Pipe Connection and Positioning Systems Tow to site and [ ==] run draw-down cables Prepare for draw-down, release end floats ——_— SS Draw-down phase |, pulling all cables = Draw-down phase Il, pulling only on sheave cables Draw-down completion, fine connected to sea~ bed structure, then floats released allowing pipe to lie on seabed 6.10 Draw-down techniqueSubsea Pipeline Repair Systems 7.4 General The economic impact uf a pipe failure can amount to a substantial loss of revenue, particularly for large-diameter pipelines. A fast response toa repair emergency is often required. Various systems exist for subsea pipe repair, and no one repair method is appropriate in all cases. Preplanning is limited to specification of types of responses for general kinds of failures. Components needed for some types of repairs are stocked by many operators and by groups of operators. Subsea-pipeline repairs may be required during construction, as in the repair of buckles, after a hydrotest failure, or if the pipeline is damaged after installation and before commissioning. However, pipeline operators are most concerned with those repairs required to be made on an operating pipeline as a result of corrosion, storms, seabed move- ments, or damage resulting from marine operations, e.g., fishing, con- struction, supply activities, etc. Repairs during construction are usually made by the laying vessel. Pipe is retrieved to the surface where the damaged section is cut, anew pipe is welded, and laying resumes. In contrast, subsea pipcline repairs which could employ a full-encirclement sleeve or removal of a damaged pipe section and replacement with a spool piece to bridge the resulting gap involve more complex repair procedures. Selection of a repair method depends on various circumstances which include the following: ® Pipe size and pressure rating. ® Water depth. = Duty, ¢.g., trunk or gathering lines. 153Subsea Pipeline Repair Systems | = Contents of the pipeline, e.g., sas or oil. = Cause of failure {manufacture defect, construction accident, hyd- rotest, movement, etc.). = Type and extent of damage (concrete damage, flattening, leak, etc.}. ® Location of the failure point with respect to restraining points of the pipeline, such as platforms and subsea lateral tie-ins. = Protection, buried or exposed. = Time of year; throughput demand. # Availability of suitable construction equipment and repair tools. The importance of these factors varies from case to case; however, equipment availability is often an overriding concern. When damage to an operating pipeline occurs, the line is immediately shut down and the total extent of the problem is determined. This includes field and office evaluation of the pipeline design, function, service, size, water depth, protection, and cause of failure. A diver team and surface-support equipment are sent to the site to e aluate the type of damage, extent, and location. Contractors in the area are contacted to determine the availability of suitable equipment. Generally, the operator will evaluate the complete situation in the office and in the field within 3 to 7 days after the damage has been reported. 7.2 Repair Methods and Practices Several methods have been used for emergency repair of offshore Pipelines. These methods can he Mivided into surface and subsurface repair methods. Subsurface repair methods include hyperbaric welding, split-sleeve clamps, and mechanical connection of a spool piece. These methods have been used for repairing midpoint damage in the pipeline and damage near the riser, The surface-welding repair technique is commonly used in areas such as the Gulf of Mexico, where pipeline diameters are relatively small, water depths are moderate, and weather conditions are often favorable. Hyperbaric welding is more commonly used in the North Sea, where the large pipeline diameters, great water depths, and severe weather environment limit the safety of lifting the pipe ends to the surface to make a repair. Mechanical connectors available for new construction are also used for pipeline repairs. The following are brief descriptions of these methods as used for a spool-piece repair.7.21 Surface Welding The surface-welding method uses surface-welding equipment on a work barge, commonly a pipe-lay vessel. This method involves lifting the pipe ends to the surface by use of davits, then hand fitting and welding a spool piece to bridge the gap between the pipe ends, inspecting the welds, and lowering the pipe to the bottom. This method, used for a midpoint repair, involves the following steps: Survey and inspect damage to the pipeline. = Plan the repair procedure. This item can be critical for large- diameter pipelines and for water depths greater than 300 ft, where the lifting procedure must be carefully planned to limit the stresses in the pipe to a safe level during lifting. § Mobilize barge(s) to the site and moor in the proximity of the damaged area of the pipeline, © Inspect the pipeline damage and, if the pipe is buried, unbury a section of about 500 ft on either side of the damage using hand jets. = Cut out the damaged area of the pipe, dewater the pipeline if necessary, and retrieve the damaged pipe. ® Attach lifting cables to cach section of the pipe on the bottom. = Lift both pipe ends to the surface by pulling on the davit