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An overview of marine pipeline repair methods

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 8th International Offshore Industries Conference
June 2019 – Tehran, Sharif University of Technology

An overview of marine pipeline repair methods

Abdullah Eidaninezhad 1, Pegah Ziyaei2, Arman Zare3
1
PhD Student, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology; a.eidani@mech.sharif.edu
2
M.Sc. Student, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology; pegahziyaei@mech.sharif.edu
3
M.Sc. Student, School of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology; arman.zare@mech.sharif.edu

Abstract
Marine pipelines are subjected to risks that can cause damage to them. These risks are such as internal corrosion due to
corrosive fluids, erosion caused by the presence of the solid particles in the flowing fluid, external corrosion, and impacts
by anchors to the external surface of the pipe. In case of damage and leakage in the pipeline, in addition to the large loss
in the product and significant economic loss, it also causes environmental pollution. Therefore, identifying marine
pipeline repair methods and knowing the condition in which each one is applicable are important. Since the first day of
using marine pipeline until now, many methods have been used for repairing pipeline defects. While all kinds of defects
were always the same, repair methods have been continuously improving in order to reduce the time, cost and increasing
the safety and operational certainty. Impact rate of each of these varies according to the parameters such as type of damage,
working environment (land and sea), working pressure and temperature, pipe length, fluid, etc. Considering all of these,
and the fact of existing kilometers of marine pipelines in the Persian Gulf, it is very important to know about the different
methods of pipeline repair and mastering them. Therefore, in this article according to the different mentioned parameters
and methods, various types of marine pipeline repair and required equipment have been reviewed.

Keywords: Marine pipeline, Pipeline damage repair, Clamp, Sleeve, Composite repair, Hot tap

Introduction
Nowadays the developed countries are relied on the pipelines to transfer oil and gas products, water, industrial waste, and
sewage, to transmit electricity through cables, and many other industrial purposes. For these reasons marine pipelines are
installed and used worldwide and are gradually come into wide use in accordance with the social industrialization and
higher desired profit. Marine pipelines have been installed in most parts of the world since about 50 years ago and have
played a major role in the economics of the countries. Pipelines are always faced with problems in term of maintenance
such as rupturing, cracking, erosion and corrosion. Corrosion in the pipes is one of the most common problems in the
pipeline industry of our country. Whether internal corrosion or external corrosion decreases the effective lifetime of the
pipeline. In addition, there is a possibility of external damage due to impacting objects to the pipe, so it will be required
to repair the pipe. There are different ways to repair the pipeline. In some cases, where it is necessary, if possible, the
pipeline service will be suspended and the defected part of the pipe will be cut and replaced with a new pipe. If the damage
is low or we don’t want to suspend the pipeline service, some other repairing methods are used which will be reviewed
in the following sections.
Steel as the most commonly used material in pipeline production is heavily influenced by the environmental corrosion
factors in water or soil and can be damaged or corroded. Unwanted leakage of material due to any of the mentioned
reasons can have irreparable effects on the environment and economy of the area where the leakage has occurred.
Industrial waste, sewage or oil leakage leads to soil contamination and can even disrupt the daily lives of people in case
of penetration to the water supply resources of an area. Explosion due to the leakage of the gas is another potential risk
caused by damage in the pipeline. Considering that each of these problems can lead to a major disaster, reconstruction,
and repair of pipelines on a large scale and in the shortest possible time are economically, technically and environmentally
important. For a vast country like Iran, with a large amount of oil and gas resources and old widespread networks of
marine pipelines, mentioned items are of great importance.
In this article, first, the different types of defects will be reviewed and classified. Next, the required considerations in
repairing a part of a pipeline will be mentioned.

A review on the defects and damage

Damage to the pipeline is related to the installation and operational condition. Table 1 presents the damage category and
scenarios. As stated, steel pipes are the most common type of pipes used in the different parts of the oil and gas industry.
The main reason for using the high strength steel is the relatively lower price and ease of creating the connections. Despite
these characteristics, steel pipes are corroded during the operation, due to the environmental condition in which the pipe
is located, such as the presence of the seawater around the pipeline or carrying the sour gas as the flowing fluid. Corrosion
(internal or external), cracking (longitudinal or radial), erosion, buckling, the formation of gouge and dent defects, and
rupturing are the most common defects that can happen during the lifetime of a pipeline [1].
 Table 1- Damage categories and scenarios [1].

