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WorldPipelines April 2015
WorldPipelines April 2015
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Contents
WORLD PIPELINES | VOLUME 15 | NUMBER 4 | APRIL 2015
PAGE
12 PIGGING TOOL PERFORMANCE
95. Innovative inspection technology
Mark Slaughter, Product Line Manager, Applus RTD.
18. Pipelines, oil boom and railroads
Jack Behar and Samer Al-Azem, Petrohab, USA. LANDFALLS & SHORE APPROACHES
OFFSHORE WELDING 99. Clearing the way for a clean landfall solution
Tim Ley, Technical Manager, Land and Marine Engineering Limited, UK.
29. A matter of quality
Patricia Leroy, Polysoude, France. 105. Dealing with Mother Nature
Philippe Bisson, CASE Construction Equipment, USA.
SCADA SYSTEMS
110. A future-proof SCADA system
33 Eduard van Loenen, Yokogawa Electric Corporation, the Netherlands.
Featuring AVEVA Solutions,
ClampOn AS, CRC-Evans,
Deepwater Corrosion 116. Keeping connected
Services, FoundOcean, Inc., Glenn Longley, Senior Product Manager for IO & Software, FreeWave
Hydratight, Jan De Nul Group, Technologies, USA.
Land & Marine, NRI, Online
OFFSHORE Electronics Group, Seal For Life
Technology Review Industries and ShawCor, Ltd.
WORLD PIPELINES
Canusa-CPS provides the world’s leading Factory GradeTM field applied coating systems
for 3LPP and 3LPE coated pipelines. Our Factory GradeTM coating technologies, GTS-PP
and GTS-PE, are comprised of the same PP and PE material grades as the mainline
ISSN 1472-7390
Sidebooms.com
MidwesternPipeline.com
011-918-858-4234
Comment
CAN’T GO SOUTH, MUST GO NORTH
W
EDITOR ith no forward movement on 40 cars ignited; and a train derailed in rural
Elizabeth Corner Keystone XL and the project Illinois carrying 630 000 gallons of Bakken
elizabeth.corner@worldpipelines.com
effectively in limbo, Canada is crude.
MANAGING EDITOR looking to forge ahead with The Centre for Biological Diversity called
James Little other projects that would send its oilsands for a ban on moving oil by rail last month, as
james.little@worldpipelines.com crude to market. So it looks north: recently, accidents and derailments increase in line
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT sea-ice surveillance and shipping company with the burgeoning shale sector. We’re back
Hannah Priestley-Eaton Canatec has performed some research, at the to the pipelines vs rail argument, which I’ve
hannah.p-eaton@worldpipelines.com
request of the Alberta government, that heard framed as ‘pick your poison’, but the
ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTOR outlines proposed routes and methods for statistics clearly show that pipeline transport
Rod Hardy
rod.hardy@worldpipelines.com transporting crude from Fort McMurray to is the safer of the two options. Recently
the Arctic, for onward shipment to Asia. A we’ve seen four oil train wrecks in North
ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER
Chris Lethbridge northern export route, coined the Arctic America within a three week period. The
chris.lethbridge@worldpipelines.com Energy Gateway, would utilise pipelines, rail greatest increase in rail traffic comes from
ADVERTISEMENT SALES EXECUTIVE and/or tankers to deliver the crude. Bakken reserves to east coast delivery points.
Will Pownall Three projects The incentives to
will.pownall@worldpipelines.com
PRODUCTION
were proposed by
Canatec.1 The first THE GREATEST move crude by rail
this way are
Stephen North
stephen.north@worldpipelines.com
would send diluted
bitumen by rail from
INCREASE IN RAIL obvious: rail routes
exist where
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Laura Cowell
Fort McMurray to Hay
River and then by barge
TRAFFIC COMES pipelines do not.
Last year, railroads
laura.cowell@worldpipelines.com
CIRCULATION MANAGER
up the Mackenzie River
to Tuktoyaktuk. It
FROM BAKKEN moved 493 126 tank
cars of crude oil in
Victoria McConnell
victoria.mcconnell@worldpipelines.com would be stored here
until summer, when ice
RESERVES TO the US, compared
to 407 761 in 2013.
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR
Jo Repton
jo.repton@palladian-publications.com
melt would allow open EAST COAST Just 9500 cars were
water tankers to ship filled in 2008 before
WEBSITE MANAGER
Tom Fullerton
to Asia, Europe or DELIVERY POINTS the hydraulic
eastern Canada. The fracturing boom
tom.fullerton@worldpipelines.com
second would use the existing Normal Wells took off in the Bakken region of North
WEBSITE EDITOR pipeline, incorporated into a new pipeline Dakota, Montana and Canada. Government
Callum O’Reilly
callum.oreilly@worldpipelines.com from Fort McMurray, for delivery to tests show Bakken crude is more volatile
Tuktoyaktuk. Thridly, year-round production than most crude oil, although the American
DIGITAL EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Joseph Green could be exported via a new 2400 km Petroleum Institute says Bakken is no more
Joseph.green@worldpipelines.com pipeline from Fort McMurray to Tuktoyaktuk volatile than other light, sweet crudes.
PUBLISHER directly. Last month, the US DOT quietly
Nigel Hardy The rail transport option is an interesting proposed a rewrite of oil pipeline safety
one. North America is seeing unprecedented rules (new gas pipeline safety laws came into
Palladian Publications Ltd, usage of railway transport amid rising effect after the San Bruno tragedy in 2010).
15 South Street, Farnham, Surrey, production and delayed pipeline projects. Some 95% of liquids pipelines would need to
GU9 7QU, ENGLAND This month’s keynote article (‘Pipelines, oil comply with the PHMSA’s new Hazardous
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 718 999
Fax: +44 (0) 1252 718 992 boom and railroads’ by Jack Behar and Samer Liquids Integrity Verification Programme,
Website: www.energyglobal.com Al-Azem, Petrohab) explores the topic in which would demand that pipelines be given
Email: enquiries@energyglobal.com detail, so turn to p.18 if you’d like to learn extensive tests to prove they can operate
more about the recent return to railroads. safely at their designated MAOP, and would
Annual subscription £60 UK including postage/£75/
e105 overseas (postage airmail)/US$120 USA/Canada Back to the north and Generating for require hydrostatic pressure testing, spike
(postage airmail). Special two year discounted rate: Seven Generations (G7G) are seeking testing and possible pipe replacement in the
£96 UK including postage/£120/e168 overseas
(postage airmail)/US$192 USA/Canada (postage permission to build a 2400 km railway line event of a pressure concern.
airmail). Claims for non receipt of issues must be from Fort McMurray to Valdez, Alaska, to The rules would provide more
made within three months of publication of the issue
or they will not be honoured without charge. carry 15 million bpd of oilsands crude. The protection for people living along pipeline
Applicable only to USA & Canada:
project has the support of First Nations ROWs, which is laudable and worthwhile,
World Pipelines (ISSN No: 1472-7390, groups, who would receive a 50% stake in but I wonder how many landowners are
USPS No: 020-988) is published monthly by
Palladian Publications Ltd, GBR and distributed in
the project and are satisfied that the route looking at railway tracks across their
the USA by Asendia USA, 17B S Middlesex Ave, avoids inland waters. But the risks inherent in property and wondering when rail safety will
Monroe NJ 08831. Periodicals postage paid New
Brunswick, NJ and additional mailing offices.
rail transport need no introduction, be addressed with equal fervour?
POSTMASTER: send address changes to World especially in the wake of two recent
Pipelines, 701C Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA 19032
incidents: a 94 car crude oil train derailed in 1. http://www.albertaoilmagazine.com/2015/03/the-
real-northern-gateway/
Ontario en route to Quebec and some
Lifting the Standard
Maats Pipeline Equipment • Breukersweg 4 • P.O. Box 165 • 7470 AD Goor (Holland)
Tel.: +31 (0)547 26 00 00 • Fax: +31 (0)547-26 10 00 • info@maats.com • www.maats.com
World News
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Exxon CEO talks US energy DNV GL updates two RPs for the pipeline sector
The US government needs to adjust its Life extension of assets and infrastructure is an increasingly important issue for
energy policies to ensure that America operators. To reflect the changing needs of the industry, DNV GL has worked
can realise all the benefits of the new era together with its industry partners to update two recommended practices. The
of energy abundance, said Rex W. first for corroded pipelines (DNV-RP F101) and the second for integrity
Tillerson, Chairman and Chief Executive of management of submarine pipeline systems (DNV-RP-F116).
Exxon Mobil Corporation. The revisions aim to further support the decision-making processes related to
“We need sound energy policies – maintaining the integrity of pipeline systems in the following areas: extension of
policies equal to the innovation that has in-service operation; costly repairs and replacements; long-term planning of
redefined the modern energy landscape,” activities based on balanced evaluations of both technical and non-technical issues;
Tillerson said in an address to The and continuous improvement of integrity management systems.
Economic Club of Washington. “It is time Felix Saint-Victor, Principal Engineer - Pipelines & Materials, DNV GL Oil & Gas,
to build policies that reflect our newfound says: “The latest revisions to two RPs for the pipeline sector will help ensure that
abundance – that view the future with best practice is adhered to and that decision-makers have the most appropriate
optimism, that recognise the power of guidelines at their fingertips.”
free markets to drive innovation, and that First issued in 1999, the latest update to DNV-RP F101 includes a new assessment
proceed with the conviction that free methodology on how to estimate the pressure resistance of a pipeline containing
trade brings prosperity and progress.” long axial grooving, and assessment of internal corrosion development with time.
As examples, Tillerson said that Updates have also been made to achieve better compliance with the newest
Congress and the White House need to edition of the offshore standard DNV-OS-F101 rev. 2013-10, for example with regard
enable US exports of oil and natural gas, to pressure definitions and terminology, characteristic material properties, partial
approve the Keystone XL pipeline, and safety factors and fractile values, and supplementary material requirements.
make the regulatory process less Revisions to DNV-RP F101 aim to improve corrosion defect assessments through
burdensome and more transparent. thorough probabilistic evaluation, corrosion development evaluations and pressure
“With free trade in energy and resistance calculations accounting for system effects.
common sense regulatory reforms, the US The February 2015 revision of DNV-RP-F116 provides more comprehensive
energy industry can strengthen US energy guidelines on carrying out risk assessments. Guidelines regarding integrity
security and continue to pioneer the management reviews as well as recommendations for identifying key performance
innovations that make possible the safe indicators have also been revised and updated. These can be used to further
and responsible development of energy”, develop risk assessment methods for company governing documentation.
Tillerson said. “No one can say for sure
how the industry will evolve next or CPUC proposes bigger penalty for San Bruno
where it will go – but one of the enduring
lessons of our industry is that sound policy California Public Utilities Commission President Michael Picker has proposed
rewards wide and disciplined investments, increasing to US$1.6 billion a penalty imposed on PG&E for safety violations
spurs economic growth and improved related to a fatal 2010 gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno. The proposed penalty
environmental performance, and leads to is US$200 million higher than a US$1.4 billion penalty proposed in September last
greater peace and prosperity.” year, and would shift the bulk of the penalty from a payment into state coffers to
Tillerson also hailed the recent growth funds set aside for safety improvements, according to CPUC officials.
in the US energy sector and its impact on Where the previous penalty included US$950 million to be paid to California’s
the American economy. general fund, the current settlement calls for PG&E shareholders to pay
A major driver in the industry’s US$850 million toward gas transmission pipeline safety infrastructure,
expansion, Tillerson said, has been US$300 million to the state’s general fund and a one-time US$400 million bill
breakthroughs in the integration of credit to gas customers.
hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, PG&E had appealed the penalty proposed last year. San Bruno officials had
a renaissance that is now bringing objected to the proposal in part because it put too much money toward state
economic benefits to all 48 states in the coffers and not enough toward pipeline safety improvements.
continental US along with unanticipated The new fine proposal would shift the bulk of the money from the general
environmental gains. fund to safety improvements, but San Bruno Mayor Jim Ruane. says he needs more
He noted that industry has a details about exactly where that money will go. “I want to see what they’re
responsibility to meet the two pronged actually going to do with this US$850 million to put back into the ground. I really
challenge of providing for the world’s didn’t see anything there about what we were fighting for – for many, many
energy needs while protecting the months; a pipeline safety trust,” he said. A PG&E spokesman says they are still
environment. reviewing the proposal, but plan to comment on it soon.
Severstal to supply pipes for Power of Siberia Technip to supply pipes for Lula Alto field
project Technip was awarded a major (for Technip, above
PAO Severstal, one of the world’s leading vertically integrated steel e500 million) contract from Tupi BV, a consortium
and steel-related mining companies, has won a tender to supply composed of Petrobras Netherland BV (PNBV, 65%), BG (25%)
about 160 000 t of large diameter pipes for Gazprom’s major gas and Galp (10%), for the ongoing development of the Lula Alto
transmission project Power of Siberia. field, located in the Santos Basin pre-salt area, Brazil.
The pipes are to be manufactured by the Izhora Pipe Mill (IPM), a This contract covers the supply of around 200 km of
part of Severstal’s Russian Steel division. flexible pipes and associated equipment, including gas lift, gas
Construction of the pipeline involves supply of 14.2 m pipes and water injection, gas export and production lines. These
produced of K60 grade places with 21.7 mm wall thickness with inner high technological flexible pipes are designed to meet pre-salt
and outer anti-corrosion coatings. IPM’s large diameter pipes are challenges with water depths of up to 2500 m and high
made using self-rolled sheet produced at the 5000 Sheet Rolling Mill pressures.
at the Cherepovets Steel Mill’s #3 Sheet Shop. Technip’s operating center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will
Vitaly Motorin, Director of Pipe Production for Severstal’s Russian perform the project management and engineering. The flexible
Steel division, commented: “Izhora Pipe Mill already has experience of pipes will be produced at Technip’s manufacturing sites of
successful production of pipes for Power of Siberia Project. Besides, Vitoria and Açu, Brazil. Delivery is scheduled to start in the
Severstal as a vertically integrated steel company produces its own second half of 2015.
raw materials, has its own steelmaking and rolling facilities that Adriano Novitsky, President of Technip in Brazil,
altogether provide substantial synergies for the company.” commented: “Lula Alto is a major project for Technip in Brazil.
