The Libra consortium has invited Airborne Oil & Gas to perform a failure mode, effect and criticality assessment (FMECA) for a TCP (thermoplastic composite pipe) Riser that could be used at the giant Libra field offshore Brazil. The request followed a successful feasibility study (preliminary version) performed by Airborne Oil & Gas and Wood Group Kenny, that showed a 45% reduction in top tension in a cost effective riser solution, using a hybrid riser design comprising of the conventional flexible pipe (used for the top and bottom riser-sections) and the TCP section inserted at the mid-water depth.
“We assessed three different composite materials in the riser design and optimized it for installation, fatigue, top tension and pipe cost,” said Henk de Boer, engineering manager Airborne Oil & Gas. “Interestingly, the most cost effective riser solution turned out to be the technically best performing as well.”
The TCP Riser solution (provided for the full riser length) could offer significant benefits in deepwater riser applications: first, the lightweight TCP Riser reduces the top tensions up to 50% (as compared with the conventional flexible pipe), reducing the weight loading on the FPSO (floating production, storage, and offloading). Second, the TCP Riser itself is a simple monolithic wall pipe; while still flexible, it is inherently simple in its design leading to a very cost effective solution for deeper waters.
Airborne Oil & Gas manufactures TCP so that its design, production and materials are in compliance with the new DNV Recommended Practice for thermoplastic composite pipe, DNVGL RP F119. The FMECA will be conducted in accordance to this recommended practice.
Image:Thermoplastic Composite Pipe/Airborne Oil & Gas
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