Materials System Specification

18-SAMSS-006 15 August 2012

Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable
Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee

Saudi Aramco DeskTop Standards

Table of Contents

1 Scope............................................................ 2
2 Conflicts and Deviations................................ 2
3 References.................................................... 2
4 Definitions...................................................... 3
5 Specifications................................................ 3
6 Testing........................................................... 6

Previous Issue: New Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015

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Abduladhim H. Abdullatif on (+966)3-880-1356

Copyright©Saudi Aramco 2012. All rights reserved.

Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee 18-SAMSS-006
Issue Date: 15 August 2012
Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015 Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

1 Scope

This specification defines the minimum technical requirements for design, engineering,
manufacture, inspection, testing, performance and acceptance criteria of repeater-less
standalone submarine fiber optic cable.

2 Conflicts and Deviations

Any deviations, providing less than the mandatory requirements of this standard require
written waiver approval as per Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure SAEP-302.

3 References

The selection of material and equipment, and the design, construction, maintenance, and
repair of equipment and facilities covered by this specification shall comply with the
latest edition of the references listed below, unless otherwise noted.

3.1 Saudi Aramco References

Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure

SAEP-302 Instructions for Obtaining a Waiver of a Mandatory
Saudi Aramco Engineering Requirement

Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards

SAES-P-100 Basic Power System Design Criteria
SAES-T-101 Regulated Vendors List for Communications
Equipments and Materials
SAES-T-919 Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

3.2 Industry Codes and Standards

International Telecommunications Union (ITU-T)

G.652D Characteristics of a Single-Mode Optical Fiber Cable
G.655 Characteristics of Non-Zero Dispersion-Shifted
Single-Mode Optical Fibers
G.656 Characteristics of a Fiber and Cable with Non-Zero
Dispersion for Wideband Optical Transport
G.971 General Features of Optical Fiber Submarine Cable
Systems

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Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee 18-SAMSS-006
Issue Date: 15 August 2012
Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015 Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

G.972 Definition of Terms Relevant to Optical Fiber

Submarine Cable Systems
G.973 Characteristics of Repeaterless Optical Fiber
Submarine Cable Systems
G.976 Test Methods Applicable to Optical Fiber Submarine
Cable Systems
G.978 Characteristics of Optical Fiber Submarine Cables

Electronic Industries Association

ANSI/TIA/EIA-598 Color Coding of Fiber Optic Cables

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)

IEC 60793 Optical Fibers- Generic Specification
IEC 60794-2-50 Optical Fibers - Part 2-50: Product Specifications -
Sectional Specification for Class B Single-Mode
Fibers (Edition 3.0, 2008-05)
IEC 60794-1-2 Optical Fiber Cables- Part 1-2: Generic Specification
-Basic Optical Cable Test Procedures (Second
Edition, 2003-05)
IEC 60794-3-30 Family Specifications for Optical Telecommunication
Cables for Lakes, River Crossings and Coastal
Applications (Edition 2.0, 2008-04)

4 Definitions

 Abbreviations

LW Lightweight cable
LWP Lightweight protected cable
SA Single armored cable
DA Double armored cable
RA Rock armored cable

5 Specifications

ITU-T G.978 (Characteristics of optical fiber submarine cables) is hereby adopted as the
accepted Saudi Aramco standard for submarine fiber optic cable specification. The fiber
optic cable shall be designed to house and protect the optical fibers from damage due to

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Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee 18-SAMSS-006
Issue Date: 15 August 2012
Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015 Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

forces such as crushing, bending, twisting, tensile stress, and moisture as well as
environmental effects that may produce hydrogen. The fiber optic cable shall include, as
a minimum:

5.1 Metallic Core Tube

The fiber optic hosting tube shall be made of stainless steel to house the fibers.
The tube may be fabricated as a seamless tube, seam welded, or a tube without a
welded seam.