Pipes will be delivered to the consumer by river and railway Its size contributes to improving even more the workload
transport. visibility of our manufacturing plants. In addition, the
The first section of the Power of Siberia GTS – the Yakutia – challenging technical requirements confirm again the suitability
Khabarovsk – Vladivostok gas trunkline – will come onstream in late of flexible pipes to pre-salt developments and Technip’s
2017. strong position in this domain.”
McDermott and Petrofac form strategic alliance Ceona Amazon: first rigid pipelay
McDermott International, Inc. and Petrofac Limited have formed a contract
strategic marketing alliance to pursue top-tier deepwater subsea, Ceona has secured a Letter of Intent for the company’s
umbilical, riser and flowline (SURF) projects. The five-year alliance flagship field development vessel, the Ceona Amazon.
expects to provide oil and gas companies a competitive, integrated This will be Ceona’s first rigid pipelay project in the Gulf
solution across a broad range of complex engineer, procure, of Mexico for well-established US independent oil and
construct, install (EPCI) subsea projects in deep and ultra- gas operator, Walter Oil & Gas Corporation.
deepwater across the US Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, Brazil, the North The Ceona Amazon will be deployed for the
Sea, Mediterranean and West Africa. Coelacanth Export Pipelines project with the scope of
Leveraging the complementary capabilities and experience of work encompassing the installation of an oil and a gas
both companies, the alliance will open up further EPCI export line tying the new Coelacanth Platform into
opportunities by combining McDermott’s specialty SURF fleet, its existing pipeline infrastructure.
new Derrick Lay Vessel DLV 2000 and strong subsea fabrication Each 10 in. line will be approximately 11 miles, totalling
capability with Petrofac’s world class JSD 6000 installation vessel. 22.6 miles (approximately 36 km). The pipelines will each
“The strategic value of this alliance benefits our clients by be terminated by two pipeline end termination (PLETs)
combining each company’s strengths to create a new competitive structures installed by the Ceona Amazon. All work will
top-tier market participant,” said Scott Cummins, Senior Vice be undertaken in one single mobilisation.
President, Commercial for McDermott. Project Management and Engineering work has started
The key terms of the Alliance are: in Ceona’s Houston office with support from the
)) Territory: US Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, West Africa, Brazil, corporate offices in London and Aberdeen.
North Sea and Mediterranean. Mark Preece, Ceona’s Executive VP Commercial and
Business Development, said: “We are extremely pleased
)) Scope: SURF projects above US$200 million.
that the Amazon has secured her first contract, with final
)) Duration: Five years (plus follow-on time to deliver secured vessel delivery on time and within budget. This will also
projects). be her first rigid pipelay project and we look forward to
)) Structure and scope: project scope is anticipated to be demonstrating the Amazon’s capabilities in this area.
split between partners roughly equally, but according to The Ceona Amazon is 199.4 m (655 ft) long and 32.2 m
the specifics of a particular opportunity, and governed by (106 ft) wide, drawing 8 m (25 ft) with a gross tonnage of
separate project agreements. 33 000 t. She is due to enter service in March 2015.
® Registered trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. ™ Trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and in other countries. ©Copyright 2015 All rights reserved. T.D. Williamson, Inc.
12
The Gulf of Mexico has quietly been
gathering steam. Gordon Cope
analyses areas of bright spots and
concerns envisioned in the Gulf’s
future.
W
hile newer US plays, such as North Dakota’s Bakken, Texas’ Eagle Ford, and
Pennsylvania’s Marcellus have been getting all the attention recently, the Gulf of
Mexico has been quietly gathering steam.
In 2014, Chevron made a significant discovery at the Guadalupe prospect.
The company announced that it had encountered multiple pay zones in the Lower Tertiary
Wilcox sands after it drilled the Green Canyon Block 807 well on its Anchor prospect to a
total of 33 749 ft.
Venari Resources made a significant discovery in the Keathley Canyon Block. The company
drilled to a total of 30 173 ft on its Guadalupe prospect and encountered oil pay in the
Lower Tertiary Wilcox sands.
Many discoveries made over the last decade are now entering
production. Stone Energy Corp. recently began testing
on its two Cardona deepwater development wells.
The wells are expected to reach a gross production
rate of 12 000 boe/d. Production is being
concentrated at their wholly-owned Pompano
platform. The platform can support more flow; the
Louisiana-based company has plans to drill two
more production wells this year.
Freeport-McMoRan encountered 234 ft of net
oil pay in the deepwater Holstein prospect in its
Green Canyon Block 643, increasing its resource
potential for the Holstein Deep field to more than
250 million boe. The company currently has a
platform at the nearby Holstein field and it plans to
tie in 15 000 bpd in 2016; it also notes that the field
has the potential to reach 75 000 boe/d by 2020.
In late 2014, Chevron announced the first oil and gas production from the Jack-St. Malo fields.
The deepwater fields are expected to ramp up to 94 000 bpd of crude and 21 million ft3 of gas
by 2020. The company estimates that the fields hold more than 500 million boe of recoverable
hydrocarbons. Production will be transported by pipe from a semisubmersible floating unit to the
nearby Green Canyon platform, and hence to shore.
13
Hess Corporation also announced the start of production at to tie oil and gas production to nearby facilities that have existing
the deepwater Tubular Bells field. The field uses a spar hull floating pipeline connections to shore. Hess, for instance, has contracted
facility to produce up to 50 000 boe/d. with Enbridge to build, own and operate a crude oil pipeline that
Chevron and Hess have announced that they will move will service their planned deepwater Stampede development. The
forward with the joint development of the Stampede field. The 27 mile, 18 in. line will originate in the Green Canyon Block 468
deepwater prospect holds more than 300 million boe recoverable and connect to an existing third party system. The US$130 million
reserves. The US$6 billion project is expected to enter service in pipeline is expected to enter operation in 2018.
2018, with final production peaking at 80 000 bpd. The onshore region of the Gulf has also seen significant
Shell began production at the Cardamom project in its Garden midstream activity, thanks largely to the development of shale gas,
Banks Block. The field will be tied into the company’s Auger oil and natural gas liquids.
tension-leg platform. When the latest field is fully onstream, the Plains All American Pipeline and Enterprise Products Partners
platform will be producing 130 00 boe/d. are building a new condensate gathering system and increasing
The US is not the only country with assets in the Gulf. capacity to existing pipelines. A total of 125 mile of new pipe
The lucrative Lower Tertiary subsalt play extends beyond the will deliver product to the Three Rivers terminal. The Eagle Ford
international boundaries of the US into Mexican waters. It is Pipeline that transports fluids from Three Rivers to Corpus Christi
estimated that up to 15 billion bbls of undiscovered, recoverable will be looped, effectively increasing capacity to 600 000 bpd.
oil may exist south of the border. Pemex recently announced the Dallas-based EnLink Midstream Partners recently completed
discovery of 350 million bbls of reserves in the Trion discovery Phase 2 of its Cajun-Sibon NGL expansion in Louisiana and West
well, located 177 km off the coast and 39 km south of US waters, Texas. EnLink is a new entity formed from the combination of Devon
which is expected to yield up to 10 000 bpd production. and Crosstex Energy assets. The company oversees 7300 miles of
Traditionally, Mexico has been off-limits to foreign oil gas gathering and transportation lines with 3.3 billion ft3/d of net
companies. Since his election in 2012, however, Mexico’s President capacity.
Enrique Peña Nieto has been striving to modernise his country’s oil Magellan Midstream and Occidental Petroleum’s BridgeTex
and gas sector. Recently, the constitution was changed to remove Pipeline Company was formed in 2012 to transport Occidental’s
the decades-old monopoly held by state enterprise Pemex. In crude output from the Permian Basin in Texas to the Houston
mid-2015, the government will hold bidding for oil exploration region. The JV consists of 400 miles of 20 in. pipe running
rights in 14 blocks in the Gulf of Mexico. The blocks are in shallow from Colorado City, Texas, to East Houston. It is now taking
water (less than 500 m), off the coasts of Veracruz, Tabasco commissions from third party operators to transport up to
and Campeche states. The National Hydrocarbons Commission 300 000 bpd.
estimates the parcels contain almost 700 million bbls of oil, Cheniere Corpus Christi Pipeline will build a 23 mile, 48 in. OD
capable of producing 80 000 - 100 000 bpd. The government, pipeline to connect its Corpus Christi Liquefaction plant to a point
keen to represent the bidding process in the most transparent near Sinton, Texas. With a capacity of 2.25 billion ft3/d, the pipeline
manner, has stated that any evidence of corruption will result in will move both domestic natural gas to the plant for export and
cancellation of deals. re-gasified imports from the LNG terminal to interconnections with
Mexico hopes to reverse production declines and reach the existing pipeline systems. As part of the import/export project,
3.5 million bpd production by 2025. Analysts estimate that it would Cheniere plans to construct three 5 million tpy liquefaction trains.
take annual oil and gas sector investment of US$15 billion, or The liquefaction portion is expected to enter operations by early
US$150 billion in total, to reach that target. 2019.
Another Gulf country, Cuba, has recently seen the long Enbridge and EPP’s Seaway Twin pipeline entered service in late
shadow of isolation lifted from its shoulders. In December 2014, 2014. The 450 mile pipeline can carry 450 000 bpd of crude from
President Obama announced a partial easing of the half-century- Cushing, Oklahoma, to Freeport Texas. The twinning more than
long embargo against the island nation, a trend that might doubles the capacity of the Seaway system to 850 000 bpd. The
eventually yield benefits to its oil and gas sector. Cuba produces work was done in part to alleviate the bottleneck that had arisen
approximately 55 000 bpd from ageing onshore fields, but it in the Cushing terminal due to approval delays to the Keystone
imports over 100 000 bpd to meet its needs. Much of its offshore XL pipeline. The gulf region around Freeport is home to several
areas share many of the same lucrative prospects as in US waters, million bpd refining capacity that relies on heavy crudes. The new
but the country lacks the technology and deep pockets needed to line will supply an alternative to faltering Venezuelan deliveries and
find and produce the oil. supplies from the unstable Middle East region.
Russia has pledged assistance to Cuba to help increase Several new pipelines will transport gas south to Mexico. The
production. President Putin, along with Igor Sechin, the Chairman Federal Electricity Commission is installing a total of five lines
of state oil company Rosneft, promised to invest US$3.5 billion to service gas turbines throughout the country. Two lines will
in onshore development and offshore exploration. But in order originate in Waha, Texas, and run to Chihuahua State. A third will
to achieve any significant dent in its import burden, Cuba will run from Ojinaga, Chihuahua to El Encino, Chihuahua, and a fourth
need attractive fiscal and regulatory regimes to lure the kind of from El Encino to Durango. A fifth line will extend from Arizona to
international investors that can bring sufficient funds and know- San Luis Rio Colorado in Sonora State. In all, the five pipelines will
how to achieve those ends. have a capacity of 5.8 billion ft3/d
TexStar Midstream will build and operate a 30 000 bpd
Pipelines pipeline system for Calumet Specialty Products. The Karnes North
While much deepwater Gulf production is loaded onto container Pipeline System (KNPS) will consist of an 8 in., 50 mile line from
vessels from FPSO platforms, several fields use a network of pipes Karnes City, Texas, to Elmendorf, Texas, near San Antonio. The oil,
www.ndt-global.com
Canada | Germany | Ireland | Malaysia | Mexico
Russia | Singapore | Spain | UAE | USA
which originates in the Eagle Ford shale play, will be converted to Like oil companies throughout the world, Gulf operators
jet fuel, diesel fuel and gasoline. are concerned about the recent slump in oil prices. Generally,
deepwater projects tend to be more immune to the ups and
Troubles downs of the marketplace; Chevron’s Jack-St. Malo, for instance,
Like any petroleum region, the Gulf of Mexico is not without has been advanced through several oil slumps since its initial
its concerns. The August, 2014 lease sale in the western Gulf discovery in 2003.
of Mexico drew 91 bids for a total of almost US$110 million. Still, several projects are facing slowdowns. BP announced
According to the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management a further delay to its Mad Dog Phase 2 deepwater project; the
(BOEM), explorers expressed greatest interest in the blocks UK-based company had initially paused the project after the
offered on or near the 3 mile limit of the continental shelf budget ballooned to US$20 billion, but now low oil prices are
boundary between the US and Mexico, which are subject to obliging it to review all major expenditures in the region.
the recently enacted US Mexico Trans-boundary Hydrocarbon Although Freeport-McMoRan will continue to develop its
Reservoirs Agreement. Holstein Deep project, the company recently noted that it is
But industry participants noted that the sale is relatively reviewing its entire gulf capex budget in response to the recent
disappointing in relation to other areas of the gulf; in the March, decline in oil prices.
2014 central Gulf sale, 50 companies filed 380 bids for a total of
US$850 million. Because of the long lead times involved in gulf The future
exploration and production, the relative abundance – or lack – As far as the Gulf’s future is concerned, there are both bright spots,
of lease purchases is an harbinger of activity for the rest of the and concerns. According to consultancy group Wood Mackenzie
decade. (WoodMac), deepwater production is expected to plateau at
Although the region has largely recovered from the BP a record 1.9 million boe/d in 2016, up from the current level of
Macondo disaster of 2010 (in which the Transocean Deepwater approximately 1.5 million boe/d.
