Subsea Umbilicals and Power Cables

STEEGE Lecture

STEEGE Lecture 44
Thursday 10th April 2008

Darren Patel
Director
d.patel@bpp-tech.com

BPP-TECH
www.bpp-tech.com

Subsea Umbilicals and Power Cables

Contents

Contents

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Introduction to BPP-TECH Description of Subsea Umbilicals and Power Cables Technology Drivers Engineering Challenges Steps to Mitigate Risk Advances in Design Concluding Remarks and Questions

www.bpp-tech.com Company Overview

BPP-TECH
Specialist engineering consultancy, research and product development services to the offshore hydrocarbon, marine and insurance industries Trading since 1981 Offices in London, Houston and Aberdeen Research and product development Flexible pipes, risers, umbilicals & cables Floating offshore systems Risk assessments, failure studies, claims, losses and expert witness work

Company Overview

Subsea Umbilicals and Power Cables BPP-TECH carries out: Specialist design and analysis services for the oil and gas industry Research and product development Independent risk and failure studies, claims, losses and expert witness

Subsea Equipment

System Types

Deep Water System Types

System Types

(Source Offshore Magazine 2006 Deepwater Solutions & Records for Concept Selection Poster)

Oilfield Developments - The Environment

Field Developments

Subsea Power Cables

Power Cables

Subsea power cables transmit electric power between platforms, subsea equipment and the shore

Subsea Umbilicals
Umbilicals

A subsea umbilical is an assembly of hydraulic hoses which can also include electrical cables or optic fibres, used to control subsea structures from an offshore platform or a floating vessel

Subsea power cables

Power cable components

Subsea Umbilicals
Umbilical Components

Recent Developments
Technology Drivers

Technological advances have largely been driven by the following: Rising demand for oil and gas Green concerns The need to extract hydrocarbons in deeper water Improved reliability and safety Extended service life

Deep water requirements are driving a trend towards:

Engineering Challenges

The development of sophisticated design tools More dynamic applications Field specific umbilicals and power cables Smaller, leaner, light weight designs Fatigue resistant, high strength metallic materials Polymers that are resistant to the effects of ageing

What can go wrong?

Engineering Challenges

1. Incidents during transportation or installation 2. Design flaws 3. Incorrect usage 4. Fatigue failure 5. Manufacturing problems 6. Damage from shark attacks and marine growth 7. Accidental damage

Many of the risks are interrelated

Results of a reliability study on electrical cables in umbilicals

Engineering Challenges

Mechanical Failure Modes

Engineering Challenges

Excessive axial tension or torque Excessive bending Crushing by excessive external pressure Hose/tube bursting by excessive internal pressure Layer separation and instability Birdcaging Loop formation and kinking Mechanical degradation - wear and fatigue

Material degradation-exposure to adverse agents, temperatures and pressures 'Problems' with terminations

Developments in cross section design and optimisation

Design Tools to Reduce Risk

Field Specific Design Developments

Design Tools to Reduce Risk

Cross section design modeling Obtain distribution of loads Design Optimisation Dynamic simulations Obtain component stresses and strains Service life estimations

Umbilical Developments
Advances in Design

Higher pressure internal hoses Increasing use of steel tubes instead of thermoplastic hose Fatigue resistant, high strength metallic materials Polymers that are resistant to fluid permeation Inclusion of high speed optical fibre Improved armouring techniques

Umbilical Developments

Advances in Design

DUCO Conventional Umbilical

DUCO Steel Tube Umbilical

Subsea Power Cable Developments

Advances in Design

There is an increasing requirement for: Higher voltage, higher power Dynamic, light weight, deep water cables High flexibility (e.g. for wind and wave energy generation)

The power cable industry needs to respond by developing: New light weight, fatigue resistant conductor materials Electrically stronger insulation that is resistant to the effects of aging Improved armouring materials

Advances in Design

Dynamic Power Cable Development Joint Industry Project

Advances in Design

3-Phase a.c. Submarine Power Cable for:

132kV, 525A, 100MW Deep water Long service life Aggressive environment

Dynamic Power Cable Development Joint Industry Project

Advances in Design

Work programme Cable reliability survey Conductor fatigue testing Cross Section Design Evaluation of Dynamic Performance Design optimisation Full scale manufacture and testing

Renewable Energy
Advances in Design

Wind and wave energy generation projects are also driving developments in submarine power cable technology.

Pelamis

Conclusions
Conclusions

Reliability of subsea systems from the mudline to the sea surface is critical to production in terms of control and flow assurance
Umbilicals and power cables are key components

Materials and design tools have developed significantly over the last decade to meet tougher demands from deeper water and renewable energy applications There is a history of installation problems, material defects and incorrect designs leading to significant losses

tyvm

Thank you for your attention!

Darren Patel, BPP-TECH

d.patel@bpp-tech.com