Downline Deployment Heralds New Era For Composites in Deepwater Pipeline Commissioning

DeepFlex today announced one of its all-composite flexible pipes has been used by Saipem S.p.A. to commission a deepwater export line offshore Brazil for Petrobras. The Saipem vessel Normand Cutter deployed the DeepFlex downline in 1500 meters of water to prepare the 174 kilometer, 18 inch Urugua export pipeline for operation in the Santos basin.

The DeepFlex pipe is substantially lighter weight than alternative solutions resulting in lower deployment costs and reduced operational risk. The three?inch internal diameter downline was connected to a subsea commissioning structure and deployed in harsh conditions for over 30 days with ocean swells of five to seven meters.

Michael C. Kearney, DeepFlex President and CEO said, “This application highlights the importance of composite solutions as the industry moves into deeper water. The ability to rapidly deploy lightweight pipe with our proprietary design allowed Saipem to utilize less costly installation equipment while successfully meeting project objectives. We believe our downline solution will become the standard for
future deepwater pipeline commissioning.”