Inspection Maintenance and Repair of Deepwater Pipelines

DNV RP-F113

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1
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 Introduction

• R
Requirements
i t ffor pipeline
i li iinspection:
ti what,
h t when
h and
dhhow
• Pipeline maintenance and routine inspection
• Pipeline damage during installation and operation in
deepwater, causes and effects
• Understanding the real risks and potential need for repair
• Repair systems, tools and techniques

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 Requirements for pipeline
inspection: what, when and how

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Typical Characteristics of Deepwater Pipelines

• Water depths are beyond diver limits and all activity (IMR) is remote
• Wall thickness are typically high } Materials, Welding, buckling
• Operating pressures are typically very high or very low
• Ambient external pressures are high, commonly similar to internal operational
pressures } Coating and Insulation Degradation
• High levels of Insulation are commonly required } Insulation Degradation
• • All
Waters are typically inspection,
cold maintenance
approx 4C- and
6C } CP, Flow Assurance, Materials
• Pi li
Pipelines tend
d not to b
be protected
db
repair is performed remotely
by a concrete coating
i } Damage
D
• Geohazards can be significant } Spanning, Buckling, Damage, Bend Stability,
Turbitity and Debris flows
• Slugging within produced fluids is common } Spanning, Fatigue
• Greater tolerances – Survey inaccuracy, installation accuracy
• Metocean and environmental conditions tend to be benign } Stability
• Seabed mobility is less dominant } Scour, Spanning
• Corrosion coatings tend to be of very high quality } Corrosion, Damage
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BASELINE SURVEY

The ongoing assessment of inspection findings will involve comparison of data

with that recorded during previous inspection campaigns.
This will allow trends to be extrapolated and judgments made regarding the
urgency of remedial action.
This process necessarily commences with the acquisition of the measurement of
internally and externally taken values at the commencement of pipeline service,
known as a Baseline Survey.
On completion
l off the
h installation
ll off the
h d deepwater Pipelines,
l an as-built
b l survey
will be undertaken by the Installation Contractor to ensure that the
construction is fit for service. Similarly the Subsea Commissioning Team will
undertake
d t k surveys tto establish
t bli h correctt functionality
f ti lit andd initial
i iti l iintegrity
t it off th
the
system.
Together
g the As-Built and Commissioning g surveys
y will fform the Baseline Survey
y
against which future inspection will be measured.

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INSPECTION STRATEGY (1)

Planned inspection campaigns are an integral part of the IMR strategy, the
purpose of the inspections being to monitor pipeline system integrity over time
and to monitor the impact of the subsea and production environments on the
pipeline.
Understanding and confirming design assumptions
Routine inspections may indicate a requirement for more specific investigations
involving detailed or specialist techniques. The normal physical inspection tasks
undertaken on the Deepwater Pipelines can be split into locations internal and
external to the pipeline.
Internal and External locations are typically periodically inspected by Pigging
andd ROV/AUV methods
th d respectively.
ti l
Permanent monitoring methods also exist and are becoming more
commonplace.
p

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INSPECTION STRATEGY (2)

With deepwater lateral buckling and walking issues, Inspection strategy needs
to include interaction with the designers.
designers
If your system is anticipated to have multiple start up and shut down scenarios
you will need to understand what the designers anticipated happening and how
to monitor
i i
it.
In addition there may be need to reconfirm whats happened once the pipeline is
in operation.
p I.e. the designers
g have p
probably
ypplanned ffor the worst case,, but iff
things are not that bad and/or the operational approach changes this can result
in very different results to those planned and design for.
The requirement for and frequency of inspection will most commonly be
determined using risk based techniques

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INSPECTION METHODS
Location Method Technique Defects
Magnetic Flux Spanning/Burial
Ultrasonic
Corrosion
Pigging Visual

