Unbonded flexible pipe integrity management, reuse and life extension

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 319
Author(s):  
Adriana Botto ◽  
Céline Banti ◽  
Enda O'Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Asset Management ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Flexible Pipe ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Manufacturing Testing ◽  
Integrity Management

Australia has a long tradition of innovation in the use of floating production systems in the past 20 years. The classical solution adopts unbonded flexible pipe, a key technology, to enable floating facilities to produce in relatively shallow waters. While unbonded flexible pipe is a reliable technology that has been in use for approximately 30 years, damage, and ultimately failure can occur during its early (i.e. during manufacturing/testing, installation and early operation) and later life. Accurate assessments of the historical records of flexible pipe usage have led to an increased understanding of the potential failure mechanisms. This enables mitigation of incidents by developing operating strategies and procedures to manage the flexible pipe in a knowledgeable and cost effective manner. This paper discusses the available techniques for the inspecting and monitoring requirements of flexible pipe, including consideration of the value offered by conventional general visual inspection (GVI) techniques. Examples of developed alternative technologies are discussed, as well as how these alternatives can reduce the requirement for GVI when supplemented with an integrated integrity management strategy. Furthermore, given the advances in understanding of complex flexible pipe inter-layer behaviour, this paper demonstrates that through proper asset management, flexible pipe technology service life can be extended beyond the original design value. Similarly, flexible pipe that had previously been considered damaged and requiring early replacement can be justified for extension to beyond the original design life. Consideration has also been given to the potential for the re-use of flexible pipes and the hazards which can arise from this activity including recovery, storage, testing and installation. The key stages required to safely manage this process have been outlined.

An Approach for Cost Effective Assessment in Risk-Based Maintenance as a Life-Cycle Maintenance (LCM) Model

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masataka Yatomi ◽  
Akio Fuji ◽  
Noriko Saito ◽  
Toshiaki Yoshida
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Maintenance Cost ◽  
Maintenance Strategy ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Maintenance Strategies ◽  
Effective Assessment ◽  
Maintenance Plan

For aged power plants in Japan, the life extension with retaining the safety and cost-effective beyond the original design lifetime is proposed. Therefore it is important to minimise the risk and maintenance cost to keep operating the plants. Life-Cycle Maintenance (LCM) is proposed for optimising maintenance plan with reliability in the life of the plants. Risk Based Maintenance (RBM) is included in the LCM to assess the risk of components in the plants. LCC and the investment assessment may be also conducted to decide the most cost effective maintenance strategy, if several maintenance strategies are proposed in RBM. In this paper, concept and an application of the LCM are described to optimise maintenance plan in the lifetime of a plant. It was found that the LCM is quite useful method to plan the most cost effective maintenance strategies in the lifetime of the plant.

Manufacturing Optimization of a Kilowatt Scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for Remote Applications

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse J. French ◽  
Corey P. Ressler ◽  
John J. Weigelt
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Power ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Aerodynamic Characteristics ◽  
Manufacturing Cost ◽  
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Construction Time ◽  
Effective Manner

Previous work at the institution has successfully shown that a novel VAWT design can be employed to provide electrical power to remote rural villages in a cost effective manner. The VAWT’s design can effectively utilize the non-laminar, low level winds and survive the increased turbulence present at remote and non-optimal installation locations. Previous efforts have improved the overall aerodynamic characteristics of the turbine and scaled these designs from a 100W to a 1kW scaled turbine. In order to remain a viable and affordable solution for use worldwide by truly rural users, these turbines need to have low manufacturing cost and low maintenance costs. This paper presents the work done by the authors to analyze the main cost contributors, manufacturing methods, techniques, and tooling used to improve productivity in the manufacturing process. Design improvements and construction materials were analyzed to reduce overall weight which leads to cost reduction and overall improvements in manufacturability. The specific improvements explored by the authors include redesigning the arms of the turbine to improve aerodynamic efficiency of the turbine, reducing construction materials to minimum allowable values, and designing manufacturing tooling which will allow for rapid production of large quantities of the turbine. Results are presented from over 4000 hours of in-situ testing of the turbine showing that the manufacturing improvements reduced construction time to 25% of the original design and reduced weight by 25% while maintaining full functionality and high-wind survivability.

The Role of Engineering Critical Assessment in the Life Extension of Risers Connected to Floating Systems

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Basim Mekha ◽  
Robin Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Systems Approach ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Critical Size ◽  
Fatigue Cracks ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
Critical Assessment ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Original Design ◽  
Acceptance Criteria ◽  
Design Life

Abstract As many offshore production systems approach the end of their original Design Life, Operators are faced with the choice of either decommissioning or demonstrating that the original Design Life can be extended (Life Extension). Life extension requires the Operator to perform detailed engineering analyses to verify that the system can be operated safely over the period of Life Extension. In many cases this requires detailed fatigue analysis and inspection programs to demonstrate that original fabrication flaws or fatigue cracks that may have existed during the welding of the riser joints or initiated over the original Design Life will not grow to a critical size resulting in failure. Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA) is now routinely applied in the design and fabrication of new offshore riser systems to develop girth weld flaw acceptance criteria. The resulting flaw acceptance criteria ensure that fabrication flaws will not extend to a critical size over the Design Life and thus the riser still meet its calculated fatigue life. Although ECA procedures for new construction are well established and standard practices have been adopted throughout the industry, ECA procedures for Life Extension have not yet evolved to the same level of acceptance. This paper will review specific issues associated with applying ECA to support Life Extension of offshore Riser Systems. The paper will provide the overall ECA philosophy and methodology for life extension to be adopted for the historical (hindcast or Phase 1) and future (forecast or Phase 2) analysis of the risers. Some thoughts will also be given to the approach implemented to take advantage of the actual weld fabrication data with the focus on the fatigue critical sections of the risers. Finally, the paper will address the requirements for riser in-situ inspection and how the results could be analyzed and applied to the life extension analysis in conjunction with the ECA analysis.

