first kilometre of the TAP route from the border with Greece Access to Pipeline From the main pipe yard 1 close to the Port of Durres all pipes will be distributed to the yards along the pipeline route. Transportation will be provided by regular trailers as all yards are accessible via national roads. For the eastern section in Albania (approximately a section of 50 km) there are two general options for pipe transport. One route is from Thessaloniki across Greece and the second one is from Durres across Albania. At present the access via Greece is the preferred solution, but as some infrastructure projects are planned, the situation in Albania might improve in the future and access via Durres could then be an option. Pipe sections will normally be delivered to the work sites from the pipe yards by trucks (see Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings), however, in mountainous regions special transport vehicles will be required (see also Figure 4.3-8). A network of access roads provides access to the pipeline working strip in regular distances. Local access is mostly given by existing roads, which need to be upgraded (road will be upgraded for construction only to the level required for construction purposes) in advance mainly in the mountainous regions. Additional new construction roads are planned in remote areas. In difficult topography with lots of ascents and descents, long transports along the working strip will be avoided as the slopes are mostly too steep for any transport equipment. In steep sections construction equipment will be secured by winches and pipelaying works will be carried out by cableways. Table provides a summary of the road construction works that will be required in order to provide a minimum access to the working strip. The locations of these road upgrade works are shown in Annex 3.3 Detailed Route and Logistics Map. Table Road Construction Works Summary Construction New Road Upgrade of Road Total Length in Project 68.9 km 85.8 km Source: Preliminary Logistics Study Albania Update APL00-ILF-100-F-TRP Rev.: 0D (7 th December 2011). Access road calculations based on logistics GIS cartography (December 2011 and September 2012). 1 Currently two options are being considered for the site of this facility. Both options are located on the border between the municipalities of Golem and Synej, approximately 15 km south of the Port of Durres. The site will be selected during the next phase of engineering.

38 Page 38 of Eastern Access Option The Potom area is situated approximately 16 km east of Corovode in a mountainous region at an altitude of 1,000-2,000 masl. The eastern access will be via the Korca valley and along the existing local road to Vithkuq Shtylla. However, to reach the pipeline (section Kp 70 76), the construction of a 9 km access road from Shtylla will be required, mostly following the route of the pipeline working strip. An optional access road to the north of this section of the pipeline is also being considered. The main technical equipment to be transported is described in Section 4.1 and in Section F of the Preliminary Logistic Study Albania Update APL00-ILF-100-F-TRP-0002 Rev:0D Services and Utilities Where sites are established close enough, and there is sufficient capacity, services and utilities (i.e., water supply, wastewater and sanitation services, electricity supply, potable water supply, and solid waste management) will be purchased from local suppliers. Local utilities will be commissioned to extend transmission lines or water pipes to worksites. Where local capacity is insufficient, contractors will establish their own site facilities. 4.4 Construction of the Onshore Pipeline Land Acquisition Land will be acquired for permanent Project structures and to allow for operations, maintenance and emergency access throughout the operational life of the Project. A major criterion of the Project design has been that, as far as is practical, permanent infrastructure should be sited on unused land of no particular ecological or cultural value. Where this has not been possible, effort has still been made to avoid land on which there are dwellings or public infrastructure, or which is of high value as a habitat or for agriculture. A safety zone, where the construction of new third party structures along the pipeline, will be restricted to a safety zone of 40 m (i.e. 20 m from each side of the centre line), however, it will be possible to re-build greenhouses in this zone following pipeline construction. Construction of clusters of houses will not be allowed in a strip of 200 m either sides of the pipeline (400 m strip). Also refer to Section Pre-Construction Activities Before starting any construction work, topographic and photographic records will be made of the existing condition of the pipeline route and the access roads. These records will be used as the standards against which the quality of the restoration work will be judged when construction work is completed. The exact pipeline route will first be pegged out, while simultaneously staking out the width of the Working Strip on both sides of the route. Obstructions such as walls, fences and paths will be disturbed by the minimum amount necessary for safe working. Wall material will be carefully dismantled and stored for reuse.

39 Page 39 of 108 Records of buried facilities such as drains and irrigation pipe locations will be prepared and verified with the landowner/user to prevent accidental damage during pipeline construction. Existing third party services will be located, marked, and either safeguarded or diverted. Warning posts will be erected for overhead cables, and temporary crossing points clearly identified. Other pre-construction site activities will include: Assessment of construction materials quantities; Assessment of specific construction methods; and Installation of construction site and worksites Construction Methods Overview The construction activities are described below, together with the techniques that will be used to cross features such as roads and watercourses. Onshore pipeline construction is a sequential process and comprises a number of distinct operations, as shown in Figure These can be broadly categorised under the following five headings: Team 1: Route surveying, preparation of the working strip, top soil stripping and grading. Team 2: Pipe bending, stringing and welding. Team 3: Trench digging. Team 4: Pipelaying, installation and backfilling. Team 5: Site clean-up and restoration. Final construction techniques will be determined during the detailed design.

40 CLIENT: TRANS ADRIATIC PIPELINE PROJECT: Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Albania ESIA Report 00 11/12/12 Issued for Information REV TITLE: DATE ALB ISSUE, SCOPE OF REVISION PREP. CHECK APR. Project Description Indicative Arrangement of Construction Equipment across Teams within the Work Spreads SAA SCALE PROJECT DRAWING NO: SHEET OF PIB Source: ERM (2011) No scale Figure of 108 Size:A4

