Allseas' Solitaire vessel is "up and running" with pipelay works on the Karish project in the Mediterranean Sea, offshore Israel, the vessel-owner said Friday.

"Over the next few weeks, [Solitaire] will lay 90 km of export gas pipeline in water depths up to 1750 m, ending with a 100-tonne end structure (PLET). 

"To ensure 24-hour production, she will be fed a continuous supply of some 7500 joints by our supply vessels Alegria, Felicity and Fortress during the project," Allseas said.

Allseas' announcement came just days after Energean, the operator of the Karish gas field, said the Solitaire and Normand Cutter vessels were offshore Israel getting ready to start the Karish offshore pipeline works.

The Karish gas field will be developed through a gas FPSO - Energean Power - which will be linked to shore via a 90-kilometer pipeline.

The FPSO hull recently arrived in Singapore for topside integration. Once the topside integration work is complete, the FPSO will be towed to the Karish field in Israel for installation and hook-up. The offshore gas field sits at a water depth of 1,750 meters.

First gas is expected in 2021.