Flexible Pipe Integrity Management

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Souza ◽  
Salvador Filho ◽  
Marcos Carpigiani ◽  
Jeter Freitas
Keyword(s):  
Composite Structures ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Flexible Pipe ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Flexible Pipes ◽  
Offshore Oil Production ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Offshore Oil ◽  
Production Industry

At present, flexible pipes are used worldwide to conduct several fluids within the offshore oil production industry. These flexible pipes are complex composite structures made up of several plastic and steel layers. They are intended to work for a long period of time, something around 20 years. Although the flexible pipes behavior is satisfactory in most applications, they are susceptible to simple damages, for example on the external sheath, which much reduces their service life. The offshore inspection activities are extremely expensive and, given that, these activities need to be very well oriented in order to be effective. This paper describes the Risk Based Inspection Methodology, which is a helpful applicable tool in the integrity management of several flexible pipe systems, allowing to concentrate the efforts where they are really needed. This methodology may be used by the oil companies to reduce overall costs and enhance safety and integrity of the production systems.

Life Extension Issues for Ageing Offshore Installations

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Stacey ◽  
M. Birkinshaw ◽  
J. V. Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Original Design ◽  
The North ◽  
Design Life ◽  
Offshore Installations ◽  
Need To Evaluate ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
The North Sea ◽  
The Uk

With many offshore installations in the UK sector of the North Sea now reaching or being in excess of their original anticipated design life, there is a particular need to evaluate approaches to structural integrity management by offshore operators. Ageing processes can affect the structural integrity of the installation and demonstration of adequate performance beyond its original design life is thus a necessary requirement. This paper addresses the issues relevant to the life extension of ageing installations.

Managing Ageing Flexible Pipe Assets

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriana Botto ◽  
Enda O’Sullivan ◽  
Ce´line Banti
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategy ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Flexible Pipe ◽  
Detailed Understanding ◽  
Operational Conditions ◽  
Design Life ◽  
Flexible Pipes ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Manufacturing History

The population of flexible pipes is increasing exponentially and by definition it is ageing. Over the coming years an increasing number of flexible pipes will reach the end of their design life, therefore prudent operators should focus on understanding the integrity status of their flexible pipes. Understanding and effectively managing the integrity of flexible pipes is necessary to prevent, predict, or detect the presence of any loss of integrity. A detailed understanding of the manufacturing history, operational conditions, any previous repairs and inspection or test history are all required to gain a full insight of the flexible pipe fitness and assess its suitability for continued operation and for any potential life extension beyond the initially intended service life. This paper presents guidelines for developing and implementing an integrity management strategy, which utilises the correct mix of inspection and assessment tools (degradation of internal pressure sheath, fatigue assessment, corrosion and annulus condition monitoring etc.) and operating procedures that will allow the operator to assess the opportunity for life extension of flexible pipes.

Best Practices for Pipeline Management: Shaan-Jing Pipeline Integrity Management and Practice

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shohua Dong ◽  
Bill Gu ◽  
Wei Yao
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Underground Gas Storage ◽  
Industry Standards ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Pipeline Management ◽  
The World ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Pipe Materials

Pipeline integrity management is essential for today’s operators to operate their pipelines both in a safe and cost effective manner. Around the world, the latest developments of pipeline integrity management are driven by changes in regulation, industry standards and the latest innovations in technology. Beijing Huayou Gas Company (BHGC) is a pioneer in the Chinese pipeline industry through its implementation of pipeline integrity management and utilization of the latest developed technologies such as in-line inspection (ILI), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), risk assessments and advanced repair technologies. By using smart pigging inspections combined with GIS and EAM (Enterprise Assets Management) on 1,000 km of Shaanxi-Beijing gas pipeline, BHGC is able to manage the pipeline’s integrity in five areas, pipe materials safety, natural and geotechnical hazards management, coating and corrosion protection, stationing plus associated facilities maintenance and underground gas storage integrity. This paper describes the latest achievements of BHGC in their pipeline integrity programs.

Strategic planning in grassland farming: Principles andapplications

1997 ◽  
pp. 191-197
Author(s):  
W.J. Parker ◽  
N.M. Shadbolt ◽  
D.I. Gray
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Key Performance Indicators ◽  
Strategic Plans ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Farm Business ◽  
Pastoral Farming ◽  
Financial Environment

Three levels of planning can be distinguished in grassland farming: strategic, tactical and operational. The purpose of strategic planning is to achieve a sustainable long-term fit of the farm business with its physical, social and financial environment. In pastoral farming, this essentially means developing plans that maximise and best match pasture growth with animal demand, while generating sufficient income to maintain or enhance farm resources and improvements, and attain personal and financial goals. Strategic plans relate to the whole farm business and are focused on the means to achieve future needs. They should be routinely (at least annually) reviewed and monitored for effectiveness through key performance indicators (e.g., Economic Farm Surplus) that enable progress toward goals to be measured in a timely and cost-effective manner. Failure to link strategy with control is likely to result in unfulfilled plans. Keywords: management, performance

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