Phase Damage Category Specific Damage Scenario

Dry buckle Dry local buckle
Installation Dry propagating buckle
Wet buckle Wet buckle
Loss of coating Buckle/ Stinger impact
Hydrate Hydrate
Localized damage, no leak Internal/ External corrosion
Gouge/ Dent/ Buckle
Overstressing
Fatigue damage
Trawling/ Anchoring
Objects dropped from the ships
Ship sinking/ Ship grounding
Shipwrecks and debris
Operation Earthquakes/ Tsunamis
Mass gravity flows and turbidity currents
Localized damage, minor leak Pin-hole leak
Seismic fault/ Submarine landslips
Liquefaction/ Scour
Rupture, local Rupture
Earthquakes/ Slope stability
Rupture, extensive length Rupture
Extensive damage, no leak Internal/ External corrosion

Based on the damage scenarios and risk assessment it is clear that [1]:
 The pipeline installation contractor should have fully developed procedures, and all the necessary equipment
ready to use in case of happening dry or wet buckling, prior to the start of deep-water pipe lay operations.
 The operator should have fully developed procedures and all necessary equipment ready to use before starting
the operations to cater for the following scenarios:
o Hydrate formation
o Localized damage (i.e. dent or pin-hole leak).
o Local Rupture
o Rupture over extensive pipeline length.

Effective factors in choosing the repair method

There are lots of considerations in choosing the repair method for the marine pipeline. Which each of them after making
dimensionless, weighing, initializing and determining boundary conditions will be placed in a predetermined objective
function to select the best repair method. Effective parameters in selecting the repair method are as follows [1-2]:
 Repair time/period
 Economic factors
 Marine pipeline specifications
 Sea water condition
 Type and source of the failure
 Environmental situation
 Repairing service abilities
 Strategic considerations

The most important time factors and considerations in the pipeline repairing process include the duration of equipping
and preparation, possible dangers while installation, and ease of communication between the operating forces. Cost of
installation, services, consultation, and products are the most important economic factors. Sea water status such as
temperature, salinity, turbidity, depth and sea currents affect pipeline repair. Other factors affecting the pipeline repair are
presented in Table 2.

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 Table 2- Other effective factors in pipeline repair.

Pipeline Type and source Environmental situation Strategic

specifications of the defect considerations
Dimensions and Internal/ Traffic situation Sanctions
pipeline material External corrosion
Chemical Longitudinal/ Seabed condition near repairing area Currency exchanges
specifications of the circumferential or
fluid combined cracks
The remained time of Erosion Weather condition Product localization
the design life of the
pipeline
Fluid pressure and Local or overall Distance between the defect and flange After-sales service
temperature buckling
Pipeline route maps Denting, Position of the defect (close to the platform, Permanent warranty
lamination equipment, etc.) (product renewal)
Pipe thickness at the Rupture Specifications and condition of the pipeline Restore production
defected point cover in the area that defect has occurred speed

The experience in performing similar projects, having qualified personnel and adequate equipment (the type of the
float, equipment, technical characteristics, personnel, etc.), and variety of products are the most important factors in
pipeline repair service.

Types of Composite Repair

Procedures for repairing offshore pipelines can be classified according to the method of repair in term of implementing
from inside or outside of the pipe, depth of the water, and suspending the pipeline service. A general categorization of
different repair methods is provided in Figure 1.

General categorization of repair methods

External repair methods Internal repair methods Other methods

Clamp Sleeve Expandable steel patch Hot tapping

Conventional Placing new pipe into

Sleeve welding Grinding repair
clamps the old pipe

Fiber
Composite Reinforced Using the robot to repair Removal and
clamps Plastic (FRP) replacement of a
defective segment
Removing and replacing
Grouted clamps Cladding
the defective part

Lightweight
clamps

Figure 1- A general categorization of the repair methods.

 Conventional clamps
Clamps are external mechanical joints that are used to repair areas damaged or exposed to leaks in pipelines and members
of the offshore platforms. These joints are connected by diver or ROV (especially in deep areas) at the damaged region
[3]. The components of a clamp to repair the pipeline are shown in Figure 2. The sealing performance of the clamp is the
primary performance of the clamp device [4].

