Reinforcing subsea pipeline integrity is a critical move to avoid costly operating disruption

Emergency technology that operators hope they will never have to use should be a permanent fixture for secure, reliable pipeline operations, explains Geronimo Rodriguez, Business Manager of Oil States and an energy professional with more than 18 years of experience in oil and gas, focused on deepwater and onshore drilling.

This year, plans were announced to strengthen the Middle East’s LNG export capabilities. As LNG demand continues to rise, technologies are needed to support such efforts.

With major engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) developments set to expand the region’s subsea pipeline network, emergency repair solutions are essential to help ensure pipeline integrity and the safe, reliable transportation of energy to shore.

In rare events where a pipeline may be compromised by a defect or mechanical integrity failure, operators must respond swiftly to perform repairs with immediate access to spare equipment. Understanding that operational downtime is not an option for critical infrastructure, Middle East oil and gas companies must put permanent solutions in place. An emergency pipeline repair system (EPRS) and associated subsea pipeline repair technologies minimise safety and economic security risks, protecting pipeline integrity for operational success.

Futureproofing mega gas projects

Expanding natural gas reservoirs depends upon EPCI solutions to supply feed gas for additional LNG trains. While expansion plans usually involve new construction and technology considerations, typically a dependable system is already in place that provides foundational support to manage the integrity of this vast pipeline network - and safeguard future gas transportation.

The first application of its kind in the Middle East for 38-inch diameter pipelines, the Oil States EPRS was deployed a decade ago to reinforce subsea pipelines in a key Middle East region. The system’s hardware was designed as a permanent fixture, helping the operator ensure the necessary level of readiness to respond to an emergency repair in real time, and used as a preventative maintenance technology to optimise uptime reliability for mature gas wells.

While the likelihood of deploying an EPRS for an incident may be low, having this system available as a contingency solution is a wise investment to protect assets, investments and the environment from a potentially catastrophic event.

Fast emergency repair to mitigate downtime

A pipeline integrity breach and subsequent damage can result in significant and costly operational and environmental consequences. Operators must be equipped to act quickly during a pipeline emergency, with immediate access to spare components and repair solutions. In the event that damage takes a subsea pipeline out of service, Oil States can deliver a complete package of field-proven technology solutions to perform repairs with rapid success.

Taking proactive measures during the EPCI phase to have an EPRS on standby locally is vital to minimise downtime risk and disruption. Operators must understand which of their most valuable pipelines cannot be down for an extended period and outfit these with an EPRS. If a pipeline goes down and an EPRS is in place, operational downtime could be reduced from the standard 12 to 16 months it may take to manufacture new hardware to within weeks, depending on site conditions.

Oil States also provides proprietary technologies such as its FlangeMate misalignment connectors, Swivel Ring Flange, GripLock mechanical pipe end connectors and Diverless Leak Repair Clamp to optimise pipeline repairs. Highly specialised subsea pipeline system design and manufacturing capabilities support subsea pipeline construction, repair and expansion projects.

Accelerating energy progress

As operators expand energy infrastructure throughout the Middle East, reinforcing operations with emergency repair technologies brings peace of mind that pipelines will stay secure - and in a worst-case scenario, can rapidly return to operation. Investing in the technology we hope we’ll never use saves us in the long run as a necessary and failsafe solution.