41 Page 41 of 108 The overall construction period for the pipeline will span 39 months. This includes construction of access roads and the preparatory works for the compressor stations, work camps and pipe yards prior to pipelaying. The estimated laying rate is 36 m per day in the Potom area and 100 m per day in other mountainous terrain, and up to 400 m per day in flat terrain. Several working teams will operate simultaneously along the route. Figure shows examples of typical pipeline construction operations. A detailed working schedule will be developed in line with the tendering procedure. The works to construct the 209 km pipeline will be broken down into manageable lengths called lots, and will utilise highly specialised and qualified work groups. The labour and necessary equipment for one pipeline lot is called a spread. The TAP Project in Albania will be constructed across six main spreads as shown in Table Spread 5 contains two sub-spreads, refer to note in Table, which reflect the change in terrain from the undulating Osumit Valley to the flat coastal plain. Table Potential Location of Work Spreads and Rate of Advance Spread Location Length 1 Rate of Advance Duration of Works Spread 1 Trestenik - Pulahe 49 km 300 m/day 6-7 months Spread 2 Pulahe Potom 27 km 100 m/day months Spread 3 Potom area 13 km 36 m/day months* Spread 4 Potom area - Vertop 45 km 100 m/day months Spread 5 Vertop Sqepur 36 km** 100 to 300 m/day 6 months Spread 6 Sqepur Landfall 41.8 km 300 m/day 5-6 months * Due to limiting weather conditions in mountainous regions the effective construction time will be months. ** 24 km will be at a rate of 300 m/day and 12 km will be at a rate of 100 m/day. Source: Assumed Vulnerable Traffic for ESIA APL00-ENT-100-F-TCE (5 th January 2012) Each of the spreads will consist of 5 work teams carrying out a number of different activities that will operate along a rolling work front approximately 25 km in length. Figure 4.4-3, Figure and Figure show how the work teams will be broadly organised and the plant and equipment that will be used for each of the activities carried out within each of the spreads. Figure presents a schematic diagram that illustrates the rolling sequence of operations that will be carried out by each work team. Figure uses Spread 1 as an example to illustrate the rate of advance of the work teams along the 49 km spread at a rate of approximately 300 m/day. The plant and equipment required for each work team to construct the pipeline are listed in Figure Figure shows example photos of the typical plant and equipment that will be used during construction. Figure illustrates the potential rate of progress by the work teams per spread along the pipeline route working lots. 1 If elevation is considered, the total onshore pipeline length in Albania is km.

42 Working Strip during Construction Working Strip during Construction Rock crush and Pipe Stringing Preparation of Working Strip (staking out, topsoil stripping) CLIENT: TRANS ADRIATIC PIPELINE PROJECT: Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Albania ESIA Report 00 11/12/12 Issued for Information REV TITLE: DATE ISSUE, SCOPE OF REVISION PREP. CHECK APR. Project Description ALB Working Strip during Preparation and Construction SCALE PROJECT DRAWING NO: PAGE PIB SAA Photographs sourced from various E.ON, E.ON Ruhrgas, ENT and OGE projects. No scale Figure of 108 Size:A4

43 Source: ERM (2011) CLIENT: TRANS ADRIATIC PIPELINE PROJECT: Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Albania ESIA Report 00 11/12/12 Issued for Information REV TITLE: DATE ISSUE, SCOPE OF REVISION PREP. CHECK APR. Project Description Schematic Diagram Illustrating the Rolling Sequence of Works within the Spreads SCALE PROJECT DRAWING NO: PAGE SAA No scale Figure of ALB PIB Size:A4

44 CLIENT: TRANS ADRIATIC PIPELINE PROJECT: Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Albania ESIA Report 00 11/12/12 Issued for Information REV TITLE: DATE Project Description ALB ISSUE, SCOPE OF REVISION PREP. CHECK APR. Indicative Construction Activities in Work Teams 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 PIB SAA Source: ERM (2011) SCALE PROJECT DRAWING NO: PAGE No scale Figure of 108 Size:A3

45 E Optional Camp Camp 4 SPREAD 4 (45km) Team 1 Team 2 Team 3 Team 4 Team 5 SPREAD 3 (13km) Camp 3 Optional Camp SPREAD 2 (27km) SPREAD 1 (49km) 30 km Camp 1 & Pipe Yard 20 km Camp 2 & Pipe Yard C B D 10 km Team 5 Team 4 5km CS03 Pipe Yard Team 2 Team 1 Team 3 CS02 Team 1 A G F Camp 5 & Pipe Yard Team 2 Team 3 Team 4 Team 5 Camp 6 & Pipe Yard Pipe Yard Team 1 E Team 2 Team 3 Team 4 Team 5 SPREAD 6 (41.8km) SPREAD 5 (36km) Source: ERM (2012) KEY MAP: A B C D E F B C D E F G SPREAD 1 (49 km) SPREAD 2 (27 km) SPREAD 3 (13 km) SPREAD 4 (45 km) SPREAD 5 (36 km) SPREAD 6 ( m/day = 6 to m/day = 14 to m/day = 20 to m/day = 22 to to 300 m/day = m/day = 5 to 6 months CLIENT: TRANS ADRIATIC PIPELINE PROJECT: Project Description Albania Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Albania ESIA Report 00 11/12/12 Issued for Information REV DATE ISSUE, SCOPE OF REVISION PREP. CHECK APR. TITLE: Project Description ALB Location of Work Spreads and Arrangement of Work Teams showing Indicative Rates of Advance SCALE PROJECT DRAWING NO: PAGE PIB SAA Approximate Rates of Advance Across Spreads No scale Figure of Size:A4

46 Page 46 of Team 1: Route Surveying and Preparation of Working Strip Prior to construction, the pipeline route will be surveyed and the centreline will be marked out. The outer boundaries of the construction corridor will also be marked. The centreline of the pipeline will generally be offset to one side of the working strip. A survey (e.g. Airborne Laser Scanning) will be undertaken to prepare a plan view of the relief of the area or parcel of land. Environmental and archaeological specialists will accompany the survey crews to clearly mark/flag sensitive environmental and archaeological sites. Topsoil, which supports plant life and contains seed stock, will be removed from the working strip by suitable earth moving equipment and stockpiled in the form of a continuous ridge along the edge of the strip. The topsoil stockpile will be typically no higher than 2 m to prevent depredation of the soil and will be kept free from disturbance to reduce the possibility of physical damage and compaction. The working strip will then be levelled, using typical construction site machinery, to eliminate irregularities, large stones, tree stumps and other features. The topsoil will be deposited on one side of the working corridor where it will be stored in such a way that it is not mixed with other trenched materials or trafficked over by vehicles. If the topsoil requires long-term storage, then aeration and raking up will be carried out regularly to avoid compaction Team 2: Trenching of the Pipeline The onshore pipeline will be laid in a trench generally around 2 m deep. The trench (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities) will be approximately m wide at the base and will be excavated to the requisite depth by an excavator or specialised trenching equipment (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). The excavated subsoil will be placed adjacent to the topsoil pile (separated to prevent mixing) Team 3: Pipe Bending, Stringing and Welding The pipeline will be constructed from approximately 12 to 18 m long sections of steel pipe temporarily stored at the pipe yards along the route. If required, before transportation to the working strip, a bending crew will use hydraulic bending machines located in the pipe yards to put gradual bends in the pipe sections (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). This equipment bends individual joints of pipe to the desired angle at locations where there are significant changes in the natural ground contours, or where the pipeline route changes direction. The bending will be limited to making many small bends along the length of a pipe section until the desired accumulated bend angle has been reached.

