Oil Field Foundations: 400+ Screw Piles for Pipelines and Tanks

In Basra, Iraq, one of the Middle East’s most oil-rich areas, a solid partnership formed between Finnish company Paalupiste and Dubai-based oilfield service provider AWI. The project focused on delivering robust foundations for a new pipeline at Exxon’s field.

It all started with a careful review of the technical specifications and quality standards. The client toured Paalupiste’s production facility in Finland and was impressed by the solution, delivery schedule, and pricing. This led to manufacturing over 400 helical piles, each with a 219.1 mm diameter, which were then shipped overland through Turkey to Iraq.

Paalupiste also provided installation consulting and supplied Digga drive units. The piling went off without a hitch, and pipeline construction could start right away. Even from Finland’s perspective, the site was remote, but the piles arrived on time and installation ran smoothly.

The result was clear cost savings over traditional concrete foundations. Helical piles work particularly well for both surface-laid and buried pipelines: they go in fast, and total costs end up noticeably lower than with other approaches. Their low carbon footprint and reusability make them a strong fit for sustainable energy infrastructure.