Spoolable Composite Pipelines API 15S Qualified, Corrosion Resistant, Lower Install Cost, Time to First Oil

Blaine Weller, P. Eng

12:00 September 19, 2018

Cost-Effective Well Site Facilities

Houston, TX

AGENDA – Spoolable Composite Pipelines

Introduction

Technology

Operating Envelope

Qualification to API 15S

Challenges

Deployment History and Case

Studies

Economics

• Founded in 2001 as

Flexpipe Systems

• Now Shawcor Composite

Production Systems

• Over 20,000 miles of pipe

and 160,000 fittings

installed worldwide

• 25 product, research, and

applications engineers and

technicians

• Over 15 patents

• Division of Shawcor (6,000

employees worldwide)

Introduction – Shawcor Composite Production Systems

4

Technology – FlexPipe and FlexCord

FlexPipe

PE Jacket PE Liner

Glass Fiber

FlexCord

PE Jacket PE Liner

Galvanized Steel Cords

• Helically wrapped, unbonded

• Up to 4” ID, FP 1500 psi at 180F, FC 2250 psi at 140F

• Will focus on these technologies as representative

• Electroless Nickel (ENC) coated carbon steel – Standard

material

• Externally coated with corrosion protective tape

• Duplex Stainless Steel – Optional material

Technology - Fittings

Technology - Fittings

Technology – Fitting Reliability

• Crimping pressure is

controlled by hydraulic

pressure to each piston

• Crimper pistons and dies

move independently

• Field friendly – no need for

precise fit up and

adjustments

• One-piece fitting increases

ease of fitting installation

• API 15S “Spoolable Reinforced Plastic Linepipe”

• Requirements for the manufacture and qualification of

spoolable reinforced plastic line pipe in oilfield

applications

• Internationally recognized; monogram program

• 2016 edition - contributors included Shawcor (CoChair),

all major manufacturers, Exxon, Saudi Aramco,

Marathon, Shell, Conoco Phillips, YPF, Chevron,

Occidental, PHMSA (US DOT)

Technology - API 15S Standard, 2nd Edition

• Review of the testing

requirements 15S

• Primarily reference the

FlexPipe product line

testing, which has been

successfully completed

Operating Envelope – Design & Testing to API 15S

• Two burst

tests on each

reel of pipe

• 7,400 psi

minimum

• 8,000 psi

typical

Operating Envelope – Burst Testing FlexPipe

Operating Envelope – Regression Testing

• API 15S Section

5.3.3.3

• ASTM D2992,

Procedure B

• Minimum 18

samples; over 10,000

hours

• Design Factor

applied to obtain

pressure ratings

CONFIDENTIAL

• From API 15S - “An engineering assessment shall be

conducted to verify that the materials will retain integrity

and fitness for purpose”

• “The assessment shall be based on testing and

experience and shall predict the aging of the material

under the influence of fluids or environment”

• In general, the fluid factor is set to 1 or 0

• Either compatible, or not

• Synthetically prepared crude oil is used for testing

Operating Envelope - Fluid Service Factors

Operating Envelope – 50% Aromatics in Oil Testing

• Full pipe samples and dog bone tensile samples

• Tested with 50% aromatics/solvents (cyclohexane,

toluene, xylene plus 50% hexane, heptane, octane, etc)

• Saturated at maximum operating temperature 180 °F

• Followed by pressurized hold tests; tensile tests

CONFIDENTIAL

Operating Envelope – Pressure Cyclic Testing

14

• API 15S, Annex G regression testing to ASTM D2992

• Minimum 18 samples; over 1 MM cycles

• Service factor of 0.1 applied to obtain cyclic rating

• Shawcor – 3 generations of cyclic testing machines

CONFIDENTIAL

Operating Envelope – Elevated temperature test

• API 15S Section 5.4.3

• Check for failure modes related to possible thermoplastic

degradation within the fittings

• Elevated temperature used to accelerate failure modes

• Tested at 225 °F (for design temperature of 180 °F)

• Minimum 277 hrs, 3,500 psi

α time-temperature shift factor

tDesign Life is the design life time (hours)

tTest test time (hours)

log log base 10

ΔT test temperature minus the

product's MAOT.

