Dynamic Characteristics and Stability of Flexible Riser Under Consideration of Non-Uniform Tension and Internal Flow

As oil and gas industry is developing towards deeper ocean area, the length and flexibility of ocean risers become larger, which may induce larger-amplitude displacement of flexible riser response due to lower structural stiffness against environmental and operational loads. Moreover, suffering not only the external fluid loads coming from environmental ocean wave and current, these risers also convey internal flow. In other words, the dynamic characteristics and response of the flow-conveying riser face great challenge, such as bucking, divergence and flutter, because of the fluid-solid coupling of the internal hydrodynamics and riser structural dynamics. In this study the dynamic characteristics and stability of a flexible riser, under consideration of its internal flow and, particularly, non-uniform axial tension, are examined through our FEM numerical simulations. First, the governing equations and FEM models of a flexible riser with axially-varying tension and internal flow are developed. Then the dynamic characteristics, including the coupled frequency and modal shape, are presented, as considering the speed of internal speed changes. At last, the dynamic response and corresponding stability behaviors are discussed and compared with the cases of riser with uniform tension. Our FEM results show that the stability and response are quite different from riser with uniform tension. And, the time-spatial evolution of riser displacement exhibit a strong wave propagation phenomenon where travelling wave are observed.

A KNN Based Collapse Methodology and Recent Qualification of Flexible Pipes in Deepwater Application

As the flexible pipe industry targets more on deepwater applications, collapse performance of flexible pipes becomes a key challenge due to the huge hydrostatic pressure during installation and service. The collapse strength of flexible pipes largely depends on the structural characteristics of carcass, pressure sheath and pressure armor layers. Therefore, the collapse prediction methodology involving a sound modeling of these layers is essential. Over the years, Baker Hughes have collected a large amount of collapse testing data. The prediction tool needs to be validated and calibrated against all the collapse tests for best accuracy. In this paper, the latest progress of the collapse prediction methodology and qualification tests are presented. A generalized collapse model was developed to predict the collapse pressure of flexible pipes. This model incorporates the advantages of both the weighted kNN regression technique and an analytical collapse model. It is able to reproduce the exact collapse pressure on the pipes tested and can predict the collapse pressure of other pipe designs not tested. As part of the qualification process, the capacity to prevent collapse must be demonstrated. Several flexible pipes were designed based on this generalized prediction methodology for deep water application, and pipe samples were manufactured using industrial production facilities for collapse tests. The results show that flexible pipes following current design guidelines are suitable for deepwater applications.

Anomaly Criteria for General Visual Inspection of Subsea Flexible Pipes

For flexible pipes in subsea applications, General Visual Inspection (GVI) by Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) remains the most common inspection method that is used on a routine basis. It enables verification of pipe configuration or layout and also helps to identify any areas of concern indicative of an increased risk of in-service failure. The success of ROV GVI chiefly relies on the anomaly criteria used, these help inspectors to identify any areas of concern, which can then be assessed by a competent person to ensure any threat to the integrity of an inspected component is identified and addressed. Currently there are no commonly accepted anomaly criteria for ROV GVI of flexible pipes. As a result there is no consistent approach between different operators and experience shows that the inspection approach and anomaly criteria are often adopted from what has traditionally been used for rigid pipes. Since flexible pipes have different design and associated failure threats and mechanisms to rigid pipe, use of this approach may result in under or over inspection of flexible pipes. This paper presents a set of anomaly criteria for ROV GVI of flexible pipes. The criteria were developed using the experience and lessons learned from a population of approximately 350 flexible pipes from two different manufactures operating in deep waters of the UKCS for over a period of 20 years. The criteria cover dynamic flexible risers and associated ancillary equipment, seabed flexible flowlines and jumpers. The applicability of the proposed anomaly criteria to other systems, the benefits of having commonly accepted anomaly criteria, the anomaly detection capability of ROV GVI and the reporting of anomalies are also discussed.

Feasibility Study of S-Lay Installation for Deepwater SCRs and Pipelines

The J-lay and S-lay are two common methods for SCR and pipeline installations. When using the S-lay installation method, onboard welded pipe joints leave the vessel horizontally and are guided to the seabed over a stinger structure. The pipe is lowered using tensioners. With the advantage of high production rate, Slay can be a cost-effective solution for deepwater riser and pipeline installation. Based on HYSY201 installation vessel, this paper investigates the feasibility of S-lay installation for deepwater SCRs and pipelines to be used in South China Sea. It first introduces the SCRs and pipelines to be used for a deep draft semi-submersible for the Lingshui 17-2 project. It then presents the S-lay installation vessel HYSY201 and S-lay configuration. The hydrodynamic motion analysis for a Response Amplitude Operator (RAO) was computered for HYSY201 in different environmental headings. With the site-specific metocean design basis, this paper presents an installation procedure, analysis methodology, and acceptance criteria. The study covers different sizes of SCRs and pipelines to investigate the feasibility of S-lay installation. The study starts from the static installation analysis of SCRs and pipelines and includes different installation steps. The acceptance criteria are examined for the pipes at over bend and sag bend regions. The support reactions load on the stinger structure are reported at each step. The dynamic analysis is selectively performed to evaluate Dynamic Amplification Factors (DAFs) of support reaction loads especially for roller box supports on the stinger structure. The sensitivity of DAFs to wave parameters such as wave height and peak period is analyzed as well. The extreme support reaction loads are computed for evaluating the strength performance of the stinger structure. The feasibility of S-lay installation for deepwater SCRs and pipelines is determined by the global performance of SCRs and pipelines, installation vessel hold back tension and A&R winch load capacity, and performance of the stinger structure. Based on the study work, this paper finds the feasibility of S-lay installation of deepwater SCRs and pipelines for Lingshui 17-2 project using the installation vessel of HYSY201.

