Resins
Other Applications Expand
A growing area in the offshore world is the refitting or “recycling” of older oil platforms to support additional production. A particularly active area for recycling is in the North Sea, where additional pipelines can be run to existing rigs for about $1 million (as opposed to spending $20 million for a new r
Read MoreSubsea Wellhead And Pipeline Protection Covers
Wellhead and pipeline protection covers are required under the Norsok regulations for subsea installations in the Norwegian sector (Standard U-002, Subsea Structures and Piping System). Traditional steel wellhead covers are very large — often more than 50 ft/15m square — to allow ROVs access to the Christmas t
Read MoreCustom Wet Layup Repair Solutions
In the second group are customized repairs, employing glass or carbon reinforcement, wet out with vinyl ester, polyester or epoxy resin and applied to the pipe by trained personnel, have been available since the mid-1990s. Selection of reinforcement material, wrap thickness and overlay length is dictated by th
Read MoreComposites Used For Repair by Statoil
Statoil has used composites to repair steel topside components for more than 10 years on the Statfjord and Gullfaks platforms, using wet layup methods designed for each application, says Melve. “We repaired four water lines at an onshore oil storage facility between 1983 and 1987,” he says. “After nine years,
Read MoreComposite Piping On Hoover-Diana
EDO supplied a drain system for Hoover-Diana, a deep draft caisson vessel (DDCV) put into service in May 2000 by Exxon Mobil and British Petroleum. Hoover- Diana, located in the Gulf of Mexico’s East Breaks and Alaminos Canyon Blocks at a water depth of approximately 4,800 ft, is designated as a DDCV instead o
Read MoreCatenary Composite Risers
Catenary risers are able to absorb much more motion than top-tensioned risers, and, thus, are a common solution for wells tied back to an FPSO. Such a vessel experiences very high first-order motion in response to initial contact with wind or waves, making catenary risers a better solution than rigid component
Read MoreDesign Issues with Repair
The ability to repair in place, rather than replace, critical platform equipment systems like topside piping, flowlines and structural components is an attractive option for a platform operator. Composite piping is easily repairable using the same basic methods as the initial installation, says Kevin Schmit, m
Read MoreComposite Trusses For Large Structures?
Ebert Composites Corp. (Chula Vista, Calif., U.S.A.) is marketing a composite truss concept for large structures that has potential for offshore application. Since 1992, the company has focused on the development of large, all-composite lattice-type power transmission towers to replace galvanized steel towers.
Read MoreLooking Forward
Current composite tether designs are leveraged to take advantage of existing oil-field manufacturing facilities. The wirerope stranding facilities, umbilical closing machines, steel anchors and installation methods used today for steel and synthetic cables can immediately accommodate rope-style composite tethe
Read MoreComposite Pipe Valves Offer Corrosion-Free Performance
Composite valves and actuators have gained entry into offshore facilities, as well. At about one-third the weight of steel, fiber-reinforced composite flow control components are a welcome addition to piping systems and increasingly in demand for marine environments as a high-strength, corrosion-resistant alte
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