Horizon semi-submersible rig was engulfed by an immense In its long-term appraisal of the Gulf’s prospects however,
explosion and fire, killing eleven crew members and spilling WoodMac warns that, as explorers move further and deeper
millions of barrels of oil), its legacy lives on. The American into the deepwater plays, costs and technological challenges
Petroleum Institute (API) published new guidelines for the design, will rise, and payouts diminish. “A typical development well in
manufacture and use of subsea capping stacks. The recommended the Lower Tertiary can cost US$300 million, as compared to the
practice will be a guide for new subsea capping stacks, and for shallower, more established well-known plays, such as the Upper/
retrofitting existing equipment. “These guidelines will further Middle Miocene, where development well costs are closer to
strengthen subsea spill response capabilities as part of industry’s US$100 million,” it noted. Unless new technology can reduce costs
commitment to continuous improvement in safety,” the API and increase production, then long-term growth for the region will
noted. be in jeopardy.
Jack Behar and Samer Al-Azem, Petrohab, USA, examine how rising oil and
gas production is outpacing the transportation capacity of pipeline and rail
infrastructure.
18
T
he North American oil boom has transformed the
way oil flows in America. For decades, oil flowed
out of ships and into pipelines heading inland to
major refineries. Today, it is flowing out of shale
into railroads, pipelines and heading toward the coasts.
It is a shift that the energy industry has never predicted
or expected, creating a major problem for the industry,
an industry that does not have enough pipelines to move
all of this oil. Accordingly, it is estimated that in order
to accommodate the oil glut, the US and Canada need to
19
build over US$272 billion worth of new oil pipelines over refineries near Los Angeles while Tesoro announced last
the next two decades. April a joint venture to build a rail offloading terminal
at the Port of Vancouver, Washington State, to facilitate
Insufficient transport methods distribution to West Coast refineries. And in December
In October 2012, Kinder Morgan Partners announced plans 2013, a new terminal in the Port of Beaumont, Texas,
to build a 740 mile pipeline at the cost of US$2 billion welcomed its first customer: a train carrying 43 000 bbls of
from the oilfields of West Texas to a refining hub outside crude oil from Colorado. The crude was then transferred
of Los Angeles, California, delivering 277 000 bpd of crude to a barge, which travelled down the Neches River to a
oil. The idea was to replace the more expensive crude nearby refinery.
delivered from Alaska’s North Slope and other deliveries With discoveries of large oil and gas deposits and
from several foreign markets. In April 2013, Kinder Morgan developments in places like North Dakota and Southern
began negotiating with refiners who normally commit to Texas, where there is very limited existing infrastructure in
buying predetermined amounts of oil and gas for as long place to move the oil to demand centres, companies have
as 10 years. In May 2013, however, Kinder Morgan cancelled had to inefficiently transport crude oil hundreds of miles
the project after the refiners Valero and Tesoro stated by rail or by truck to refineries. Transporting crude oil by
that they were not interested in buying the pipeline oil rail or rig is far more costly – at least US$10/bbl or more
on a long-term basis. They had found a better and less – than to move the hydrocarbon by pipeline.
expensive way to get the product – railroads!
As shale fields scattered across the Midwest and West Pipeline construction boom
Texas produce millions of barrels of crude oil, energy In contrast to Kinder Morgan, on 2 September, 2014, Duke
companies are finding the national pipeline network Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas announced the selection
insufficient to transport their output and railroads are of Dominion to build and operate a 550 mile interstate
increasingly picking up the slack. Recently, Valero applied natural gas pipeline from West Virginia, through Virginia
for a permit to build rail offloading facilities at its and into eastern North Carolina, to meet the region’s
rapidly growing demand for natural gas. The 550 mile
Atlantic Coast Pipeline project is expected to serve as a
key infrastructure engine to drive economic development
and create jobs, helping counties on the pipeline’s
route attract new, energy-dependent businesses and
industries. The pipeline has an estimated cost of between
US$4.5 - 5 billion, an initial capacity of 1.5 billion ft3/d,
and a target in-service date of late 2018. The pipeline’s
main customers are six utilities and related companies that
will collectively purchase a substantial majority of the
pipeline’s capacity to transport natural gas – Duke Energy
Carolinas, Duke Energy Progress, Virginia Power Services
Energy, Piedmont Natural Gas, Virginia Natural Gas and
PSNC Energy. Gas will be carried through a 42 in dia. pipe
Figure 2. The cost of moving a barrel of oil: estimates of Figure 3. Crude oil and petroleum products during domestic
pipeline vs rail. transportation.
2010 2014
I
n the field of offshore oil exploration, umbilical cables provide
vital links between the platform or FPSO units and the seabed
equipment. Understandably, these key components must offer
impeccable quality and flawless reliability.
Umbilical cables – or umbilicals – are assemblies consisting of
duplex, super-duplex or even hyper-duplex steel tubes,1 electric wiring
harnesses, hoses and fibre optic cables bundled together in a steel tube
with a protective polyethylene casing. The final outside diameter ranges
from 75 - 300 mm. Umbilicals supply the electrical and hydraulic power
required by the control functions of the wellhead, subsea wellhead
equipment and manifold. They are also used for injecting chemicals
designed to improve fluidity or eliminate the formation of scale and
hydrates in the production stream. Two-way communication or data
Umbilical construction
Once the various constituent tubes have been made, the umbilical
is bundled to gather the tubes, tube separators, electrical cables
and fibre optic cables together in a single strand.5 Each reel unrolls
its contents to the lay-up machine where the super duplex tubes
are spiralled around a larger centre tube, forming the interior of an
umbilical cable. Depending on the manufacturer, the bundles are
assembled either horizontally or vertically. The umbilical bundling
system can take up to a dozen of these large spools of stainless
Figure 3. Umbilical cables provide vital links between the steel piping, of various inside and outside diameters.2,3,4,5
platform or FPSO units and the seabed equipment.
The contents of the spools are fed to an assembly structure
where the super-duplex pipes are wound around a larger pipe
transfer between several platforms and the subsea installations is forming the core of the umbilical. The umbilical can then be
also conducted via umbilicals. armoured, or pre-encased in a plastic sheath, before finally
Numerous items of Polysoude equipment is used at the undergoing an extrusion operation in which it is covered with a PE
various stages of umbilical construction, from the assembly of sleeve. As various diameters of tubing are used in the construction
tubes coiled on spools to the assembly of connectors joining the of umbilicals, the spools contain different lengths of tubing, which
umbilicals to the equipment. Once in position on the seabed, means that they often have to be changed before the umbilical is
especially in very deep water, they are practically impossible to completed. The assembly operation is suspended while the empty
repair. Impeccable quality is therefore a crucial requirement and spool is replaced by a new one. A welder then steps in with a
the customer and manufacturer must have total confidence in the Polysoude mobile orbital welding set to butt the new tube to the
manufacturing process. end of the previous one.
+ 1 -9 1 8 -2 5 9 -3 0 5 0 | re q u e s ts @ v a c u wo rx . c o m | v a c u wor x.com
Conclusion
Offshore umbilicals are key components that must offer ‘zero
defects’ quality and complete reliability. Different welding
processes can be used to join offshore umbilicals together.
However when weld quality is a top priority, the use of
Figure 4. Mobile orbital welding set for spool interconnection (photo
courtesy of Nexans).1 automated TIG/GTAW welding processes is the best choice.
In all industrial sectors, but particularly in oil and gas
exploration and production, the environmental aspects and
related issues can no longer be ignored. Efforts to increase the
productivity of automated TIG/GTAW welding have been
successful. Circumferential welds of an unexpectedly high
quality can now be realised at an affordable price. Polysoude has
become the orbital welding specialist thanks to the results of
operational feedback that it has gained from customers over the
past 50 years. Polysoude is always prepared to study a project
to provide a response to an identified technical requirement.
References
1. Sandvik: Umbilical tubing in Super-Duplex and Hyper-Duplex steel - Sandvik
Materials Technology.
2. Nexans Norway AS: Polysoude interview in 2010 with Truls Nordahl, Welding
Manager, Halden (Norway) and photographs.
3. Technip : photograph and information extracted from their website http://www.
technip.com/fr/activite/subsea/ombilicaux and article published in L’Usine
Nouvelle on 29 May 2014 http://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/a-newcastle-
technip-fait-basculer-son-outil-productif-dans-une-nouvelle-dimension.N264522
4. Aker Solutions: photographs and information taken from their website http://
www.akersolutions.com/en/Global-menu/Products-and-Services/Subsea-
technologies-and-services/Subsea-production-systems-and-technologies/
Umbilicals-and-power-cables/
Figure 5. Umbilical cable joined by orbital welding to the Termination 5. Oceaneering: information taken from their video http://www.oceaneering.com/
Head (photo courtesy of Nexans).1 oceanmedia/subseaproducts/multiflex-pc-fullvideo.html
Figure 6. Cold wire TIG welding principle. Figure 7. Hot wire TIG welding principle.
Dedication
Booth No 2441-C
Innovation
Integrity
Typical Applications
Offshore
Transmission and distribution pipelines
Oil and gas risers
Mechanical dents and defects
Girth welds on vessels and pipelines
OFFSHORE
Technology Review
33
34 OFFSHORE Technology Review / 2015
AVEVA Solutions
UK
AVEVA Solutions is the leading supplier of engineering, technologies then enable their most efficient operation
design and information management software to and lifecycle management. The AVEVA WorkMate
the world’s offshore industry. Its 3D design solution, EAM solution is used by offshore operators, including
AVEVA PDMS™, has long been the industry’s de facto Salamander Energy, for managing assets in challenging
standard; today its users are rapidly upgrading to AVEVA locations around the world.
Everything3D™ (AVEVA E3D™), the most powerful and It is the ability of AVEVA’s solutions to share common
advanced 3D solution of its type. Not only is AVEVA data assets that enables AVEVA to pioneer the digital
E3D completely compatible with AVEVA PDMS – they asset approach to the creation, management and use of a
can be used side by side on the same project – it also physical asset’s digital information. The company’s vision
integrates laser survey data with 3D modelling in the is that every physical asset should have a corresponding
same design environment, enabling in-service revamp digital asset – an information counterpart that continuously
projects to be carried out more quickly and with represents the true current state of the physical asset
minimum risk. throughout its entire lifecycle. Typically, project and
Uniquely, AVEVA offers not only the most operational information is fragmented, incomplete,
comprehensive, self-integrating range of applications for inaccessible, siloed in incompatible source systems,
the plant industries, but also the industry leading solution or of uncertain reliability. AVEVA’s unique information
for shipbuilding, AVEVA Marine™. Both integrate closely, management technologies enable all information assets, of
enabling floating offshore assets to be designed and built whatever type or from whatever source, to be aggregated,
using a common solution set. This is of particular value validated and made readily accessible across the enterprise
on projects such as FPSOs and FLNG vessels, where hull, as a coherent digital asset.
tower and topsides are each designed by specialist project The digital asset approach enables information to be
partners and must be tightly integrated to eliminate costly captured from the earliest stages of a project. It supports
design clashes. AVEVA Enterprise Resource Management™ efficient project execution, a progressive handover of
complements these solutions by drawing on the data information from the EPC to the operator, and efficient
they generate to enable efficient project and business asset lifecycle management.
management. AVEVA Solutions Ltd is a global, FTSE 250 company
While AVEVA’s engineering and design technologies headquartered in Cambridge, UK. It has sales, support and
are used to achieve the most rapid deployment of development offices in 40 countries around the world.
offshore production assets, its information management
DENSOLEN®
Rockshield
DENSOMAT®
Wrapping Devices
DENSOLEN®
PE/Butyl-Tape Systems
made in
Germany
since 1922
www.denso.de
36 OFFSHORE Technology Review / 2015
www.jandenul.com follow us on
38 OFFSHORE Technology Review / 2015
Deepwater Corrosion
ServicesUSA, booth 4305
Deepwater Corrosion Services provides corrosion control Other services offered by the company include corrosion
for energy industry offshore structures worldwide, including engineering and inspection, as well as cathodic protection
pipelines, platforms, FPSOs, wind farms and anything else design, consulting, failure analysis and predictive computer
requiring expertise in cathodic protection and offshore modelling of CP systems.
engineering. This past year, Deepwater Corrosion Services continued
The company has developed innovative anode systems its worldwide expansion and opened offices in Australia and
designed primarily to ensure reliable protection while making Brazil, giving the company a presence in almost all of the
installation substantially faster and easier. major energy markets. Of course, the recent dip in oil prices
Deepwater Corrosion Services recently supplied a caught its attention, but the company expects that demand
galvanic anode system for a 36 in. North Sea pipeline where for its business will continue to grow. The world will always
the protection at either end was failing. The crew installed need its energy infrastructure, and what the company offers
Retromats, which are concrete stabilisation mattresses with keeps its clients way ahead in corrosion control.
anode arrays cast inside, to give 15 years of protection to
12 km of pipeline at a depth of about 300 ft.
Another client recently needed 45 years of cathodic
protection and monitoring on two dozen well head Offshore industry 2015 prediction
permanent guide bases in 3000 ft of seawater. To do this, “Working in the offshore industry today, we
Deepwater Corrosion Services provided large galvanic anode have a clear divide between brownfield and
sleds that also included monitoring panels that can be read greenfield, the old and the young. Many of our
by camera whenever ROVs are used in the area. The anodes real challenges as integrity managers fall in the
rest on the bottom near the guide bases and are electrically brownfield sector, which are still critical assets
attached using constant tension clamps and subsea cable. despite being way past their original design
Future subsea equipment can be protected and monitored life. We have to work with tighter budgets in an increasingly
using a set of extra clamps, which allow for future expansion regulated space while always maintaining safety as the
of the field without the need for an additional CP sled install. number one priority. Tough challenges require a complete
A huge benefit from these systems is the quick installation, rethink of “it’s the way we have always done it”. Only the
which is normally done without using divers. The overall companies who are able to think outside of the box will
costs can be just a third of traditional anode replacement prosper in this market sector going forward.” – Jim Britton,
by substantially reducing vessel time requirements. Another President/CEO, Deepwater Corrosion Services.
benefit is the ability to monitor the CP of a few dozen
installation points from a single location, eliminating the need
to navigate the field with an ROV and further eliminating
the need for a contact probe. Deepwater Corrosion Services’
patented Sunstation technology allows the monitoring system
to function throughout the lifetime of the CP system without
the need for replacing a battery system that will not survive
even 10 years.
