Occupancy permit issued for Hermanowice-Strachocina gas pipeline

Photo of the article GAZ-SYSTEM has been granted an occupancy permit to operate the new 72-kilometre DN 700 Hermanowice-Strachocina gas pipeline.
The decision was issued by the Provincial Construction Supervision Inspectorate in Rzeszów. This is the first section of the gas pipeline commissioned as part of the North-South Corridor at the GAZ-SYSTEM Branch in Tarnów.  
- Despite numerous obstacles during construction works due to the epidemic, GAZ-SYSTEM, stage by stage, accepts completed investments. The new Hermanowice-Strachocina gas pipeline will be important in increasing the capacity of the transmission system in southern part of Poland. This will guarantee smooth access to low-emission gas fuel for industry, power generation and the general public - says Artur Zawartko, Vice-President of GAZ-SYSTEM.  
The investment involved:
  • construction of a 72 km long high pressure gas pipeline along with a fibre-optic line;
  • extension of the distribution and measurement station in Hermanowice;
  • construction of five shut off and relief valve systems;
  • construction of a cathode protection station within Kuźmin shut off and relief valve system.

The construction also involved a total of 36 trenchless crossings under field obstacles, including:
  • San river crossing in Mrzygłód, using the HDD technology (HDD), featuring the length of almost 980 meters;
  • 8 crossings using the micro-tunneling technology;
  • 27 crossings under roads, railway lines and watercourses using the HDD technology.

The pipeline was constructed in an extremely difficult terrain of the Bieszczady mountain range, with elevation difference exceeding 100 metres over short sections.
The extension of the existing Hermanowice station included construction of new facilities: a pig launching and receiving gas lock, a battery of filter coalescing separator, a valve island with control fittings for bidirectional transmission of gas fuel as well as a measuring system. The newly built gas installation became part of the existing gas pipelines: the DN 500 State Border - Maćkowice pipeline, the DN 600 State Border - Maćkowice pipeline as well as the DN 700 State Border - Maćkowice pipeline.
An important benefit that this investment brings to the local communities is the property tax to be paid each year by GAZ-SYSTEM, of up to 2% of the value of the transmission infrastructure under construction, located in relevant municipalities. This amount will improve their local budgets on regular basis and it may be used for the needs of local communities. 
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The investment was carried out based on the Act of 24 April 2009 on investments related to liquefied natural gas  regasification terminal in Świnoujście (consolidated text Journal of Laws of 2019, item 1554 with subsequent amendments). The gas pipeline was recorded in the catalogue of investments auxiliary to the investments within the terminal based on the Act of 30 May 2014 amending the Act on investments related to liquefied natural gas  regasification terminal in Świnoujście and the Act on real estate management (Journal of Laws of 2014, item. 906).
In October 2013 the investment was approved by the European Commission as a Project of Common Interest - PCI - being an important element of the North-South Corridor in Eastern Poland; this status was then upheld by the European Commission in subsequent letters published in bi-annual cycles.
The investment was co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund under the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment 2014-2020. The amount granted was in excess of PLN 146 million.
The following contractors were involved in the investment:
  • Design documentation contractor - GAS STORAGE POLAND sp. z o.o.
  • General Contractor for Construction Works - PGNiG Technologie S.A.
  • Investor’s Supervision Contractor - MGGP S.A.
  • Author's Supervision Contractor - ILF Consulting Engineers Polska sp. z o.o.