Proceedings of the Eleventh (2001) International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference

Stavanger, Norway, June 17-22, 2001

Copyright 2001 by Tile International Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers
ISBN 1-880653-51-6 (Set); ISBN 1-880653-52-4 (VoL I); ISSN 1098-6189 (Set)

ARCOS Pipeline Repair System

Diego Lazzarin
Sonsub SpA
Venice, Italy
Adalberto Colombo
S N A M SpA
Milan, Italy

ABSTRACT

maintained in the Sonsub SpA premises in Venice, Italy, under a

contract to SNAM.
ARCOS basically consists of a connector system and of a suite of tools
capable of cutting and replacing a damaged length of pipe
approximately 10 meter long with a "Spool Piece".
The outline of the repair sequence is as follows:

The pipeline repair system, named ARCOS, is based on the connector

technology developed by SNAM SpA (the Eni company that operates
in the supply, transmission and distribution of natural gas) and on a
suite of intervention tools designed and fabricated by Sonsub to install
and actuate those underwater connectors required to re-establish the
pipe functionality. The ARCOS intervention tools have been conceived
in a view of limiting the tool sizes, so avoiding use of massive
structures and minimizing offshore operations by using standard made
ROVs fitted with specific work packages. These are able to cut and
remove the damaged pipe section, install the connectors into the pipe
ends and replace the pipe length with a spool piece.
ARCOS is based on the cold forging and "low force" modular
concepts, which have been developed and successfully proven whit a
testing program by SNAM and Sonsub. A great advantage of this repair
system is that it does not require a strict tolerance between pipe and
connector, clearance between them is about 20mm; moreover, it
requires no pipe preparation, such as removal of the polyethylene
corrosion protection coating and beveling: thus allowing significant
simplification of intervention tasks. The second special system feature
is that it is designed to accommodate rather large tolerances and
angular misalignments between the facing pipe-ends of the pipeline to
be repaired. Hereby are described the repair system modules with their
merits and the main ARCOS concepts that induced SNAM to adopt the
system for the 20" and 26" TRANSMED pipelines.

lift the damaged pipeline to expose it from sea bottom

with H-frames, cut and remove the damaged section
install two "End Connectors" on the two pipe ends and
carry on cold forging operations
hoist the "Spool piece" on sea bottom, connect the
Spool Piece with the End Connectors to the pipe ends
and latch them
carry on a cold forging operation on the Spool Piece to
fix the telescopic joint.
This system has been developed bearing in mind two main aims: reduce
the need for pipe preparation to a minimum and perform the repair task
by using conventional ROVs and underwater tools operated by them,
avoiding use of massive structures to force the pipeline into shape prior
to connection and limiting the H-Frames requirement to the pipe lifting.
The connection system is based on the "cold forging technology",
which represents a safe way to connect together steel pipes and sl'eeves
in the Offshore Industry. A good merit of this system is that it can
accommodate large dimensional clearance, in addition to having a
superb strength (the 26" pipe end connector bound has be pulled up to
10.8 MN). So it was possible to avoid forcing the pipeline sections into
a pre-set configuration and an alternative "low force concept" was
followed for installation, consisting in using neutrally buoyant
installation modules controlled through standard ROVs.

INTRODUCTION
As pipe-laying operation moved toward deep waters a need was
recognized for diverless repair systems, in the event severe damages to
the pipelines. Since the early eighties several Oil Companies started to
develop diverless pipeline repair systems, pursuing different
philosophies both for the connection technology and for the system
installation. SNAM and Sonsub joined their skills, in pipeline
technology and in subsea intervention works respectively, to develop a
diverless repair system, which was named ARCOS. This system has
been built and tested in sea trials and now represents the system to be
used in the event of an emergency for both the existing 20" and 26"
TRANsMED pipelines. The entire ARCOS system is housed and

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The ARCOS repair system to perform the repair task includes the
following equipment (see figure 1):
1) the Connection System, that is composed of:

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01-JAN-01

D. Lazzarin

Page 1 of 5

elastic constraint against the plastic pipe deformation to achieve the

required hydraulic sealing. In other words the pipe is deformed beyond
its yield point while the connector deformation is all within the elastic
range, then when the Forging Tool action is completed an elastic
compression of the EC against the pipe is achieved ensuring a metal to
metal sealing and a strong mechanical connection as carried out during
testing. Test loads that have been the premises to gain the DnV
certification were for the 26" pipe: internal pressure 325 bar, axial load
10800 kN, bending moment 3470 kNm and combined loads with
simultaneous 270 bar internal pressure, 6030 kN axial load and 2030
kNm bending moment.
The free connector end is terminated with a hallow spherical surface
flange to be coupled with the respective Spool Piece ball ,joint. On this
spherical surface is also the sealing between the End Connector and the
Spool Piece. Reason for the spherical shape is to accommodate
misalignments between the two pipe line sections and the Spool Piece
(see picture 2)
The Spool Piece is the element which replaces the pipe section that has
been cut and removed from the pipeline. It is composed of two
cylindrical elements, free to run inside one another for a stroke of about
1 m to form the telescopic .joint that are suitable to be permanently
locked together by internal swaging. Both ends are shaped to form the
ball joints that represent the male part to couple to the End Connectors.
The Spool Piece is completed with two sets of locking fingers placed
around the ball joints to permanently clamp the End Connector flanges
and provide the mechanical bond between the Spool Piece and the End
Connectors. The Spool Piece can be configured to accommodate
different lengths between 9 and 12 m.
The Forging Tool is the tool to perform the cold swaging of the pipe
against the End Connector, through high-pressure water (at about 1400
bar). This tool design is a modification of tool commonly used to swage
the foundation piles of offshore platforms to fix them on sea bed. The
Forging Tool is composed of a cylindrical element provided with two
expandable annular seals on the external surface, to form the swaging
room when they are inflated. The seals and the forging room are
pressurized by using water pressure intensifiers. The forging operation
is controlled by measuring the water pressure inside the forging room
and the water volume introduced in this room. A special sealing
arrangement of the Forging Tool allows to perform a pressure test after
swaging, to check that no leakage occurs between End Connector and
pipe under the pipeline pressure. After completion of this operation the
Forging Tool can be retrieved out of the End Connector and recovered
to surface. The Forging Tool can be used again to perform other
forging operations.

-two End Connectors to be inserted in the pipeline pipe-ends after

the damaged pipe section has been removed and to provide the
suitable connection flanges to be coupled to the Spool Piece:
-a Spool Piece to be installed between the End Connectors to reestablish pipe continuity;
-a Forging Tool that is a tool to be inserted in the End Connector
and capable of swaging the pipe-end walls against the End
Connector sleeves.
2) the Installation Modules necessary to install the Connector System
and operate the Forging Tool, these modules include:
-the End Connector/Forging Tool Installation M o d u l e - MICF
module- to install the End Connectors on the pipe-ends and
operate the cold forging operations;
-the Spool Piece Installation Module -MISP module- to install the
Spool Piece;
-two Docking Modules, to be installed astride the pipe-ends prior
to Spool Piece installation, to support MISP operation;
-two Isolated Hydraulic Power Units M o d u l e s - I H P U - to allow
ROVs to operate the ARCOS modules.
3) the Auxiliary Systems to carry out auxiliary operations on the
pipeline; these systems include:
-two H-Frames, to lift the pipeline to be repaired;
-an underwater Cutting Tool, to cut the pipeline prior to repair;
-a Lift Clamp, to lift the pipe piece to be removed;
-a metrology system, consisting of a couple of Taut-Wire Modules

ARCOS
Repair System

L
Connection System
to re-establish pipe functionality
Auxiliary Modules
to perform auxiliary operation

Installation Modules
to install the Connection System

End Connectors/Forging
Tool Installation Module -MICF-

H-Frames
to lift the pipe at the sea bottom

Spool Piece Installation

Module -MISP-

Cutting Tool
to cut the damaged pipe section

Docking Modules
to aid the SP installation

Lift Clam p

Isolated Hydraulic Power

Unit -IHPUto allow ROVs to operate all Modules

Tawt Wire Module

I
End Connectors -ECsto provide connection flanges

1
Spool Piece -SPto be istalled between ECs
and re-establish pipe continuity

Forging Tool
to swage the pipe against the ECs

Picture 1.ARCOS repair system modules

CONNECTION SYSTEM
The connector system is based on the concept of the cold forging
process. The End Connectors (see picture 2) are to ensure a permanent
bond between the Spool Piece and the pipe. Each connector basically
consists of a cylindrical sleeve to be positioned on the pipe-end to be
the outer element of a pipe-in-pipe configuration. The End Connector
can be installed on the pipe end without the need on any pipe
preparation as beveling and polyethylene coating removal. Each End
Connector is provided with circular grooves on its inner surface, where
the pipe wall is swaged against, by means of the Forging Tool (see
figure 3) which uses sea water injected at very high pressure. The result
of this operation is that the pipe wall undergoes large plastic
deformations and remains squeezed inside the End Connector. The End
Connector, which is made of high strength steel, provides adequate