cables according to a preplanned lifting schedule. = Cut and clean pipe ends. = Fabricate a straight or a curved spool piece to fit between the two pipe ends. Weld the spool picce to the pipe ends, X-ray, and coat the field joints. = Lower the pipe to the bottom while moving the barge laterally on its mooring lines to the port or the starboard direction until the pipe is on the bottom. = Hydrostatically test the pipeline and rebury if necessary. If damage is done to a pipeline riser and the pipe near the riser, then a modified surface-repair method is used. The method involves lifting one end of the pipe to the surface using some or all of the barge davits, then welding the lower section of the riser to the pipe and lowering the pipe and riser as new sections of riser are added. If a significant length of the pipeline is also damaged, it is first removed. The remaining end of the Pipeline is lifted to the surface and new pipe is laid up to the platform. The riser-setting operation then proceeds as described earlier. The surface-welding method of repair is most effective in water depths up to about 300 ft and can be used for greater water depths if theSubsea Pipeline Repair Systems | pipeline diameter is small ot if budyancy devices are attached to the pipe to control pipe stresses in the sagbend during the lifting operation. For very large-diameter pipelines, it may be necessary to employ tow barges to lift the two pipe ends to the surface simultaneously. 7.22 Hyperbaric Welding In the hyperbaric-welding method, the damaged pipe section is cut out by divers and retrieved. A spool piece of the required length is fabricated on the surface vessel. The spool piece is lowered to the seabed and two pup joints are used to connect the spool piece to each end of the pipeline. Welding is done inside a welding habitat under ambient bottom pressure in a dry environment. This method is used in deeper water where surface welding is impractical or when the pipe ends are restrained by a riser, tap valve, or pipeline crossing. Typically, an alignment frame, a welding habitat, and a transfer bell are used to accomplish the pipeline repair by hyperbaric welding. The surface-support vessel may be a work barge or a vessel especially equipped for this work. This repair process involves the following steps: m Survey and inspect damage to the pipeline. ® Plan the repair procedure. = Mobilize a work vessel to the site and moor in proximity of the damaged area of the pipeline. « If the pipeline is buried, unbury a section of pipe on either side of the damaged section. # Inspect the damaged pipe and torch cut and retrieve the damaged section of the pipe. = Measure the required length of the spool piece. = Lower the spool piece to the seabed by either a crane or davits and position it between the two pipe ends. = Lower the alignment frame and position it over the first pipe end to be welded, align the two pipe ends to be joined and hold them in position. # Lower the welding habitat and place it on top of the alignment frame and over the pipe ends to be connected. @ Pump the habitat dry. Welder-divers then enter the habitat, cut and prepare the pipe ends, and position a3-ft-long pup joint for welding, make welds in a dry environment, X-ray, and apply protective coating.« Repeat the procedure to connect the spool piece to the other pipe end. s Hydrostatically test the pipeline and rebury if necessary. A modified procedure is used if the damage is near the riser on a platform. In that case, a new riser is first installed on the platform [if the tiser is damaged}, then a spool piece is lowered and connected to the pipe and then to the riser by hyperbaric welding, as in a typical midpoint repair. This method of repair has been applied most widely in the North Sea and is suitable for large-diameter pipe. Water-depth capability is limited by diver-depth limitations, and the method has been demon- strated at water depths greater than 1,000 ft. 7.23 Mechanical Connectors Mechanical connectors are also used to join the pipe ends during a repair operation. Several competing mechanical connectors are pro- moted for subsea-pipeline repairs. Among them are the Flexiforge connector manufactured by Big-Inch Marine Systems, Gripper and HydroTech connectors, and the Perma-Kupl manufactured by Daspit Bros. Marine Divers Inc. A rigid spool piece is used along with two mechanical connectors to bridge the gap between the two pipe ends. The mechanical connectors are systems that include a means of attachment to the pipeline ends, provisions for axial length adjustment, and (except Daspit) swivels to accommodate angular misalignment. The primary equipment needed to make a repair using mechanical connectors includes a 200 to 250-ft-long surface vessel with mooring capabilities, diving support, surface pipe-welding facilities, a lifting crane, and bottom-manipulating equipment. The repair process typically proceeds as follows: = Survey and inspect damage to the pipeline. = Plan the repair procedure. = Mobilize the equipment spread and moor in the proximity of the damaged area of the pipeline. alf pipe is buried, unbury a section of | Pipe on either side of the damaged section. = Cut out and retrieve the damaged section of pipe. ® Attach lifting clamps of a manipulating frame or A-frame to each section of the pipe.Subsea Pipeline Repair Systems | = Lift the pipe ends slightly off the bottom and prepare them for connection by removing any coatings on the pipe. = Place connector halves on each pipe end. ™ Measure the required length of the spool piece and fabricate the spool on the surface vessel. = Lower the spool piece, line up the connectors with mating halves on the pipe, engage the connector halves and set them, set the connec- tors on the pipe ends, and test the connectors. = Lower the pipe to the seabed. 