47 Page 47 of 108 The pipeline centreline will be surveyed with bending limitations in mind. Where the bend cannot be made gradually enough to meet specific conditions, a prefabricated factory bend will be inserted into the pipeline. These conditions will, however, be identified prior to construction. The individual sections will then be transported to the pipeline construction site and positioned along the working strip. This operation will be carried out using side-booms and tracked vehicles suitable for pipe transportation. The pipe will be unloaded with a mounted pipe-layer crane, and side boom, and placed end-to-end alongside the future trench, taking special care not to damage the pipe (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). The individual sections of pipe will be welded together to form the pipeline (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). The weld will consist of several passes (layers) depending on the pipe wall thickness 1. The pipes will be joined together using a motor-driven welding machine by a continuous wire arc welding process (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). Pipes will be joined by connecting and welding several pipes so that a pipe string is formed and placed on temporary supports along the edge of the trench. The weld will be tested by Non- Destructive Testing (NDT) with radio graphic inspection, and any test results of questionable quality will be retaken. Any welds indicating defects will be remedied by repair or replacement. In this eventuality, the weld will be re-tested After the welds have been checked, tested and approved, the coating crew will clean the exposed steel section at the joint between the pipes, sand-blast the steel, and apply a protective coating to it (e.g. heat-shrinkable polyethylene sleeves around the pipe). The pipeline will be examined for coating damage after installation. The entire pipeline coating will be electronically inspected, using Direct Current Voltage Gradient (DCVG) or any equivalent technique, to assess the condition of coating to locate and repair any coating faults or voids.team 4: Pipelaying Installation and Backfilling The welded pipeline will be raised off the skids and lowered into the trench by a team of side boom operators (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). All rock will be removed from the trench prior to the lowering-in operation. It will be ensured that in any case only stone-free material will be used for bedding the pipe sections. In areas of rocky terrain, sand or sieved backfill material will be placed in the bottom of the trench and on both sides of the pipe for protection purposes. Before the pipe section is laid in the bottom of the trench, the insulation will be re-tested. Following pipelaying the wooden skids or sand bags will be moved to the next trench section. All other debris will be removed from the site and the trench will be inspected to ensure that no debris has fallen in. 1 The wall thickness of the onshore pipe sections will vary depending on distance to, and density of, existing residential buildings within proximity to pipeline route.

48 Page 48 of 108 Backfill will normally be placed over the pipeline immediately after the pipe section has been lowered into the trench. Backfill material in the direct vicinity of the pipe will be compacted in layers. A backhoe loader will be used to replace the excavated material into the trench to cover the pipe. Extreme care will be taken with the initial fill to avoid damage to the coating. After the initial layer of screened material is placed into the trench, the remaining soil and rock mixture will be replaced to complete the backfill (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). In order to avoid any damage to the pipeline coating and the bottom of the trench, the padding material will consist of well graded, sandy material. Trenching material not used for backfill will be removed and disposed of according to legal requirements Team 5: Site Clean-up and Restoration After completion of backfill, the restoration operation will begin. The removed top soil will be placed back on the working corridor. The original contours of the land will be restored as closely as possible (see Figure in Annex 3.4 Technical Drawings - Construction Activities). As part of the restoration process, all equipment access crossings will be removed. Particular care will be taken to ensure that land drainage infrastructure, access roads, other networks and facilities, and vegetation, which were disturbed / moved during construction, will be reinstated to their former state. Photographic records will be made of the route, where necessary, before and after the works. If required, the final step will be the establishment of access barriers to prevent trespassing on the working strip at appropriate points. All posts and markers will be located to minimise interference with agricultural activities. Cathodic protection system test posts will be installed. The final stage in the pipeline construction process, once reinstatement is established, is the removal of the temporary fencing where it has been applied.

49 Page 49 of Pressure Testing during Construction (Hydrotesting) Hydrotest Concept Hydrotesting (or hydrostatic testing) is the most common method for testing the integrity of the pipeline and checking for any potential leaks (e.g. from faulty welds or cracked pipe work) prior to commissioning. The test involves placing water inside the pipeline at a certain pressure to check that the pipeline is not damaged and will not leak during operation. The first step in hydrotesting is the pipeline cleaning. This is carried out with a pipeline inspection gauge or "pig", which is a tool that is sent down a pipeline and propelled by the pressure of the product in the pipeline itself e.g. the water used for hydrotesting or air used for pipe cleaning. There are four main activities that will be performed by pigs during hydrotesting: Cleaning of the inside of the pipeline, this is performed with a brush-type directional pig that will be driven along the pipeline by air. Testing of the pipework and the welded joints using a "smart pig", which will measure pipe thickness, corrosion and the integrity of welds along the pipeline. Drying of the pipeline using foam-type swabbing pigs Gauge checking of the pipeline using a pig with a gauge plate attached. This pig is sent the whole length of the pipeline to check for dents, imperfections and damages. The relevant defect is then located and the damaged pipe section is repaired. The pipeline is then filled with water, which is pressurised. The hydrotesting will be carried out in sections, varying in length between 200 m and 20 km. Hydrotesting activities are expected to require a total of 5 to 6 months and will be finished before commissioning activities. The water used needs to be free of contaminants and not aggressive (ph between 5 and 8), and no additives, corrosion inhibitors or chemicals are used. Pressurization is then carried out with a high pressure pump. After the pipeline has been filled and pressurised, and all the necessary parameters have been measured, the pipeline is dewatered and dried. A leak is identified comparing the measured pressure in the test section against the theoretical pressure of the tested pipeline section.

