Engineering and technologies

Flexible pipe
How Technip offers a broad range of flexible pipe systems
with the most advanced integrated solutions for deepwater
and ultra deepwater field developments
Technip at a glance

Technip is a world leader in project management, engineering and construction for

the oil and gas industry.
With a global footprint, our talents constantly offer the most innovative technologies and
best solutions to our clients to optimize their investments and meet the world’s energy
challenges.
Our mission is to deliver safe, sustainable and quality projects across the world.

We operate in three main businesses:

Subsea Offshore Onshore

In subsea hydrocarbon field In the Offshore business, our In the Onshore business, we deliver to
development, Technip’s activities activities include engineering, our clients all the experience we have
include the design, manufacture procurement, construction (EPC) and acquired for almost 60 years, combined
and installation of rigid and installation of fixed and floating with a large technology solutions
flexible subsea pipelines and platforms. portfolio. We are working on onshore
umbilicals. We use a complete range of facilities that the energy sector needs, in
Thanks to our portfolio of technological solutions to answer particular for oil and gas industry players.
technologies, industrial and the challenges faced by our clients. Technip is one of the global leaders for
operational assets on all We are leveraging our expertise in the refining business and petrochemical
continents and a state-of-the art full-range of offshore facilities, as units. We also reinforced our position on
fleet, we offer a unique vertically well as our strong know-how with project management consultancy (PMC)
integrated model in the industry. added-value process skills and activities, by leveraging our expertise in
proprietary platform design. the management of complex projects.

2
 Flexible pipe

Technip offers a broad range of services in engineering,

manufacturing, installation and retrieval of flexible pipe
systems with the most advanced integrated solutions for
deepwater and ultra deepwater field developments.

Standard Technip flexible structure

Technip is the most experienced They have carved out their place not
provider of integrated solutions for only for floating facilities but even in
subsea field developments, based on the shallow and medium water markets
a broad range of field-proven products that were once the exclusive domain
and services. In the early 1970’s, of rigid steel flowlines. With internal
Technip pioneered flexible pipe diameters ranging from 2" to 20",
technology and used it to provide its flexible pipes are the product of choice
clients with ever-higher levels of for infield lines.
reliability and quality, even in the
world's harshest and deepest offshore At the same time, the flexible pipe's
environments. versatility and ability to evolve with
the industry will continue to ensure its
For now 40 years, our high pressure place within the deepwater and ultra
flexible products have provided deepwater markets that characterize
offshore operators with reliable and new offshore field developments.
IPB* (Integrated Production Bundle)
efficient subsea solutions worldwide.
To-date, more than 10,000km of
Technip high-pressure flexible pipe has
been installed throughout the world.

Our products are versatile, corrosion-

resistant and compliant, and they are
easy and quick to install, retrieve and
re-use for marginal or evolutive field
architectures, thus environmentally
friendly.

* Proprietary technology

Flexible pipe 3
What is flexible pipe?

