Oil & gas | process
The offshore industry is one of the most demanding – yet plastic materials are finding increasing use in such a tough environment. Lou Reade reports
Power play: oil and gas applications
Most plastics are made from petrochemicals, so it seems oddly appropriate that polymers are finding increasing use in the demanding oil and gas industry – in applications ranging from high pressure gas transport to environmental protection. Researchers at the University of Calgary in Canada
have devised a ‘double wall’ system to resist spills in the oil and gas industry. In a report on CBC News, they say that the system
combines real time monitoring with an outer layer around the pipeline – which would hold in any oil spills. “We have a fully functional prototype the show
completely the feasibility of this technology,” said Martin Mintchev, professor of engineering at the university. A plastic or metal cover is placed around the pipeline,
and will contain any spills caused by a leak in the pipe. A wireless monitoring system then pinpoints the exact location of the leak. This part of the pipe would then be shut down, and a team sent to fix the leak. “We know how to implement it,” said Mintchev. “It’s
not that expensive compared to the damage that leaks can do,” said Mintchev.
www.pipeandprofile.com
The system may increase the price of a pipeline by 25%, said the report – but this could be less if the outer protective layer is made from plastics or composites rather than steel. The next step is to test the system more widely – such as at higher temperatures, carrying a wider range of materials, and using a variety of pipe materials. The researchers said that – if commercialised – their
system could first be used to protect sections of pipe in sensitive areas, such as near rivers and lakes. Mintchev and co-researcher Thiago Valentin de
Oliveira have a patent pending on the technology, and say they will launch a start-up to develop the technology further if companies are not interested in licensing it.
Extended testing Norner has extended the services that it offers to the oil and gas industry by increasing its capacity for autoclave testing of polymers. It recently opened a new test house, where it now
offers a range of autoclaves from 400ml up to 5 litre size. It is designed for the ageing of materials in extreme conditions at high pressure and temperature,
July/August 2017 | PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION 25
Main image: Norner’s new test house
increases its capacity for autoclave testing of polymers
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