Lessons Learned From Applying Environmental policy to Cross Country Pipeline

By

 Yasser Kamal¹, Saleh Mansour¹

(1) Faculity of Engineering, Cairo, Egypt

 Some useful lessons, related environmental aspects, have been learned from design, construction and operation of 36” Intersinai Gas Pipeline crossing Suez Canal to El-Arish (200 Km Length) .

The major environmental categories considered are:-

-         Physical environmental aspects

-         Socio-Economic aspects.

-         Culture aspects

-         Autonomous development aspects

-         Alternative of no project.

The challenges of executing this project included crossing arid land water flooded swamp areas and the Suez Canal tunnel crossing, with particular consideration to its strategically situation importance.

We have followed a proper environmental practice during all construction work activities to avoid damage in environment . This has been covered by:

-         Mitigation measure embedded in engineering design considered the best route of the pipeline to minimize the risk of accidents and environmental impacts that could rise from the project activities.

-         The pipeline basic route and its alternative were evaluated and selected after various consultations with all the concerned authorities.

This detailed process of consulting the relevant authorities enabled the early consideration of many environmental issues including:

-         Attention to national security issues.

-         Interference with utilities and roads.

-         Minimum crossings of Railway ,agriculture lands and drainage Canals.

-         Adequate buffer zone for protection of adjacent properties along the route.

-         Blockage of wildlife passage ways.

-         Attention of precious ecology.

-         Protection of historical heritage.

-         Avoidance of tourist locations.

-         Avoidance natural protectorate.

-         Slow down or a ceased work in birds’ migration seasons.