Internal Calliper Dents

Geometry (XYZ)
Gouges
Corrosion
P
Permanent Probe/Spool
Monitoring leak
Sand Probe
Visual
CP Failure
Geometry XYZ
Inspection C i D
Coating Damage
Burial
Acoustic Hydrate
ROV
CP Probe
Movement
Weld S
Scanner
Tomography
Buckle
Scanning
External Side Scan
Vibration
Visual
AUV G
Geometry
t (XYZ) Cracking

Sidescan
Fatigue
Permanent Vibration
Monitoring Protection Integrity (mattresses/
Strain Rock/Covers)

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INSPECTION – DEFECT MATRIX
Defect

Buriial/ Scour

otection 
Spaanning/ 

ovement
P Failure
orrosion

ntegrity 
Vibration
Coating 

Crracking
Damage

Hydrate
Erosion
Gouges

Buckle
Dents
Location Method Technique

leak
D

Pro
B
Mo
G
Co

In
CP

H
C
Magnetic Flux
Ultrasonic
Visual
Pigging
Calliper
Internal Geometry 
(XYZ)
Corrosion 
Permanent 
Probe
Monitoring
Sand Probe
Visual
Acoustic
CP Probe
ROV Weld Scanner
Tomography
External Side Scan
Visual
AUV Acoustic
Sidescan
Permanent  Vibration
Monitoring Strain

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Risk Based Inspection Concept

Identify Assess
Threats/Hazards Inspection
to Pipeline History DNV RP-F116 (Sec H1)
The risk assessment comprises the following main
tasks;
Susceptibility Failure Mode
a) Establish equipment scope
to Threat
Remaining
R i i b) Identify threats
Likelihood of Consequence Life or c) Data gathering
Failure of Failure Inspection
Grade d) Data quality review
e) Estimate probability off ffailure (PoF)
Risk Factor
f) Estimate consequences of failure (CoF)
g) Determine risk
Risk
OK?
h) Identify risk mitigating measures
i) All equipment threats have considered
Mitigation
Measure to j) Determine aggregated risk
reduce
susceptibility
k) Planning of inspection, monitoring and testing
Inspection activities
Scheme

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Targeted Inspections
Design Code
Dossier Requirements

Defect Type1

Defect
Defect Type 2
selected

Records
Defect Type 3

Inspection R
Defect Type 4
Review Review
design previous Defect Type 5
inspections
Defect Type 6

Determine Prepare &

most likely Perform
location Targeted
I
Inspection
i

Record
Results
Defect
No observed? Yes

Assess Defect &

Stop Determine Correction

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Deepwater Pig Inspection

Pig Inspection of offshore pipelines tends to look for internal problems.

Generally running pigs in offshore pipelines is very similar to running in onshore
lines, after the wall thickness and higher pressures are taken in to consideration.
The most favoured inspection methods are either ultrasonic or magnetic flux
inspection.
Magnetic flux is limited by magnet strength, ie get enough magnetism in the wall
of the pipe to enable good results to be obtained.
obtained
Ultrasonic can inspect very thick wall pipe but Ultrasonic's have to be run in a
liquid medium.
The main difference between offshore and onshore is the length of run between
pig traps, as Offshore pipelines tend not to have intermediate compression
stations with conveniently located pig traps.
traps The pig must not get stuck in the
pipeline as retrieving it will be much more expensive than from an onshore
pipeline. The pig must stay alive and recording data (battery duration may be an
issue)
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Deepwater ROV Inspection

Traditionally, external inspection, of deepwater pipelines is performed using

work ROVs deployed from DP ROV support vessels.
These vessels are expensive, and they may not be available when they are
needed most.
In deep waters, ROVs become heavy to handle from these vessels, because
of long umbilicals; and they become prone to breakdowns.
ROV inspections of long transmission lines can be very slow and may take
many months to complete end to end
Weather downtime is also an issue for ROV support vessels when working
in harsh and hostile environments