3
Figure 2- Structure of the Clamp: 1- Tighten flange; 2-The sealing bolts; 3- Flange bolts; 4- Opening and closing hydraulic auxiliary
arm; 5-Hydraulic cylinders; 6- Installation rings; 7- The master bolts; 8- Drilling hole; 9- Sacrificial anodes; 10- Rings [4].

The clamp body is mainly composed of two semi-massive structures. The installation rings, opening and closing
hydraulic auxiliary arm, hydraulic cylinder mounts, tighten the bolt hole, flange base and other features are designed in
the clamp body. The installation rings are used to lift the clamp in the right place easily when the subsea installation work
is conducted. The installation rings, opening and closing hydraulic auxiliary arm, hydraulic cylinder mounts can facilitate
opening and closing movements of the clamp when the underwater installation work is conducted, which is more
conducive to the underwater installation environment. When the main bolts through the tighten bolt holes are tightened,
the clamp is closed, then the longitudinal seals are achieved. The flange base is used to connect with tighten flange. The
material properties of the clamp body are the same as or higher than the pipe material [4].
The clamps maintain the integrity of the pipeline and help the pipe to work at its maximum operating pressure. For the
clamp to be completely impermeable, the surface of the pipe should be completely smooth and without any excessive
prominence. Therefore, if there is any concrete or plastic coating on the pipe, it should be removed.

 Composite clamps
A composite clamp comprises of two half-cylindrical shell sections with flanges, which are placed over a pipe and
fastened by bolts in order to repair the pipe as shown in Figure 3-a. The main components of the clamp are clearly shown
in the Figures 3-b and 3-c. Pressurized fluid leaking from the pipe is contained in the annulus area between the pipe and
the clamp using hard rubber seals. The clamp can be fabricated using a number of composite processing techniques;
however, vacuum-assisted liquid moulding is deemed the most cost-effective to achieve a balance of good quality
laminates while still keeping the clamp affordable.
Leak containment is achieved through the use of rubber seals that are suitable for the service conditions and
environments. The seal is applied in a ‘picture frame’ configuration as shown in Figure 3c. Hence, each half clamp has
an associated fully enclosed semi-circular annulus, such that fluid (leaking from a damaged pipe) is contained within each
half-clamp. Finally, the two half clamps are held together using socket head cap screws. The flanges are thickened in
order to allow sufficient resistance to localized compressive loads applied by bolts during tightening, as well as to increase
the stiffness of the flange in order to resist the tendency to pry open during subsequent pressurization when in service [5].

Figure 3- (a) The composite clamp; (b) main components of the assembly; (c) internal view showing the ‘picture frame’ seals [5].

 Grouted clamps
Grouted clamps are used to repair and strengthen offshore assets including jacket members, caissons, and pipelines. The
main reasons why offshore structures require repairs using grouted clamps are damage caused by ship impact, or by
objects dropped overboard, typically during installation or heavy construction activities. Clamps may also be required to
extend the fatigue life of node joints, or structural members. Grouted clamps are fabricated in two or more segments

4
 which are placed around the member. These segments are then clamped together, and after pre-tensioning the bolts, grout
is injected into the annulus between the clamp and the existing tubular.
Some key advantages of grouted repair techniques include:
- Normal clamp fabrication imperfections are easily accommodated by the grout
- Existing member survey tolerances are accommodated by the grout
- Full, and often extra strength for the damaged section can be easily restored
- Structural repair clamps can be fitted at any depth on the jacket [6].
The grout used for the structural rehabilitation work can be chosen from a variety of different formulations depending
on the project-specific circumstances. The grout may consist of a mixture of cement, aggregates, superplasticizer and
anti-washout additives. Figure 4 depicts an example of these clamps that were used in the North Sea in 2007 to repair
jacket members. The cement type used in this clamp is CEM1 42.5 [6].

Figure 4- Grouted clamp. (a) A clamp cutaway following grout infill; (b) A 3D diagram of a clamp installed on a steel jacket structure [6].

Another common use of grouted clamps is to repair damaged pipelines. The design is similar, with the clamp being
fabricated in two or more segments fastened together using bolts, prior to the annulus being filled with grout. The repaired
section of the pipeline will often be underpinned using fabric formworks to provide extra support given the additional
weight of the repair clamp [6].

