Stathelle Drinking Water
To alleviate the water stress, several countries in the region have recently invested in building desalination plants that can turn salty seawater into fresh water — suitable for human consumption and irrigation. One such plant will be located near Sfax, the second-largest city in Tunisia and a major port.
Pipelife Norway has been contracted to supply 12 kilometers of long-length HDPE pipes for Sfax Desalination Plant to ensure the safe supply of desalinated water to the shore. The first delivery of the pipes already took place in November 2022, with the second one scheduled for June 2023.
PIPES BORN INTO THE SEA
Pipelife Norway’s factory in Stathelle produces unique long-length HDPE pipes with a maximum length of up to 620 meters and diameters ranging from 20 millimeters to 2.5 meters. The pipes are extruded directly into a fjord and towed from Stathelle to the installation site, offering significant logistical and technical advantages over other piping systems for offshore projects. Transportation and storage by sea prevent deformations of the pipes, while their long lengths reduce handling and welding costs.
SONEDE, the national water distribution utility in Tunisia and the owner of the Sfax project, has already successfully collaborated with Pipelife Norway on other water supply projects before.
“This is our third and largest project in Tunisia,” comments Ducros. “Both the pipes and fittings are expertly tailor-made in our factory, but our commitment to the project does not end with the delivery. Only when the pipes have been installed, and the system is working properly will we consider our involvement completed.”