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 AUV based Inspection

AUV-based Inspection in deepwater fields may provide dramatic improvements in

cost, performance, safety and reliability.
• Large DPII vessels with high-end ROV spreads would no longer be required for
simple inspection.
• AUVs have demonstrated solid performance requiring simple autonomy for
missions such as bathymetric survey and high resolution sonar imaging
• AUVs can be deployed from small utility vessels, be capable of operations in
higher seas,
seas without the operational limitations and equipment hazards imposed
by umbilical and tether management systems.
• Reduction in equipment complexity, vessel size and crew size would also result in
i
improvedd safety,
f t reliability,
li bilit and
d llower environmental
i t l iimpact.
t
• In the future AUVs would become “field resident”, residing in the subsea field for
periods of months. The end state of “Vessel Independent Operations” will achieve
f h reductions
further d in cost while
h l improving performance
f andd safety.
f

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 Pipeline routine inspection and maintenance

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Optimisation of Routine/Scheduled Inspection

An optimum IMR plan aims to strike an appropriate balance between the

f ll i objectives:
following bj i
• maximising the availability of the pipeline system during its operating life by
maintaining and preserving its integrity, thus maximising revenue;
• minimising inspection, intervention and rectification measures through the
life of the pipeline system, thus minimising through-life IMR related costs.
• reducing to as low as is reasonably practicable all risks to people
people, the
environment and assets, in accordance with legislative, societal and business
requirements, thus minimising the costs of failures.

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 Optimisation of Routine Inspection Measures

The typical variation of failure rate in an

operating system with time, takes the shape
of the classic 'bath-tub' curve, and can be
divided into three phases:
• Phase 1,, earlyy failures or damage,
g , due to
defects in materials, incorrect installation, Phase 1
Phase 3

incorrect operation, unexpected

environmental effects (Scouring etc)

Failure rrate
• Phase 2, random failures or damage, due
Phase 2

to earthquakes, impacts (dropped objects,

fishing,
g, anchors),
), etc
• Phase 3, wear out failures or damage, due
to corrosion, fatigue, internal erosion, Time
anode depletion
depletion, coating breakdown etc

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Minimising through-life IMR-related costs

The implication of the bath-tub curve is that relatively frequent and intensive inspection
is required in the early years, i.e.
• Phase 1. As inspection data demonstrating good pipeline system* performance
accumulates, it is rational to adopt a reduced frequency and scope of inspection.
Thus a progressive reduction of inspection effort may be expected towards the end
of Phase 1 and into Phase 2 2.
• Phase 2 for a typical subsea pipeline extends to several decades,
• Phase 3 may not actually be reached during the operational lifetimes of many
projects.
j t H However, if inspection
i ti ddata
t starts
t t tto show
h th
the onsett off wear-outt
mechanisms then an increased level of maintenance could be reintroduced.

As far as p
possible,, inspection,
p , maintenance and repair
p activities should be p
pre-planned
p
to take advantage of tendered contracts, optimum weather conditions and where
necessary co-incidence with planned pipeline shutdowns.

*The
Th best way to controll some off these
b h i with
is i h the
h designers
d i h i
having the
h experience
i and
d being
b i
allowed the time to investigate/ design a more robust solution CAPEX vrs OPEX

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Code Requirements DNV OS-F101

1. Define equipment scope ( i.e. All equipment that can lead to a failure) (DNV-
OS-F101, Sec. 11, D304)
2 For each equipment,
2. equipment identify all threats which can lead to a failure (DNV-OS-
(DNV OS
F101, Sec. 11, D201)
3. For each threat; estimate risk (DNV-OS-F101, Sec. 11, D202)
• Consequence of failure (CoF)
• Probability of failure (PoF)
Propose plans for:
• Inspection, monitoring and testing (IMT) (DNV-OS-F101, Sec. 11, D103)
• Mitigation, intervention and repair (MIR) (DNV-OS-F101, Sec. 11, D700)
• Integrity assessment (IA) (DNV-OS-F101, Sec. 11, D600)

