PROJECT INFORMATION

OWNER: SQM Industrial S.A.
EPC CONTRACTOR: Empresa Constructora Fe Grande S.A.
DURATION: 2025 (10 months)

BACKGROUND

The SQM, through its Project Management Division, is executing the Proyecto de Impulsión de Agua de Mar TEA,
a seawater-transport system comprising pipelines and pumping stations that deliver up to 900 L/s of seawater
from Puerto Patillo (62 km south of Iquique) to receiving ponds at Pampa Hermosa Oeste (1024 m a.s.l.), near 
the nitrate plant.

The total pipeline length is approximately 44 km (32- inch diameter), 25 km of which was executed by Tyhoo. 
The system enables seawater use in iodine and nitrate production, expanding SQM’s processing capacity and 
sustainability.

Because of the high salinity and corrosive nature of seawater, the internal pipe surface was coated with liquid 
epoxy, leaving a 50 mm uncoated cutback at each end for girth welding.

Before welding, the cutback zone of the pipe was cleaned using Tyhoo’s pipe-end pre-blasting equipment.
After welding, an Internal Field Joint Coating (IFJC) was applied to restore continuous anti-corrosion protection;
externally, the joint was wrapped with a viscoelastic tape system to match the mainline coating, ensuring 
durability beyond the design life.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONTRIBUTION

The SQM – TEA project represents Tyhoo's first comprehensive pipeline coating package in Chile, covering pipe-end pre-blasting, internal field joint coating, and external joint coating.

Its successful completion demonstrated Tyhoo's ability to integrate robotic technologies with traditional field operations under demanding environmental and logistical conditions in northern Chile.

This project significantly strengthened Tyhoo's technical presence in the Latin American mining and pipeline sectors and established a benchmark for robotic coating solutions in seawater transport systems. From an organizational standpoint, the project greatly enhanced Tyhoo's international project management capabilities, especially in areas such as scheduling control, quality assurance, logistics planning and HSE execution.

Through this collaboration, Tyhoo improved its human-resource management skills in a multicultural environment, strengthened communication protocols with local workers, and gained first- hand experience in labor coordination under Chilean regulations and project practices.

Overall, the SQM – TEA project is considered a cornerstone reference for Tyhoo's continued expansion in South America and a major step forward in the company's international development strategy.