Pipeline cathodic protection is particularly difficult to
monitor, since there is no above-water structure on which to
mount an inspection panel. The company can install panels on
the sea floor as described above, or it can use probes affixed
to ROVs to take readings. A system it recently developed
uses a contact probe to take readings at specific points, and
the results are visible on a readout recorded by the ROV’s
camera. Plus, the information is fed through the umbilical to
your computer via an analogue-to-digital converter, where the
data is automatically compiled and optionally loaded into the Figure 1. A Retromat anode array is shown during assembly.
cloud for easy access and trending. Anodes to protect a North Sea pipeline are placed in the
moulds before the concrete is poured.
OFFSHORE
Technology Review
FoundOcean, Inc.
USA, booth 1963
Throughout almost 50 years in the oil and gas industry, seabed during adverse weather conditions. To repair
FoundOcean has continued to demonstrate its the weakened area, a two-stage solution involving the
commitment to technical expertise and innovation, installation of a repair clamp and a fabric formwork
with a continual emphasis on providing the client was used. A steel clamp was utilised to add strength to
with the best solution for their project needs. This the pipeline and prevent any further damage; a fabric
drive to create innovative solutions to meet market formwork was then installed to provide support to
requirements has led to growth in new regions, including the pipeline due to the additional weight of the repair
expansion into the Americas, with FoundOcean opening clamp. Repair clamps (also known as repair sleeves) are a
its Houston office in 2013. common method of repairing pipelines, getting them back
Prior to this, FoundOcean had already begun to up to full operating pressure without having to replace
develop a track record in the region; in 2011, for instance, sections of the damaged asset. The most common reasons
it completed repair operations on a pipeline in the Gulf for repair that have been observed by FoundOcean
of Mexico at a depth of 750 m, after the 18 in. pipeline include fatigue, as well as impact damage from dropped
was damaged by a vessel dragging its anchor along the objects, dragged vessel anchors or trawl boards.
Pipeline repair and rehabilitation is an area in we can expect to see the frequency of pipeline
which FoundOcean boasts extensive expertise. A crossovers increase. Over time, these crossed
pipeline may require rehabilitation for a number of pipelines are subject to forces that can cause them to
reasons; including pipeline freespans, which may distort and depending on the level of distortion, to
occur during installation due to seabed topography snap, crack, or even result in hogging where the pipe
or as a result of seabed scour. In either case, if could bend upwards. When problems of this nature
not corrected, freespans can cause a multitude are seen, a rehabilitation procedure is needed before
of problems that may affect a pipeline’s lifespan. the pipeline suffers catastrophic failure. In either
Moreover, as more subsea pipelines are installed case, FoundOcean’s fabric formworks can provide a
superior method of rehabilitation,
offering support and protection for
vulnerable pipelines.
Fabric formworks also play
their part during a pipeline’s
construction, particularly around
valve, flange and elbow protection
and pipeline cross-overs, where
they provide a more robust
and safer solution compared to
the conventional approach of
installing a construct of concrete
mattresses and multiple grout
bags. The monobloc property of
an engineered fabric formwork
mitigates the risks of damage to
both the new pipeline and injury to
the diver during its installation, as
well as it providing a more stable
and designed solution that cannot
collapse in high current or shallow
water environments.
Figure 2. Ambico FoundOcean manufactured fabric formwork.
Offshore industry
2015 prediction
With new pipelines
currently being planned
at over 3000 m in
depth, it is evident
that projects in deeper waters are
set to increase, posing additional
challenges for FoundOcean when
compared to shallower installations
and repairs. With this in mind,
FoundOcean continues to invest in
research and development projects
to be able to provide fast, efficient
and above all safe procedures,
allowing for successful completion
of deeper water projects.
Figure 3. ROV deployed freespan support.
LEADERS DON’T HAVE TO TALK
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BECAUSE TRUE LEADERSHIP
CAN BE MEASURED
Carries Life...
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46 OFFSHORE Technology Review / 2015
Course Information
Chapter Introduction to Learn the definition of corrosion and understand the economic, environmental and
1 Basic Corrosion safety impact of corrosion.
Chapter Basics of Corrosion In this chapter learn the terms and definitions used in corrosion, as well as the
processes and concepts of electrochemistry, oxidation and reduction reactions,
2 Electrochemistry thermodynamics, kinetics and passivity
Chapter Corrosive Identify the characteristics of commonly-encountered corrosive environments
such as atmospheric, water and other electrolytes, soil and high temperature
3 Environments environments.
Chapter Understand engineering materials such as metals, non-metals, composites,
Materials
4 concrete and ceramics and their relationship to corrosion control
Chapter Understand the various forms of corrosion, how to recognize each form, materials
Forms of Corrosion subject to each form, environments that promote each form and how to control
5 each form.
Chapter Designing for This chapter will examine how corrosion can be controlled during the design
process through construction and process parameters, drainage, dissimilar metals,
6 Corrosion Control crevices, and corrosion allowance.
Chapter Corrosion Control The focus of this chapter is corrosion control methods by material selection,
7 Methods modification of environment, protective coatings, cathodic and anodic protection.
Chapter Inspection, Monitoring Learn the difference between inspection and monitoring and identify the common
8 and Testing testing techniques for each.
nace.org
48 OFFSHORE Technology Review / 2015
Figure 2. Pile
gate, pile and
anchor chain
Factory Grade™
3-Layer Coating
Technology
HBE™
Liquid Coatings
In 2014, NRI’s work in the oil and gas upstream the Gulf of Thailand. The system was installed to
market segment included: arrest extreme external pipe corrosion – up to 71%
wall loss in some areas. When checked in 2014, not
)) Deepwater work, including steel pipes, as well as
only was the line still operating at full capacity,
work in dry dock, including tidal concrete columns
but also when the composite was removed and
in Mexico.
the line re-inspected, no additional corrosion was
)) Deepwater work, including steel pipes in Brazil. sighted, even after five years of offshore exposure.
(For the complete article see World Pipelines
)) Deepwater work, including splash zones and in Coatings & Corrosion 2014, ‘More than just a quick
immersion in Trinidad. fix’, by Matt Green.)
)) A five year test on a composite repair system that In 2015, NRI’s work in the oil and gas upstream
was installed in 2009 on an offshore platform in market will continue in the same market segments.
Offshore industry
2015 prediction
“The industry continues
to move toward
improvements in
technology and safety
and has seen continued
growth, as uptime
has been a premium,” says Chris
Lazzara, President and Chief
Operating Officer of NRI. He
continues, “2014 was a great year
in the industry and investments
in new equipment, as well as the
increased focus on preventative
maintenance, have helped improve
uptime on some of the world’s
ageing offshore assets.”
Looking to the near future
for 2015, Lazzara states that
“with oil prices where they are,
there are challenges ahead, but
efficiency and maintenance will
always be a focus. Some of the
biggest challenges we see involve
maintaining current and aging
assets to keep them operating
efficiently and safely, as well as
the continued costs associated
with the drilling of deeper and
deeper wells, but ultimately it all
brings efficiency and innovation to
the marketplace.” Efficiency and
innovation happen to be two of
NRI’s core values. With facilities
in Riviera Beach, Florida; Houston,
Texas; and Krakow, Poland,
and sales offices in Vancouver,
Washington; Tulsa, Oklahoma;
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Miri,
Malaysia, NRI has the experience
and the reach to provide innovative
Figure 3. NRI provides emergency repair solutions for both onshore and offshore composite solutions to the world’s
environments. These custom-engineered solutions can repair or reinforce
offshore industry.
structures or pipes while they remain operational.
Serimax, at the cutting
edge of welding technology
for over 40 years.
With our technologically advanced welding solutions we take
welding from an art to a science. Offering fit-for-purpose
equipment and providing experts that manage turnkey projects,
our goal is to create and deliver innovative and high-performance
solutions to ensure your success.
Online Electronics
GroupUK, booth 1963/12
Online Electronics Ltd is the parent company of
Offshore industry 2015 prediction
an international group of business units, Online Scott Lewis, Regional Manager, Online Pipeline
Electronics Group, engaged in the pipeline sector of Solutions Inc, said: “In times of lower revenues
the global energy industry. OEL designs, manufactures to owner/operators, companies that supply the
and distributes a range of products and systems upstream and midstream oil and gas sector need
employed during pipeline pig monitoring, pipeline data to make sure and provide the most efficient and
communication and logging operations. reliable solutions to their customers; in other
OEL combines acoustic, electromagnetic, magnetic words, the best value. While purchase price is important,
and ultrasonic technologies to produce innovative and quality, reliability, safety, environmental stewardship and
flexible solutions. Its range of services enables locating reducing operational costs are the real sources of lower
and monitoring, signalling, pressure/temperature data operating costs. We have to utilise our years of experience
logging, through pipe wall communications, gauge plate to make sure our customers see lower lifecycle costs and
condition monitoring systems, subsea voltage detection, thereby more efficient and higher margins on operations.
subsea leak detection, MEG analysis and bespoke design We have been moving in this direction for years with focus
projects for the oil and gas industry. on: safety with our ATEX and ICEex approved products;
OEL’s business units include US subsidiary, Online redesigns to improve sustainability in the field and stronger
Pipeline Solutions Inc. (OPS) Houston, Texas, servicing output signals to shorten time to locate; the development
of the GRID® systems to speed up locating defects in new
the requirements of clients across North America and
pipelays; MEG ARTS® to reduce cost and time required to
Gulf of Mexico; Online Electronics Asia Pacific PTE
dry subsea lines; packaged complete ROV signal acquisition
(OEAP), Singapore, and further offices in Dubai, UAE and
spreads; and reliable, dependable magnetic and ultrasonic
Perth, Australia. systems to automate and communicate pig passage over
For 2015 and going forward the group’s key strategies distance. We will continue our drive to visualise and
include: implement new and better sensing, transmitting, logging
)) Joint venture opportunities working with and communication technologies to make sure to provide
complimentary pipeline groups and evaluating the best ROI for our customers.”
strategic acquisition.
Register here
www.oilfieldtechnology.com/oilfield-app/
58 OFFSHORE Technology Review / 2015
Figure 4. Final
offshore FJC
application.
60 OFFSHORE Technology Review / 2015
)) Ageing energy transportation infrastructure and increasing public )) Provided composite pipe to PDVSA (Petroleos de Venexuela S.A.)
scrutiny. to be used in Lake Maracaibo.
Figure 2. ShawCor
Flow Assurance Ultra.
Figure 3.
Shawcor
concrete
coating and
HBE-OS FJC.
SUBSEA
SUBSEA environments
S
ubsea drilling for oil and gas, and its recovery
and transport, has made great strides since the
early days when wells were sunk from the ends
Fabian Dawson, of piers. Today, operations are conducted from
GE Measurement & Control, sophisticated floating platforms and the depth of water
UK, looks at the way innovations and thickness of penetration has increased in line with
new drilling methods and new associated technologies.
in remote, subsea pressure Nowadays, although most active platforms are still in
measurement is contributing to relatively shallow water, the largest number of approved
process efficiency and process safety drilling applications are at greater depths.
For example, the subsea fields off the coast of Brazil
in the subsea environment.
now go down to reservoirs that are 2000 m deep in the
water and then a further 5000 m below salt, sand and
63
rock. Even deeper wells go down to 1.5 km on top of several laboratory. Or, more usually today, measuring devices are
more kilometres of rock and the world’s deepest offshore calibrated by portable pressure calibrators, such as DPI611 or
production well in the US Gulf is almost 3 km below the DPI620Genii from GE’s Druck pressure line, which incorporate
surface of the sea. a pressure generating capability that can generate up to
This is a trend that is set to continue because, as the value 15 000 psi (1000 bar) by means of a mechanical pressure-
of oil and gas extraction has risen, the cost of extraction generating system. Unfortunately, such instruments cannot be
methods has reduced and there is now a wide range of used subsea and certainly not at deep subsea.
economically recoverable sources. In addition, there is a need Consequently, the two most important characteristics of
to replace many of the older shallow water fields and it has any subsea pressure sensor are accuracy and stability. That is,
been estimated that the subsea sector will grow at around the ability to deliver that accuracy over many years.
6.7% between 2014 and 2018. This is a global phenomenon.
However, the technology challenges to be met in achieving Subsea pressure monitoring tasks
this growth are enormous. The pressures and temperatures Pressure subsea is an important measurand and sensors are
at these depths are exceedingly high. At 1800 m for example, available for tasks such as pressure measurement for down-
the depth drilled by BP’s Thunder Horse platform in the US hole tools and sensors that can withstand the harsh conditions
Gulf, the well pressures range from 13 000 - 18 000 psi and of drilling in mud. However, there are two main applications
temperatures can be up to 132°C. The next generation of wells for subsea pressure sensors:
will be even deeper, at higher temperatures and pressures up )) Sensors to measure the hydraulic pressure in subsea
to 20 000 psi. This makes remote pressure sensing one of the control and process systems.
key technologies in the advancement of the frontiers of oil
and gas production. )) Sensors to measure and transmit the pressure, and
temperature, in the oil or gas line.
