Norway RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT FACILITy

Bredero Shaw Norway has the overall responsibility within Bredero Shaw for research, product development, process development, qualification and market introduction for new thermal insulation systems based on polypropylene (PP) or other thermoplastics.

This responsibility also includes training of operators, trouble shooting and other technical assistance required by operations.

Successful results from this development include syntactic polypropylene and closed cell PP foam deployed in the Gulf of Mexico in 2200 meters of water with a 132°C operating temperature.

The Thermotite main facility is situated in Orkanger, Norway, approximately 40km south-west of Trondheim.

Typical Laboratory tests:

Triaxial Compression tests

This test is carried out on foamed and on syntactic thermoplastics used as insulation materials on steel pipes. The test is used to determine the compression modulus and the creep behaviour of the insulant material, and is a long term test, typically in excess of 5,000 hours. The results of the testing are used in our the end of life system design process.

DSC:

This test is used to determine the degree of cure for Fusion Bonded Epoxies.

Samples are taken from the pipe by removing the coating from the steel substrate. The test result is given as the difference between the glass transition temperature (at the start of the glass transition exotherm) for two successive heating cycles: DTg = Tg2 – Tg1

MFI:

This test is performed as a QC check of incoming materials. Material is forced to flow through a die of given diameter under a calibrated pressure. The amount of material extruded during a fixed time is measured and from this the MFI calculated. The test is valuable in determining the processing aspects of a material, and potential degradation.

Cathodic Disbondment Test:

Corrosion protection of pipes and structures is often achieved by the use of electrical polarisation of the metal. Under such conditions many surface coatings have been known to disbond from the steel substrate. CD testing simulates this combined thermal and electrical loading, and is used to investigate the quality of the FBE adhesion to the pipe surface.

Hot Water Immersion Test:

This test employs a cold cut pipe segment, which is immersed in a water bath at a constant temperature of 95 °C. Regular checks are made to ensure that the temperature is constant and that there is sufficient water in the bath for the duration of the test. After 24 hours the sample is removed from the bath. A rectangle (app. 30x15 mm) is cut from the sample while still warm. The sample is air cooled to 20 ± 3 °C within 1 hour, and removal of the coating is attempted. The adhesion of the coating is rated according to test standard.

Simulated Service Test

The behaviour of the insulation system under pressure and temperature is monitored in an autoclave. The Thermally insulated pipe sample is mounted in the autoclave, instrumented with displacement transducers to measure diametrical change, thermal sensors for temperature measurement, and heat flux measurers to determine the heat loss from the system. Once thermal equilibrium has been established, the vessel is pressurised and held for the test duration. U-value and k-value to the system can be calculated and are compared with the design assumptions for the given pressure and temperature field.

Simulated Reeling and Straightening Trial

The test arrangement at Orkanger was developed to simulate the cycles of spooling and straightening to which a pipeline would be subjected during installation by pipe laying vessels. The test arrangement consists of two spine beams, hinged together at one end. The spooling and straightening formers are attached to the inner face of each of the spine beams. The radius of the curvature of the spooling formers is approx. equal to the radius of the curvature of the drum on the pipe laying ship, and is generally the smallest radius of curvature to which a pipeline is bent during pipe lay operation. The straightening former radius is also equal to the straightening former on the pipe laying ship. Several sets of formers are available, allowing the simulation of bending on several vessels.

Trawl Board Impact Test

The trawl board impact test is used to simulate the impact of a trawl board from a trawl boat. The impact energy varies according to the requirements for trawling tackle for different ocean depths. (For North Sea projects at 300m, the impact load is 12kJ, - 2600 kg with a speed of 6 knots). The hammer has a flat striking face 50 mm wide, and the impingement angle is 90 degrees; a minimum of 3 test sites are subjected to the impact load. The pipe is sectioned for further examination after the test. The insulant coating shall not crack to steel.