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Inspection Planning

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Example Process from RP-F116
Inspection Interval

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Example Process from RP-F116
Schedule Planning

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 Years

Consst As‐Built Survey
Baseline Survvey

e"
""Early Failure
Phase 1
Phase 21) Phase 33)
Type of Inspection
"Random Failure" "Wear‐Out Failure"
B

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Intelligent Pig

Visual including CP 
and Side Scan 
Towed Acoustic Side 
Scan Sonar 2)
Targeted Special 
Targeted Special ? ?
?
Events
1) Reduction in annual inspection applies to remote subsea pipelines only 2) Acoustic side scan sonar is not always cost effective especially in
deepwater or where there are strong currents. An ROV survey with reduced scope could be considered 3) the third phase may not occur within
j
normal project lifetimes, i.e. the Phase 2 (plateau phase) extends for several decades with well designed,
g operated and maintained facilities.

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Pipeline Maintenance

Preventive maintenance
Because of the high cost and potential delays associated with intervention,
preventive maintenance should be eliminated at the design stage, wherever
possible.
ibl
Routine maintenance
Routine maintenance tasks are required
q where the elimination off specific
p f
intervention is uneconomic or technically problematic. Normally such
maintenance would be undertaken during repair activity, or combined with
planned inspection
p p campaigns.
p g
Corrective Maintenance
Intervention to rectify breakdown or degradation (Corrective Maintenance) is
referred to as ‘Repair’
Repair .
 Normally Subsea Facilities shall possess sufficient reliability to ensure availability
throughout the field life.
 Subsea equipment that is susceptible to failure should be designed to minimize
the effort/cost required for replacement of the failed assembly.

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 Pipeline damage during installation and
operation
p in deepwater,
p , causes and effects
ff

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Installation Damage Scenarios

The potential causes and effects of damage during installation Phase of the pipeline(s) are
summarized as follows:

• Damage to pipeline geometry and/or pipe

• 3rd Party
wall:
 Objects Dropped from Ships
 Gouges, Grooves and Notches.
 Material and Construction  Dents
Defects  Wet and Dry Buckles.
 Overstressing or Excessive Bending.
• Installation  Fatigue Damage.
 Tension failure
 Bend Pull Out
 Station Keeping
• Coating Damage (Corrosion and Weight
• Geohazards coating):
g)
 Slope Stability  Lost & Damaged weight coating
 Damaged corrosion coating
• Route Features  Lost & Damaged insulation coating
 Rock Outcrops,
Outcrops Cement Soil,
Soil • Anode Damage:
g
Shell and Coral Banks.  Lost anode
 Pockmarks  Disconnected anode

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Operational Damage Scenarios

The potential causes of damage during operational Phase of the pipeline(s) are
summarized as follows:

• 3rd Party • Geohazards

 Trawling  Earthquakes
 Anchoringg  Seismic Fault movement
 Objects Dropped from Ships  Submarine Landslides
 Ship sinking  Mass Gravity Flows
 Ship Grounding  Turbidity Currents
 Shipwrecks
p and Debris  Sub-marine Volcanoes
 Material and Construction  Liquefaction
Defects  Tsunamis
 Sabotage • Route Features
 Military
y Action  Rock Outcrops,
p , Cement Soil,, Shell and Coral
• Environmantal Banks.
 Wind, Waves and Currents  Shallow Gas and Seepage of Gas and Fluids
 Scour  Pockmarks
 Seabed Morphodynamics
p y  Mud Diapirs
p and Mud Volcanoes
 Slope Instability
 Mass Movements

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Operational Damage Scenarios (effects)

The effect of damage that could occur during the operational phase of the pipeline(s) are
summarized as follows:

• Damage to pipeline geometry and/or pipe wall: • Coating Damage (Corrosion and Weight
 Rupture. coating):
 Internal Corrosion.  Lost & Damaged weight coating
 External Corrosion.
Corrosion  Damaged corrosion coating
 Pinhole Leak.  Lost & Damaged insulation coating
 Gouges, Grooves and Notches. • Anode Damage:
 Cracks and Fracture Propagation.  Lost anode
 Dents and Buckles.
Buckles  Disconnected anode
 Overstressing or Excessive Bending.  Over consumption
 Fatigue Damage.  Anode pasivity
• Hydrate Formation:
 Pinhole Leak.
Leak
 Lost & Damaged insulation coating
 Incorrect operation

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Damage Category and Scenario
Phase Damage Category Specific Damage Scenario
Dry Local Buckle
Dry Buckle
Installation Dry Propagating Buckle
Wet Buckle Wet Buckle
Loss of Coating Buckle/Stinger impact
Hydrate Hydrate
Internal/External Corrosion
Gouge/Dent/Buckle
Overstressing
Fatigue Damage
Localized Damage, Trawling/Anchoring
No Leak Objects Dropped from Ships
Ship Sinking/Ship Grounding
Shipwrecks and Debris
Earthquakes/Tsunami
Operation Mass Gravity Flows and Turbidity Currents
Pinhole Leak
Localized Damage,
Seismic Fault/Submarine Landslips
Minor Leak
Liquefaction/Scour
Rupture
p
R t
Rupture, L
Local
l
Earthquakes/Slope Stability
Rupture, Extensive Length
Rupture
Extensive Damage, No
Internal/External Corrosion
Leak
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Based on the damage scenarios and risk assessment it is clear that:
• The pipeline installation contractor should have fully developed procedures
and all necessary equipment mobilised and ready for implementation in the
event of dry or wet buckles, prior to the start of deepwater pipelay
operations.

• The operator
p should have fullyy developed
p procedures and all necessaryy
p
equipment ready for implementation prior to the start of operations, to cater
for the following scenarios:
 Hydrate formation.
 Localised damage (i.e. dent or pinhole leak).
 Local Rupture.
 Rupture over extensive pipeline length.

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“This Recommended Practice (RP) is intended to provide criteria and guidelines for the qualification of
fittings and systems used for pipeline subsea repair and/or modifications and tie-ins.

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 Understanding the real risks and potential need
for repair
MEIDP Example
E l

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MEIDP Example (3500m WD)

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Intervention Zones
Based on this preliminary information, the route has been divided into five different
intervention requirement zones.
1) Shallow Water Zone (0 to 150m WD)
2) Continental Slope Zone (150m to 2500m WD)
3) Deep Water Section (2500m to 3500m WD)
4)) Remote
e ote Sea
Seamount
ou t Sect
Section
o (300
(300m to 3000
3000m WD))
5) Indus Fan Section (2500m to 3000m WD)
Slope

Sh lf
Shelf
Rise Abyssal Qualhat Middle Indus Fan Upper Indus Fan Abyssal
Trough
Plain

North Murray

South Murray
Ridge
Dalrymple

Ridge
Abyssal

Slope
Rise
Plain Seamou Plain
nt
1 1
2 2

4
5
3
3
3

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Typical QRA for Deepwater Pipelines

MEIDP QRA Risk Contributors and % contribution

• Ship sinking (40
(40.24%)
24%)
• Objects dropped from ships (19.91%)
• Ship grounding (14.07%)
• Material and construction defects (11.17%)
• External corrosion (10.62%)
( )
• Anchoring (3.23%)
• Internal corrosion (0.63%)
• Trawling (0.12%)

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Typical QRA for Deepwater Pipelines

6.00E-03
3.00E-03
Most likely
5.00E-03
2.50E-03 location for
4.00E-03
2.00E-03 Intervention is the
1 50E 03
1.50E-03
3.00E-03
deepest
p water
1.00E-03
2.00E-03