The remote monitoring and measurement of
pressure Hydraulic pressure sensors
As with any industrial process, measurement and control Hydraulic pressure sensors act as pressure switches, controlling
is vital to the safe and efficient operation of plant and the subsea plant and equipment. They are located in the subsea
sensing, measurement and transmission of pressure and control module (SCM) and are purpose-packaged to operate
temperature are important activities. However, it is important with subsea hydraulic control systems. They have the
to realise that all pressure measuring devices drift in accuracy required high pressure containment rating, hydraulic transient
over time. This is not a problem onshore or on a production protection and integrity of cable and electrical connections
platform as all pressure sensors and transmitters are calibrated to ensure excellent long-term stability. For example, the PTX
at regular intervals. Calibration itself involves the comparison 300 series of pressure transmitters from GE’s Druck product
of two instruments or measuring devices, one of which is of line, which uses piezo-resistive silicon pressure measuring
known accuracy, to establish the accuracy, or otherwise, of technology, features an all-welded, stainless steel or Inconel
the device to be calibrated. Sometimes, this involves taking construction to ensure secure containment. It has a proof
the device out of service and calibrating in an accredited pressure up to 22 500 psi, with a hyperbaric pressure rating
of up to 5000 psi, and is designed for a fatigue life in excess
of 25 years. All mechanical and electrical connections to the
transmitter feature qualified hyperbaric connections and the
electrical interface can be 4 - 20 mA or CANbus.
66
T
he world’s deepest producing offshore oil operation is Shell’s Gulf of Mexico Perdido project in
waters 2450 m deep, with Shell’s other Gulf production facility, Stones, set for even deeper waters
approaching 3000 m. Understanding the constraints posed by extreme deepwater operations and
vulnerabilities of deepsea habitats and organisms is as challenging as the engineering technology. Yet,
despite the deepsea realm covering over two-thirds of the Earth’s surface, it is also the least explored and is
truly the last frontier on Earth.
The deepsea and the diverse ecosystems it harbours are socio-economically and biologically valuable. The
deepsea helps regulate Earth’s climate, including atmospheric CO2 emissions, and harbours a rich variety of
ecosystems such as cold water coral reefs, seamounts, hydrothermal vents and sponge gardens that are home
to thousands of animal species including commercially valuable fish. However, the deepsea, its ecosystems
and species are often sensitive to shifts in climate, pollution and human activities. These sensitivities can make
operations in the vicinity technologically challenging and environmentally demanding, if preservation of these
ecosystems is to be maintained.
Currently, there a number of challenges facing these vulnerable deepsea ecosystems with an
increasing footprint of human activities, particularly offshore energy and fishing, at ever increasing
depths. Various provisions are provided in order to protect deepsea habitats, species and
ecosystems through, for example, management of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) and
ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs) by the United Nations, protection
of priority marine habitats/species through OSPAR and the European Union and through the
provision of marine protected area (MPA) networks.
67
Environmental challenges for the marine understand the scope of potential impacts. Traditionally, marine
energy industries: the UK in focus environmental monitoring around the UK has been limited in
Oil and gas developments and pipeline installations are generally scope, mainly in part due to lack of guidance on what, when
subject to permit and environmental impact assessment (EIA) and how things should be monitored. In addition, in the case of
requirements under a variety of regulations prior to, and during, incidents such as Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico, the
exploration and decommissioning. For example, in the UK under accessibility of localised environmental data is crucial. Within
the Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipelines (Assessment days, BP began working through the assessment process to collect
of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999, Offshore Marine data to evaluate the potential for injury to wildlife, habitat
Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 2007, The Offshore and recreational use of the area. Prior knowledge of baseline
Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 conditions is paramount in assessing the true impact of an event
and their associated amendments. During this process, the industry like this and the availability and quality of the science in the local
has to determine if the activity is likely to have an impact on the area contributes to the overall effectiveness, organisation and
environment; and/or if it may have a significant impact on the response. With offshore exploration continuing to expand into
conservation objectives of marine protected areas (MPAs). deeper waters, such as the vulnerable areas west of Shetland,
Baseline data is fundamental to assess potential impacts, it will be a requirement to determine the environmental
yet there is currently little legislation globally to state how baseline within this relatively unknown territory. Ensuring that
environmental monitoring should be conducted, particularly environmental data is collected and stored in an efficient, easily
in deepsea areas. Transformative new tools and knowledge accessible and cost-effective manner is therefore becoming
exchange platforms have to be developed and supported increasingly important.
to facilitate and expedite data accessibility and analysis and The decommissioning of offshore infrastructure is another
significant challenge facing the marine energy industry, with over
400 installations in Europe and more than 50 000 km of pipeline
in the North-East Atlantic, the scale of the operation is huge.
A strict legal framework of national, regional and international
regulations governs how disused offshore facilities are
decommissioned. Presently, and in the coming years and decades,
a number of offshore installations will be decommissioned, not
only presenting a number of economic issues (Oil & Gas UK
forecasts the total cost of decommissioning for existing and
sanctioned infrastructure to be £28.7 billion from 2012 onwards);
but also a number of significant environmental challenges.
The combination of decommissioning issues, new deepwater
exploration territories (platforms in deeper water may have a
higher risk of an incident, such as a spill), and the new production
techniques, all highlight areas of uncertainty in environmental data
management and assessment. Only a coherent environmental data
platform will enable assessment and analysis to be conducted
Figure 1. Black coral (Leiopathes sp.) and squat lobsters
efficiently and in the most scientifically rigorous manner.
(Gastroptychus formosus) at 816 m water depth.
New techniques for the analysis of both environmental
data and video transect files, for example, enable researchers
to provide new insight into historical data. This is particularly of
NO FLASH RUST
= A CLEAN SURFACE
FPSO TERRA NOVA PHOTO COURTESY OF SUNCOR ENERGY
Summary
The deepsea remains the most intriguing and poorly understood
environment on Earth. This unique new combination of projects
will support future environmental policy and legislation, using
UK case studies with relevance to the global deepwater industry.
The projects are designed to address uncertainties surrounding
the environmental assessment of licensed activity impacts
from exploration through to decommissioning in both shelf
and deepsea environments. They also illustrate the power of
collaborative academic-industry partnerships to tackle otherwise
intractable problems that neither sector can address alone.
1. Note: All captioned images were taken during the JC073 “Changing Oceans
Figure 7. ROV deployment. Expedition 2012”, Heriot-Watt University.
EXHIBITION
SPACE!
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WHAT IS GASTECH?
FLNG Shipyards / Ship Repair LNG Terminals - Liquefaction Natural Gas for Transportation
FSRU LNG & Gas Carrier Ship Building & Regasification NGV Technology
FPSO LNG as a Shipping Fuel Cryogenic Technology Gas as a Marine Fuel
Upstream Technology LNG Bunkering LNG Storage
LNG Shipping / Ship Management
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Pipeline Industry Website
F
ield joint coating materials and systems are selected based on a combination of
performance criteria, but the selected line pipe coating or factory applied coating will
influence the selection of the field joint coating system; it is important that the field joint
coating system is compatible with the line pipe coating.
For example, for three-layer (3LPP) coated line pipes, the field joint coating systems typically
adopted are a three-layer fused tape system, thin layer injection moulded polypropylene (IMPP) or
heat shrink sleeves (HSS). For multi-layer (5LPP) coated line pipes, injection moulded polypropylene
(IMPP) is the field joint coating system typically utilised.
Concrete weight coated pipes often involve the use of infill materials, including solid
polyurethane and open cell polyurethane, to aid movement over the stinger and will also provide
protection from fishing trawler activities.
Due to the increasingly onerous demands on line pipe coating and field joint coating materials,
the quality of application is critical for long-term operating performance.
Typically for deepwater pipelines, the application of the field joint coating systems will
involve abrasive blast cleaning preparation and heating, followed by the application of corrosion
protection and thermal insulation materials.
75
With a drive to improve pipelay efficiencies, installation The project involved 32 in. dia., heavy wall lines pipes. The line
cycle times are becoming more and more important to pipelay pipe coating used was three-layer polypropylene (3LPP).
methodology and the ‘firing line’ set-up, with an increasing Construction of the pipeline involved fabrication of ‘quad’
demand for the use of automation in the installation of field joint joints at a strategic location, which included welding, inspection
coating systems and materials. and installation of the field joint coating system.
PIH’s automated equipment and processes have been refined The field joint coating specification involved surface
over many years to achieve the highest available quality for preparation, induction pre-heat and application of fusion bonded
the application of field joint coating materials, while delivering epoxy (FBE) and co-polymer adhesive, followed by the installation
optimal installation cycle times. of an outer polypropylene heat shrink sleeve.
The latest fleet of automated equipment incorporates online PIH was commissioned by the lead contractor to design and
monitoring and data-logging features, ensuring online quality develop bespoke field joint coating equipment that would offer
assurance and accountability. These features provide additional the highest available, repeatable quality for the application of the
verification that the materials have been applied to specification FBE and co-polymer layer, while optimising cycle times.
at each and every welded joint area, and that a record is made of All the field joint coating installation activities were on a
the key parameters of each application. critical path, or firing line, involving a series of stations for each
Pipelines on the sea bed, deep below the surface, can operate activity. Automation was the key to maintaining continuous
for many years with data available to the pipeline operator, production for the completion of the quad joints.
offering increased assurance that the field joint coating materials PIH’s research and development team produced 3D models
have been applied to all joint areas at the highest available quality. and computer graphics to develop the concept and requirements
for each station in the firing line. Using the latest computer
Offshore coatings project software, fully automated cleaning, closed cycle blasting, pre-heat
In 2014, PIH was awarded a package for field joint coating services and powder application equipment and processes were designed
for a major offshore pipeline project to be laid in deep waters. and developed in-house. All the equipment was manufactured at
the PIH head office in Burnley, UK, meeting the project schedule
requirements for production start-up.
The first station involved the use of automated water
jet cleaning units (HYDRA) for the removal of salts within the
substrate. The units fully encase the welded joint area, allowing
the cleaning process to be contained within the HYDRA machine.
Excess moisture is then removed by induction heaters.
The quad joints then feed into the blast preparation station.
PIH developed fully automated blast units (SABRE). The blast
media is completely contained within the blast unit and pre-
programmable equipment performs repeatable cycles of blast
preparation to each and every joint area, in a highly efficient
process.
The line pipe coating ends are then prepared, incorporating a
chamfer of 15 - 30˚ and finishing off the FBE toe.
The quad joints then feed into the next station, which
Figure 1. The Solaris preheater is used to prepare the parent combines pre-heat and application of the fusion bonded epoxy
material for bonding with the IMPP coating. layer in one station. Traditional methods for the application
of FBE involve separate items of equipment for induction pre-
heat (230˚C) of the steel substrate and application of the fusion
bonded epoxy powder layer. The combined ‘heat and coat’
equipment offers improved cycle times.
Due to the heavy wall thickness, there was concern on the
cycle time required to reach the specified pre-heat temperature
and an additional risk of heat loss during the FBE and co-polymer
application process.
The equipment incorporates innovative components for the
application of the fusion bonded epoxy powder coating (FBE) to
tight tolerances. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were used
to simulate powder deposition and distribution, which formed the
key requirements of the design. The powder nozzles were later
developed and manufactured by use of 3D printing technology.
The quad joints then move to the heat shrink sleeve
installation station, where automated equipment supplied by the
Figure 2. The coating crew applies FBE coating to the weld.
manufacturer applies the HSS.
©2014
PIH designed and manufactured low pressure water quenching that involved the use of specialist pipe coating materials, designed
units with inline air flow to cool the HSS to allow for the quads to to provide long-term corrosion protection and thermal insulation
move quickly over the rollers to the next station. properties.
The final station in the firing line is holiday detection testing. The spools were fabricated at a strategically located, onshore
The quad joints feed through a fixed holiday detection station – a fabrication yard where the field joint coating systems were also
fully automated unit designed and manufactured by PIH – and the applied.
parameters are recorded. Online alarms detect any imperfections. The field joint coating works involved blast preparation and
The automated field joint coating equipment ensures pre-heat, followed by application of FBE and co-polymer layers.
continuous production for the installation of the field joint An outer thermal insulation layer was applied using state-of-
coating system while offering repeatable quality for the the-art injection moulded polypropylene (IMPP) techniques and
application of the system to each and every welded joint area, processes.
critical to the long-term integrity of deepwater, offshore pipelines. PIH designed and manufactured bespoke IMPP installation
The new spread of automated field joint coating equipment equipment for the application of the outer thermal insulation
is also used at ‘spool base’ locations involving 24 hour, high layer to the spools.
production operations. All the specialist equipment and materials were mobilised to
the fabrication yard where PIH technicians carried out the field
Offshore Asia Pacific joint coating works.
Many other deepwater pipeline projects that are in development, The services involved the use of closed cycle blast equipment,
or have recently been commissioned, involve the use of specialist induction pre-heat, FBE and co-polymer equipment. Prior to
field joint coating materials. application of the thermal insulation layer,
The Asia Pacific has seen the development of major offshore multi-layer factory coating must be suitably prepared for the
gas fields involving the laying of strategic pipelines in deep waters. optimal fusion of the polypropylene thermal insulation field joint
PIH recently completed the field joint installation works as coating system.
part of the SURF package for a major deepwater pipeline project PIH also deployed its SOLARIS equipment, which is a fully
automated heating unit. The SOLARIS machine accurately heats
the chamfer of the factory applied coating, allowing for optimal
fusion of the injection moulded polypropylene (IMPP) layer.
Due to the complexity of the fabrication works, the IMPP
machine needed to be highly mobile in order to complete the
installation of thermal insulation layer to the welded joints
in areas of restricted access, at varying heights and varying
orientations. The IMPP equipment therefore incorporated
detachable moulds and accumulator barrels.