5 Hydrostatically test the pipeline and rebury if mecessary. The procedure is similar if the pipeline is damaged near a riser at a platform. If the riser has been damaged, then a connector half may be preinstalled at the foot of the replacement riser section prior to riser setting, A typical repair arrangement using the Big-Inch Flexiforge connector is shown in Figure 7.1. The Gripper arrangement is shown in Figure 7.2, ofc Ball joint Slip joint End connector Procedure: 1) Pipe ends are cut and cleaned 2) End flange connectors are lowered and forged to pipe ends 3) Spool piece consisting of 1 slip joint and 2 ball joints is made and lowered 4) Flanges on end connectors and spool are tined up, bolts are inserted and tightened. Boltless flange can be used where the two flanges are compressed and connected by hydraulic power, 7.1 Subsea repair by Flexiforge mechanical connectorsBall connector flange fock Grip and seal coupling Procedure 1) Pipe ends are cut and cleaned. 2) Connector couplings with connector balls are lowered and stabbed over each end. 3) 4) ‘Spool is made with the ball connector cups. Spoo! is lowered and connector balls are stabbed in spool cups and ball connection is made up and tested. 5) Couplings are next actuated and tested. 7.2. Subsea repair by Gripper mechanical connectors and the HydroCouple arrangement is shown in Figure 7.3. Variations in the installation procedures are noted on these figures. In HydroTech’s design, axial adjustments can be obtained by slipping the HydroCouple unit over the pipe prior to sealing. A similar arrange- ment exists in Gripper's Grip and Seal coupling design. In contrast, Big-Inch provides a slip joint for axial adjustments. In the Big-Inch slip joint design, a length of only one pipe diameter needs to be cleaned and prepared to stab and forge the connector. A length of three pipe diameters must be cleaned and prepared for connector stabbing and adjustments in the case of HydroTech or Grip- per designs. Angular adjustments are obtained by the use of the mis-‘Subsea Pipeline Repair Systems | - Axial . adjustment Angular adjustment HydroCoupte Ball Misaligning flange housing Procedure: 1) Pipe ends are cut and cleaned | 2) HydroCouple connectors are lowered in a manipulating frame 3) HydroCouple connectors are stabbed over pipe ends. 4 5) Spool piece is lowered and connected to MAF (connections Spool piece is fabricated with a ball on each end can be made by inserting and tightening boits) 6) Connections are sealed and tested 7.30 Subsea repair by HydroTech mechanical connectors aligning flange in HydroTech’s design, by use of a Gripper ball connector flange lock in Gripper’s design, and by use of a locking-ball joint in the Big-Inch design. Perma-Kupl’s connectors constitute a substantially different concepr than the other mechanical connectors. After the pipe is prepared, a Perma-Kupl connector is assembled on the Pipe. The pressure sleeve incorporates soft packing. After the outer casing, which resembles a Plidco clamp, is assembled over the joint, the annular space is pumped full of grout. One Perma-Kupl connector can be used fora short repair, or two may be used at the ends of a spool piece. Small-diameter lines (10-12 in. or less) in 200-300 ft of water may often be lifted to the surface for a repair using a ball joint. The pipe is dewatered, if necessary, and raised by one or more lifting points. Amay first be welded on to bridge the on-bottom gap between the pipe ends. The pipe with the ball half attached is lowered to the seabed so that it overlaps the second pipe end. A measurement is taken on bottom, and the second pipe end is raised to the surface. The second ball half is welded on and the pipe is lowered. The two pipe ends are raised slightly and the ball halves are mated. The pipe is lowered to the seabed, and the bolts are tightened to lock and seal the ball joint. 7.24 Full Encirclement Sleeves (Clamps) Full-encirclement split sleeves, or clamps, are made by Pipeline Development Co. (Plidco}, Daspit, Gripper, and HydroTech. The Plidco split sleeve is sold for onshore and offshore pipeline repairs. These sleeves are rarely considered an alternative to the repair method covered previously. The appeals of the split sleeve are simplicity and low cost. To perform a repair with one of these sleeves, the pipeline must first be completely exposed by jetting. These sleeves are split in half axially and held together by a number of studs and nuts. Units for subsea installations are hinged to facilitate assembly onto the pipe. The sleeve is lowered on guide wires to the seabed in an opened position, closed around the cleaned pipe, and positioned over the leak. Studs and nuts ary then inserted and tightened to force the soft packing against the pipe OD. The split sleeve is a low-cost way to repair a small leak ora weak spot in pipe. Although Plidco and Daspit stock standard lengths, many operators maintain a stock of split sleeves to meet their anticipated requirements. 