 Lightweight clamps
Another type of external clamp is the lightweight clamp which provides a localized seal on the pipe surface. The idea of
using this type of clamp was first presented by STATS GROUP. These clamps are produced in two types of Strap and
Pin-hole. Sealing a specific region of the pipe reduces the sealing area hence the loads which need to be restrained. So,
these clamps are much lighter and easier to handle than a traditional repair clamp which encapsulates the whole
circumference of the pipe. The main advantage of using lightweight clamps is saving time.
Strap clamp has three major components as depicted in Figure 5 [7].
1. Strap: this is a steel strap which wraps around the pipe and provides the mechanical restraint for the internal pressure
acting on the clamp. This comes in two pieces, which are joined diametrically from the seal housing. The strap conforms
to the pipe OD around the back of the pipe, then running tangentially to the connection to the seal housing. The connection
to the seal housing is by bolts which are mounted directly in line with the load path and the strap design maintains the
load path in direct tension minimizing weight.
2. Seal Housing: The seal housing connects to the strap completing the load restraint. The housing can be designed in a
variety of configurations to provide the following:
- A sealing plate for a repair
- A ported housing to allow hot tapping (As shown in Figure 5)
- An encapsulation housing which can accommodate pipeline fittings
The connection to the strap is structural and the connection with the seal cartridge is on a bore seal.
3. Seal Cartridge: The seal cartridge is a cylindrical seal piston which is mounted inside a seal housing. This cartridge
seals against the seal housing on the cylinder diameter, and on the pipe at the compression seal diameter (‘D’ seal). The
result is that the internal pressure (red), squeeze the compression seal onto the pipe [7]. The size of the repair which can
be accommodated with this design can vary but must be small in relation to the pipe diameter (<25%).

Figure 5- Strap clamp and its main components [7].

5
 Pin-hole leak clamps (Figure 6) have been developed for process piping repair in the oil and gas process facilities.
Installation can be undertaken with minimal disruption to the pipework or operation of the system to which they are fitted.
Designed for simple installation, Pin-hole leak clamps are designed to provide a rapid and versatile solution for localized
leak points. This clamp is used to repair pipes with diameters of 2 to 48 inches. The maximum pin-hole size for pipes
with a nominal diameter of 4 inches and lower, is 6 mm, while for the pipe nominal size of 6 inches and more is 12 mm.
Key features of the pin-hole leak clamps include:
-All pipe range sizes 2" upwards
-Pressure range: up to 153 Bar (900lbs)
-Maximum pin-hole size up to 12mm
-No preparation required
-Can be fitted onto the live leak
-Simple to install
-Xylan coating provides excellent corrosion resistance [8].

Figure 6- Pin-hole leak clamp [8].

Another clamp used in the field of lightweight clamps for emergency pipeline repair is the STOPKiT ® model owned
by Brisma Africa company. It stops various types of the leak (oil, gas, water …) on pipe diameters from 4" to 56" and is
also applicable on specific geometries (an oval pipe, elbow) and irregularities like welds. This patented product is an
emergency and temporary system and is available under several models (depending on the pipe and the hole diameter)
and for the various environments (onshore, offshore and subsea). Pressure up to 80 bars can be stopped for hole diameter
inferior to 10mm (patch size 50x100mm). In the case of hole diameter up to 50 mm, leaks can be sealed up to 30 bars
(patch size 100x100mm). The installation can be done without shutting down the line pressure [9].
The system operates by concentrating all the needed stress in the pipe at the defect location. The hoop stress needed
to stop the leak is brought by the technical strap and the screws (Figure 7). These strong fibers of the strap are temperature
and stress resistant. Specifications of two types of these clamps for offshore/ subsea application are presented in Table 3.

Figure 7- Emergency pipeline repair STOPKiT® system [9].

Table 3- Specifications of two types of STOPKiT® clamps in offshore-subsea environment [9].

STOPKiT® 50 STOPKiT® 100
Max. hole Ø 10mm Max. hole Ø 50mm
Max. pressure 80 bars (1160 psi) Max. pressure 30 bars (435 psi)
Pipe temperature Pipe temperature
+5°C/+80°C +5°C/+80°C

 Welded sleeve repair

The repair of corrosion, dents and small cracks damage on pipelines can be done by the installation of a welded sleeve
around the pipe. The repair system consists of seam welding two half-section pipes with an inner diameter equal to the
outer diameter of the pipe around the damaged section as shown in Figure 8. There are two types of sleeves used for this
operation; Type A sleeves which are only seam welded without welding the ends to the original pipe, and type B which
are welded at the ends contributing to a fully pressure containment around the damage [10].