Conclusion
New, innovative materials are being developed by leading material
manufacturers to meet the onerous operating conditions for
deepwater subsea pipelines.
Installation of the materials will also require the use of
advanced technology, incorporating automation, and PIH
Figure 3. The coating crew first utilises induction heating to
prep the joint for coating.
continues to play a key role in developing equipment and
ns
x p e c t a t io
L if t y o u r e
h e best !
i t h t
Work w
www.elite-lifting.com
Schoenbeck GmbH & Co. KG • Germany
www.schoenbeck-maschinen.de • info@schoenbeck-maschinen.de
p l a n t a n d m a c h i n e t e c h n i q u e s Tel. +49 5721 99 44 39-26 • Fax +49 5721 99 44 39-23
IPLOCA’s mission is to provide value to members through a forum for sharing ideas,
engaging the industry and its stakeholders, facilitating business opportunities and
promoting the highest standards in the pipeline industry.
• Unique Business Networking • Construction Innovation & Awards
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Conference
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Estrel, Berlin, Germany
Push up your
SLEEVES
O
ver the years, the oil and gas pipeline industry
has become more demanding. By introducing
new technologies, pipelines are now expected to
last for a period of 50 years or longer. Whilst the
pipeline and coating system is manufactured under ideal
conditions in the factory, the joined sections are protected
in the field. Despite this, we expect these joint protections
to last for the same period of time. Given the fact
The treatment of pipeline that the application of the protective systems to
sleeve materials during the field joint area is exposed to environmental
installation is essential influences, one can imagine the challenge to
ensure a perfect application time of every joint
to overall performance. where 100% repeatability is required.
Ing. Sander Hofstee and Neil Knowing these great expectations, we need
Gill, Seal for Life Industries, to ask ourselves if we pay enough respect to the
treatment of the heat shrinkable sleeve materials
the Netherlands, present a during the installation process. The treatment of
time-efficient tool that enables these materials during installation is critical to
maximum installation comfort. ensuring the required long lasting performance
and the materials should not be negatively
affected or rely on installation by open flame.
In addition, the newly introduced infra-red radiation does
not always do only good to the HSS materials. Since the
industry is insisting on the shortest installation times
81
An effective tool
For the optimal
performance and shortest
installation time of the
Seal for Life heat shrink
sleeve systems, the
company developed a
system that respects
the characteristics of
the sleeve materials
and allows maximum
installation comfort and
performance. Seal for
Life developed the very
first intelligent assistant
tool in heat shrink sleeve
installation, the KELVIN.
The KELVIN offers
optimal and guaranteed
Figure 2. Compact and lightweight versions. Complete HSS installation without the need for any open installation comfort and
flame treatment throughout the process.
performance by ‘reading’
the characteristics of the
sleeve materials that are
applied. The KELVIN also creates an optimal HSE situation.
The need of applying the closure patch by open flame prior
to the operation is no longer needed. The installation of
the closure patch is done in the same process.
The build in sensor technology recognises the softening
point of the adhesive layer as well as the duration of the
liquid stage the adhesive is kept in, the so called bonding
phase, and thus manual inspection of the temperature
during installation is not needed. By keeping pressure onto
the sleeve body during the total installation, it furthermore
ensures the liquid mastic/hotmelt is forced to flow into all
irregularities of the substrate it is in contact with.
By using the KELVIN for installation of the heat shrink
Figure 3. Excellent heat transfer ensures an optimal heat bath
of the adhesive. sleeves, heat is transferred directly from the heat source,
which is in direct contact with the sleeve material, onto
and through the backing to reach the mastic/hotmelt.
possible, manufacturers are challenged to introduce This direct way of heating makes sure that no weathering
materials and equipment to make this possible. The elements, such as wind, rain or moist, can affect the
downside of this development is the exposure of the heat process. The heat and pressure create a heat bath of the
shrink materials to high temperature impact in extremely mastic/hotmelt that can be called the ‘au bain marie’
short periods, making the materials shrink. way of heating. It creates the most homogenous heating
Although many focus on reducing shrinking times, it of the mastic/hotmelt in which the heat is transferred
is certainly not the feature to focus on when it comes onto the (primed) body of the pipeline avoiding the often
to long-term performance. Seal for Life Industries’ duty dramatic quenching effect. Moreover, the KELVIN and its
is to support the industry with innovative ideas in line build in sensor technology make sure that overheating of
with clients expectations and demands, placing focus on the sleeve materials does not occur. With the introduction
respecting the characteristics of the backing materials of the KELVIN, Seal for Life brings the first intelligent and
and at the same time the inflow of the mastic/hotmelt automated system to the market that allows guaranteed
adhesive. This ensures a full wetting of the substrate and and uniform installation around a solid body of all heat
creates optimal bond. To ensure such inflow, we need to shrinkable polyolefin sleeves from the Seal for Life range.
respect the softening temperature of the mastic/hotmelt From an environmental point of view, the KELVIN avoids
and the time needed for it for completely wetting the the need of extreme energy input as there is no need to
substrate, respectively the bond temperature and bonding recover losses during the installation process. Other than
time. in open flame or IR, ways of shrinking the loss of energy is
Revolutionary Subsea
Pipeline Rehabilitation System
An IFL™ liner is a flexible Kevlar reinforced liner that can be installed
in lengths of up to 5 kilometers in a single pulling operation.
The usage of high specification materials within its construction
provide the IFL™ system with a high resistance to a wide range of
hydrocarbon media at elevated temperatures of up to 110 ˚C, and
exceptional host pipe matching pressure retaining capability within
its tight fit operating criteria.
State of the art registration )) Maximum power to weight ratio – weight of 16 in. unit
The PLC driven KELVIN has a pre-programmed set of is only 15 kg.
parameters corresponding with the specific sleeve types
)) Maximum technology to cost ratio.
offered within the range of Seal for Life. By selecting
the right sleeve type that is installed, automatically the )) No specific need for cranes.
minimum bond temperature and bonding time are selected.
Every KELVIN is equipped with a decent set of sensors, )) Multiple units can operate at same time, dramatically
embedded at several locations along the heat source, reducing the turnaround time.
which allows it to register the temperature output and )) Avoids sleeve damage by overheating.
input to the sleeve materials without human intervention.
This ensures an accurate heating process in which the )) Avoids installation mistakes.
different parts of the KELVIN adjust themselves individually
to create the homogenous heating and shrinking. )) Full mobile units.
Furthermore, it registers precisely the whole process, )) No HSE issues.
making it possible for operators and clients to check
on the installation. Different types of the PLC units are )) Direct contact between sleeve and KELVIN prevents
available on the KELVIN, of which the most sophisticated weather conditions influencing the process.
version allows full remotely programming and reading.
)) Allows a variety of shrinkable sleeves to be used, from
The contractor or client can login from his desktop to
soft mastic-based shrink sleeves to hard, hot melt shrink
sleeves provided with a stiff and hard backing material
(e.g. HDPE).
)) Extremely lightweight.
Figure 5. Heat is provided from the outside and is reflected
from the pipebody resulting the adhesive to create an ‘au bain )) Lowest energy consumption.
marie’ heat bath.
)) Fast and safe total installation process.
Working at new
FRONTIERS
S
hawCor has established a new solutions-based
model to managing complex projects. This approach
combines its existing products and capabilities to
provide a comprehensive solution to address every
stage of the project. From concept to commissioning, this
solutions-based approach will ensure coating integrity of
the line pipe, the field joints and the interfaces between the
two. ShawCor performs every step of the process – from
engineering the advanced coatings, to designing and validating
the solution, to line pipe coating application and field joint
installation. The approach also capitalises on ShawCor’s
knowledge, experience and capability in the areas of logistics,
mobilisation, multiple-pipe sourcing and management of
in-country content. ShawCor also offers girth weld inspection
solution for onshore and offshore projects through Shaw
Pipeline Services and Desert NDT. This new model provides
customers with schedule assurance, performance assurance
Figure 1. Simulated service vessel for
and project management assurance under a single umbrella. testing thermal insulation coating.
85
Customers have one reliable source, one point of accountability 300 local Azeris staff, Bredero Shaw is responsible for upgrading
and one company providing support all the way. to the Caspian Pipe Coating facility, and will also be responsible
Utilising this model, ShawCor is supporting many major for operations during the coating process.
projects through its coating division Bredero Shaw.
New solutions
Inpex Ichthys As oil and gas operators explore new frontiers, these new
Bredero Shaw was awarded separate contracts for both the fields often require the development of new solutions and
gas export pipeline and the flowlines and tie-in spools for re-engineering of existing products. With ongoing innovation
the Inpex Ichthys LNG Project in Australia. In addition to over through research and development, ShawCor is bringing new
1000 km of linepipe, with four different coating requirements, products to market, improving equipment and processes, and
the scope of work for this project included significant logistics establishing advanced testing capabilities.
and pipe storage and preservation requirements. The steel
pipe for the gas export pipeline was sourced from three Thermotite® Ultra™
mills in Germany and Japan, and the coated pipe had to be Bredero Shaw’s new Thermotite® Ultra™ is an innovative subsea
preserved and stored at the coating facilities until it was insulation system comprised of a specialty-engineered blend
loaded-out for direct delivery to the pipelay vessel. of polymers with unique mechanical and thermal properties.
Bredero Shaw was able to provide the necessary logistics This new system does not utilise glass microspheres, thereby
and storage solutions and utilised the company’s upgraded enabling unlimited depth installation and reducing the risk of
Kabil port facilities, located near its Indonesian plant. This compromised thermal performance due to glass breakage or
site provides access to three deepwater berths, two of which degradation during service. The system is rated for operating
include priority availability for Bredero Shaw for load-in and temperatures up to 120˚C.
load-out.
IntelliCOAT™
Shah Deniz 2 Demonstrating its continued commitment to product and
Bredero Shaw was contracted by BP for the Shah Deniz Phase process development, ShawCor has made strategic investments
2 development and the SCPX export pipeline. Shah Deniz and to introduce new technologies and automation that deliver
SCPX are part of the Southern Gas Corridor, which is one of step-change improvements to the pipeline industry. With
the most complex gas value chains ever developed, which IntelliCOAT™, ShawCor has developed the first fully automated
will export gas from the Caspian region to European market. system to control the application of heat-shrinkable sleeves.
Bredero Shaw’s scope of work includes the SCPX export IntelliCOAT allows the finished pipeline asset to benefit
pipeline, Shah Deniz 2 Flowlines, and the Shah Deniz 2 Export from a seamless anti-corrosion system with factory grade
Lines. The project includes 1125 km of linepipe requiring four quality throughout the entire length of the pipeline without
different coating systems. The coatings will be applied at compromising at the field joints. Each heat-shrinkable sleeve
its facilities in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, and Orkanger, Norway. is applied by the system in an identical manner – with heating
Additionally, a significant portion of the work will be performed intensity, time, and sequence all tightly monitored and
in-country in Azerbaijan. controlled to produce best-in-class quality, while at the same
Bredero Shaw’s approach provides BP with a seamless global time providing measureable gains in productivity and operator
solution. This involved the establishment of operations and safety.
complex agreements with multiple parties in several countries,
including the formation of an alliance with SOCAR, the national Advanced testing capabilities – SSV
oil and gas company of Azerbaijan. Working with more than ShawCor has constructed its own simulated service vessel
(SSV) at its research and development facilities in Toronto,
Canada. The SSV simulates the service conditions experienced
by insulated subsea systems by applying pressure to water
surrounding these systems, while controlling the temperature
inside the pipe. By measuring the heat flow, thermal
conductivity and compressive creep of the insulating material,
both the thermal efficiency and depth rating capabilities of the
insulation can be confirmed, and the design of the system can
be verified. Additionally, having its own testing facilities has
proven to be a benefit in managing project schedules, allowing
ShawCor to confirm thermal insulation designs for its customers
in a timely manner prior to production.
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capability of capturing the necessary data over the life of the flowline. This solution will allow for the continuous monitoring
pipeline. of pipeline and riser conditions. This prototype includes a belt
This tracking solution captures and stores component that is integrated into the wet insulation of a pipeline, with
quality information on each individual pipe. The individual sensors that measure data such as pipe wall thickness, pressure,
pipes are stencilled with a unique barcode making it possible temperature, vibration, tension, movement, corrosion and
to provide asset traceability for each pipe during each stage in fatigue. This continuous collection and interpretation of data
the pipeline construction process. The information is stored in supports instant and fact-based decision-making. The future of
the cloud for data interpretation, security and query to support this technology will allow operators to optimise their capital
real-time access and long-term asset management. spending using real time data.
ShawCor began implementation of this system during Q3
of 2013. VintriPlant is now installed in all of Bredero Shaw’s Onshore monitoring – Zedi
US plants, and rollout has begun for installation in all of its Similarly, ShawCor has invested in Zedi, a Calgary based
Canadian plants, and plans are in place to rollout the system company that has developed and deployed solutions for
worldwide. remote field monitoring and related data management to
optimise oil and gas well production. Building on this concept,
Looking forward ShawCor and Zedi have entered into a joint development
ShawCor sees the opportunity to build on this solutions-based agreement in order to develop monitoring and connectivity
concept to provide more robust solutions for its customers. solutions for pipeline and OCTG applications.
With the initiation of PipeCert, and the incorporation of Vintri The aim of this initiative is to utilise sensors installed in
solutions for data collection, ShawCor sees the significance the field joint to measure and monitor pipeline performance
of providing pipeline data to its customers – not just in while in service. Parameters will include stress (axial and
the pipeline operation phase, but beyond into the pipeline hoop), temperature (pipeline and ambient), vibration and wall
management phase. To this end, ShawCor has invested in new thickness. Data will be consolidated at designated locations
technologies to provide active pipeline monitoring for both along the pipeline and relayed to a data centre using remote
onshore and offshore pipelines. communication technology equipment adapted from Zedi’s oil
and gas equipment management solutions.