a fit-for-purpose structure need for any intermediate riser base

structure or subsea connections. This
A flexible pipe is made up of several
elimination of interfaces reduces risk
different layers. The main components
in operation.
are leakproof thermoplastic barriers
and corrosion-resistant steel wires.
In November 1971, the first Technip
The helically wound steel wires give
flexible pipe was installed in Congo. It
the structure its high-pressure resis-
took 1.5 hour to lay the 650m flowline,
tance and excellent bending characte-
including connections.
ristics, thus providing flexibility and
superior dynamic behaviour. This
MOdularITy
modular construction, where the layers
The independent layers of a flexible
are independent but designed to
structure enable it to be tailored to
interact with one another, means that
the precise needs of a specific deve- including gas lift tubes and tempera-
each layer can be made fit-for-purpose
lopment. Simple flexible pipes for ture monitoring optical fibers within
and independently adjusted to best
medium pressure water transport the same line (Integrated Production
meet a specific field development
comprise only four layers. The most Bundle). Heat tracing and monitoring
requirement.
complex flexible pipes may have up to allow temperatures to be perfectly
19 layers. tuned within the core production
Main characteristics flexible in order to meet flowing or
Beyond the basic fluid barriers and
FlExIbIlITy stress-resistant wires, additional layers cool down requirements. This type of
Flexibility is the distinctive property of can be included to prevent wear flexible pipe provides an "all-in-one"
a flexible pipe. A typical 8'' internal between steel layers (in dynamic appli- solution for deepwater applications. It
diameter (ID) flexible pipe can safely cations) or to provide improved has been used several times in West
be bent to a radius of 2m or less. This thermal insulation ("standard" flexible of Africa deepwater fields and will soon
is the reason why flexible dynamic pipe already has a much better insula- be installed offshore Brazil.
risers have been the enabling techno- tion coefficient than that of steel pipe).
logy for floating production systems.
This flexibility is also important for Besides including new thermoplastic
Corrosion resistance
flowlines laid on uneven seabed condi- or steel layers within the product, it is Since the steel wires are not in direct
tions. Flexibility makes it possible to also possible to assemble plastic hoses, contact with the conveyed fluid, they
spool the pipe on a reel or in a carousel electrical cables or optical fibers do not require the same corrosion
for efficient and quick transportation around a flexible pipe to produce an resistance as steel pipe. This means that
and installation. Integrated Service Umbilical (ISU®), or our design experience and knowledge
include active heating for flow assu- of gas diffusion through thermoplastic
InSTallabIlITy rance in deepwater to produce an materials enable us to use carbon steel
Because the flexible pipe comes in a Integrated Production Bundle* (IPB). where the equivalent rigid pipe appli-
continuous length, laying speed cation would require much more
commonly averages 500m per hour. In 2001/2002, Technip participated in expensive corrosion-resistant alloys.
Separate sections are connected on the DEMO 2000 JIP, demonstrating its
deck during installation, eliminating the ability to supply heat traced flexible,
* Proprietary technology

4 Flexible pipe
 Flexible pipe:
a cost-effective solution

The combination of
High pressure resistance flexibility, installability,
modularity, corrosion and
Flexible pipes resist all fluid pressures currently encountered in the most severe high pressure resistance,
subsea applications. Again, the modularity of the flexible pipe manufacturing re-usability and versatility
process enables us to adjust thickness, shape and number of steel wire layers to explains why flexible pipe
meet the specific requirements of our clients. is an overall cost-
Modularity enables flexible technology to cover very different applications: effective solution.
production flexible products already installed in waters down to 2,140m
kill & choke line for drilling (up to 20,000 psi)
drain pipes and foam lines for onshore refinery applications

Even more important, it means that the flexible pipe structure is constantly evolving
to meet stringent field specifications:
higher pressures (up to 10,000 psi for a 7.5" ID, up to 7,350 psi for a 9" ID and up
to 6,700 psi for a 10" ID) on dynamic riser applications
higher temperatures (up to 170°C)
enhanced insulation through thick foam fillers laid on SZ machine
enhanced flow assurance: active heating, gas lift and temperature monitoring
ultra deepwater and up to 3,000 mwd
Flexible pipe:
Versatility and re-usability re-usability for an
Moreover, flexible pipe is the only product, environmentally friendly, which can environmentally
be recovered and reinstalled several times to be used successively for several
marginal or evolutive fields as regularly done for years in Brazilian waters.
friendly product

Flexible pipe 5
Providing the best
suited solutions for
our clients’ field
developments

The worldwide The widest range

reference of services
PIPElay
In the early 1970's, Technip pioneered Technip is the only offshore contractor We own and operate a large fleet of
flexible pipe design, manufacture and that seamlessly integrates design, dynamically positioned vessels, four of
installation, and has now accumulated engineering, manufacturing and which are dedicated to flexible pipelay.
40 years of field-related in-depth expe- installation services to its clients' The Deep Blue, the flagship of the
rience worldwide (see map on page 8). benefit. The staff of our regional busi- Technip fleet, is the only vessel of her
Our aim and strategy is to base our ness units regularly interfaces with our
class to lay both flexible and rigid pipes
leadership on technological differen- clients worldwide. Technip's Product
(reel-lay and J-lay) down to 3,000m
tiation and, in that respect, the flexible Engineering Division (PED) coordinates
water depth. In addition, Technip is
pipe product is our historical reference. the flexible pipe-related engineering
also the leading supplier of reeled rigid
We are committed to researching within our regional business units.
pipe solutions worldwide. All these
new solutions to better serve our
assets and capabilities are integrated
clients’ needs. We introduced Coflon®, FlExIblE PIPE PlanTS
Technip currently operates three flexible by our unique Project Management
Crossflex®, Gamma-Flex®, various types
pipe plants: organisation. It enables us to compare
of Cofoam® insulation materials, both
Flexi France (Le Trait, France) and optimize the solutions we offer
Zeta, Teta and Psi vault profiles, the
Flexibras (Vitória, Brazil) to our clients and provide the
Vertical Laying System*, Steep Wave
Asiaflex Products (Tanjung Langsat, optimum flowline and riser systems,
and Pliant Wave riser configurations,
Malaysia) was inaugured late 2010 to rigid or flexible for any offshore
midwater arch configurations and
service the Asia Pacific and Middle development.
buoyancy modules, Integrated Service
Umbilicals (ISU®) and multibore risers. East subsea markets.
Technip has also pioneered the deve- A fourth plant is under construction
in Açu, Brazil. It will be dedicated to
lopment of most of the analytical
high-tech flexible pipes.
and numerical tools used to design
Based on a normalized 8" ID pipe, the
flexible flowlines and riser systems.
current capacity of Technip plants
Today, this drives us to find the most
reached a total of 1,060 km of product
reliable and client-focused solutions
in 2010.
for the deep and ultra deepwater
challenges that lie ahead.