Picture 2, connection system

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01-JAN-01

D. Lazzarin

Page 2 of 5

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Picture 4, End Connector/Forging Tool installation module

configuration

Picture 3, End Connector/Forging Tool configuration

INSTALLATION MODULES
M I C F MODULE

The End Connector/Forging Tool Installation Module, MICF module,

is to deploy and install the End Connectors. It consists of a structural
unit to support the End Connectors and Forging Tool assembly (see
picture 4 and 5) during lowering to seabed and of a buoyancy system
composed of three tanks to provide adequate buoyancy to make the
whole assembly neutral in water. The module is launched as a
negatively buoyant stand-alone tool on its base frame and with the
buoyancy tanks flooded. When deployed to the sea bed an ROV is
docked on it to float the tanks and make it neutral by using compressed
air fed by the surface through a dedicated hose. The module is then
driven by the ROV to insert the End Connector into the pipe ends and
execute the cold forging. Connection between the module and the ROV
is achieved through docking latches whose active parts are on the ROV
and the receptacles are on the module.
While the Forging Tool is bolted to the module frame, the End
Connector is secured using a releasing coupling device; this consists of
three fingers actuated by hydraulic cylinders in order to allow the End
Connector release after the swaging operation. Before the End
Connector release one of the three tank is flooded to compensate the
weight reduction of the system. This tank is therefore sized based on
the End Connector wet weight and it is provided with water and air
vent valves, hydraulically operated by the ROV through the electrohydraulic stab plate. This latter consists of two parts a passive one on
the module and an active one on theROV; each part carries electric and
hydraulic connectors that are mated when the active part is stroked
against the passive. Through these hydraulic and electric connections
all the module functions are controlled.

Picture 5; MICF module

M I S P MODULE

The Spool Piece Installation Module, MISP module, is used to support

the Spool Piece during launching and to perform positioning and
installation of the Spool Piece between the two End Connectors. MISP
also provides the net buoyancy required to lift the Spool Piece and the
docking system for the ROV used to supply the hydraulic power for all
actuations and Spool Piece swaging, see pictures 2 and 6.
The MISP module consists of two yokes, a buoyancy unit and a base
frame. The Yokes are installed at both extremities of the Spool Piece,
just behind each ball joint, and are free to rotate around two axes: the
longitudinal axis, along the pipe direction, and a vertical axis. To
ensure the correct alignment of Spool Piece and End Connectors, both
the rotation axes pass through the center of the Spool Piece's ball joints.
The yokes constitute the locking device between the Docking Modules

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01-JAN-01

D. Lazzarin

Page 3 of 5

--J

A distinctive feature of the IHPU is the capability to transferring

hydraulic power and electric power/signals through a wet mateble
connector stab plate which has been specifically, developed for this
application.

and the Spool Piece during the final positioning and engagement phase
with the End Connectors. This is achieved by using two centering pins
that are mated with their receptacle on the Docking Modules' arms
obtaining the correct alignment of the Spool Piece with the Docking
Modules and therefore with the two pipe ends (see picture 7)
The buoyancy unit provides positive net buoyancy (about 10 kN) to the
Spool Piece during the final installation phase and consists of two tanks
complete with a lifting arrangement to lift the whole Spool Piece and
MISP assembly. Each tank is connected with a release mechanism to
allow the recovery of the buoyancy tanks after the SP installation.
The Base Frame winch, which is hydraulically driven, has the purpose
to control the Spool Piece height from the sea bottom when the tanks
are floated. This happens before the Spool Piece is positioned between
the two End Connectors, when the base winch positions the Spool
Piece at least at 8-10m from the sea bed to be ready for installation.