CONFIDENTIAL

Operating Envelope – Rapid Decompression Testing

16

• API 15S Section 5.5.1 & Annex C

• Saturate with CO2 at 180 °F and 1,500 psi

• Depressurize at 1000 psi/minute

• Examine for blistering, liner collapse, etc

CONFIDENTIAL

Operating Envelope – Minimum Bend Radius

(MBR) Test

• API 15S Section 5.5.2

• Samples held at operating MBR (7 ft for 4” pipe)

• Conduct 1000-hr hold test 4,000 psi at 180F

• Also conduct 1000-hr hold test on samples pre-

conditioned with 10 bending cycles to MBR

CONFIDENTIAL

Operating Envelope – Axial Load Test

• API 15S Section

5.5.3

• Hold sample at

allowable axial

tension load for

minimum 1 hour

(6,000 lb for 4”)

• Followed by 1000-

hr hold test at

4,000 psi, 180F

• Couplings included

CONFIDENTIAL

Operating Envelope – Impact Resistance

19

• API 15S Section 5.7.3; ASTM D2444

• Strike the pipe with 20 lb steel tup dropped from varying

heights

• Conduct 1000-hr hold test at 4,000 psi and 180F

• Passed test with a drop from 10 ft

CONFIDENTIAL

• Dog-bone shape polyethylene tensile bars were subjected to

accelerated UV exposure

• Testing to ASTM G155/ASTM D2565

• UV Formula for grey PE jacket includes:

• TiO2, Anti Oxidizer, HALS (Hindered Amine Light

Stabilizers), and Carbon Black

• Minimum 20 year UV life confirmed

• Greater than 50% of original elongation at break based on

accelerated exposure testing

Operating Envelope – UV Exposure Testing

20

• Typical chemical injection fluid carriers are aromatics,

water, or methanol

• Polyethylene is compatible with most oil industry

corrosion inhibitors, hydrate breakers, biocides, scale

inhibitors, paraffin dispersants, etc.

Operating Envelope – Chemical Injection

• Flow lines or gathering lines for

transfer of:

• Crude oil

• Natural gas

• Oil emulsion

• Produced/Injection Water

• H2S and CO2 compatible

• Enhanced Oil Recovery

• Fuel Gas lines or gas lift lines

• Well test temporary surface

lines (re-spool and re-use)

Operating Envelope – Typical Applications

Operating Envelope - Application Review

• Customer

completes the form

• Shawcor

Engineering

provides comments

for long life

• Engineering provide

Approval if

acceptable

• Acceptance

document returned

to customer

• Approval before

shipment of pipe

Operating Envelope - Typical Product Applications

Oil Gathering

40%

Gas Gathering

31%

Water Transfer

15%

Water Injection

14%

FlexPipe Applications History

No

degradation

Challenges and Solutions – Cyclic Service

25

Pressure cycling can degrade composite pipes

• Centrifugal pumps, ESP’s, reservoir pressure

• Triplex pumps, frequent on/off servicesRequires

attention

• In severe cases, the line moves

with cycles, twist can build and

over time may move into a corner

and cause a kink

• Ensure surface pipe is installed

per instructions

• Remove excessive slack in line

• Anchor line with dirt or sand piles

every ~300 ft

• Inspect pipeline monthly

Challenges and Solutions – Pipe Twist on Surface

Lines

Deployment - Methods

• Plowing

• Trenching

• Chain ditching

• Liner pulls

• Boring

• Surface lines

Deployment – Liner Pulls

28

• Insert spoolable composite pipe

through a failed steel line

• 4” FlexPipe can be pulled

through a 6” steel line

• Can pull multiple lines at one

time

• Install up to 2.5 miles / day

Case Study – Australia Hot Oil Emulsion

• 3” FlexPipe HT

• Oil Emulsion operated up to 750 psi at 180 °F

• Customer decision based on:

• Rapid installation

• Product durability while handling pipe in rocky terrain

• Long term operating reliability with no concern for pipeline corrosion

• In service for ~ 6 years with no issues

Case Study – Middle East Zero Flaring

• Well Flowback Operations with

4” FlexPipe HT

• Up to 1200 psi and 180 °F

• Produced oil emulsion

• Temporary surface installation

and re-spool; multiple times

• Customers estimate 30% overall cost savings

• Material cost similar to steel pipe, installation cost much

lower

• Approximately 1/4 to 1/2 the time vs installing steel

• Faster time to production

• Lower operating costs

• Eliminate Corrosion inhibitor

• Less fouling and lower friction (smooth PE liner)

• More production

• Lower pump energy costs

Economics – Spoolable Composite Pipe vs Steel Pipe

Summary – Spoolable Composite Pipelines

• API 15S Qualified and Industry Accepted

• Corrosion Resistant

• Lower Install Cost

• Time to First Oil

Thank You.

Questions?

Blaine Weller, P. Eng

September 19, 2018