50 Page 50 of Water Abstraction Sources Surface water sources with larger amounts of water flow have been considered for water abstraction and discharge. Water reservoirs will not be used as a source for testing water. The locations where water will be abstracted and discharged are limited. Table shows the potential water sources identified along the TAP route and the volumes required for hydrotesting the pipeline along each of the six spreads. Spreads 2, 4 and 5 have been sub-divided to reflect different abstraction and discharge locations for the hydrotesting water. The timing for the hydrostatic testing activities will consider the seasonal changes of river flows and the reduced flows during the summer months. The quantity of used water for hydrostatic testing within each of the sections varies between 10,000 m³ for the shortest section and 51,000 m³ for the longest testing section. In total approximately 245,000 m 3 of water will be required. The water will not be chemically treated. Table Potential Water Sources and Discharge Points for Hydrotesting Spread Water Source Discharge Point Volume Required (m 3 ) Spread 1 Duvaneci (Kp 51) Or Osum (Kp 57) Devolli (Kp 8) 59,000 Spread 2a Duvaneci (Kp 51) Osum (Kp 57) 10,000 Spread 2b Osum (Kp 57) Osum (Kp 57) 25,000 Spread 3 Osum (Kp 103) Osum (Kp 57) 16,000 Spread 4a Osum (Kp 103) Osum (Kp 103) 16,000 Spread 4b Vokopola (Kp 123) Osum (Kp 103) 24,000 Spread 5a Osum (Kp 156) Osum (Kp 131) 30,000 Spread 5b Osum (Kp 156) Osum (Kp 156) 14,000 Spread 6 Semani (Kp 192) Mediterranean Sea (Kp 209) 51,000 * Note: Water Source and Discharge Points identified in Hydrostatic Testing Concept Albania. APL00-ILF-100-F- TRS Rev.: 0E (15 th February 2012). Volumes Required provided by engineers 27 th September The contractor for the hydrotest will obtain written approvals from the local authorities and the landowner(s) where the source of water is located prior to the extraction of hydrotest water. Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings shows the proposed water abstraction and discharge locations for hydrostatic testing Discharge/Disposal Options Following successful testing, the used water will be discharged back into a receiving water body (as shown in Table 4.4-2) after having passed a sedimentation pool, through which the water will flow very slowly. These pools will be sized to provide a retention time of 5 minutes, which is considered enough time for allowing the solid particles cleaned out of the pipe to settle and remain in the bottom of the pond.

51 Page 51 of 108 The discharge rate after finalisation of hydrotests will follow the same rules as applicable for abstraction. Hence the same water bodies will be taken into consideration for discharge. Environmental effects are expected to be minimal or negligible when discharge rates are under 10% of the receiving river flow. As the water will be free of any chemicals, the discharged water quality is expected to be basically the same of the abstracted water. The contractor for hydrotesting will obtain written approvals from the local authorities and the landowner(s) where the hydrotest water will be discharged, water will not be returned to any water course without permission of the appropriate local authorities Construction Methods at Crossings Overview The pipeline route crosses many areas requiring specialised construction approaches. Crossings will be installed in parallel with or in front of the pipeline working corridor. Separate crews will install main crossings for roads and highways along the pipeline corridor. These crews will perform the excavation, welding, and installation of the crossing pipe. All pipeline crossings will be tested to ensure that there are no leaks. Increased burial depths at important crossings (roads, rivers, railways) and steep slopes will help maintaining the safety and structural integrity of the pipeline. The requirements and technical instructions of the competent authorities will be taken into account in the detailed design and construction of crossings. Crossing techniques can be divided into open cut (where the trench is dug directly across the feature), and trenchless crossing methods which prevent surface disturbance. Trenchless crossing methods include thrust-boring, auger boring, micro-tunnelling and horizontal directional drilling (HDD). These methods are used where ground conditions permit, and where disruption to others would be unacceptable or where there would be significant damage to the environment by the use of open cut methods. All rivers crossings are planned with the open-cut technique unless trenchless techniques are required due to environmental, technical and engineering constraints Road and Railway Crossings At locations where the pipeline crosses a road, the crossing will be accomplished by either the open cut or thrust-boring (a jack and bore drilling method). Thrust-boring (also known as augur boring or horizontal boring) will be the least disruptive method, but this technique cannot be used effectively in areas where boulders or rock are present or for crossings longer than approximately 60 m. Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings illustrates the boring technique. It is anticipated that all highways will be crossed using the thrust-bore method to avoid disruption of the traffic. Figures and in Annex

52 Page 52 of Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings, show schematics of the road and highway crossings. Thrust-boring will require the digging of a receiving pit on one side of the road. The boring machine will be lowered into the pit to begin boring, with the pipe inserted into the hole as it is being drilled. The outside of the pipe will be coated with abrasion resistant material to protect the pipe coating from being damaged as it is pushed through the bore hole. The integrity of the pipe welds will then be tested to ensure that there are no leaks. Railways will be crossed generally by trenchless methods. Agreements for railway and road crossings will be signed with the infrastructure operator prior to construction. Where the relevant authority or owner requests the installation of a casing pipe (see Figure and in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings) this will be investigated, detailed and agreed within the crossing agreement. In addition to main roads, there will be crossings of farm access roads, and other drives and tracks. The majority of these are un-surfaced and are likely to be crossed by the open cut method of construction. When the open cut method is used, traffic will be diverted around the crossing via detours or temporary roads. To minimise the duration of traffic disruption, the pipe will be prepared prior to commencement of roadway excavation. Once the pipeline has been installed, the trench will be backfilled and compacted in layers in accordance with relevant agency specifications. The roadway will then be resurfaced over the compacted trench. Final selection of crossing methods will be coordinated with the appropriate road and railway management authority Watercourse Crossings The open cut method is the preferred option for crossing watercourses as this is proven and safe technology. The method differs slightly depending on the size of the crossing. The proposed engineering measures will fulfil the following objectives: Secure the technical integrity of the pipeline during operations; Minimise the environmental impact of the crossing; and Provide a cost efficient solution.

