FLEXIBLE PIPE FATIGUE MONITORING BELOW THE BEND STIFFENER OF A FLEXIBLE RISER

摘要

A flexible pipe fatigue monitoring system (30) comprising a pipe monitoring system (32, 40, 42) adapted to be provided on a flexible pipe (10) having a bend stiff ener (18). The pipe monitoring system (40, 42) is provided on the pipe (10) below the bend stiffener (18). The monitoring system (32) measures one or more of bending, tension and torsion of the pipe (10). The pipe monitoring system (30) comprises sensor carrier members (40, 42) adapted to be coupled to the pipe (10) and at least one fibre Bragg grating strain sensor embedded in a carrier member (40, 42). An inclinometer (34) is provided on one carrier member (40) to measure the incline of the pipe (10) relative to earth. A central processor (38) is provided to receive bending, tension and torsion information and incline information, and is operable to determine pipe fatigue from said information. A method of flexible pipe fatigue monitoring is also provided.