Exploration • Drilling • Field Services
Maintenance-free, rubber- based composite, insulates and protects pipelines, flow lines, equipment and other subsea structures.
Compuesto a base de caucho, libre de mantenimiento, aísla y protege las tuberías, líneas de flujo, equipos y otras estructuras submarinas.
Ein wartungsfreier Verbundwerkstoff auf Kautschuckbasis isoliert und schützt Pipelines, Durchflussleitungen, Geräte und andere Unterseestrukturen.
Keeping the flow
pioneering development for the industry. An issue for many subsea oil and gas fields is that decreasing natural pressure is reducing recovery and shortening the lifetime of fields.
T
Fig. 1. Vikotherm R2 is produced at Trelleborg’s facility in Mjondalen, Norway. The main customers include large global oil and gas companies.
Owners of the Åsgard oilfield, situated some 200 kilometres off the coast of Norway, have developed a process that could bring benefits to the oil and gas industry for years to come. Set for completion in 2015, the
groundbreaking project will use subsea gas compression technology to maintain production and boost recovery from the Midgard and Mikkel reservoirs by the equivalent of about 278 million barrels of oil.
Åsgard field operator Statoil states
on its website: “With Åsgard subsea gas compression, we are one step closer to realising our vision of a subsea factory. Subsea processing, and gas compression in particular, is an important technology advance to develop fields in deep waters and harsh environments.”
he recently launched Åsgard subsea compression project in the Norwegian Sea is the world’s first-ever subsea gas compression facility and a
While this project represents a quantum leap in seabed technology, the challenging applications will increase the demands on the equipment used. Apart from being water-resistant, the equipment must withstand the temperatures and hydrostatic pressures found in deep-sea beds.
Piping wax build-up At these depths, fluids become warmer, resulting in a significant temperature difference compared with the surrounding seawater. Tis can cause piping wax build- up and eventually clogging, potentially leading to costly production downtime and repairs. Sophisticated thermal insulation is crucial to ensure a steady fluid flow. With this in mind, Aker Solutions, contractor of the Åsgard subsea compression system, will apply Trelleborg’s high-performance Vikotherm R2 subsea insulation to 600 metres of piping. A well-proven solution, the material can easily be adapted to the varying geometries, surfaces and applications of the installation.
Insulate and protect Te rubber-based composite Vikotherm R2 system insulates and protects jumpers, manifolds, risers, pipelines, flow lines, equipment and other subsea structures. Maintenance-free, the product is designed to last the installation’s lifetime, a minimum of 30 years, so it will never normally require replacement. “Vikotherm R2 is practically
incompressible and both seawater- and impact-resistant,” says Oddvar Kopstad, Sales Manager Subsea at the Trelleborg Offshore & Construction facility in Norway. “It effectively withstands both low and high temperatures and provides corrosion and mechanical protection.
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