Typical HDD Projects
In the early hours of March 26, the natural gas pipeline HDD crossing work between Taipa and the Macau Peninsula was successfully completed. The total length of this crossing is approximately 2 kilometers, with the deepest crossing point reaching 58 meters below sea level. It was jointly invested and constructed by Macau City Gas Co., Ltd., a collaboration between Nam Kwong Petroleum, Sinopec Great Wall Gas, and Macau New Energy, with Huayuan Group as the main contractor.
This project was listed as a key project in the 2022 Policy Address of the Macau Special Administrative Region(SAR) Government. It will fundamentally address critical challenges in natural gas usage in Macau, laying a solid foundation for the full connection of the main natural gas pipelines between Taipa and the Macau Peninsula by mid-year. This will enhance the Peninsula's gas supply security through multiple sources.
Reliable and Advanced HDD Technology
Since the completion of the main pipeline network in the Cotai area in 2018, Nam Kwong has actively advanced the interconnection of natural gas pipelines between Taipa and the Macau Peninsula. Supported by relevant SAR government departments, an undersea crossing route was finalized. After deep consideration of Macau's geological conditions and construction environment, Huayuan Group’s trenchless horizontal directional drilling technology was chosen following extensive scientific evaluation.
To address the complex geological conditions and construction environment in the reclaimed and seabed crossing areas, Huayuan Group customized modular drilling equipment to solve the issues of limited operational space and equipment transportation. Innovative solutions, such as dual-casing entry through seawalls and pilot hole drilling with high angle, to solve the poor geological conditions. Advanced geomagnetic guidance system was applied to reach a precise positioning, ensuing the crossing quality and safety of the pipeline. The project also implemented green and environmentally friendly construction methods, aiming to minimize the impact on local residents. It is currently one of the longest and most difficult HDD crossing projects in Macau.
Green and Eco-friendly Construction Minimizes Impact
The pipeline entry and exit points are located near the southern side of Sai Van Lake on the Macau Peninsula and the Taipa Seaside Leisure Area. During construction, to avoid noise disturbance to residents, electric drilling rigs with low noise were specially customized to replace diesel rigs. Each piece of equipment was fitted with noise shields, and soundproof panels were installed in the construction area. Real-time noise monitoring was conducted during construction.
To minimize impact on local residents’ daily lives and traffic, the route at exit point was carefully planned, and other projects were combined to pre-bury casings, reducing repeated excavation. The pipeline pull-back plan was optimized to minimize the use of green spaces and tree relocation, and also the whole pipeline was divided into nine segments for on-site connection.
Natural Gas Supply Expected by the Middle of the Year, Residents can Save Nearly Half of Their Gas Expenses.
According to the project schedule, Nam Kwong will expedite the construction of subsequent auxiliary projects to realize the transportation of natural gas from Taipa to the Macau Peninsula in the middle of the year. By then, the Macau’s main natural gas pipeline network will be fully interconnected with the Zhuhai-Macau natural gas network, ensuring long-term, safe, and stable gas supply.
Compared to traditional fuels like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), natural gas is safer, more economical, more convenient, and more cleaner. Preliminary analysis indicates that households using natural gas could save nearly 50% on gas expenses compared to LPG.
It is expected that natural gas will be delivered from Taipa to Macau by July or August this year. The project’s total investment is estimated to be between 40 million and 50 million yuan, with the pipeline expected to be operational for around 30 years.
