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.

Tensile Response of a Flexible Pipe With an Incomplete Tensile Armor Layer

2021 ◽  
Vol 143 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaohua Zhu ◽  
Qinglong Lei ◽  
Yu Meng ◽  
Xiaoxuan Cui
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Flexible Pipe ◽  
Flexible Pipes ◽  
Safety And Reliability ◽  
Oil And Gas Resources ◽  
Offshore Oil And Gas ◽  
Unbonded Flexible Pipes ◽  
Offshore Oil

Abstract Unbonded flexible pipes are widely utilized in the exploitation of offshore oil and gas resources. They are connected to two of the most critical types of system: floating production platforms and underwater production systems. However, if some tensile armor wires are substituted by cables or broken, the tensile armor layer will be incomplete, which seriously reduces the safety and reliability of the flexible pipe. In the present study, models of a flexible pipe with a complete tensile layer and with the tensile layer partially missing were established. The error for the tensile stiffness obtained by the finite element model of an intact flexible pipe was only 1% compared with experimental results. Because the load borne by the inner tensile armor layer is larger under tension than that borne by the outer tensile armor layer, the loss of inner tensile armor wires has a greater impact on the tensile properties. The maximum axial elongation of the flexible pipe increases with the number of missing inner tensile armor wires as a cubic polynomial. If the distribution of the missing armor wires is too dense, a stress concentration and local bending may occur, which will reduce the tensile strength of the flexible pipe.

Stability solver for offshore oil production systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 171 ◽  
pp. 993-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivanilto Andreolli ◽  
Gabriel Romualdo de Azevedo ◽  
Jorge Luis Baliño
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Offshore Oil Production ◽  
Offshore Oil

Microbiologically influenced corrosion in floating production systems

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Machuca Suarez ◽  
Anthony Polomka
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion ◽  
Equipment Failure ◽  
Chemical Treatments ◽  
Corrosion Rates ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Offshore Oil Production ◽  
Water Cut ◽  
Offshore Oil

Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) represents a serious and challenging problem in Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessels (FPSOs), one of the most common type of offshore oil production facilities in Australia. Microorganisms can attach to metal surfaces, which under certain conditions, can result in corrosion rates in excess of 10 mm per year (mmpy) leading to equipment failure before their expected lifetime. Particularly, increasing water cut (ratio of water vs. total fluids produced), normally resulting from the age of the assets, results in an increased risk of MIC. This paper provides an overview of causative microorganisms, their source of contamination and the areas within FPSOs that are most prone to MIC. Although mitigation practices such as chemical treatments, flushing and draining and even cathodic protection are effective, MIC can still occur if the systems are not properly monitored and managed. A case study is presented that describes the microorganisms identified in a FPSO operating in Australia suspected of having MIC issues.

An Integrity Management Strategy Based on Flexible Risers Conceived to Be Self-Monitored

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo Brack ◽  
Sergio Roberto Alves Mendes ◽  
Rodrigo Cesar Lancelotti Campos ◽  
Luiz Antonio Lobianco e Souza
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategy ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Flexible Pipe ◽  
Self Monitoring ◽  
Basic Premise ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Operation Phase

Many of the current practices applied for offshore production managing emphasize those aspects related to the efficiency of oil & gas production and exportation. Nowadays, due not only to the inherent technical challenges associated to deep-water applications but also to the increasing importance of the HSE aspects and requirements faced by the industry, a crescent demand to implement a philosophy which focalizes safety, reliability and integrity of their subsea flowing systems is taking place. The handling of monitored data in order to help the pipe operator to control fluid transportation throughout flexible pipes is an old practice performed by Petrobras and other oil companies in the world. However, the idea of acquiring a product which has been conceived, designed and manufactured with both intrinsic monitoring and expert systems is a recent idea. The tendency of the main flexible pipe manufactures is normally to face the problem from the traditional point of view: those systems are considered dissociated one from the other and as appendices to be installed, in the field, after system connection and start-up. Experience demonstrates that the installation of those systems during the operation phase has a number of limitations, restrictions, and associated problems. The main objective of this paper is to present an integrity management strategy based on the concept of the self-monitored flexible riser. Self-monitoring is understood as the own capacity of a product (flexible pipe and components with built-in devices) to acquire data about itself and make use of data from the internal and external environments, during its service life. Monitored data is then processed in order to generate relevant information for the fluid transportation business. The basic premise is to select, during product conception phase, some key-parameters to be further monitored, during the operation phase. The selection is determined by technical criteria depending on the potential failure mechanisms and modes related to the particularities of each different application.

