Flexible Pipe Engineering
Course overview
The use of flexible pipe for hydrocarbon and water transport is not a new ‘invention’; in fact the earliest subsea flexible pipe concept was developed during the World War II years under the project name ‘PLUTO’ (Pipe Line Under The Ocean). This pipeline was responsible for transporting fuel across the English Channel into Europe for the Allied Forces where some 1 million gallons of fuel a day was transported for the war effort !
With the advent of the oil and gas industry flexible pipe has been extensively employed for some 40 years now. The major use of flexible pipe rests very much for riser systems, particularly deepwater risers, as well as flowlines. The first use of flexible pipe was used offshore Brazil in 1978, where it remains to this day the market and geographical leader in the use of flexibles owing to the deepwater environment. Similarly, other well established /mature regions such as UKCS, NCS, and offshore West Africa also use flexible pipe systems.
The estimated numbers of flexible pipe will be approximately 5000 units during 2015. The increasing numbers and use of flexible pipe will present further challenging technical and environmental requirements to be met such as more deep and ultra deep water environment where the effects and considerations of HPHT, flow assurance, materials selection etc are required.
This comprehensive course will provide an in depth understanding of flexible pipe materials, manufacturing techniques, practical offshore and subsea applications, damage mechanisms, flexible pipe inspection methodologies, industry codes and standards.
The course is designed for
- Pipeline Engineers;
- Process Design Engineers;
- Operations Engineers and Staff;
- Piping Engineers;
- HSE Specialists;
- Maintenance Engineers and staff; and
- Managers
Course outline
DAY 3: FLEXIBLE PIPE - DAMAGE AND FAILURE MECHANISMS
- Flexible pipe damage – typical damage offshore / subsea mechanisms
- Flexible pipe failure modes and failure mechanisms – physical and corrosion damage
- Consequences of failure and mitigation methods
- Operating experience – damage and failures
- Role of integrity management within flexible pipe failure
- Guidelines on flexible pipe integrity management
DAY 4: FLEXIBLE PIPE INSPECTION AND MONITORING METHODOLOGIES, ANNULUS TESTING, REPAIR
- Safeguarding the assets - the role of inspection and monitoring
- Offshore and subsea inspection and survey methodologies, tools and equipment
- Annulus volume testing
- Annulus gas sampling
- Industry NDT inspection methodologies
- Planning and execution of flexible pipe repair
DAY 5: FLEXIBLE PIPE AND RISER INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT
- Role of integrity management – design, installation and operational perspectives
- Industry awareness - reporting of flexible pipe and flexible pipe integrity ‘Sureflex Report’
- CASE STUDIES
DAY 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
- Introduction to flexible pipe – historical background
- Flexible pipe – applications of flexible pipe in the offshore and subsea environment
- Current and future markets – flexible pipe typical costs
FLEXIBLE PIPE – ENGINEERING CONSIDERATIONS
- Flexibles – typical structural composition – functionality and properties
- Materials of construction - special considerations
- Flexible pipe manufacturing
- Ancillary equipment overview (end fittings, vents)
- Future technology and challenges for flexible pipe
- Future technology and challenges for flexible pipe
FLEXIBLE PIPE - CODES AND STANDARDS
- Flexible Pipe - Industry Standards and Codes of Recommended Practice for Unbonded Flexible Pipe
- Interpretation of the key issues
- Joint Industry Projects (JIPs) in Flexible Pipe
DAY 2: FLEXIBLE PIPE – ENGINEERING DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
- Static and dynamic applications
- Static and Dynamic flexible pipe design considerations - flow assurance, impact / mechanical protection, fatigue, corrosion
- Flexible risers – design considerations – deepwater applications
FLEXIBLE PIPE - PIPE INSTALLATION AND HANDLING
- Flexible pipe installation analyses
- Flexible pipe installation methodologies
- Associated installation equipment
- Offshore installation vessels
- Subsea construction, installation and tie-in requirements