5.00E-04
1.00E-03 Material and construction defects
External corrosion
Material and construction defects
0.00E+00 Internal corrosion
External corrosion
0.00E+00 ShipInternal
grounding
corrosion
ShipDropped
sinking objects
Dropped objects
Anchoring
Anchoring
Trawling
Trawling

Shelf
Sl

p
o

Rise Abyssal Qualhat Middle Indus Fan Upper Indus Fan Abyssal
North

Trough
South
Plain

Dalrym
sal

Murray

Murray
Ridge
ple

Ridge
Abys

Sl
is
R

p
o
e

e
Plain Seamou Plain
nt

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Repair Scenarios and Types

Repair Scenario Repair Type

Dry Buckle Profiled clamp or Spool and /or External protection
(Rock Dump)
Excessive Plastic Strain
Wet Buckle Spool (External protection)[[1]]
Spool,
Rupture Spool, (External protection)
Internal Corrosion Clamp or Spool
External Corrosion Clamp or Spool
Coating Damage Clamp or Spool, (External protection)
Pinhole leak Clamp
Dents, Gouges,
g Grooves, Notches Clamp
p and /or External p
protection
Cracks, Fracture Propagation Clamp
Hydrate Blockage Hydrate removal
Excess Unsupported Span External protection i.e. strakes, mechanical support (frame,
rock ,jetting additional analysis

Anode damage / depletion Anode replacement

Note: [1]. External protection inside ( ) denotes a secondary measure

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 Repair systems, tools and techniques

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Emergency Pipeline Repair System
The minimum functional requirements identified for an emergency repair system are
listed as follows:
• Operable
p at water depths
p upp to deepest
p water of the p
pipeline
p ((3500m))
• Operable on pipe size(internal diameter) of pipelines (24”)
• Operable with steel wall thickness up to maximum and relevant coatings
(40.5mm)
• Operable
O bl on softft seabed
b d soils
il (soft
( ft calcareous
l clay
l and d silt)
ilt)
• Operable on seabed slopes (of up to 28 degrees)
• Capable of providing a repair capability extending from minor dents to
replacement
p of multiple
p p pipe
p jjoints

While not mandatory, it is advantageous if the system(s) and equipment also exhibit
the following characteristics:
• Modular and/or lightweight
• Minimum number of components
• Incur minimal shut down and/or reduction of operation
• Minimum CAPEX investment

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

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Ian Nash
Repair System Components

An overall pipeline repair system to install a clamp or spool requires an

extensive array of equipment to conduct a repair operation.
operation The repair
systems generally perform tasks from the following list:
• Metrology of the pipeline damage and repair site
• Isolation of the damaged section of pipe with internal plugs if required
• Soil excavation
• Pipeline lifting, locally at the repair site or completely to the surface
• Pipe coating removal
• Pipe cutting
• Removal of damaged section
• Pipe
p end surface p preparation
p
• Metrology of the pipeline for clamp and spool piece preparation
• Transport and positioning of clamps, spool pieces and connectors
• Closing and sealing clamps and connectors
• Testing the repair
• Lower the pipeline to the seabed
• Removal of repair system equipment
Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of
27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 40
Ian Nash
Why Tooling is Needed
Equipment Purpose
DP Support Vessel Platform from which to operate ROV’s and conduct repair operations.
Pipelay Vessel Working platform in the event that an extensive section of damaged
pipeline has to be relaid/replaced.
Flooding/Dewatering/Drying Various purposes including:
Spread  Pressure equalisation prior to cutting (flooding).
 Coupling for intelligent pigging (flooding).
 Removal of water (dewatering).
 Drying prior to returning to service to minimise water content and
risk of hydrates.
Seabed Dredging/Levelling Exposure of the pipeline, if locally trenched or buried, to allow for survey
Equipment and/or repair operations.
Pipeline Lifting
f Frames Elevation off pipeline off
ff the seabed in the vicinity off any repair, for
f the
purpose of improving access for repair equipment and operations.
Subsea Measurement Tool Performance of measurements between pipeline ends for accurate spool
piece and connector assembly
assembly.
Pipeline Cutting Tool Cutting of pipeline (and coatings) to allow removal of any damaged
sections.