53 Page 53 of 108 Typical river crossing techniques are illustrated in Figure and Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings. Table provides a summary of the major river and canal crossing points. At open cut river crossings and other special areas, sediment control techniques such as sediment barriers, in-stream weirs or weighted geotextile will be installed to minimise sediment flow, which will minimise the environmental impact. Table Major River and Canal Crossing Points Crossing Name Key Constraints Devolli Construction restriction for otter and for 2 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Stropani Canal Construction restriction for otter (potentially present) and for 2 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Construction restriction for 2 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Canal Construction restriction for otter and for 4 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Osumi Osumi Presence of 1 regionally endemic species of fish Sensitive wetland area and old riparian forest. Presence of 3 regionally endemic species of fish. Presence of otter Osumi Sensitive wetland area. Presence of 3 regionally endemic species of fish. Likely presence of otter Osumi Construction restriction for 3 regionally endemic or endangered fish species. Vokopola Construction restriction for otter and for 3 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Location of crossing point (Kp) Recommended Construction Technique 8.3 Dry Open-cut crossing during low flow period 12.9 Dry Open-cut crossing during low flow period 16.6 Dry Open-cut crossing during low flow period 50.7 Dry Open-cut crossing during low flow period 57.3 Dry Open-cut crossing during low flow period Trenchless river crossing Trenchless river crossing Trenchless river crossing Trenchless river crossing Osumi Trenchless river crossing Vurtopi Osumi Construction restriction for otter (potentially present) and for 4 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Construction restriction for otter (potentially present) and for 3 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Trenchless river crossing Trenchless river crossing Osumi Trenchless river crossing Osumi Trenchless river crossing Technical Evaluation of Construction Technique Crossing method confirmed Crossing method confirmed Crossing method confirmed Crossing method confirmed Crossing method confirmed Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Crossing method under review by design team Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed*

54 Page 54 of 108 Osumi Semani Semani Construction restriction for otter (potentially present) and for 6 regionally endemic or endangered fish species Confirmed otter presence and likely presence of regionally endemic or endangered fish species. Sediment load and turbidity high already in river so likely impacts to species from open-cut reduced. Confirmed otter presence and likely presence of regionally endemic or endangered fish species. Sediment load and turbidity high already in river so likely impacts to species from open-cut reduced Trenchless river crossing Detailed investigation of crossing method to be performed* Wet Open-cut Crossing method confirmed Wet Open-cut Crossing method confirmed Canal Presence of 1 endangered fish species Maintain passage of fish, careful planning for contaminants in sediments, avoid Autumn and Spring for migrating eels Crossing method confirmed * Open-cut crossing method is preferred. However, trenchless river crossing methods will be applied if the feasibility of the method has been proven and agreed with the relevant watercourse authority. Source: Civil Hydraulics Engineering Concept for TAP Route from Corovode to Berat APL00-ILF-125-F-TRS Rev.: 0D (7th December 2011) Open Cut Method for Large River Crossings Large rivers can be crossed by excavating an open trench and installing a siphon (see Figure in Annex 3.6). The pipe trench is excavated by means of excavators operating at low water level or from floating pontoons. The defined height and the width of the pipe trench are continuously monitored and documented by means of echo soundings. The excavated material is stored temporarily in designated and approved places. The pipeline section for the river crossing is constructed on the river bank and then pulled into position using a winch located on the opposite river bank. After checking that the pipeline is in the correct position, the pipe trench is backfilled and any sheet piles are removed. Buoyancy control is achieved by additional weighting of the pipes with for example, concrete coating or concrete saddles Open Cut Method for Rivers and Streams In general a temporary passage is erected across the watercourse after preparing the working strip. This passage principally consists of an earth dam, which, depending on the water level, is equipped with pipes to ensure the unhindered flow of water. This passage is dimensioned for a low to medium water flow and is flooded in case of high water levels. The pipeline section is prefabricated on the river bank. The trench is then excavated across the watercourse to accommodate the pipeline. Excavation of the trench is likely to make the water turbid. However, in the smaller streams with a surface width of between 3-5 m this turbidity will

55 Page 55 of 108 last for approximately half a day only. For bigger crossings sediment curtains can be installed in order to prevent the sediment plume from travelling downstream. Specific measures, such as sediment barriers, and seasonal limitations such as construction only in low flow conditions, are usually implemented to minimise the mobilisation of fine particulate materials downstream. The prefabricated section of pipeline will then be lifted into place and the pipe trench is backfilled using the stored excavation material. This will again make the water turbid, with the duration of the work being limited to a few hours for smaller streams. In streams where an infiltration from the river into the groundwater is possible, clay barriers at the river banks are used to seal the pipeline trench. The river bed is then restored. The river banks are then restored incorporating stabilisation of the river bank slopes (erosion control systems). Slope stabilisation is dimensioned according to the expected flood runoff, with bank protection being defined as a function of the water depth and the inclination of the water run. In order to construct bank protection in accordance with ecological aspects, natural measures for stabilising the river bank are given preference. When stones are used to stabilise the river bank, they are subsequently covered with humus to facilitate a natural vegetation cover. Table illustrates the type and number of river crossings in Albania. Table Summary of the and Number of Watercourse Crossings in Albania Classification RV-1 (also see Table 4.4-3) RV-2 RV-3 RV-4 Description Nomination Large River, Lake River Stream / Canal / Ditch Width [m] > and 120 < 12 - Seasonal Brook / Canal Design Installation Method Open Cut Open Cut Open Cut Open Cut Special Protection Concrete Coating Concrete Coating / Weighting of Crossings in Albania Source: APL00-ENT-100-F-TLX-0001_00--Albania_List of crossings.xls Concrete Coating / Weighting Trenchless Method for Rivers and Streams The open cut method is the preferred method for the crossing of the larger rivers. However, the Osumi, Semani (near landfall), Devolli, Vokopola and Vertopi are very wide rivers that have large water volumes and contain sensitive ecosystems downstream. Therefore, in order to minimise the physical disturbance of the river trenchless methods, such as horizontal directional drilling (HDD), will be considered during further phases of engineering. A description of HDD is presented below. The HDD tunnelling method is illustrated in Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings.