5.2 Inner and Outer Jackets

The inner and outer jacket shall be made of polyethylene (PE) per
ASTM D1248-84 Type II, Class C. The PE inner jacket shall be extruded over
the core tube. The purpose of the PE sheath is to completely seal the core tube
leaving no exposed areas of tubing that can make electrical contact either
directly or indirectly through moisture, contamination, protrusions, etc., with the
surrounding armoring. The inner jacket shall be smooth finishing and free from
pinholes and any other imperfections. The PE outer jacket is extruded over the
armoring to protect the overall cable. Thickness of jackets shall be in
accordance with manufacturer’s specifications.

5.3 Filling Compound

The interstices of the fiber optic cable shall be filled with a suitable water-
blocking compound to prohibit any moisture ingress from outside or any water
migration along the fiber optic cable. The filling compound shall be compatible
with all the components of the cable with which it may come in contact.
When loose buffer tubes are used, the inside and outside of the tube should be
filled with a water-blocking compound.

5.4 Optical Fiber

5.4.1 A minimum of 24 strands shall be supplied.

5.4.2 The fiber material (core and cladding) shall all glass.

5.4.3 The coating is usually made from one or more synthetic materials, such
as plastic or acrylate, or compositions and shall be provided to protect
the fiber during cable manufacture, handling, and operation.

5.4.4 The optical fiber shall be single mode fiber in accordance with
ITU-T G.652 D, G.655 or G656.

5.4.5 The characteristics of the single mode fiber strands shall comply with
IEC 60793-2-50.

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Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee 18-SAMSS-006
Issue Date: 15 August 2012
Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015 Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

5.5 Fiber Strand Packaging

Fiber strands shall be grouped together inside the fiber optic cable. The groups
may be in a form of a bundle, loose fiber tubes or tight buffered tubes.

5.6 Fiber Identification

5.6.1 Fibers shall be easily identified by color within the cable core. The colors
should be clearly distinguishable. The fibers within one group shall be
identified in accordance with TIA-598 color coding, i.e., fiber number 1 is
blue, fiber number 2 is orange, etc. Similarly, fiber groups shall also be
identified in accordance with TIA-598.

5.6.2 When more than 12 strands are combined together in one group, black
with white tracer or natural color with black tracer are acceptable
schemes to identify fiber numbers 20, 32 and 44. See Table 1 below for
fiber identification.

Table 1 – Fiber Color Code

Number of Black
Fiber No. & Color
Rings/Tracers
1 Blue 2 Orange 3 Green 4 Brown 5 Gray 6 White
Without
7 Red 8 Black 9 Yellow 10 Violet 11 Pink 12 Aqua
13 Blue 14 Orange 15 Green 16 Brown 17 Gray 18 White
1
19 Red 20 Nature 21 Yellow 22 Violet 23 Pink 24 Aqua
25 Blue 26 Orange 27 Green 28 Brown 29 Gray 30 White
2
31 Red 32 Nature 33 Yellow 34 Violet 35 Pink 36 Aqua
37 Blue 38 Orange 39 Green 40 Brown 41 Gray 42 White
3
43 Red 44 Nature 45 Yellow 46 Violet 47 Pink 48 Aqua

5.7 Color Performance

The original identification coloring of fibers and fiber units shall remain stable
throughout the design life of the cable when cleaned and prepared per
manufacture’s recommendations.

5.8 Factory Splices

It is recommended that submarine cables be designed as one piece with the

ability of the cable to be installed, recovered and repaired. However, it is
understood that due to manufacturing constrains, the submarine cable may be
required to be manufactured in sections. If optical fiber splice is required, the

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Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee 18-SAMSS-006
Issue Date: 15 August 2012
Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015 Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

fiber splice shall only be made in the factory by fusion splicing. Maximum
splice loss shall be 0.1 dB per splice. Factory splices shall not degrade the
mechanical performance of the cable.

