No impact on nature or the neighbourhood
The underground pipeline runs from Antwerp in Belgium via Geel, Meerhout and Tessenderlo to Geleen (Netherlands) and from there on towards Cologne, before branching off northwards and continuing via Cologne-Worringen towards Gelsenkirchen and Oberhausen, crossing the Rhine at Dormagen and Dinslaken and the Ruhr at Essen.
The interests of nature conservation and landscape protection are given special consideration right from the planning stage of pipelines and any necessary relocations. One of the key principles in determining the route is to minimise or avoid interference with landscape features such as forests, groups of trees, hedges, river valleys and other sensitive biotopes.
Key aspects of route selection are:
- Parallel routing to existing utility lines, power lines and transport routes
- Use of existing gaps or aisles in woodlands
- Optimised space utilisation thanks to overlapping parallel protective strips
- Protection and preservation of individual trees
- Crossing waterways or traffic routes by means of underground pipe jacking
- Securing topsoil for reapplication after completion of work
- Replacement of excavated material in layers and according to location
- Loosening of any compaction
- Minimisation of the working strip and restoration of the original surfaces in the working strip