Steel Lazy Wave Riser Optimization Using Artificial Intelligence Tool

Use of steel lazy wave risers has increased as oil and gas developments are happening in deeper waters or in parts of the world with no pipeline infrastructure. These developments utilize FPSO’s with offloading capabilities necessary for these developments. However, due to more severe motions compared to other floating platforms, traditional catenary form of risers are unsuitable for such developments and this is the reason Steel lazy wave risers (SLWR) are required. SLWRs have shown to have better strength and fatigue performance and lower tensions at the hang-off compared to steel catenary risers. A suitable Lazy-Wave form of the catenary riser is achieved by targeted placement of a custom configured buoyancy section. The strength and fatigue performance of steel lazy wave risers are governed by parameters such as length to start of this buoyancy section, length of the buoyancy section, hang-off angle and the buoyancy factor. Achieving these key performance drivers for a SLWR takes several iterations throughout the design process. In this paper, genetic algorithm which is an artificial intelligence optimization tool has been used to automate the generation of an optimized configuration of a steel lazy wave riser. This will enable the riser designer to speed up the riser design process to achieve the best location, coverage and size of the buoyancy section. The results that the genetic algorithm routine produces is compared to a parametric study of steel lazy wave risers varying the key performance drivers. The parametric analysis uses a regular wave time domain analysis and captures trends of change in strength and fatigue performance with change in steel lazy wave parameters.

Machine Learning for Subsea Pipeline Reeling Mechanics

Installation of subsea pipelines using reeling process is an attractive method. The pipeline is welded in long segments, typically several kilometers in length, and reeled onto a large diameter drum. The pipeline is then transported onto such reel to the offshore site where it is unreeled and lowered on the seabed. The deformation imposed on the pipeline while spooled onto the drum needs to be controlled so that local buckling is avoided. Mitigation of such failure is generally provided by proper pipeline design & reeling operation parameters. Buckling stems from excessive strain concentration near the circumferential weld area resulting from strength discontinuity at pipeline joints, mainly depending on steel wall thickness and yield strength. This requires the characterization of critical mismatches obtained by trial and error. Such method is a long process since each “trial” requires a complete Finite Element Analysis run. Such simulations are complex and lengthy. Occasionally, this can drive the selection of the pipeline minimum wall thickness, which is a key parameter for progressing the project. The timeframe of such method is therefore not compatible with such a key decision. The paper discusses the use of approximation models to capitalize on the data and alleviate the design cost. To do so, design of experiments and automation of the computational tool chain are implemented. It is demonstrated that initial complex chain of FEA computational process can be replaced using design space description and exploration techniques such as design of experiments combined with advanced statistical regression techniques in order to provide an approximation model. This paper presents the implementation of such methodology and the results are discussed.

Feasibility Study of Lateral Buckling Using Residual Curvature Method for Deep Water Pipelines

In recent years the residual curvature (RC) method has been used to provide buckle initiators to control and mitigate the lateral buckling of pipelines for some shallow water projects. With the appropriate planning of the controlled buckles using RC sections, an acceptable design of the pipeline in-place behavior is achieved. However, the RC method has not yet been applied to deep-water pipelines. The twist of RC sections in the sagbend during installation has been observed, and the orientation of as-laid RC section on the seabed is difficult to control in deep-water pipelines. The effects of as-laid RC-section orientation on in-place lateral buckling in deep water are unknown. The FRIC user subroutine in the Abaqus finite-element software suite has been developed for modelling pipe-soil interactions based on uncoupled axial and lateral soil resistances that are assumed to be independent of vertical pipe penetration after initial embedment into the soil surface. However, the penetration of a twisted RC section can vary dramatically from a normal pipeline on the seabed. The UINTER user subroutine in Abaqus was selected for presenting 3D pipe-soil interactions that incorporate the variations of independent axial and lateral soil resistances as a function of pipe penetration more accurately. UINTER is used in the present study to account for the effects of soil penetration on the lateral buckling performance of a pipeline with RC sections in soft clay. The analysis results show that the RC section twists in the sagbend area during installation, and the twist angle reaches its maximum value just prior to the RC section touching the seabed. The in-place lateral buckling analysis is carried out after the installation analysis is finished. The analysis results demonstrate the feasibility of applying the RC method as the primary buckle triggering mechanism for deep water pipelines, and it shows how the RC orientation affects the pipeline in-place performance in terms of strength and fatigue damage (only the stress ranges for use in fatigue calculations are shown in the paper).