5.9 Armoring

Depending on water depth, single or double layer of close wound galvanized

steel wire armor shall be applied. This is to guarantee the mechanical
performance of the cable structure during installation and recovery for deep
water applications. Based on ITU-T G.978, Table 3, the recommended
application depth of submarine fiber optic is below:

LW/LWP cable SA cable DA cable RA cable

Depth (m) > 1000 > 20 – 1500 0 – 20 0 – 20

6 Testing

Manufacturer shall provide 3rd party test certificates from internationally (or nationally)
approved agencies and in accordance with testing procedure highlighted by the relevant
documents and provided to Saudi Aramco representative when requested to do so.
Test data shall be provided by the manufacturer for each purchase order of standalone
submarine fiber optic cables, complying with ITU-T G.976 and relevant IEC 60794-1-2
and IEC 60794-3-30 for generic submarine fiber optic cable.

6.1 Fiber Optic Test Report

The manufacturer shall provide evidence that fiber optic strands tested in
accordance with IEC-60793. Test report shall include test results for all listed
tests under sub-documents of IEC-60793-1.

6.2 Cable Qualification (Type) Test

Qualification or type test report for a completed cable assembly shall be

provided verifying the performance of the fiber optic cable in accordance with
IEC-60794 and IEC-60794-3-30 as applicable based on cable type.
Manufacturer shall provide test certificates from an internationally (or
nationally) approved testing laboratory to Saudi Aramco representative when
requested to do so:

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Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee 18-SAMSS-006
Issue Date: 15 August 2012
Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015 Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

Cable Attribute Testing Method

IEC 60794-1-2, method E11.
Bend
IEC 60794-3-30 (4.4.2.5)
Impact IEC 60794-1-2, method E4.
IEC 60794-1-2, method E3.
Crush
IEC 60794-3-30 (4.4.2.6)
Kinking IEC 60794-1-2, method E10.
Tube Kinking IEC 60794-1-2, method G7.
IEC 60794-1-2,
Tensile performance methods E1A and E1B
IEC 60794-3-30 (4.4.2.1)
IEC 60794-1-2, method F10.
Hydrostatic pressure
IEC 60794-3-30 (4.4.2.8)
Torsion IEC 60794-1-2, method E7.
IEC 60794-1-2, method E6.
Repeated bending
IEC 60794-3-30 (4.4.2.2)
Compound flow (dip) IEC 60794-1-2, method E14.
Bending under tension IEC 60794-1-2, method E18.
IEC 60794-1-2, method E20.
Coiling performance
IEC 60794-3-30 (4.4.2.9)
Abrasion IEC 60794-1-2, method G7
IEC 60794-1-2, method F1.
Temperature Cycling
IEC 60794-3-30 (4.4.2.7)
Stripping force stability
IEC 60794-1-2, method E5.
of cabled optical fibers
Water penetration IEC 60794-1-2, method F5B
Bleeding & Evaporation IEC 60794-1-2, method E15.

 Mechanical Test
o Nominal Permanent Tensile Strength (NPTS)
o Nominal Operating Tensile Strength (NOTS)
o Nominal Transient Tensile Strength (NTTS)
o Cable Braking Load (CBL)

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Document Responsibility: Communications Standards Committee 18-SAMSS-006
Issue Date: 15 August 2012
Next Planned Update: 15 August 2015 Specifications of Standalone Submarine Fiber Optic Cable

6.3 Factory Acceptance Test

The following tests shall be conducted on completed fiber optic submarine cable
before shipment:
 Visual and dimensional check
o Numbers and colors of fibers
o Thickness of metallic core tube
o Thickness of outer jacket
 Attenuation test on all fibers using both OTDR and power meter methods.
 Fiber construction test (on sample agreed between manufacturer and Saudi
Aramco, but not less than 20% of the total fiber count)
o Chromatic dispersion
o Polarization Mode Dispersion

Revision Summary
15 August 2012 New Saudi Aramco Materials System Specification.

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