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DOCKING MODULES

The Docking Modules (see picture 8), two identical systems, are to
perform the Spool Piece alignment with the End Connectors and the
Spool Piece installation. They are clamped on both the pipe ends
behind the End Connectors, they are secured to the Spool Piece through
wires that pull down the Spool Piece until to engage the receptacles on
the Docking Module. Then the two Docking Modules can extend the
Spool Piece up to mate the two Spool Piece ball joints with the two End
Connectors. This extension is achieved by using a combination of a
fixed and a movable clamp that allow the modules to travel along the
two pipe sections. Docking Modules are launched and recovered by
using dedicate deployment frames and are controlled and installed by
the ROV.
IHP U

The Isolated Hydraulic Power Unit (IHPU) is a module which is

attached underneath the ROV and works as interface between the ROV
and the ARCOS module to be actuated. The IHPU frame is very robust
and is provided with three docking latches on its front, to latch on
ARCOS modules as massive as MICF and handle them safely and
precisely.

Picture 8, Docking Module during quay side test

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01-JAN-01

D. Lazzarin

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AUXILIARY SYSTEMS

pulled out from a hydraulically driven winch placed on one unit, linked
to the other unit and kept in tension so that the distance and angles can
be read. One of the two unit is also used for the installation of the two
markers, that are placed on pipe ends to provide a mechanical ledge to
the End Connectors insertion.

The auxiliary systems are to carry out support operations to the

installation of the connector system as pipe lifting, cutting and
measuring. Although these modules have been developed, built and
tested within the repair system project they have been used several
times in different jobs.
H- FIL4~IES

The H-Frames, see picture 9, two identical modules, are to lift and
move the pipeline laid on the seabed before and after it is cut. The
system, deployed by a vessel crane, is controlled and hydraulically
operated by the ROV. Each H-Frame consists of the main structure, the
footings and the clamp. The main structure is composed of two legs,
which are connected together by the sliding crossbeam structure. Lead
screws are used to lift the crossbeam structure and to move sideways,
along the crossbeam, the pipe clamp. At the bottom end of each leg are
connect two mudmats through spherical joints and a vertical motion
capability is provided to allow adjusting as required by the sea bed
slopes. The clamp consists of two clamping jaws shaped to
accommodate any pipe rotation during its lifting.
The ROV. through the docking panel, provides hydraulic power and
acquires the sensors to monitor the relevant operating parameters like
clamp position and vertical load.

Picture 10, Cutting Tool

REMARKS AND CONCLUSIONS

ARCOS is the repair system available for use by SNAM in the event of
an emergency for the 20" and 26" TRANSMED pipelines. New
pipeline repair systems, based on the same ARCOS concept, have been
recently proposed for the Blue Stream pipeline, a 24" gas pipeline to be
laid across the Black Sea in 2200m water depth, and for the 32" Libya
gas Transmission System, in 1000m. This is the result of a long project
development, completed with an extensive testing program, up to the
sea trials performed in Stavanger in '98.
During this development process all testing and calibration work has
been carefully carried out. The cold forging method has been
successfully submitted to a complete verification that has demonstrated
how the End Connectors achieve their bond on the pipe and retain a
very high connection strength, in terms of line pressure, tension loads,
bending loads and fatigue loads in salt water environment. This was the
basis for gaining a DnV certification. During the integration tests and
the sea trials of the ARCOS system it has been verified that all
operations could be performed effectively and safely by using the ROV
technology and with adequate level of monitoring to have a complete
control and understanding of the repair process.
The merits of this concept are mainly the inherent simplicity and
reliability of its technology. These features allow reduce to a minimum
any intervention on the damaged pipeline accommodating significant
dimensional tolerances. An additional advantage of this system is that
the bond and seal can be checked at completion of each forging
operation, prior to the overall completion. The system monitoring is
exhaustive and allows to measure the physical parameters relevant to
the cold forging process (as pressures and water volume injected in the
forging chamber) in addition to achieving evidence of performing
intermediate steps.

Picture 9, H-Frame

CUITING TOOL

The Cutting Tool is required to cut the damaged pipe section. The
cutting element is a diamond-coated wire formed into a closed loop.
This is kept under tension and rotates by two free pulleys and one
traction pulley driven by a hydraulic motor. The module is fitted with
the passive stab plate and the docking latch receptacles to provide a
stable connection with the ROV, which is to install the module pipe.
See picture 10.

TA UT WIRE MODULES

The Taut Wire Modules are used to measure the distance between the
two pipe ends and the angles in the horizontal and vertical planes. The
system includes two similar units to be deployed to the seabed together
with their storage module and then handled and operated by ROVs. The
two units are inserted and clamped each into each pipe end. A wire is

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Page 5 of 5