Coflon®, Crossflex® and Gamma-Flex® are

registered trademarks of Technip
* Patented technology

6 Flexible pipe
Field experience and milestones
1971 First flexible pipe installed in Congo for Elf Since 1972, the yearly OTC award for companies has
Emeraude
1974 First flexible flowline in the North Sea on Mobil been honouring the one company (amongst
Beryl
operators and contractors), that has significantly
1976 First dynamic flexible riser in Brazil on Petrobras
Garoupa contributed to the offshore oil and gas industry. In
1978 First flexible riser with heat tracing in Indonesia
on Conoco Udang that respect, we obtained the 1995 OTC award for
1982 First flexible riser with thermal insulation the design, manufacture and installation of flexible
1986 First dynamic flexible riser system installed in
the North Sea on Balmoral Sun Oil steel pipe used in floating production systems,
First flexible pipe with a Coflon® pressure sheath
in the North Sea and Spain deepwater developments and high pressure pipes
1987 Largest diameter of flexible riser (19" ID) on Statoil for drilling and well servicing.
Statfjord C
1988 New depth record for flexible riser (567m) in the
Gulf of Mexico on Conoco Jolliet
1989 First flexible pipe with a Crossflex® pressure
sheath
1992 First installation using the VLS (Vertical Laying
System)* on Saga Snorre Excellence
1994 First flowline (16" ID, 3.5 km) manufactured in
carousel In addition to manufacturing and supply activities, Technip offers
First ISU® (Integrated Service Umbilical) on Norsk solutions tailored to clients’ needs. With our long offshore field
Hydro Troll
experience and our intimate knowledge of the technical challenges
1997 New world depth records for flowline (1,709m)
and riser (1,390m) in Brazil on Petrobras Marlim faced by flexible pipes, we can and do deliver the highest quality
Sul flexible products available anywhere in the world.
1998 First flexible riser with a Teta pressure armour
on Norsk Hydro Visund and Enterprise Oil Pierce
2000 New depth record for flowline (1,877m) on All Technip activities are placed within an integrated Quality System
Petrobras Roncador which ensures that our organisation, manufacturing process, product
2001 Implementation of the first Product Integrity solutions and services are reliable and efficient. The Group is certified
Management System (PIM) on the Åsgard field,
Norway ISO 9001 and its flexible pipe plants have received the API 17J
2002 Installation of the deepest flowline (1,886m) on certification for the design and manufacture of unbonded flexible
Petrobras Roncador
pipe. The Group is applying permanent improvement processes
2003 First Oil Offloading Lines (OOL) 2 x 2,240m long
installed on Shell Bonga throughout its organisation.
2004 First qualification for 2,100mwd (DIP test offs-
hore Brazil, 7” and 9” ID flowlines)
2005 Installation of the deepest riser (7.5" ID - 10,000 psi
for water injection) in 1,890m for BP Thunder
Horse in the Gulf of Mexico
Extension of BV certification to 15,000 psi
2006 First supply and installation of 8 x 11” Integrated
Production Bundle (IPB)* dynamic risers in
1,400mwd for Total Dalia, offshore Angola
2007 Supply and installation of the world's first smooth
bore 14” ID dynamic riser for gas export on Statoil
Åsgard, Norway
2007 Installation of the deepest single section riser
for an 8" HP/HT sour service production appli-
cation in 1,500mwd for Chevron Agbami in
Nigeria
2010 Supply and installation of 6” and 10” flowlines in
2,100mwd, offshore West Africa
2010 Supply and installation of 2 x 10" IPB* risers in
800 mwd for Total Pazflor, offshore Angola
2010 Deep Immersion Test and qualification for
3,000 mwd
2011 Supply and installation of 6” and 9.13” risers in
2,140mwd on Petrobras Lula pre-salt field
2012 Qualification of 9” carbon fiber armours for pre-
salt ultra deepwater applications

* Proprietary technology.

