Abstract
Thermoplastic composite pipes (TCP) is a fully bonded pipe structure with a solid wall construction constituted from a single polymer material reinforced with embedded (melt-fused) fibre reinforcements. DNV GL published in December 2015, the new Recommended Practice DNVGL-RP-F119, intended for the design and qualification of Thermoplastic Composite Pipes in offshore applications. This paper describes Airborne Oil & Gas approach to qualifying its ultradeep water TCP products to the new standard.
Because of its intrinsic properties, including being lightweight, spoolable, and collapse and corrosion resistant, TCP is very much suited for riser applications. After applications such as a 1" high pressure methanol injection jumper in the North Sea, a 6" flowline for hydrocarbon conveyance off the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia, and a 2" gas lift line in the North Sea, Airborne Oil & Gas has now started the development of TCP for high pressure high temperature dynamic production riser applications.
A typical offshore Brazil pre-salt field ultradeep water design premise has been used to assess the feasibility of 6" and 8" free hanging TCP Risers. This was done in close cooperation with a major operator in Brazil and SURF contractor. Global, installation and local analyses of the TCP Riser system have shown the feasibility of installation as well as operations in a free hanging catenary configuration throughout the 30 years’ service life.
After technical feasibility had been demonstrated, a detailed business case study was performed in order to quantify the potential CAPEX savings that TCP technology can bring compared to the low lazy wave systems currently installed in pre-salt fields, offshore Brazil. Considerable savings are expected, especially on pipe procurement costs. Further savings on OPEX are also expected and are related to corrosion and biocide inhibition operations.
