THERMOPLASTIC COMPOSITE PIPE TECHNOLOGY: DEVELOPMENT, QUALIFICATIONAND BUILDING ATRACK RECORD

摘要

Airborne Oil & Gas (AOG) manufactures a Thermoplastic Composite Pipe (TCP): a spoolable, fully bonded, thermoplastic pipe with glass or carbon fibre reinforcements. This pipe is lightweight, can handle high pressures and large water depths, and is flexible so that it can be spooled on a drum. It is manufactured with an continuous in-situ consolidation length, as one piece of up to 3km length. The technology can be used for a portfolio of pipe products, which are developed in a staircase approach: from downlines and jumpers to intervention hoses, flowlines and dynamic risers. In this way, the industry can build experience and trust before moving to the more demanding applications, while providing the supplier the possibility to build track record and gain early market access. One specific example is the TCP Downline that Saipem SA has used for the pre-commissioning of several pipelines in the Guara & Lula field in Brazil, at 2140 meter water depth. The paper discusses the specific benefits of TCP that lead to the selection of this technology for this project, the design, qualification and operational experience with the pipe in the field. To adopt a new technology, it is key to establish adequate design codes and standards. At the initiative of AOG and supported by three leading operators, a new qualification basis was established in the form of a Guidance Note. This is now developed further into a DNV Recommended Practice on fully bonded thermoplastic pipes, as well as a new API 17Z recommend practice.