In the Sealine Gupco Project, Saipem has ordered 40 tie-in module Resinex floats to be used in Egypt. These floats were made with a shell in polyethylene rotationally moulded and filled with expanded polyurethane at a variable density according to the required floatability. The tie-in are extremely useful in open sea to support the pipes in a sea-line prior to deep water positioning.
The particular concave form of the structure was expressly studied in order to limit the mobility of the pipes and so to facilitate manoeuvring which in turn reduced time and costs in the operation. Gupco, a Gulf of Suex Petroleum Company, is a 50% joint venture between BP and Egpc, the government oil company. It deals with the production of gas and oil in the Suez Gulf, in the western desert and the Nile delta. The forty floats garantee a total floatability of 88 tons at 150 meter-depht.
