Intelligent Pipeline Design and Construction

Abstract

Abstract The composite pipe system known as X200™ is a steel strip laminate technology which uses high-performance adhesives to manufacture a metallic composite pipe. It offers a new method of low-cost pipeline construction suitable for onshore gas and oil pipelines in a variety of configurations. The pipe is based on a thin wall liner that provides the fluid containment, the material of which will vary according to service requirements. The grade of steel, stainless steel, special alloy, or even reinforced thermoplastic can be user-defined to suit a given fluid application; the current design is based on 316L stainless steel. Fusion bonded epoxy (FBE) coated ultra-high strength steel strips are pre-formed and helically wound around the liner to form a laminated high strength reinforcing layer providing the pipe’s hoop strength. These components are bonded together to form a rigid pipe, using an adhesive. The complete structure is then coated with one or more layers of a suitable pipeline external coating material, as required by conditions. The resulting pipe is considerably thinner and lighter than the equivalent rated conventional line pipe products because of the beneficial strength-to-weight ratio of the materials utilized. Unlike conventional line pipe that is manufactured in a plate mill, and then transported from the mill to the construction site; X200 pipe can be produced at the job site using a portable manufacturing line – greatly reducing the logistics burden for projects and reducing the time to first hydrocarbon production. All units in the manufacturing process fit within standard ISO containers, each weighing between 5 and 20 tonnes. This allows for economic transportation and handling.