Offshore monitoring As offshore oil and gas production requires the
ShawCor is investing through a joint Norwegian industry implementation of sophisticated technologies, ShawCor
consortium to develop real time data collection on a subsea is taking a leading role. The company has demonstrated
its capacity to provide unique solutions to address the
most demanding and complex projects such as Inpex
Ichthys and Shah Deniz 2. Working with a world class team
with unmatched knowledge and experience, ShawCor is
developing new products, revolutionising existing products,
and acquiring and investing in companies with products and
services that promote its efforts to provide customers with
unrivalled solutions.
ShawCor Ltd. is a growth-oriented, global energy services
company operating worldwide through nine divisions. Among
these divisions, Bredero Shaw, Socotherm and Canusa-CPS
provide linepipe and field joint coating for onshore and
offshore oil, gas and water pipelines.
Through its various divisions, ShawCor has become
one of the most trusted names in pipeline solutions. With
decades of global experience across a spectrum of onshore
and offshore projects, from its unmatched knowledge base
and experience of linepipe and field joint coating, logistics,
weld inspection and data capture, ShawCor is adapting to
the changing needs of the oil and gas industry, especially for
offshore and deepwater developments. ShawCor aspires to
leverage its full capabilities in order to offer customers with
complete pipeline solutions. To achieve this, ShawCor is
combining the products, services and considerable experience
of its operating businesses to develop new solutions, and
continually looking to acquire new capabilities to better
service its customers.
This is the future ShawCor envisions. Going beyond
Figure 6. Socotherm – insulation coating solution.
products to provide intelligent solutions for its customers.
&
science
P
ipeline construction can
move at a fast pace with
crews and equipment
advancing along the
Joe Hockberger and Mark
Wertzberger, Michels Corporation,
USA, present essential factors that
right-of-way in a strategically play into a contractor’s ability to
co-ordinated dance.
If not properly mitigated,
successfully perform dewatering
a high groundwater table can operations along pipeline spreads.
either halt or stall construction,
or compromise safety and quality.
However, experienced and properly equipped dewatering experts can identify solutions and lower
groundwater levels in a variety of soil conditions.
In the past 50 years, there has been an emergence of contractors that specialise in construction
dewatering. Mi-Con, a division of Michels Corporation, might be a relatively new addition to the field,
but its leadership team has some of the most significant experience in the industry when it comes to
providing customers with safe, efficient and economical solutions to dewatering issues. Additionally,
Michels has been using dewatering techniques while constructing pipeline spreads throughout its
history.
91
Dewatering can account for a large percentage of the work not only what subsurface conditions are present, but whether
during peak periods. Pipeline dewatering projects can be among those conditions are right for dewatering. In general, granular
the most challenging for many reasons, including situations where soils that allow water to move through it must be present for
issues must be addressed in short order. Changing soil conditions, dewatering systems to be effective. Next, the contractor should
harsh weather occurrences, environmental restrictions, seasonal be knowledgeable and experienced with a variety of dewatering
fluctuations in groundwater and river levels, labour jurisdictions, methods and associated equipment. Dewatering is a mixture
and local laws and ordinances can become unanticipated of art and science; its most skilled practitioners have years of
obstacles. field experience which are essential for the most efficient and
economical diagnosis and treatment of groundwater issues.
Essential factors
While there are common elements to all dewatering strategies, Flexibility
pipeline dewatering is unique and customers can benefit from No two pipeline construction projects are exactly alike, and
finding contractors with specific skills and equipment necessary neither are any two dewatering projects. An effective contractor
to turn a project into a success instead of a failure. Many factors should be able to visit a potential project, assess the conditions,
play into a contractor’s ability to successfully perform dewatering and determine which method will be most effective. In some
operations along pipeline spreads. Among them are: cases, alternate methods will also be developed to ensure
equipment will be available should groundwater not flow as
Experience expected.
Subsurface conditions can change constantly across many miles The systems most commonly used on pipeline dewatering
and spreads on a pipeline project. A contractor must understand projects are wellpoints, deep wells and sock pipes.
)) Wellpoints. A wellpoint system consists of a series of small
diameter pipes (wellpoints) with a screened section on one
end that are installed vertically into the ground either by
auger drilling or high pressure water jetting. The wellpoint
is attached to a collection piping manifold (header) that has
been placed under suction by an attached vacuum-assisted
pumping unit. The suction draws water from the ground,
and the pump discharges a combination of air and water.
Wellpoints are best suited for shallow aquifers where water
levels need to be lowered no more than 20 ft below the
pump suction, allowing for pipe placement in a workably dry
condition.
Responsiveness
Successful pipeline construction dewatering requires a nimble
and responsive contractor. Extended timelines are not luxuries
often afforded on dewatering jobs; in fact, it is not unusual for
a problem to be detected within weeks, days or even sooner
than when it needs to be addressed and resolved. Look for a
contractor who can quickly get an experienced person on site
Figure 1. A Mi-Con crew works to lower groundwater to create to review the situation, make a recommendation, estimate the
a safe work environment on a pipeline spread in Illinois. work, and mobilise an appropriately equipped crew. Delays caused
Extreme
for jack and bore operations because
the excavations are deeper and last
for longer periods of time. Well
systems are more expensive than
wellpoint and sock pipe systems, and
Wireless
often only necessary for excavations
that are deeper than 20 ft or when
a larger volume of water must be
moved than can be handled by a
wellpoint or sock pipe system.
History
As long as pipelines have been When oil and gas flow in extreme
installed, dewatering has been part
of it. In its infancy, dewatering environments, so does critical data.
generally consisted of using an
excavator bucket to bale water ProSoft Technology’s Fast Industrial
from an excavation. The process Hotspots are built to withstand the
was as dangerous as it was costly
extremes of wellheads in the desert,
and inefficient. When groundwater
recharged quicker than it could be and offshore rigs in the Arctic.
removed, slopes caved, putting into
peril the workers in the trench. • Fast 802.11n / MIMO speeds to 300 Mbps
Next, contractors used pumps • C1D2 and ATEX Zone 2 rated
to remove water and sumps to filter
sand from it. The result was a more • -40 to +75 C operating temperature
stable trench, but the method was • Extreme shock/vibration rated
lacked the efficiency needed to meet
production demands. • Secure Digital configuration storage for quick field replacement
Wellpoints emerged as the most
prominent in a line of more efficient
pumping methods, followed by deep
wells and sock pipes. The industry For more information,
continues to rely on tried and true visit psft.com/A2E
methods while pursuing new ways
to even more efficiently address Where Automation Connects
dewatering needs.
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INSPECTION TECHNOLOGY
M
illions of kilometres of major oil and gas pipelines around the world transport
environmentally sensitive hydrocarbon products from the wellheads to
commercial and residential end-users. As the network of metal pipelines ages,
and with many now functioning well beyond their initial operational life, the
challenge for the industry is to ensure this vast pipeline network maintains the highest
level of pipe integrity and public safety.
95
Inline inspection tools have been improved over the years constructed with ILI inspection in mind and are therefore
to manage the rigorous inspection and maintenance schedule an enormous financial and technical challenge for pipeline
and to increase the accuracy of the inspection data. With operators. Some industries where these unpiggable pipelines
today’s intelligent ILI tools, higher resolution inspection data are located in are:
can collect tens of thousands of anomalies. Today, more )) Upstream (exploration and production) pipelines.
focus is on unpiggable pipelines and effective ILI technology
to perform integrity assessments. These pipelines were not )) Nuclear power pipes and pipelines.
)) Transmission lines.
)) Multidiameter pipelines.
)) Unbarred tees.
)) Mitre bends.
)) Y-connections.
Figure 1. Flat-pack bundle launched from rail track routed around curve to avoid plant.
99
the risk of disruption to the schedule
may be lower than for a green-field site
where there is no existing development or
experience. However, this should not be
assumed as environmental constraints and
safety implications have become more
stringent than they use to be, especially
if the original pipeline construction took
place decades earlier.
Working with environmental agencies,
the local planning authority and third
party organisations, explaining how the
pipeline or pipelines will be installed
at the landfall and how the connection
will be made within the terminal or to
the onshore pipeline should help to
alleviate concerns and establish a forum
whereby the benefits of the project can
be explained. For example, there may be
potential for local employment over the
short and longer term. These arguments
Figure 2. Pipeline bundle reaches the sea. are not new and the process discussed is
commonplace for many projects. But in
some cases, the landfall issues may not
be addressed until much later in the project when, unless
the fundamental principles for the landfall have already
been thoroughly established, it may be too late to develop
the optimum construction method and this could result in
major delays and cost increases.
Some landfall methods lend themselves to
disconnecting the landfall scope from the offshore
pipelay scope. If the landfall pipeline or pipelines can be
constructed onshore – and pulled offshore, an opportunity
can be created to allow the landfall to be completed
ahead or independently from the main marine scope. In
cases where there is a potential for the landfall pipeline
or pipelines to be constructed onshore for installation by
Figure 3. 74 m long pipe string being lowered onto transport
pulling (or pushing) there can be particular advantages for
bogies in cofferdam at tunnel entrance.
projects involving:
)) Multiple pipelines, e.g. flat-pack bundles.
type of support. The company is regularly commissioned
to carry out landfall and other studies and recent clients )) Tunnelled landfall sections.
include E.ON E&P UK, Genesis Oil & Gas Consultants,
)) HDD and other trenchless landfalls.
Centrica, Statoil, BP Iraq and Worley Parsons Ltd.
The installation of a flat-pack bundle of pipes can
Selecting a landfall solution provide an extremely elegant and efficient landfall
The early involvement of a specialist landfall contractor solution. One example that highlights the many benefits
can add great value to a project by identifying scenarios of using a flat-pack design is the Camisea project in
which, after conducting risk assessments, will allow Peru, where four pipelines and an umbilical cable were
recommendations to be made such that the most constructed onshore and launched as a bundle into a
suitable landfall solution can be agreed with the various single trench. To assemble the 3 km long, 5000 t bundle
authorities. It cannot be overstressed that this can take a in a continuous length, it was necessary to fabricate the
significant amount of time – particularly for new landfall pipelines on land available inshore of a liquefaction plant
locations. Where pipelines have previously been installed and a temporary rail track was therefore constructed
at a gas terminal or tanker offloading facility, there is more through a curve to align with the dredged trench as shown
likely to be a good understanding and awareness of the in the photograph below. As the bundle entered the
process and acceptance by the local community, planning water, the pipelines were progressively transferred from
authorities and the various third parties. In these cases rail bogies onto conveyor rollers and into the dredged
Dealing with
MOTHER NATURE
M
idwestern Contractors was formed in the
Chicago area after World War II, installing
piping systems for the oil and natural gas
industry. Today, the company focuses on
pipeline construction, station construction and system
maintenance around the Midwest. The company has also
worked from the Appalachians to the foothills of the
Rockies, from the Canadian border to Oklahoma.
Recently, the company completed a river crossing
project that is a small piece of a larger pipeline integrity
105
project on a major gas transmission system that wraps as a crane and material handler as well for building the
around the Chicago area. River crossings are complex – dam that allowed them to work.
workers not only had to deal with Mother Nature, but
this particular crossing took place immediately next to Putting the pieces together
an active roadway. Given the limitations of onsite space, The river crossing project consists of many different
the company counted on its excavator (the CX350C from segments of work over a 1.8 mile span, including
CASE) to serve not only as its primary trenching tool, but hydrotests; excavation and piping modifications; launchers
and receivers being installed;
and brand new piping to be
placed underneath the river.
Midwestern Contractors
was responsible for
expanding the existing line
from a 16 in. pipe to a 24 in.
pipe. This would enable a
smart pig to run through
the system to monitor the
integrity of the line.
The work was done
in two phases. First, the
west side of the river was
dammed, dewatered and
excavated – and the new
24 in. pipe was put into
place. Then the east side
was dammed, dewatered and
excavated, with the second
section of pipe put into
place and tied into the pipe.
The excavation completed
in the riverbed measured
approximately 200 ft long,
15 ft wide and 8 ft deep.
The project did not come
without challenges. River
crossings can be difficult
for a number of reasons; for
example, the crews have to
control the surface water
and battle the elements.
“Mother Nature has
been our nemesis on this
project since this river reacts
rather quickly to the runoff
because there’s so much
suburbanised area,” says Mike
Purpura, Director of Business
Development for Midwestern
Contractors. “The runoff
isn’t absorbed by anything.
There’s no vegetation to slow
it down, so when it rains, the
river is either up or it’s down,
and that’s been a problem.”
The CX350C (80 000 lb,
266 HP) operated by
Figure 2. Midwestern Contractors was responsible for expanding the existing line from a 16 in. Midwestern Contractors
pipe to a 24 in. pipe. served a number of purposes
around pipelines,” he says. Our Clam Coil systems have been designed in conjunction with some of the world’s leading pipe laying
The CX350C features a fine-tuned engine organisations, resulting in significant time reductions in pre / post heat treating processes, providing
“I’d say what characterises this type of • Quad & Double-joint rack technology
work is its surgical, and we need a machine • “J-lay” Heat & Coat Units Inductotherm Heating & Welding Ltd
that can respond with that type of surgical • “S-lay” Heat & Coat Solutions
Tel: +44 (0) 1256 335533
precision when actually digging,” adds • HSS Shrink Sleeve Application info@inductothermhw.co.uk
Purpura. • Line Pipe Heat & Coat Systems www.inductothermhw.com
The hydraulics of the machine was
another key consideration for Midwestern
“It makes the machine much safer to operate when around “Conditions vary from muddy to very cramped close
individuals, and it’s a benefit for the operator running the quarters, and it allows you to see what’s behind you, how
machine and the machine itself.” close you are in tight conditions. In muddy conditions,
The machine also features different power modes to if someone were to slip or fall within your viewing area,
give operators the ideal mix of machine power and fuel you could see that,” Collins says. “It’s a nice asset to
efficiency for each application – speed priority (SP), heavy have.”
duty (H) and automatic (A). With ISO-compliant mirrors and a roof skylight, the
“Even when you have it on the high end and use all the CX350C excavator offers excellent visibility. It also comes
power, it still performs smoothly. It functions and performs standard with a rear camera, which aids in the operator’s
great. You don’t have to worry about it being jerky,” Collins says. view to the back of the machine.