6
 Figure 8- Welded sleeve, type A and B [10].

 Fibre-reinforced polymer composites repair

Fibre composites provide excellent advantages in terms of weight, cost, moisture and chemical resistance, toughness,
abrasive resistance, strength, appearance, thermal and electrical insulation and machinability properties that are important
in structural repair [11]. The acceptance of composite as an alternative to conventional repair materials is indicated
through the recent development of codes and standards. ASTM D 2992 [12] specifies the standard practice for designing
fibreglass pipe and fittings. However, the most significant advance to the repair of high pressure and high-risk pipelines
is the development of ASME PCC-2–2015 (Part 4- Nonmetallic and Bonded Repairs) [13] which is dedicated to the
applicability of composite overwrap repairs to pipelines. This code allows any ASME compliant metallic pipeline to be
repaired with a composite overwrap for all the possible repair scenarios of the hoop, axial and leak-proofing, the codes
also include the ASME metallic pipe plastic (yielding) philosophy into the repair. ISO 24817 [14] provides a similar
methodology to ASME PCC-2 however does not allow pipe yielding and therefore is suitable for non-metallic and/or
brittle pipes.
Generally, two types of repair systems "Pre-cured layered system" and "Flexible wet lay-up system" are applied in
repair of defective pipelines. Both repair methods encircle the pipe by sleeve either flexibly or through stiffer bonded
connections [15].
- Flexible wet lay-up system:
Flexible bandage application is intensively utilized by pipe repair industry in the form of overwrapping for onshore
repair cases even angles or bents of the pipes. This application utilizes a resin matrix that is usually uncured during
application and finally creates a stiff shell after curing. However, underwater repair using fibre composites is common
only for shallow or low-pressure applications. A typical subsea spiral wrapping application is shown in Figure 9-a [15].
- Pre-cured layered system
Layered systems involve bonding of a pre-cured system that is held together with an adhesive applied in the field. The
Clock Spring® and PermaWrapTM systems are examples of layered systems. Figures 9-b and 9-c show the intensively
used Clock Spring® repair system. Repair using these systems is generally limited to straight sections of the pipe. This
repair technique has the potential to be applied in subsea applications. Bonding of layers and installation are major
drawbacks of this repair system. The Clock Spring® used today is manufactured by encapsulating tows of continuous E-
glass fibers in an isophthalic polyester resin matrix. This is then bonded to the pipe and to itself with a methyl methacrylate
adhesive. Before applying the Clock Spring® the defect area is filled with a high compressive strength filler material to
transfer the load from the pipe to the Clock Spring ®. This repair system is a result of evolution rather than revolution.
Many other embodiments of composite technology were investigated and rejected for solid engineering reasons [15].

Figure 9- (a) Spiral composite wrapping repair of subsea pipeline [15], (b) Clock Spring® repair system [15,16], (c) 1- FRP composite,
2- Inter-layer adhesive and 3- Infill material.

Fiber, resin, and filler are the main components of fibre-reinforced composite repair.
-Fiber: Fibre provides the muscle for the composites. Fibre orientation determines the directional strength and stiffness
for any particular application. The most commonly used reinforcing fibres for composites are glass, carbon, aramid,
polyethylene, boron, polyester, nylon, natural fibres, etc. [15]. Carbon fibre can withstand higher internal pressure than
that of glass and aramid fibres [17]. Carbon is a very good cathode; hence it is likely to stimulate galvanic corrosion attack
on the high alloy metals. Galvanic corrosion resulted from the electrochemical coupling of carbon fibres with steel alloys
is another mechanism where the design of interfaces, treatment technology, and environmental conditions are needed to
be carefully characterized [15]. Hybrid composite system is often utilized to eliminate corrosion for serving high-pressure
performance requirements. A multilayered hybrid composite sleeve was designed by Alexander where inner and outer