56 Page 56 of 108 HDD is a trenchless crossing method which begins with boring a small diameter, horizontal hole (pilot hole) under the crossing obstacle (e.g. a river) with a steel drill rod. When the steel drill rod emerges on the opposite side of the crossing, a special cutter, called a back reamer, is attached and pulled back through the pilot hole. The reamer bores out the pilot hole so that the pipe can be pulled through. The pipe is usually pulled through from the side of the crossing opposite the drill rig. Usually a drilling mud, such as fluid bentonite clay (an inert, non-toxic substance), is forced down the hole to stabilize the hole and remove soil cuttings. Bentonite provides lubrication to the hole when drilling and also provides stability and support for the bored hole Pipeline Protection and Pipeline Stabilisation against Landslide and Instability In eastern Albania the terrain is mountainous with very difficult access. There are many areas that are challenging for a pipeline due to geo-hazards; particularly landslides, earth flows and erosion gullies. Through the western km of the route in Albania, the pipeline follows river valleys and crosses the flat coastal plain up to the landfall west of the city of Fier. After removing the natural cover for the trench beside river banks, railway or roads, the terrain must be adapted. In hilly areas the working strip must be prepared by excavation or in-fill measures. In case of poor ground conditions slopes must be stabilised and drained. The surface will be established with gravel, sand or stabilised with cement or lime. Adequate protection measures will also be implemented at river banks to prevent instability and erosion of the river bank. This will be implemented upstream and downstream of the river crossings and may include a combination of the installation of vegetation, geotextiles and stones as appropriate, as illustrated in Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings. For pipeline protection methods e.g. in washout areas, against erosion with sandbags and concrete slab protection for dirt roads refer to Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings River Bed Laying In addition to river crossings, the pipeline is planned to be installed in or near the Osumi River bed at the following sections due to physical and topographical constraints, such as those presented by high cliffs and steep sided river valleys: Kp to Kp 106.3; Kp to Kp 108.1; Kp to Kp and Kp to Kp 110.5; Kp to Kp 111.1; Kp to Kp 111.8;

57 Page 57 of 108 Kp to Kp 137.1; Kp to Kp Kp to Kp 141.7; and Kp to Kp These sections will be designed during the next phase of engineering. Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings shows a typical layout for river bed laying, as well as laying directly in the river bed (Detail Y) and the pipeline installed parallel to the river in the river bank (Detail B). Detail Y, shows the pipeline will be installed directly underneath the river bed and finally covered with the original excavation material, protected additionally with rock or concrete blocks. Detail B shows that the pipeline will be installed parallel to the river bed beyond a concrete floating shell. The installation depth and the minimum cover of both river bed laying methods need to be determined based on the results from the hydrological investigation (including soil investigation) in line with approval by the relevant authority. A detailed investigation will determine the technical measurements for the required piling and buoyancy control of the pipeline. Depending on the timing of the construction period, the river may be diverted during construction Ridge Modification In normal terrain most of the excavated material will be used for refilling the trench. However, as the pipe requires some space in the trench, and, depending on ground conditions, bedding and padding material must be replaced by suitable filling material, some spare material (min. 1.5 m³/m) needs to be removed and disposed. A larger amount of material accumulates if the pipeline is located on the top of ridges. The peak of ridges will be removed allowing pipelaying works on a limited but flat working strip. Normally this flat strip will be of permanent character in order to provide easier access for later inspections or maintenance works. Typical pipelaying on a ridge is illustrated in Figure in Annex 3.6 Technical Drawings Working Strip, Construction Methods and Crossings. So far identified ridges, which would potentially need modification, are at the following sections 1 : Kp 77.0 to Kp 82.5 Kp 92.0 to Kp 100.3; 1 Based on Working paper: preliminary findings and recommendations on ridge modification and river bed laying in Albania and update for base case and additional information received from ENT engineers on route.

58 Page 58 of 108 Kp to Kp 120.4; and Kp to Kp Ridge modification areas are expected to be refined during future Project phases, once more detailed design is carried out. Ridge modification will be defined and clearly differentiated from standard working strip (38 m) width. The use of the minimum working strip (18 m) width will be investigated for each relevant section. Details will be addressed during the next phase of engineering. The related material management concept including identification of potential deposits will be part of the detail design. In general, all spare material will be disposed permanently away from the pipeline. The material will not be pushed off the ridge and dropped on both sides. Preferably it will be transported to a dedicated area(s) as close as possible but at a location where any impact can be minimised. Any disposal will be carried out on stable ground, compacted and re-naturalized (covered with local topsoil and start-up aid for habitat-suitable growth of vegetation) in order to avoid any later landslides or excessive erosion on the deposit. The shape of the spoil deposit will be profiled and landscaped in order to minimise any impact on visual amenity Construction in Areas with High Water Table For construction in areas of high groundwater table, the pipe trench will require dewatering to ensure a dry work zone. The new pipeline will be fitted with buoyancy control in the form of either concrete weighting or a piled foundation to prevent the pipeline from floating on the water table during operation. 4.5 Construction of the Coastal Pipeline Construction Duration and Timing Approximately 8 months will be required to complete the construction of the coastal section and reinstate the area Construction Method Three different methods are possible for constructing this section of the pipeline: cofferdam; floating pipeline; or a combination of both the cofferdam and the floating pipeline techniques.

59 Page 59 of 108 This section of the pipeline will be constructed with a cofferdam (a type of temporary sheet piling construction designed to facilitate construction projects in areas which are normally submerged), or via floating pipeline or with a combination of these two techniques. The final solution will be made, depending, amongst other variables, on the soil characteristics and at a later stage in engineering design. At this moment in time, today the cofferdam is considered the preferred solution and the impact assessment has been undertaken in consideration of these techniques, even though both are described in the following Sections Cofferdam The construction of the cofferdam will include the following steps: Survey and installation of groundwater handling; Sheet piling; Excavation; Pipe works; Testing; Backfilling including buoyancy control; and Reinstatement. Sheet piling installation will be made by a standard excavator or separate installation equipment with vibrating equipment, such as a pile driving hammer shown in Figure For the other activities the same techniques and type of equipment foreseen for the onshore pipeline installation will be used.

