16 June 2021

Agreement with Denys for construction of Porthos onshore pipeline

Construction company Denys is to design and lay the Porthos onshore pipeline. Denys was awarded the contract on Friday following an intensive European tendering process lasting more than a year.

Porthos will transport CO2 from the Rotterdam port area and store it in empty gas fields under the North Sea. Denys will take care of the detailed design and construction of what will be approximately 30 km of pipeline right through the port.

Denys is an internationally operating construction company with extensive experience in complex pipeline infrastructure projects. Originally a Belgian company, Denys also has a branch in the Netherlands. The tendering process involved comparing offers from various parties and took matters such as sustainability into consideration. Porthos aims to build the infrastructure as sustainably as possible, for example by limiting nitrogen and carbon emissions.

Realising the Porthos onshore pipeline is a complex process, both in terms of the technology used and the environment. The pipeline will be laid in the existing pipeline corridor, mostly by means of open excavation. In addition, the construction will include directional drilling, as the pipeline must pass under several railways and waterways. As the main contractor, Denys is responsible for all the detailed design and construction work, and will outsource specialist elements of the project where necessary.

Denys will make an immediate start on the detailed design of the onshore pipeline. The final investment decision for Porthos will be made in early 2022 when all the required permits have been granted. Construction of the Porthos infrastructure is scheduled for 2022 and 2023. As of 2024, CO2 will be stored under the North Sea.