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 41
Ian Nash
Why Tooling is Needed
Equipment Purpose
Pipeline Coating Removal of external pipeline coatings in the vicinity of any section that has
Removal Tool been cut (by the Pipeline Cutting Tool). Required in the event that the Pipeline
R
Recovery T
Tooll grips
i the
h pipeline
i li on iits externall steell surface.
f
External Weld Bead Removal of external longitudinal weld seam (SAW linepipe) to prevent
Removal Tool interference on connector seal.
End Preparation Tool Machining of the end face of the pipeline to prevent interference on connector
seal.
Pipeline Recovery Tool connected to the end of the cut pipeline to allow recovery to surface.
Tool Designed to allow the pipeline be dewatered and isolated prior to recovery.
Pipeline Repair Permanent clamp installed around the pipeline in the vicinity of minor damage
Clamp (i.e. dent) for the purpose of ensuring the structural integrity of the pipeline
without the need for cutting out and replacing an entire section of pipe.
Subsea Pipeline Connector assembly and modular system used for the installation and
Connectors connection of a new section of pipeline.
Replacement Spool New section of pipeline used to replace area of damage.
piece
Hydrate Blockage Accidental ingress of moisture into the pipeline can cause formation of a
Removal Spread
p hydrate
y p
plug.
g Hydrate
y removal is p
possible byy various p
passive methods but mayy
ultimately require a deepwater hot-tap operation at actual location of the
hydrate where the spread taps a hole into the pipeline and injects hydrate
removal chemicals.

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 42
Ian Nash
Example Lifting Frame

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 43
Ian Nash
Damage Equipment Matrix
Deep Water Repair System

Flooding/Dewatering / Drying

d Dredging / Levelling

Split
quipment
Components

ead Removal Tool

pread
Pipe Lifting Device (i.e.

Tool

and

(i..e.
ol

e Recovery T
g Removal Too

ction System a

ent Pigging Eq
e Removal Sp
upport Vessel

w capability)
Spread (Onshore)

utting Tool

Repair Clamp
Pipelay Vessel

gy Unit

ment
es)

ce
(with d/w

Metrolog

Spoolpiec
Weld Be
ROV Su

H-frame

Pipe Cu

Pipeline

Hydrate
Coating

Seabed

Intellige
Equipm

Sleeve))
Connec
Dry Local Buckle
 
(recoverable)
Dry Local Buckle (non-
      
recoverable)
Dry Propagating Buckle
      
(non-recoverable)
Local Wet Buckle (non-
(non
      
recoverable)
Hydrate plug 
Localised damage, no
  
leak
Localised damage with
     
leak
Rupture, local         
Rupture, extensive
          
length

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 44
Ian Nash
Repair Systems and Clubs

Equipment Name Main Contractor / Operator

p
Bespoke Systems
y
Chevron Petronius Repair System Oil States / Chevron
BP Mardi Gras Pipeline Repair System Oil States / BP
SIRCOS ENI / Saipem (Sonsub)
Pipeline Connection and Repair Systems (PCRS) Oceaneering
Total Girassol Pipeline Repair System Subsea 7
Repair Clubs
Shell Deepwater Pipeline Repair System Shell HOLD (there are two version of the Shell club?)
DW RUPE DW RUPE
Pipeline Repair System Pool Technip (Norway), Deep Ocean, Statoil
Newly Founded Repair Clubs
Emergency Pipeline Repair Equipment Sharing
South East Asia Pipeline Operators Group (SEAPOG)
(EPRES)
?? Pipeline Repair Operators Forum Australasia (PROFA)

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 45
Ian Nash
Candidate Systems Capability

Pipeline Repair Systems Up to 3500m Sonsub’s SIRCOS currently can work up to 2200m Saipem indicates it can be upgraded for higher water depths

