Baker Hughes, Strohm to develop and qualify TPC ultra-deepwater hybrid flexible pipe
Flowlines and risers exceeding 3,000-meter depths will incorporate Strohm’s corrosion-resistant, low-carbon, zero-failure composite technology for 50% lighter weight, drop-in installation.
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Thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) is spoolable and can be delivered on reels. Source | Strohm
Energy tech company Baker Hughes (Houston, Texas, U.S. and London, U.K.) and thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) manufacturer Strohm (IJmuiden, Netherlands) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop and qualify a hybrid flexible pipe (HFP) for ultra-deepwater risers and flowline applications.
As deepwater basins account for a growing share of global hydrocarbon production, operators are increasingly seeking innovative solutions to develop ultra-deep resources with lower risk and reduced costs. The HFP being jointly developed is a lightweight, corrosion-resistant solution that can be deployed for flowline and riser applications in water depths exceeding 3,000 meters.
The HFP solution combines the capabilities of TCP and conventional flexible pipe. In this approach, TCP replaces the standard carcass, liner and the pressure armor, while maintaining tension armor, outer protective coating and end fittings. The integrated system delivers the tension capability of a conventional flexible pipe and the smooth bore and light weight of a TCP.
“Baker Hughes’ flexible pipe systems are helping customers around the globe produce subsea resources safely and efficiently, even in the most demanding environments.” – Daniel Wright, global business leader – flexible pipe systems at Baker Hughes.
The product will be approximately 50% lighter than a conventional flexible pipe. This means that even at water depths exceeding 3,000 meters, total suspended weight will be approximately 40% lower when compared to conventional pipes in lesser water depths. At a time when there are not enough new installation vessels coming to market — particularly those offering higher tension capabilities — the HFP’s reduced weight broadens the range of vessels available for installation. Moreover, operators and contractors are able to use existing installation vessels with the HFP, removing the need for costly and time-consuming adaptations.
“We approach product development from an end-user perspective,” says Martin van Onna, Strohm CEO. “We developed the HFP with an emphasis on installability, in-place flexibility and design predictability, building on our longstanding relationship with Baker Hughes to create a solution that can be fast-tracked to market.”
The HFP solution is currently under development, with qualification pipes being manufactured for testing. The integrated solution is expected to become commercially available from 2028 onward.
Strohm’s TCP technologies are also supporting projects in Malaysia, and companies like Unitech Offshore and ExxonMobil.
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