Flexible pipe 7
a worldwide presence and experience

To-date, more than 10,000km of Technip

flexible pipe have been manufactured and
installed worldwide

8 Flexible pipe
 Performance
Largest internal diameter: 19” ID export
riser on Statfjord C (Norway) and Bonga
Offloading lines (Nigeria)
Deepest risers in Brazil: 6" and 9" ID -
2,140 m, Lula
Deepest and highest value of diameter
times pressure: 7.5” ID 10,000 psi, water
injection risers and flowlines, Thunder
Horse (Gulf of Mexico) in 1,890mwd
Innovative proprietary technology:
flexible Integrated Production Bundle
(IPB)*, 1,400 m Dalia, Angola and 800 mwd
Pazflor, Angola and soon offshore Brazil
World's first 14" ID smooth bore gas
export dynamic riser, Åsgard, Norway.
Successfully tested to a max. flow of
a client-focused organisation 48 MSm3/d
Highest pressure ever reached
(4"; 20,000 psi) in service for the offshore
well stimulation industry
A client-oriented company Deep Immersion Performance test in
dedicated to cost-effectiveness the Gulf of Mexico: 9" at 3,000 mwd
and technology Development of carbon fiber armour
wires (corrosion free, ultra deepwater
and oil offloading applications)
Anti-H2S sheath for an H2S free flexible
pipe annulus
research & development High temperature (170°C) with thermal
Technip spends yearly about EUR 25 million on flexible pipe in its research centers. screen
The Product Engineering Division has full responsibility for Technip's flexible pipe
R&D program and is equipped with a full range of test facilities, including a
state-of-the-art laboratory for advanced material testing and analysis, making it
possible to simulate realistic service conditions on actual pipe samples.
The R&D activity is oriented towards extending the current product range by introducing
new products and materials. Cost reduction and manufacturing quality is a permanent
and parallel objective of these efforts. When a given development has come to fruition,
its qualification testing is frequently carried out under the auspices of a JIP (Joint Industry
Program). This enables key operators to participate in the transition between the
development phase of an application and the "real" marketable and industrial phase.
Complex development projects are carried out within dedicated task forces.
This was the case for Technip's integrated Ultra Deep Water development program.
This task force developed a new generation of flexible pipes primarily for deep and
ultra deepwater. Dynamic test rig

