Qualification of Flexible Fiber-Reinforced Pipe for 10,000-Foot Water Depths

摘要

The combination of ultra-deepwater applications and large pipe diameter requirements presents severe engineering challengesfor rigid pipe technology and remains outside current flexible pipe qualification scope. To address those needs, GeneralElectric, with the support of Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA), has recently embarked on adevelopment program to qualify flexible pipe with an internal diameter of greater than seven inches for ultra-deepwaterapplications. The program is based on a novel hybrid flexible riser technology that will be developed and qualified by acombination of design, analysis of performance, material and subcomponent testing, and finally a field trial.The concept consists of an optimally engineered combination of metallic and composite reinforcing layer technologies.This design approach allows the pipe system properties to be tailored to yield the optimal result for any application conditions.The approach offers performance advantages including reduced risk on critical end fitting technology, reduction of sheathleakage by fusing together the reinforcement and liner, superior matrix chemical resistance by using proven thermoplasticmaterials, and a reduced layer count leading to easier inspection. This paper will review the conceptual design of the flexiblepipe and end terminations, and an overview of the plan for pipe qualification will be discussed.