Deepwater Pipeline Repair System from Oceaneering and Oil States Oceaneering indicates depth requirement of 3500m can be
currently rated to about 3000m. designed and manufactured

Oil States indicates further tests are required to re-qualify their

system for 3500m rating

EPRS Capability in Terms of MEIDP Requirements
Oil States
Oil States Saipem Oceaneering
210%
200%
190%
180%
170%
160%
150%
Percenttage of Requirements

140%
130%
120%
110%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%

Water Depth  Connector Size  Wall Thickness  Seabed Slope  Seabed Soil  Pipeline Coating  Concrete 

(m) (in) (mm) (deg) Strength (kPa) (mm) Coating (mm) 
<600m

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 46
Ian Nash
Summary of Inspection for Deepwater Pipelines

 Intelligent pigging is the primary form of internal inspection

 ROV are the primary tool for performing external inspection
 The development of AUV’s for flypast inspections may give benefits deepwater by
isolating the vehicle from surface influences
 Risk Based methods have been established for determining Inspection regimes (DnV
RP116)

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 47
Ian Nash
Summary of Repair for Deepwater Pipelines
Installation Phase

 Damage scenarios during installations and operation pose differing levels of risk.
 The most significant potential damage scenarios during the installation phase are
dry and wet buckles.
 The technology and methodologies required for rectification of installation phase
damage (i.e.
(i e buckles) are a direct extension of techniques used for similar events in
shallow water, and currently exists with installation contractors and specialist
equipment suppliers.

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 48
Ian Nash
Summary of Repair for Deepwater Pipelines
Operational Phase

 Several potential damage scenarios exist during the operational phase. The most
significant are where a damaged section of pipeline needs to be reinforced, replaced
or cleared of a hydrate blockage.
 Where a replacement pipeline section is required, the length could vary significantly
d
depending
di on ththe nature
t off th
the eventt causing
i the
th damage
d (a
( ffew meters
t to
t severall
kilometres in the event of a geohazard (i.e. slope instability).
 There is a wide range of qualified or nearly qualified equipment for the subsea
repair both currently available and under continual development.
repair, development The equipment
exists both as individual components (equipment, tools and fittings) and full
systems.
 Some repair systems are owned and operated on a “club” club basis,
basis by a group or
consortia of pipeline operators. The clubs at present operate in specific
geographical locations.
 The need to access the p pipeline
p at both ends for the p
purpose
p of re-commissioning
g
(i.e. flooding, cleaning, dewatering, etc.), is inherent in many of the repair scenarios.
Access facilities and the provision of adequate space for equipment (particularly
dewatering) are significant.
Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of
27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 49
Ian Nash
Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank South Asia Gas Enterprise PVT Ltd. for giving permission to
publish aspects of this work, and the team in Peritus, for their continued hard work.

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 50
Ian Nash
References

 I Nash & P Roberts OPT 2011,

2011 MEIDP The Deepwater Gas Route to India
India, February
23-24,
 I Nash & P Roberts DUDPC 2011, Case Study: MEIDP Installation, intervention and
Repair,
p , Septp 27-28
 Peritus International, 18001.01-REP-IIDP-Y-0014 MEIDP, Emergency Pipeline Repair
Systems, Aug 2011
 Peritus International, 18001.01-REP-IIDP-Y-0007 MEIDP Quantified Risk
Assessment Update, Dec 2010
 Dan McLeod, Emerging Capabilities for Autonomous Inspection Repair and
Maintenance, OCEANS 2010 (ART)
 DNV RP-F116 Integrity Management of Submarine Pipeline Systems
 DNV RP-F113 Subsea Pipeline Repair

Deep and Ultra-deepwater Pipelines Conference Inspection Maintenance and Repair of

27 - 28 September 2011, Novotel Paris Les Halles Deepwater Pipelines 51
Ian Nash