Parallelized Element-by-Element Solver for Structural Analysis of Flexible Pipes Using Finite Macroelements

Due to the number of layers and their respective geometrical complexities, finite element analyzes of flexible pipes usually require large-scale schemes, with a high number of elements and degrees-of-freedom. If proper precautions are not taken, such as suitable algorithms and numerical methods, the computational costs of these analyzes may become unfeasible to the current computational standards. Finite macroelements are finite elements formulated for the solution of a specific problem considering and taking advantage of its particularities, such as geometry patterns, in order to obtain computational advantages, as reduced number of degrees-of-freedom and ease of problem description. The element-by-element method (EBE) also fits very well in this context, since it is characterized by the elimination of the global stiffness matrix and its memory consumption grows linearly with the number of elements, besides being highly parallelizable. Over the last decades, several works regarding the EBE method were published in the literature, but none of them directly applied to flexible pipes. Due to the contact elements between the layers, problems with flexible pipes are usually characterized by very large matrix-bandwidth, making the implementation of EBE method more challenging, so that its efficiency and scalability are not compromised. Therefore, this work presents a parallelized implementation of an element-by-element architecture for structural analysis of flexible pipes using finite macroelements, consisting of an extension of a previous work from the same authors. New synchronization algorithms were developed, with scalability improvements, the methodology was extended to other finite macroelements and comparisons were made with a well-stablished FEM software, with significant gains in simulation time and memory consumption.

Measurements of Low Frequency Vibration in Subsea Piping Using ROV Video Analysis

Vibrations in Subsea Production Systems are well recognized as a concern in the subsea industry. To identify the severity of the vibrations and potential accumulated fatigue damage, subsea vibrations need to be measured with great accuracy. Currently, accurate detection and subsea measurements are often performed by utilizing accelerometers, which have to be connected to the structure by ROV or a diver. ROV video analysis provides an alternative solution. Video analyses are widely utilized across different applications. With the increased quality of a HD camera on ROV, the accessibility of such measurements is an attractive substitute to other techniques. As a part of on-shore mechanical testing on a full assembled XT in St John’s Canada, a flowloop on a water injection XT was subjected to free vibrations. The vibrations were filmed using a commercial HD camera placed on a tripod. This test was done to validate data generated using video processing in which pipe vibration of an operating subsea XT was filmed using an ROV camera. A study that aimed to quantify the video processing accuracy, limitations and provide general guidance was conducted. For the onshore test filmed with a tripod the results of video analyses were compared with the measurements obtained by means of accelerometers. For the video of an operating subsea XT filmed by an ROV, the obtained vibration frequency and direction was compared with the free mechanical vibration obtained by a FEM model. The results obtained by means of the video analysis matched well with the accelerometer data. A high accuracy was reached, as vibration displacements as low as 20% of the pixel were accurately determined in the video analysis. With respect to detection frequencies, the upper cut-off frequency was around 15 Hz determined by the video framerate. The video analysis utilizing ROV videos was found to be applicable for low frequency vibration measurements, opening the opportunity for easier and more cost effective vibration detection and monitoring. The method is also reliable for subsea application in which the camera is placed on an ROV and is thus not affected by ROV movements, subsea lighting condition and moving ocean debris.

Effects of Thickness and Winding Angle of the Laminate on Internal Pressure Capacity of Thermoplastic Composite Pipes

Thermoplastic composite pipes (TCPs) are increasingly used to transport hydrocarbons and water in the oil and gas industry due to their superior properties including corrosion resistance, thermal insulation, light weight, etc. The cross-section of TCPs generally consists of three layers: inner liner, composite laminate, and outer jacket. Three layers are bonded together and form a solid-wall construction. Inner liner and outer jacket made of thermoplastic polymer provide protective barriers for the laminate to against the inner fluid and outer environment. The laminate is constructed by an even number of helically wounded continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite tapes. In this study, mechanical behaviors of a TCP under an internal pressure were investigated by using analytical and finite element analysis (FEA) methods. The analytical method which is based on the three-dimensional (3D) anisotropy elastic theory can take account of non-uniformly distributed stress and strain through the thickness of the pipe wall. FEA models were setup by using the software ABAQUS to predict the stress distribution of the pipe. 3D Tsai-Wu failure criterion was used to predict the maximum internal pressure of the pipe. Effects of some critical parameters, such as the winding angle of composite tapes and the number of reinforced plies, on the internal pressure capacity of TCPs were studied. Results obtained from the analytical and FEA methods were fairly agreed with each other, which showed that with the increasing of the number of reinforced plies the internal pressure capacity of a TCP gradually increases and approaches to an extreme value. In addition, the optimal winding angle which results the maximum internal pressure is not a constant value, instead, it varies with the increasing thickness of the laminate layer. This study provides useful tools and guidance for the design and analysis of TCPs, and is currently under validation through experiments.