Reuse of Flexible Pipes in Revitalization of Brown Fields

Abstract

Abstract Flexible pipes tend to be complex structures, tailor-made, and require a significant amount of engineering in preparation for manufacturing and delivery. These features increase the cost and the time required between procurement and delivery, extending the project schedule significantly. On the other hand, several wells may have their operational life shortened due to reservoir management strategies. To make ends meet, Petrobras has established procedures to evaluate the integrity and the possible reuse of flexible pipes, which are removed from the field with remaining service life, in new wells. This paper outlines how Petrobras, drawing on the knowledge gained through years of operating flexible pipes, along with extensive qualification programs and inspections, developed and certified methodologies and digital tools to enable, enhance and streamline the evaluation the reuse of flexible pipes in new applications. The reuse of flexibles became possible through development of an extensive material database, in-house web-based digital tools to verify permeation, polymer aging, and execute local and fatigue analysis. These tools were calibrated through years of data, as full-scale fatigue testing (tension and tension and bending), information from operational monitoring and historical field failures. The integration of these digital tools and databases allows engineers to quickly identify the best candidates for reuse in new projects. They gather all relevant compatibility analysis with new application, operational history, and integrity management information for each selected pipe, avoiding the need to go through extensive searching of each individual inspection report, production records, and input data in the analysis tools. In the last five years, over 420 km of pipes have been reused. This number tends to increase even more as more precise operational data becomes available and more integrated tools and databases are employed. The reuse of flexible pipes saves resources, time, capital expenditures (CAPEX), anticipate projects, and mitigate CO2 emissions by avoiding manufacturing new pipes.