60 Page 60 of 108 Figure Pile Driving Hammer Source: Photobucket, 2012 (retrieved April 2012) Ground water handling equipment will consist of several flexible pipes with sand filters and immersion pumps to extract groundwater. Water will be collected and pumped into the Adriatic Sea. Within the pump station a water treatment can be installed. The pumps will be electrically driven by diesel generators. Water quality and quantity of abstracted and discharged water will be measured. The estimated volume of water to be extracted is 3,360 m³. The cofferdam will be 5 m depth, 150 m length and 4.20 m width. During cofferdam construction approximately 3,400 m 3 of soil will be excavated, approximately 2,700 m 3 will be reused for backfilling, and approximately 750 m 3 will be disposed of. For pipeline coating protection approximately 650 m 3 of extra sand will be used for backfilling Floating In Pipeline The floating in pipeline construction method will comprise the following steps: Survey; Excavation; Pipelaying of prefabricated spool(s); Backfilling including buoyancy control; and

61 Page 61 of 108 Reinstatement. The pipeline will be installed in wet terrain with standard trenching methods but without water handling, this method is comparable with open-cut crossing of a river. Soil movement will be comparable as in the cofferdam solution Temporary Land Take Temporary land take is expected to be approximately 6,000 m² considering a 38 m working strip for the 150 m length of the Coastal Pipeline Hydrotesting This pipeline section will be tested with the onshore pipeline from the landfall to the CS03 for a section of approximately 6 km (See Section and Table 4.4-2). 4.6 Construction of the Offshore Pipeline (60 km) Location and Sections The offshore pipeline will cross the Adriatic Sea from Italy to the Albanian coast and as mentioned previously the offshore pipeline is divided into two sections: The offshore section, which starts from the mid-line between Albania and Italian waters, to a point that is approximately 7 km west from the coast, and approximately 25 m water deep. At this point the pipeline will be laid directly on the sea floor; and The nearshore section, which starts from the above mentioned point (7 km from the coast and 25 m deep) to the coast/landfall and up to the cofferdam. This section of the pipeline will be buried under the sea bed. The pipelaying operation will start in Italy at the landfall, and the same vessel spread will continue until arrival at the Albanian nearshore section (7 km west from the coast). From this point on it is expected that a shallow water lay barge will be used, as described in Section 4.3, due to the shallow water depth. The vessel spread for the pipelaying will move from Italy to Albania; therefore the support port, which will include pipe storage, will be located in Italy. All the pipe carrier vessels, supply ships and crew vessels will mobilize from the Brindisi Port in Italy. Dredging is foreseen only for the nearshore section.

62 Page 62 of Layout and Configuration A detailed survey of the proposed route (Figure 4.2-3) will be performed from the end of 2012 to the beginning of 2013 and will involve a range of standard geophysical and geotechnical survey techniques, including a visual survey using an ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle, a submarine robot). This survey will have the objective to determine detailed and specific bathymetric, geophysical, geotechnical, obstacles, cultural heritage elements and environmental circumstances to support detailed routing and engineering design The results of this pre-construction survey will determine the exact route of the pipeline and define the most appropriate construction methods Offshore Pipeline Construction Method Offshore pipelaying is a sequential pipe construction and installation process which occurs on the pipelaying vessels. Pipe joints (approximately 12.2 m pipe sections) are typically transported by supply vessels from the support port to the pipelay vessel. Following alignment on the lay vessel, the pipe joints are welded together to one long pipe string and then safely lowered under tension to the seabed. As previously described in Section pipelaying operations will be carried out from an anchored pipelay vessel or a dynamically positioned lay vessel. The impact assessment in Section 8 refers to the use of anchored pipelay vessels for deep sea work, instead of dynamically positioned ones. This depicts a conservative worst-case scenario as the presence of anchor handling tugs and use of anchors are additional sources to impacts to the seabed. There are two main ways to install long large diameter subsea pipelines, S-lay, and J-lay. The method is usually chosen based on water depths and/or cost of the installation vessel. In the S-lay installation, the pipe is assembled in a horizontal working plane, by welding together joints of steel pipe. This method, originally developed for shallow waters, now is evolved also for operation in deep waters, which can be achieved by larger installation vessels. J-lay pipeline installation was developed for laying pipe in deep waters as it puts less stress on the pipeline by installing the pipeline in an almost vertical position. J-lay method becomes impractical for shallower waters where depth of less than 150 m limit the shape of the pipe angle and impose sever bending stress on the pipe. At present it is foreseen that the TAP will be installed using the S-lay method, or a combination or the S-lay and J-lay methods. The final choice will be based on competitive tendering from qualified vendors regarding proposed installation vessels.

63 Page 63 of Offshore Pipeline Installation Offshore pipeline installation will be carried out after completion of the landfall in Italy. The offshore pipelay barge will continue to install the pipeline towards the Albania nearshore section, as soon as the pipe pulling head reaches the launch shaft, and is completed with pipelaydown. The pipelaying operation is typically carried out at a rate of 2-3 km of pipe laid per day. The pipe string, welded and coated in the vessel, will be paid out over the stern. If an anchored pipelay vessel is used, it moves forward by paying in anchor wire at the bow while paying out at the stern. The anchor handling tugs reset the anchors as required for vessel advancement. An anchor spread of typically anchors is expected to be required to maintain the correct position and movement while laying pipe (Figure 4.6-1). Figure Example of Anchor Spread for an Anchored Pipelay Vessel Source: Statoil, 2012 If a Dynamically Positioned Lay Vessel is selected as the pipelay vessel, no anchor handling tugboats are required. The correct position will be ensured by the dynamic positioning system.

64 Page 64 of 108 A safety zone of about 2-3 km radius (depending on the anchor spread) will be adopted to avoid incident with marine traffic. The delivery of pipes, supplies and water and the crew change are ensured by specific vessels. The list of vessels to be used in the offshore pipelaying is shown in Table Table Vessels expected to be used for Offshore Pipelaying Equipment Number Engine Power Pipelay vessel 1 20,5 MW Anchor handling tug boat (if applicable) 3 12 MW Supply Vessel 3 12 MW Pipe carrier vessel 3 7 MW Crew boat 1 2 MW Compiled by ERM (2012) Crossing of Marine Infrastructure (Cables and other Pipelines) All existing cables, potential pipelines and other obstacles including their positions will be defined through surveys which will be undertaken between the end of 2012 and the beginning of Crossings of marine infrastructure will be constructed to ensure that the pipeline and cables remain a safe distance from each other. Crossing methods will also prevent the cables from being unduly stressed or loaded due to the pipelines. At most crossings, cables on the seabed will be covered / buried, and the pipeline will be elevated and supported by concrete mattresses or rock berms. In all instances, corrosion potential will be taken into account, and the necessary precautions will be implemented. A crossing can be accomplished by elevating the pipeline which is being installed by a support of concrete mattresses (see Figure 4.6-2) or by rock placement on top or beside the obstacle (cable, existing pipeline).