7.25 Flexible Pipe Repair Flexible pipe, as manufactured by Coflexip, can also be used for subsea-pipeline repairs. Coflexip pipe is available with flanged-end connections or with plain ends which could be welded to a mechanical connector. Lengths of pipe must be prepared on land to the required lengths. In a repair situation, the required length of a spool cannot be known until the damaged pipe has been inspected and cut. Asa result, it is either necessary to supply more than enough flexible Pipe, or toadda tigid spool on site to give gross length adjustments.Subsea Pipeline Repair Systems : Coflexip pipe provides large axial and angular adjustments, which can preclude the need to reposition the Pipeline ends prior to making a connection. Moreover, the Coflexip pipe remains permanently flexible. This can be an advantage in cases where a pipe failure occurs due to Pressure or thermal effects or due to seabed movements. 7.3 Stocking Programs for Mechanical Repair Tools Mechanical connector sets have production lead times of up to 4or6 months for the larger pipe sizes. Connectors for emergency pipeline repairs must be produced and stored in anticipation of need. A ditferent-sized connector is required for each pipe size. Many of the large Pipeline operators have such stocking Programs, Thirteen gas-transmission companies operating in the Gulf of Mexico have joined in a program to stuck connectors for use in making reparrs, The RUPE program, “Response to Underwater Pipeline Emergencies.” covers pipeline-repair requirements from 6-in. through 36-in. diame- ters. Three mechanical connectors and accessories in each pipe size except 22-in, and 28-in.are stocked. Gripper connectors are stocked up through 20-in. HydroTech tools are stocked in the larger sizes. RUPE has recently added split sleeves to its stacking program. Plidco units are stocked through 12-in. size, Gripper in 14-in. through 20-in., and HydroTech over 20-1 This program is only viewed as another repair option. Other repatr methods are also considered when a repair emergency arises, and the one best suited is used. 7.4 Comparison of Repair Methods Relative merits and disadvantages of surface welding, hyperbaric welding, and mechanical-connector repair methods are considered and evaluated in this section. In many cases, the relative time requirements, installation costs, and availability of equipment influence the selection of the method for repair of a particular pipeline. Surface welding and hyperbaric-welding methods provide a continu- ous welded pipeline, which is considered to be a definite advantage by most operators. In general, mechanical-connector repairs are the least costly and most rapidly completed, especially in deep water. Surface welding is more expensive and of somewhat longer duration than Tepairs made by mechanical connectors. The surface welding method400U Lad BiSatC WOALITL STLOILAVALY Buu 1d LILLY LU Water UepeHs OF about 300 ft, depending on pipe size. Hyperbaric welding is the most expensive and most time-consuming repair method, It requires skilled welder-divers and a lay barge or special vessel to handle the required manipulating frame and welding habitat. Approved welding procedures are required for the specific pipe to be repaired regarding wall thickness, material grade, welding rod, gas mixture, etc. 7.41 Technical Features Welding methods require expensive surface-support equipment. The surface repair of a large-diameter pipeline in deep water may require two pipe-lay barges to Hit and support the pipe safely during the welding operation. Repairs using mechanical connectors can be performed from a small work barge or a large work boat. The hyperbaric-welding method requires very specialized equipment, a large alignment frame, and a welding habitat. The requirements for mechanical connectors depend upon the manufacturer and can include special rigging and A-irames to support the connectors during installa- tion on the bottom. The surface-welding method is most limited in terms of pipe diame- ters and water depths. Although this method has been used for repairs to pipes larger than 30-in. in diameter and in water depths exceeding 300 ft, it is most commonly employed for pipes up to about 16-in. in diameter and water depths of less than 300 ft. The exact limitations for this method depend heavily upon the size and capabilities of the surface vesscl{s}, weather conditions, and submerged weight of the pipe to be lifted to the surface. The pipe is commonly dewatered before lifting. Hyperbaric welding has been demonstrated in the North Sea at water depths exceeding 1,000 ft. The installation of mechanical connectors is basically limited by diver depth capabilities, The primary disadvantage of the surface-welding method is that if the pipeline is buried, it is necessary to uncover long lengths (500 ft or more} of pipe on either side of the break to lift the pipe ends to the surface, Then, if the pipeline is to be reburied, a long length of pipe must be trenched. The primary disadvantages of hyperbaric welding are its high cost and the time required for repair by this method. The