* Proprietary technology

Flexible pipe 9
research and development

Engineering
The Group engineering organisation, led Risk management, critical failure
by Technip Innovation & Technology modes identification and associated
Center, located in Paris area, responds surveillance program: annulus condi-
to and meets two main challenges: tions, corrosion, fatigue, etc.
being close to our clients in order to Monitoring products using, amongst
answer their needs while at the same others, acoustic emission detection,
time ensuring a sustained level of engi- optical fibre, microelectronic or ultra-
neering excellence is available in all parts sonic technologies (integrated
of the Group. This is achieved through systems, or external systems that may
a combination of: be retrofitted) Vertical Laying System (VLS)*
local engineering departments in Data management & Interpretation
each business unit, able to perform (based on our flexible pipe expertise)
most engineering tasks related to a Offshore services (inspection inclu- Flexibrás (Vitória, Brazil), has primarily
project, within the project teams. ding annulus testing, maintenance, been established to supply the local
a centre of excellence located in Le and repairs) market but can also supply flexible pipe
Trait (France), sharing the same site internationally.
as the main flexible pipe manufac- AIM settled several collaborations with Asiaflex Products (near Johor Bahru,
turing facility, experts and leading partners to create Malaysia) started up at the end of 2010.
sharing of the same design rules by synergies with Technip expertise (engi- It serves the Asian and Middle East
all engineering and manufacturing neering, manufacturing and installation markets.
centers of flexible pipe) and deliver fit for purpose
Integrity Management (IM) solutions. Installation
The Product Engineering Division (PED) Should you need integrated monitoring
Because of our integrated approach to
ensures support to the business units, solutions to mitigate risks of industry new
flexible pipe technology, we have
consolidates the experience acquired challenges or support for your existing
always considered installation as a part
throughout the Group and develops assets, AIM could provide you with a dedi-
of our core business activity and we
new products and materials via a robust cated solution.
have always ensured that our vessels
and innovative R&D program.
and equipment are designed to install
Information exchange between the Manufacturing the flexible products we have deve-
business units is routed via PED which loped and manufactured.
Manufacturing is organized under a
consolidates the knowledge and ensures As far as equipment is concerned, we
global factory policy whereby the three
a reliable and efficient engineering have developed and patented several
flexible pipe factories of Le Trait
service across the Group. A dedicated laying systems (VLS*- Vertical Laying
(France), Vitória (Brazil) and Tanjung
flexible R&D center (RDD) has also been System, PPS*- Portable Pipelay System
Langsat (Malaysia) are managed in an
established in Rio de Janeiro to support and flexible pipe laying towers).
approved and similar manner, by
the Brasilian market. RDD works in close These laying systems allow for the effi-
applying common quality and safety
collaboration with PED. cient installation of flexible flowlines
Group standards. Our Malaysian plant
also operates following our worldwide and risers in deepwater and harsh envi-
Integrity Management QHSE standards. ronments. Their utilisation makes it safer
Within the Technip Asset Integrity As the manufacturing centre of excel- to lay flexible lines especially when
Management (AIM) department, inno- lence, Flexi France (Le Trait, France) has equipped with intermediate connec-
vative integrity management technolo- the facilities and capability to produce tions, buoyancy modules or other ancil-
gies and services have been developed. the widest range of flexible pipes. It is laries, for a 550-tonne capacity.
Our philosophy relies on four corners- where all our innovative pipe designs
tones: are first manufactured and tested.
* Patented technology

10 Flexible pipe
Towards
ultra
deepwater

Ultra deepwater flexible pipe:

current and future capabilities

Ultra deepwater extends from 1,000 to 3,000m and beyond.

Deep Immersion Performance full scale tests (DIP) were performed in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 (7” and 9” ID tested in
3,000m of water depth).
Technip extended its operational experience with the installation:
in 2010: 6” and 10” for sour service in 2,100m water depth
in 2011: 6" insulated production risers (high temperature: 130°C) and 9.13” export risers for sour service in 2,140m water
depth on Petrobras Lula field

Full use is being made of the modularity of flexible pipes and the Group's capacity to efficiently and effectively evolve them.
In the case of the ultra deepwater developments, it is the steel layers that are most affected and each improvement answers
a specific client-led challenge:
internal carcass for collapse resistance
pressure vault for collapse and weight reduction
tensile armours for weight reduction

Another significant area is active heating and this is being addressed by adapting the field-proven ISU® concept to the
circulation of hot water around the central core of the pipe. Other more peripheral lines can be used for gas lift. Thus, the
ISU® lines with multi-functions are gathered in a single line and become the Integrated Production Bundle* (IPB) to guarantee
flow assurance even for the deepest fields.

In deep and shallow waters, the Technip flexible pipe

technology will continue to be a core component supporting the evolution of the
subsea oil industry and we will therefore be in a position to offer our clients high
quality and cost-effective solutions tailored to their very needs.

* Proprietary technology

Flexible pipe 11
 HEADQUARTERS
Technip
89 avenue de la Grande Armée
75773 Paris Cedex 16
France
Phone: +33 (0)1 47 78 24 00

CONTACTS
FLExIBLE PIPE BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT

Flexi France
Rue Jean Huré - BP 7
76580 Le Trait, France
Phone: +33 (0)2 35 05 50 00
Fax: +33 (0)2 35 37 49 60
email: [email protected]

Flexibrás
Jurema Barroso Street, 35
Ilha do Príncipe - Vitória - ES
29020-430 Brazil
Phone: +55 27 21 23 9444
Fax: +55 27 21 23 9799

asiaflex Products
PLO 98 Jalan Ipil
Tanjung Langsat Industrial Complex
81700 Pasir Gudang
Johor Darul Takzim, Malaysia
Phone: +607 254 8000
Fax: +607 254 8005

www.technip.com

Follow us on
This document is the property of Technip and is not intended to be a binding contractual document.
Any information contained herein shall not result in any binding obligation on the part of Technip, or
any of its affiliates, and is provided for information purposes only.
Technip - Group Communications - July 2015 - Photo credits: Technip.