65 Page 65 of 108 Figure Concrete Mattress Source: boknmaritimesenter, 2012 (retrieved February 2012) The support height of either method will be selected in order to guarantee the correct minimum separation between the obstacle (cable, existing pipeline) and the installed pipeline. It may be necessary to support the pipelines on both sides of the obstacle (cable, existing pipeline) to limit stress or vibrations. Final decisions on requirements will be taken during the detailed design phase.

66 Page 66 of Nearshore Pipeline Installation The nearshore pipelay barge will require some support vessels, such as tugs for anchor handling and supply vessels to provide pipe and materials. A typical near shore barge anchor lay out is shown in Figure The expected lay rate is of 1-2 km per 24 hours. The pipelay vessel will be positioned and anchored outside the cofferdam exit in the access channel. A pulling wire will be connected to the head of the first pipe section onboard the pipelay barge, after which the pull-in operation will commence (Figure 4.6-3). During the pull-in operation an onshore hydraulic linear winch will pull the pipeline towards shore inside the cofferdam, as pipe sections are welded together onboard the vessel. The pipeline will be supported by buoyancy aids if required. Once the pipe pulling head reaches the onshore end of the cofferdam, nearshore pipeline installation will continue until it reaches a water depth of approximately 25 m at a distance of about 7 km from the beach. At this depth the offshore pipelaying operation can be carried out. The nearshore and the offshore pipe sections will be welded using the nearshore vessel (or a suitable offshore vessel) in an operation called Above Water Tie-In (AWTI). Figure Typical Pull-in Winch Arrangement Source: Statoil, 2012 The pull-in winch will be located in an area of approximately 1,000 m 2 surface near the cofferdam inlet. The equipment necessary for the landfall construction work and the offshore pipelines and pre-commissioning activities, plus the temporary hydrotesting discharge system will also be located in this area, adding approximately 5,000 m 2 more to the total temporary land take needs. Once the pipeline has been pulled all the way to the foot of the winch base, reinstatement of the beach and coastal area will be initiated. For this purpose the cofferdam walls will be removed and the channel and the cofferdam will be backfilled with the stored material. The vessel spread foreseen in the nearshore pipelaying operation is shown in Table

67 Page 67 of 108 Table Vessels expected to be used for Nearshore pipelaying Equipment Number Engine Power Pipelay nearshore barge 1 5 MW Anchor handling tug 1 12 MW Supply Vessel 1 12 MW Pipe carrier barge 1 7 MW Crew boat 1 2 MW Cutter Suction Dredger Compiled by ERM (2012) 1 6 MW At the beginning of the nearshore section (7 km west of the Albanian coast), the sea depth decreases rapidly from 25 m water depth towards the coast: The bathymetry becomes significantly flatter in the last 2 km towards the coast, from 10 m water depth, as it is a former coastal plain invaded by the sea in historical times. This seabed morphology would not allow the pipelay vessel to operate, due to draught limitations, specially, from water depth shallower than 7 m, the minimum depth needed to allow barge operation: In order to allow the pipelay barge to operate in this section, dredging works, described below, will be required. Access Channel Although use of a nearshore pipelay barge, which can operate in shallow water is foreseen, dredging of an access channel will be required in front of the landfall to allow the nearshore pipelay barge to approach it straight on. Figure shows that this temporarily dredged access channel will be approximately 2 km long from the end of the cofferdam and will have a maximum width of 160 m and 7 m of depth. A width of 160 m is required to allow the vessels to manoeuvre safely. At the end of the channel, 2 km west of the landfall, water depth is over 7 m, allowing the pipelay barge to operate without restrictions.

68 Page 68 of 108 Figure Potential Dredging Area Source: Statoil, 2012 A total of approximately 1,600,000 m 3 of marine sediments will be moved during dredging, all of which will be reused during the reinstatement operation. The access channel arrangement is shown in Figure Figure Access Channel Arrangement Source: Statoil, 2012 A cutter suction vessel will be used for the dredging works (shown in Figure 4.6-6).

69 Page 69 of 108 Figure Typical Cutter Suction Vessel Source: tradekool, 2012 (retrieved May 2012) These types of vessels are equipped with a suction tube inside a cutting mechanism at the suction inlet. The cutting mechanism dissolves the marine sediments and carries them in the suction tube. This dredged material will be stored on the side of the channel through a pipe by floating hose controlled by a support vessel, down current from the channel to protect it from backfilling due to water currents. After pipe installation this material will be reused to backfill the channel with the same methodology (a pipe by floating hose controlled by a support vessel), however in a reversed sequence. Dredging works, including backfilling, of access channel will be carried out in approximately days, depending on detailed geotechnical characteristics and weather. Pipeline Burial from Kp 2 to Kp 7 A smaller trench will be dug to accommodate the pipeline from the end of the 2 km access channel dredged area to the nearshore limit (25 metre water depth, Kp 7 from the coast). The trench is necessary to protect the pipeline and ensure its stability, and it will be dug before or after pipelaying (pre-lay or post-lay trench) If pre-trenched the same suction cutter dredger will be used for channel excavation, with an average trench bottom width of 1 m and an average trench depth of 0.5 m. If post-trenched a submarine plough (shown in Figure 4.6-7) or a similar posttrenching pipeline burial method will be used. This section is not planned to be backfilled, allowing for natural sea dynamics to fill the trench. The trenching, irrespective of the final technique used, will take orders of magnitude of a few days or less to complete.

70 Page 70 of 108 Figure Submarine Plough Source: Daily Mail, 2012 (retrieved April 2012) Marine Landfall Location The landfall is located 10 km west of the city of Fier, as shown in Figure Layout and Configuration In order to bring the offshore pipeline ashore, a landfall will be constructed likely by a 200 m cofferdam from the shore line. The materials present where the cofferdam will be constructed will be removed to a minimum dredge depth of 3 m. This will provide a minimum burial depth (to the top of the pipe), of approximately 2 m. The retaining walls will be set approximately 5 m apart. After the offshore pipeline is installed, the cofferdam will be modified and partially dried for connection to the onshore pipeline. The dry land part of the landfall will be approximately 6,000 m 2 of size (5,000 m 2 for the hydrotest discharge system area and 1,000 m 2 for pull-in winch area).