7
layers of E-glass were introduced to cover circumferential carbon fibres in the reinforcement to eliminate galvanic
corrosion. The inner layer acted to protect the pipe from potential corrosion due to carbon interaction with steel, while
the outer layers protect the carbon fibres against potential impact and wear [18].
-Resin: Resin acts as a matrix for the fibres. It accommodates the fibres and plays a significant role in composite
performances. Commonly used resins are: epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester, phenolic, polyurethane, etc. However, epoxy
resins are intensively used in underwater application than other resins for its anti-corrosive performance and durability.
Water activated and water repelling in site-cured resins demand further research to be applied for high-pressure subsea
conditions [19].
-Filler or Infill: Layer of infill fills the irregularities or dents of pipe surface and acts as a smooth bed for the encircling
sleeve. All the systems for pipeline repair use a layer of resin "putty" that provides a bed for the fibre-reinforced composite
sleeve that is either flexible or rigid [15].

 Cladding
Stainless Steel 316 can be used as a cladding for corrosion protection of offshore risers and members in the tidal and
splash zone. The advantage of using this method is to connect mechanically without the need for welding. The following
steps are used to apply the cladding repair in the operating conditions of the platforms and risers [20]:
1- Sandblast
2- Putting the cladding around the damaged area of riser
The riser cladding is selected from the roll sheet as shown in Figure 10. The edges of the joints are well sealed with
suitable materials. The lower and upper ends of the cover are well sealed by mechanical compression of the rubber or by
using rubber seals with mechanical joints.
3- Extract water inside the cladding
4- Filling the space between the cladding and the riser.
The space between the cladding and the riser is filled with the heat and corrosion resistant resin.
The main advantage of this method is saving time.

Figure 10- Repair of an offshore riser with stainless cladding [20].

Internal repair methods

 Expanded Steel patch
The Saltel Group is a pioneer in extending the expanded Steel patch repair in damaged and corroded areas. In this
permanent internal repair method, as shown in Figure 11, first, the expander patch carrier set is sent to take pictures of
the damaged or corroded areas. After placing the set on the damaged site, the casing patches are expanded with pressure
and injected high-quality stainless steel with an elastomeric coating. This is repeated until the complete repair of the
damaged area. Tests have shown that these expanding steel patches are usable up to 150 ° C and at slightly higher
temperatures. These patches are available in sizes from 4.5 to 13.5 inches [21].

Figure 11- Pipeline repair process using expanding steel patches [21].

 Live pipe insertion (Placing new pipe into the old pipe)
Another trenchless repair technique is live pipe insertion, a method used in gas distribution to repair aging buried lines
without interrupting gas flow. In this repair method, a new plastic pipe is inserted into the existing larger diameter metal
pipe. The inserted pipe is pressure tested in place while flow continues without interruption through the annular space

8
between the old and new pipe. The new plastic pipe is then connected to carry the flow while the annular space is sealed
off by injection of high-density polyurethane [22].

 Use the robot to repair

The robot can also be used to repair the inside of the pipe. A robot model for this purpose is COVERCAT's Pipe Snake
(Figure 12). The robot can move inside the pipe and spray the coating to the internal surface of the pipe. It also has the
ability to carry the repair tool to fill the holes and remove excess areas and grinding, and prepare the surface to apply the
coating on the surface, or carry the camera for inspection. This method is suitable for repairing corrosion created inside
the pipe and removing the resulting roughness. In addition, decreasing the roughness will increase the flow rate [23].

Figure 12- Pipe Snake robot inside the pipe [23].

Other pipeline repair methods

 Hot tapping
Hot tapping is a technique that by creating a sub-branch above the damaged part of the main pipe, by welding joints or
bolts, does not interrupt the service of the pipeline while replacing the damaged part. The sub-branch is connected to the
main pipe (outside the pipeline axis) by creating two holes before and after the damaged area of the pipe, and facilitates
transferring the product into the new route. After removing the damaged area of the pipeline, the removed part is replaced
with a new pipe. Finally, the branch and its connected attachments are removed from the pipe (Figure 13). This method
can also be considered as a replacement method for the pipeline [24]. The British STATS group and Italian RAVETTI
company are pioneer providers of this technology.

Figure 13- An example of the hot tapping process and the final pipeline repaired by this process [24].

 Removal and replacement of a defective segment

Sometimes it is both possible and desirable to remove a defective section of the pipe and replace it with a new pipe rather
than to attempt some other types of repair. Removal necessitates shutdown, or isolation and depressurizing the affected
segment of the pipeline. The defective area within the segment is then cut out as a cylinder. This removed section is
normally replaced with a pretested section of the sound pipe and after inspecting the tie-in welds, the pipeline will be
returned to the normal service [25].