“I wish we had it on all our machines because… the
Safety first more eyes looking around, the better,” Purpura says. “We
With the tight, confined working environment of the appreciate any safety advantages we can gain with the CASE
riverbank, the excavator’s visibility was a key consideration equipment, and the fact that they’ve added the rear camera
for the company. It provides a tremendous safety advantage view is terrific. Great thinking.
to the workers onsite, who must manoeuvre around power “I think it fits right in. It performs well in all aspects. It’s
lines and other obstacles. a very good machine.”
SCADA
system
P
ipeline SCADA systems are at the heart of the pipeline
operations management environment. Essentially,
they consist of a core SCADA platform supplemented
with specific gas and liquid applications that enable
a pipeline operator to manage the delivery contracts and
associated logistics in the most time and energy efficient
manner. The core SCADA platform covers functions like
monitoring, alarming, trending and reporting, whereas the
pipeline specific applications handle functions such as metering,
batch scheduling and tracking, leak detection and energy
management. As such, a pipeline SCADA system is an essential
element that can significantly increase profitability, provided it
is well implemented.
However, many pipeline SCADA systems that are in
use today have been tailored to suit a specific set of
circumstances. They lack both a standard system foundation
for supporting pluggable application modules and a core
design that ensures interoperability with enterprise IT
environments and policies. The maintenance and upgrade
of tailor-made applications, and their often complex system
architectures to protect them from breaches and security
110
The maintenance
and upgrade of
tailor-made SCADA systems
pose increasing challenges for
pipeline operators. Eduard van
Loenen, Yokogawa Electric
Corporation, the Netherlands,
provides a vision on how to tackle
such issues and address the
sustainability challenges faced.
111
Although applications
should best serve the core
business of a pipeline operator
and offer sufficient agility to
adjust to changing pipeline
logistics, one should not
neglect the importance of
standardisation in connectivity
and functional modules. In
other words, to protect the
investment made in those
sophisticated applications over
the course of multiple system
upgrades, it is of paramount
importance to ensure that
they are built on a system
platform that is independent
of the underlying operating
system and are transportable
across new and existing IT
architectures.
Nowadays, fewer systems
exist in isolation; this is
because they have to meet
Figure 1. Enterprise operations platform. increasing demands for
operational efficiency and
regulatory compliance that
compromises, poses increasing challenges for pipeline require them to connect to and comply with an IT driven
operators. This article provides a vision on how to tackle such ecosystem and associated third-party (business) applications. As
issues and address the challenges faced in improving a system a result, systems maintenance will often be brought under the
to achieve a more sustainable solution. responsibility of the IT department, which will enforce the use
Pipeline operators are increasingly struggling to keep pace of appropriate IT standards with respect to security, interfaces
with changes in regulatory and IT policies and to maintain and system architecture.
and upgrade their pipeline SCADA systems in a cost-effective For IT departments to maintain these systems, it is
way. Failure in this endeavour risks exposing their systems important that they adhere to a standard, IT friendly
to newly emerging (cyber) security and safety risks, and architecture, ensuring smooth operating system updates and
often also leads to unexpected problems when upgrading the fast installation of security patches without compromising
or installing security patches for tailored applications. safety or 24/7 operation.
Unless a solid plan is put in place to migrate to a standard
system foundation and application architecture, the ‘cost of Evolving into an IT-friendly enterprise
ownership’ may eventually become uncontrollable and, in the operations platform
worst case scenario, an upgrade may end up as costly as a What can a pipeline operator do when faced with the situation
tear-out and replacement of the entire system. described above? Is there any future for an existing system
The major issues that make it difficult and costly to keep where everything is rigidly in place? Should a more sustainable,
these systems continuously up to date can be generally extensible and maintainable architecture be considered?
categorised as follows: Although the resolution will be very specific to each individual
situation, in many cases a costly system migration turns out to
)) Applications have been tailored too much to a specific job. be the only remaining option. To prevent early than expected
)) Hardware and software have different lifecycle timelines. system obsolescence, an operator should choose a design that
can easily adapt to a constantly changing IT environment. The
)) The absence of standard templates and functions that can fact that many pipelines are equipped with highly tailored
be easily modified and tuned to specific needs without SCADA systems and loosely coupled third-party applications
having to call upon application experts. and use multiple underlying proprietary databases does not
make this task any easier. Such complicated systems often
)) Lack of a solid, upgradable system platform based on open
require software engineers to add and/or modify source code
IT standards.
to effect the necessary changes.
)) Increase in size and complexity of the system due to the To take on these challenges and move from a monolithic
merging of projects and having to meet new requirements. solution based on tailored applications to a sustainable solution
Offshore
directives. The supporting framework
should be logical and highly
transparent for both operators and DETECT and RECORD
IT systems management while at the pipeline pig passages with
same time serving their best interests. our popular UL/CSA or
Considering these challenges, ATEX approved CD52
Yokogawa believes that a future- Bandit and CD52-316SS
proof pipeline SCADA system should signalers.
be based on a secure enterprise
operations platform (EOP) that is
designed to meet these requirements
and objectives. In a nutshell, a well
designed EOP provides for the
efficient utilisation of common
pipeline supervisory, monitoring, and
application functions within an ISA-99
based security framework.
Subsea
DEPLOY our CD52-A30/A45
What this implies is that the non-intrusive pig passage
use of a blend of software products detecƟon systems
from different vendors to compose to working depths
a pipeline SCADA system will in of 4,500 meters.
time be hard if not impossible to
maintain. Only a vendor that is
www.pigging.com
(Figure 1). These common
foundation blocks ensure
that the applications and
other pipeline management
functions are consistent in
terms of user experience and
operational philosophy. This
consistency will reduce the
risks of costly mistakes and the
need for additional training.
Yokogawa also believes that the
interoperability of the different
EOP versions and application
modules is much improved.
Security and role based
authorisation can be enhanced
if it is centrally managed
in a consistent manner for
all pipeline SCADA system
functions, applications and
Figure 2. User centric information visualisation across an EOP infrastructure. users. Therefore, all pipeline
SCADA system functions
and applications on an EOP must be adapted to work with
advanced domain controller software.
More detailed insight can now be provided based on this
vision. This will identify the requirements for achieving the
major objectives and show how these can bring strong benefits
to improving the pipeline SCADA system lifecycle while cost
effectively maintaining IT compliance.
Rectifiers
For improved flexibility and scalability, the user environment must be platform
independent. Further, it must have a web-based interface that relies on standards cathodic protection &
such as HTML 5 to facilitate remote deployment and user access, thus ensuring that corrosion control
no local software or configuration updates are required. website.
Supporting efficient and agile information management
Data from sources addressed at the field interface level of the pipeline SCADA
system will be fed to multiple pipeline management and application functions. To
ease the task of managing and sharing such data across the architecture, it will be
57
Instruments
normalised and structured based on a common process information model at the
EOP’s integrated operations layer.
Thanks to improved data consistency, validation and protection, information
essential to the management of pipeline operations is instantly available, ensuring a
timely, safe and prompt response whenever operator intervention is required. Even
with very large scale systems such as those used to manage nationwide pipeline
networks, the EOP supports data acquisition at sufficiently high speeds. Other
Years Fighting Corrosion
benefits of a common process information model include improved maintainability,
quality, efficiency and security (Figure 3). Agility is ensured by keeping data and
information management independent.
Electrodes
8
Once information is properly managed, the next step is to deliver it in a user-
centric context, without the replication of data and displays. Only then will the user
experience align with pipeline operators’ expectations with respect to information
transparency and maintainability.
Test Stations
the ability to easily adapt templates and functions without having to call in the
application experts. Such an intuitive application template and function management sales@farwestcorrosion.com
environment should also be an integral part of the total solution and be seamlessly
incorporated in the EOP.
Conclusion
The requirements for ensuring a sustainable pipeline automation and management
solution and protecting the investment in its critical operational environment
are closely related. This favours an IT-friendly platform that facilitates common
functions for open connectivity; management of process, users and information;
supervision; visualisation; and security. Such an Enterprise operations platform (EOP)
Isolators
should be able to provide the fundamental elements for any industry application,
including pipeline management, to ensure data and information consistency and
security across the formulated solution, in compliance with strict regulatory and IT
directives. This helps to prevent the waste of costly resources, eliminates the need
for (re-) development efforts, and reduces the cost of software/application training
programs.
Yokogawa believes that engagement with a total solution provider that
offers such sustainable solutions based on a secure EOP can eliminate the burden
of costly upgrades, migrations and associated IT issues. By making use of these
Coatings
solutions to address the need for reduced cost of ownership, increased agility and
continuity, pipeline operators can rest easy and maximise the profitability of their
operations.
KEEPING
connected
Glenn Longley, Senior Product Manager
for IO & Software, FreeWave Technologies,
USA, discusses automating pipelines through
enhanced monitoring and control.
T
he concept of pipeline automation (and its
corresponding technologies) is a primary driver
of competitiveness for all types of organisations.
Increasingly, it is critical for energy and utility
companies looking to improve upon their pipeline
monitoring efforts. Energy and utility organisations have
faced countless regulatory compliance issues, especially
due to recurring accidents and events that have made front
page news. Issues in shipping large liquid quantities by rail
have increased focus on the safety of shipping options
and increased the pressure on pipeline operators to ensure
flawless operations. Furthermore, these industries face plenty
of challenges going forward, including reliable and secure
remote monitoring of assets in hazardous locations, 24 hour
production demands and managing high costs in both time
and resources. Traditionally, companies were tasked with
seeking multiple solutions to address these challenges –
ad-hoc communication networks or combinations of networks
– to try to suit production and monitoring applications.
But as wireless communications has grown in popularity,
and the machine to machine (M2M) and industrial internet
of things (IoT) has evolved, industrial markets are adopting
wireless technology more than ever. As a result, IoT and M2M
communications markets have flourished.
116
117
The demand for reliable and economical monitoring intensive monitoring, measurement and process control has
solutions for remote and/or hazardous environments has naturally followed. The presence of explosive gases along
spread across several industrial markets with remotely the pipeline, at tanks or the wellhead, creates additional
located assets, such as oil and gas. Many companies within challenges. While the prevention of costly damages lies
this industry utilise a variety of wireless communication largely in diligent and continuous pipeline monitoring, there
technologies to optimise and automate production while also needs to be an assurance that the communication devices
safely monitoring pipeline infrastructures. For example, enabling the monitoring from sensors and devices will help
wireless input/output (I/O) technology with a class 1, minimise risk among the presence of flammable/explosive
division 1 (C1D1) UL listing is designed to perform in hazardous gases. With the appropriate technology, an organisation
environments where explosive gases may be present. can monitor more points at a wellhead, along a pipeline or
Not only has the use of wireless grown, but the days of at a facility, and achieve the extra level of safety with C1D1
polling a single data point on a pipeline, such as pressure or communication devices. Additionally, if oil and gas companies
flowrate, may soon be a thing of the past. Companies that are able to reduce the amount of time they are sending field
leverage expansive pipeline infrastructures focus more on technicians to hazardous locations through wireless I/O
the ubiquity of communications for monitoring and control monitoring, they are creating a safer environment for their
applications of remote assets. Wireless I/O technology employees.
designed for IoT and M2M communications is helping many It is essential to monitor the pipeline in order to determine
companies gather more data. Using a high I/O count connects if there are leaks. The length and age of our pipeline
points on a pipeline that were not joined previously – infrastructure places an increased importance on having more
enabling additional sensor data almost anywhere on a network monitoring and control points. Operators need to know where
and allowing the data from multiple points to be transported their product is so they can effectively control the valves
back to the centralised operator offices. and different control elements along that pipeline. Some of
this monitoring and control is driven by regulation, which, in
New C1D1 wireless I/O technologies several cases, has been put into place because of catastrophic
As industrial markets focus more on safety, automation and events. For example, California law makers tightened state
improving operational efficiencies, the demand for more regulations as a result of the San Bruno pipeline explosion,
which now includes more stringent requirements for increased
monitoring along the entire pipeline infrastructure.
With the emphasis on intelligent operations, oil and
gas companies are no longer focused solely on monitoring
points A and B. Modern monitoring technology takes a more
intensive look at the pipeline. Operators are watching things
like pressure at many points on the pipeline, and they now
have the ability to close or open valves as needed through
automation technology. More thorough monitoring and
control creates a safer pipeline and minimises the chance for a
catastrophic event.
)) Precision – accurate, real-time data is highly valuable. It can help prevent disasters
and provide data that leads to smart business decisions. Without precision, a
wireless I/O network loses a large component of its value proposition.
)) Reliability – at the end of the day, a wireless I/O system will be evaluated on e ldin g & c
lw la
whether or not it did its job of providing the data that the operator needed when
ta d
they needed it. Reliability is of the utmost importance when it comes to wireless
di
bi
M2M communications.
ng
Or
ldin g & c
we la
d
ed
di
is
an
ng
M ech
A member of
www.polysoude.com
Advertisers’ What are the available technology options?
Currently, there are a variety of wireless C1D1 wireless I/O
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