Causes and Treatment Measures of Submarine Pipeline Free-Spanning

Zhuo Wang,Tao Wang,Bo Zhang,Rui Gong

doi:10.3390/jmse8050329

Zhuo Wang, Tao Wang + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse8050329

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Abstract

Submarine pipelines, as arteries for offshore oil and gas transportation, play a particularly important role in the exploitation of offshore oil and gas resources. Since the world’s first submarine pipelines were laid in the Gulf of Mexico, numerous failures have been caused by pipeline free-spanning. This paper provides a review of the causes and treatment measures for the free span of submarine pipeline. Various factors cause the free span of submarine pipelines, including wave flow scouring, fluctuations in seabed topography, residual stress or thermal stress of pipelines, and human activities. The scour of the wave current is the main factor affecting free span; the research on sediment starting and equilibrium depth during scour is reviewed in-depth. For the span treatment of submarine pipelines, the main measures available at present include the re-digging trench burying, structural support, covering bionic water plants, and choke plate self-burying. For each, the principle, advantages, disadvantages, and research are discussed. This review provides a convenient resource for understanding the causes of submarine free-spanning pipelines and choosing suitable treatment measures.

Highlights

IntroductionAll countries in the world have experienced a stage of promoting the development of society through the extensive use of fossil energy
Energy is the material basis for the development of human society
Submarine pipelines are indispensable in the exploitation of offshore oil and gas resources

Summary

Introduction

All countries in the world have experienced a stage of promoting the development of society through the extensive use of fossil energy. During this period, human society has developed tremendously, and human civilization, in the fields of natural sciences and humanities, has reached unprecedented heights [1]. Due to excessive pursuit of development speed, human exploitation and use of fossil fuels have aggravated the global warming effect of the earth and caused serious air pollution. With the excessive exploitation of fossil energy, human beings are facing an unprecedented energy crisis [2]. The development of the use of new energy to alleviate the pressure on fossil energy is urgently required

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