Secure gas exploitation in Libya
Launched in 1999, the Western Lybia Gas project (WLPG), was to provide gas to Italy through the Greenstream pipeline, a subsea gas pipeline linking Libya to Sicily over 520 km, at a depth of up to 1100 metres.
The Italian company E.N.I GAZ and the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) have carried out this ambitious project, dedicated to allow Libya to export some of its important natural gas resources to Europe.
The gas comes from the onshore Wafa field and the offshore Bahr Essalam field located 110 km off the Libyan coast. Wafa’s gas is transported to the Mellitah gas terminal on the Mediterranean coast via two 520 km-long pipelines, and Bahr Essalem’s via two subsea pipelines. The gas is then transported to Italy via the famous Greenstream.
The problem
To ensure safety and communication between the many production sites, a fibre optic network has been installed along all onshore pipelines. Thus, all the different collection points located in the desert are connected to the main Wafa factory and then to the Libyan port of Mellitah (located 85 kilometres west of Tripoli).
More precisely, structured in a tree structure, the optical fibre links leave Wafa towards 5 concentration points (points where several pipelines are grouped together). From these 5 concentration points, 30 links still run along the pipelines to the various gas collection points are finally leaving.
The solution
looking for a partner able to supply all the fibre optic transmission equipment to achieve the links between all the sensitive areas of the Libyan gas production, spread over a wide geographical area, i.e. all collection and concentration points and, of course, the Wafa plant itself.
Thus, IFOTEC systems have ensured the operation of video surveillance, the intrusion detection system (IDS), the supervision system (SCADA) and also the sound system (PAGA) for sound broadcasting equipment and the telephone.
Main Products used for the project
- Ethernet extension : Industrial Ethernet Media Converter 10/100 Mbit/s – 1 RJ45 port to 1 optical port
- Data extension : Any configuration Data (RS232, RS422 or RS485) + CC extension over one optical fibre up to 50 km
- Audio extension + Data extension any configuration Data (RS232, RS422 or RS485 + CC extension over one optical fibre up to 50 km
- Telephone lines extension : 2 PSTN lines extension over optical fibres up to 40 km