primary disadvantage of the mechanical connector method is the need to have a stock ofSubsea Pipeline Repair Systems | - connectors in the size of pipe to be repaired, since the time required to produce connectors can be many months. Such a delay would eliminate the mechanical connectors from consideration for tepair of an operating Pipeline. A summary of the technical comparisons of emergency repair methods is given in Table 7.1. Table 7.1 Comparison of Pipe Emergency Repair Methods Method] ‘Surface Hyperbaric Mechanical lem Welding Welding Conaectors Surface Lay bargels) Lay barge or — equipment large special- or buat purpose vessel Special Barge davits Alignment frame; Depends on equipment welding habitaz manutacturer Limutations Shallow water or 36-in, diameter, 42-in. diameter small diameters 1,000 fe = W.D. diver capabilieie Weather High Moderate Low sensitivity Advantages. Mighest-quality Welded rspair Fast. low-cost weld Disadvantages Unbury long Most expensive; long Must stock con- lengths of pipe on repair time; requires ne - cither side of skilled*welderdivers. break; expensive approved welding procedures eee 7.42 Experience Experience includes the general contractor's experience/reliability and prior operator experience with a specific repair method. Most midline repairs in the-Gulf of Mexico have been done using surface welding and mechanical-connection methods, In the case of pipe and riser repair, most experience has been by the surface-welding method for small-diameter pipe or shallow-water depth. In relatively deep water (350 ft or greater) and for large-diameter pipe, riser repairs have been made using the mechanical-connection method.The surface-welding method is most sensitive to weather during the epair operation. This is because both ends of the pipe must be lifted o the surface, leaving the suspended portions exposed to various rydrodynamic forces. In general, the surface-welding method can be ised in very calm weather only, particularly where two barges are used o lift the pipe. Subsea-repair methods, including mechanical connection and hyper- aric welding, are less sensitive to weather conditions than surface velding. On the other hand, most vessels performing subsea aechanical-connection repairs are smaller than the full-sized barges equired for surface repair and thus can be sensitive to weather in water epths greater than 200 ft. 44 Availability ‘lajor pipe-lay contractors have the equipment to perform surface ting repairs. Surface welding requires detailed stress a onfirm that the pipe ends can be safely lifted to the surface. Lifting shedules can be prepared as the barge is being mobilized. Hyperbaric welding requires mobilization of the alignment frame, abitat, and saturation-diving equipment. If new welding procedures ‘e required or if welder-divers must be requalificd, the start of the work tay be delayed. Mechanical-connector hardware must be available in ock because preduction lead times can be 3 or 4 months. This much slay would eliminate connectors from consideration for many nergency pipeline repairs. 45 Time and Costs In general, surface welding and mechanical connectors are the fastest ethods for pipe repair. Hyperbaric-welding repairs consume much ore time to perform, resulting in higher costs. Mechanical connectors e usually the least-costly method of repair. Surface welding would be ost expensive if two barges are required to lift the pipe ends to the tface as can be required for large-diameter pipe and in deep water. Both time estimates and cost estimates will depend heavily on the rcumstances of an actual repair situation, including the equipment———s Subsea Pipeline Repair Systems { used, the siill of the construction crew (including divers), water depth, weather conditions, and other factors which are situation dependent. The importance of a short installation time is magnified in bad- weather seasons, where weather windows of 7 days or less may exist between storms. If a repair can be made by one method in the span of a short weather window, both the time and cost advantages will be magnified.Pipeline Risers 3.1 General An important consideration in thy design of offshore pipelines is connection to surface facilities. Often, the pipeline on the seabed is nected to 2 riser which extends tn a surface producing facility, Many types of pipeline risers have been used in the past, including ‘isers that can be set on site and preinstalled risers that can be eons rected to the pipe on the seabed by a subsea tie-in arrangement. Selection of a particular installation method is influenced by several actors, including water depth, project schedule, economics, and plat- orm design. Specialized analysis of the pipeline and riser are necded to nsure flexibility of the connection and safety of the system. The various systems of pipeline-riser instaliations and connections tre described in this chapter. A comparison of these systems and liscussion of system flexibility are also presented. 1.2 Riser Systems Several methods exist for connecting a subsea pipeline to a prein- talled (existing) riser on a platform. These methods are similar to nidpoint pipeline connections described in Chapter 6 and include the ollowing: @ Flanged connections. # Hyperbaric welding. = Mechanical connectors. ® Subsea atmospheric welding, 168