 Grinding repair
Grinding of the damaged area of the pipeline and the members of the offshore platforms generally reduces the rate of the
crack expansion due to the large stress concentration. In this repair technique, there is no need to carry a lot of equipment
[25]. To repair the damaged areas of the pipeline, the following conditions must be fulfilled:
 Eliminating the stress concentration effect of the defect or imperfection.
 Removing all the damaged or excessively hard or soft metal (metal with an altered microstructure).
 Making sure the amount and distribution of removed metal does not significantly reduce the pressure-carrying
capacity of the pipeline.

Classification of the methods based on type and amount of the damage

There is a large range of repair techniques that may be suitable for more common repair scenarios. Each of the repair
techniques has advantages and disadvantages, and, possibly, some repair techniques may not be suitable or applicable in

9
some cases. Table 4 provides a simple overview of the applicability of each of the repair techniques in different scenarios.
These repair scenarios are classified into the three main repair scenarios that are considered in [26]:
 External metal loss (caused by corrosion or mechanical damage)
 Internal metal loss (caused by corrosion, erosion or both)
 Leakage

In each of these repair scenario classes, the extent of the damage has been categorized regarding being localized (i.e.
isolated pit, small crack) or extensive.

Table 4- Applicability of repair techniques in repair scenarios (straight pipe sections) [26].
Repair Scenario Patch Encircling “Stand-off” Epoxy-filled
Sleeve clamp/connector sleeve
External metal loss Yes Yes Yes Yes
localized - consider cost
effectiveness
External metal loss No Yes Yes Yes
extensive - c/w new pipe
section
Internal metal loss Yes Yes Yes Yes
localized - consider cost
effectiveness
Internal metal loss No Yes Yes Yes
extensive - c/w new pipe
section
Leak No No Yes Yes
- consider seal
material
suitability

Limitations of pipeline repair methods based on seawater depth

The depth of water and the type and extension of the damage are the most important parameters that should be considered
in repair. This section describes the various types of conventional methods that are currently available for repairing a
damaged subsea pipeline in water depth less than 300 m. This maximum depth limitation is realistically imposed by diver
constraints. Unconventional pipeline repairs are considered to be those carried out diver-less and in water depth exceeding
300 m. The various types of conventional repair methods can be summarized as follows [27]:
• Noncritical repair work.
• Minor repair requiring the installation of a pin-hole type repair clamp.
• Medium repair requiring the installation of a split sleeve type repair clamp.
• Major repair requiring the installation of a replacement spool.
Table 5 summarizes the various repair methods and their applicable water depth.

Table 5- Repair methods versus applicable water depths [27].

Repair Method Water Depth (m)
0-50 50-300 >300
Repair clamp Yes Yes Yes (note 1)
Hyperbaric welding Yes (note 2) Yes N/A
Mechanical connectors (note 4) Yes Yes Yes (note 1)
Surface welding Yes (note 3) N/A N/A

According to Table 5, cladding can be used to repair the offshore platform members. Also, considering the operational
depth of the Persian Gulf (between 6 and 90 meters), the use of a lightweight, conventional clamps and fiber-reinforced
composite is beneficial for subsea pipeline repair.
Notes:
1
Technology exists for the diverless installation (by ROV) and the diverless installable hardware, such as repair clamps
and mechanical connectors.
2
Hyperbaric welding in water depth less than 20 m is not practical, and other repair solutions are required.
3
Water depth limitation for surface welding is governed by the size and weight of the pipeline, and the vessel lifting
capabilities.
4
Such as composite clamps and cladding

10
 Conclusion
In this paper, first, the defects and damage to the marine pipelines were investigated. Then all the parameters and their
independent sub-parameters that are related to the repair methods are presented. Afterward, due to the mentioned defects,
various suitable repair methods were introduced and the applications of each one were briefly described. According to
studies conducted in this paper, there may be several methods to repair the damage in the offshore pipelines. By
considering effective factors in repairing and defining an objective function, we can have an optimal selection. In the
Persian Gulf region, it is recommended to repair members of the offshore platform with cladding and pre-cured layered
composite coatings to save in the installation time. The use of clamps is also recommended for large defects.

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