Removal of Wax Deposits in Flexible Pipelines by Electrical Heating

2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo de Albuquerque Lima Gonçalves ◽  
Carlos Henrique da Silva Dittz
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Current ◽  
Electrical Heating ◽  
Heating Process ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Oil Pipeline ◽  
Flexible Pipes ◽  
Campos Basin ◽  
Offshore Oil Production ◽  
Wax Deposits ◽  
Offshore Oil

In offshore oil production, sometimes unexpected situations may occur, resulting in full blockage of a subsea oil pipeline. The blockage is often due to wax freezing in cold sea. In such cases the solution is to remove the blocked oil pipeline from the subsea. In Campos Basin, Brazil, the launcher ship brings the pipelines to the Vitória Harbor, E.S (southern Brazil). The solution adopted there for blockage removal is the application of differential pressure to promote block displacement. The maximum allowed pressure is equal to the rating pressure for the pipeline, but sometimes it is not enough to move the wax core. A new solution has been developed to allow the recovery of those flexible pipes. It consists of an electrical heating process to melt the wax residues. The electrical current circulates through a metallic layer of the flexible pipeline. This solution was accomplished with success and more than 20 km of pipelines have already been recovered. This paper presents the numerical simulation and the experimental results of a flexible pipeline reel electrical heating operation and the method to control it.

Seal Tight Endfitting and Means to Identify Annulus Condition for Pre-Salt Flexibles in Brazil

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. O. Brandão ◽  
F. Pires ◽  
C. Benirschke ◽  
E. Almeida ◽  
T. Iecker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Service Life ◽  
Failure Mode ◽  
Acceptance Test ◽  
Development Phase ◽  
Flexible Pipe ◽  
Pipe Section ◽  
Flexible Pipes ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
High Concentrations

Abstract The development of Brazil Offshore fields using flexible pipes took the advantage of the possibility to move around lines, anticipate the production and postpone the decision of where exactly the development phase wells should be placed, making the drilling campaign easier, cheaper and faster. For the Pre-Salt fields, mainly in Santos Basin, it is observed high concentrations of H2S and CO2, two major impact contaminants for the metallic layers of the flexible pipe. A new failure mode by SCC is the most concerning one and have several approaches either focused on the installed fleet or focused in the next pipes to be delivered. SCC is a condition that induces cracks in the pipes metallic layers and need three elements to happen: water, stress and susceptible material. If one of these three elements is suppressed, the phenomena is not to happen. This paper will cover and present a design of a seal tight end fitting also with capabilities to be seal tested from the shop during the factory acceptance test and further means to identify if the flexible pipe section is flooded or dry visually, using ROV This information is key for the integrity management of the flexible pipes applied to pre salt fields to assure the most extent of the service life.

Bio-inspired algorithms for the optimization of offshore oil production systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 1023-1044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Nascimento Vieira ◽  
Beatriz Souza Leite Pires Lima ◽  
Breno Pinheiro Jacob
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
Offshore Oil Production ◽  
Offshore Oil

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.

Proposals for Integrity Management of Flexible Pipe

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuai Yuan ◽  
Gao Tang ◽  
Jie Bai ◽  
Mohd Fauzi Badaruddin
Keyword(s):  
Research Work ◽  
Management Program ◽  
The Other ◽  
Flexible Riser ◽  
Flexible Pipe ◽  
Whole Process ◽  
Practical Project ◽  
Flexible Pipes ◽  
High Pressure High Temperature ◽  
Integrity Management

The increasing use of flexible pipes in subsea with high pressure/high temperature brings about much more challenges, for example flexible riser fatigue, bird-caging and armour wire disorganization, development of flexible pipes with smooth bore and ones with anti-H2S layer, which demand operators to adopt an effective integrity management program including every phase of flexible pipe industry to avoid reduction of production. To date, much research work has been carried out on this topic. In this paper, the applicable inspection and monitoring measures are presented as proposals to develop the integrity management of flexible pipes. Meanwhile, this paper takes a practical project as an example to show the whole process of integrity management study clearly. The process can be used as reference for the other similar integrity management projects.

scholarly journals Logistics Aspect of Offshore Support Vessels on the West Africa Market

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 587-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivica Skoko ◽  
Marinko Jurčević ◽  
Diana Božić
Keyword(s):  
West Africa ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Production ◽  
World Market ◽  
Oil Price ◽  
Crude Oil Price ◽  
Oil Companies ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
Offshore Oil Production ◽  
Offshore Oil

With the rapidly increasing global energy needs, offshore oil production has become an attractive source of energy. Supplying offshore oil production installations is a complex logistics problem that hinges on many factors with significant uncertainties. So, it is critical to provide the necessary supplies and services without interruption. In a typical offshore oil production effort, oil companies charter most or all drilling units as well as offshore supply vessels (OSV). The type and duration of charter contract has direct impact on the project budget as vessels market is closely correlated with the world market crude oil price which can have daily significant fluctuations. As the region of West Africa is one of the world’s busiest offshore exploration and oil production markets employing 12% of the world’s fleet, exploring its issues, was taken to study the relations between daily OSV rates and crude oil price. The research results presented in this paper show correlation between OSV daily rates and crude oil price with broader fluctuations in crude oil price. 

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