INDEX

1. SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION ................................................. 3

2. SITE INVESTIGATION .................................................................... 4
2.1 GEO PHYSICAL SURVEY .......................................................... 4
2.2 GEO TECHNICAL SURVEY ........................................................ 4
3. PIPE POSITIONING ON PPIPELINE B ON SEABED ..................... 5
4. UPHEAVEL BUCKLING OF PIPE LINE A ...................................... 6
5. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS IN DESIGNING PIPELINE ............... 7
5.1 DESIGN OF A PIPELINE: ........................................................... 7
5.2 SAFETY SYSTEMS ..................................................................... 7
5.3 RECOMMENDATION ACCESS FOR EXAMINATION AND
MAINTENANCE........................................................................... 8
5.4 MATERIAL SELECTION ............................................................. 8
6. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY
CONSIDERATIONS ........................................................................ 8
6.1 IMPACT DURING INSTALLATION AND OPERATIONS ............ 8
6.2 IMPACT DURING DECOMMISSONING ...................................... 8
7. DECOMMISSIONING ...................................................................... 9
8. CONCLUSIONS AND DESIGN RECOMMENDATION ................... 9
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................... 10

2
1. SUMMARY AND INTRODUCTION

The document covers the detailed design and analysis of the tie back pipelines for the transportation
of oil and gas from the new two fields. Since adding two standalone system is not economically
viable, these two fields are developed as subsea tie back to the BLP and water depth is 110 meter
Pipeline A is a pipe pipeline (8”/14”) with aerogel insulation coating which will be buried and this is
connecting between BLP to C drill. Length of the pipeline is 10KM and it will have two crossings (44”
OL and 24” MU Pipeline) and it’s for the transportation of high temperature high pressure
condensate. The existing pipeline OL 40mm concrete coated pipeline and it’s exposed on the
seabed and MU pipeline is trenched and buried. Design life of this pipeline is 15 years
Pipeline B which is a 10 inch pipeline is connecting between S drill center to BLP platform and
length of the pipeline is 17KM .This pipeline will have a crossing ( 24”) MU pipeline and it’s for the
transportation of crude oil and associated gas . Design life of this pipeline is 20 years

TECHNICAL DETAILS PIPELINE A( BLP TO C DRILL PIPELINE B( BLP TO S DRILL )

1 Fluid Crude oil and condensate High temperature high pressure

condensate
2 Length 10KM 17KM
3 Pipeline Size 8”/14” (PIP) 10” Pipeline
4 Design pressure 525Barg , Density 150Kg/M3 300 Barg Density 850Kg/M3
5 Wall thickness Inner 28mm /carrier 17.5mm 20mm
6 Design life 15 years 20 years
7 Exposure Buried Exposed
8 Crossing 44” OL and 24” MU Pipeline 24” MU pipeline
9 Water depth 110Meter 110Meter
10 Coating 15mm density 150Kg/m3 50 mm density 850Kg/m3
Design Required UHB analysis to be done Placement on seabed –Stability

Pipeline routes shall be selected based on geophysical and geotechnical survey report
While designing a pipeline following points shall be considered
 Minimize length of the pipeline
 Design in a such way that use pipeline corridor wherever possible
 Maintain straight transition length at the pipeline end
 Curve minimum radius to suit lateral stability , stiffness and constructability of the pipeline
 Avoid all vessel anchoring area , where there are coral and rocks
 Crossings shall be minimum
 Crossing angle shall be with 30-90 Degree and avoid crossings in proximity of existing
crossings
 Minimize trenching considering the damage to the ecology and environment
 Marine operations like rig approach supply boat age access shall be considered
 Methodology for riser installation method
3
  Clearance with other pipelines and riser in the same platform
 Prevention of damage from drop off objects ( DOP cover)
 Start up and lay down of the pipe lay constructability
 Avoid on bottom structures and on bottom obstruction
Following analysis to be considered as part of every subsea pipeline design
• Wall thickness shall consider , pressure containment , local buckling and propagation
buckling , corrosion allowance and installation considerations
• On bottom stability
• Pipeline expansion
• Pipeline in length strength analysis
• Pipeline spanning analysis
• Pipeline crossing analysis [1] [2]

2. SITE INVESTIGATION

Site investigation will give key parameters for the pipeline design .Site investigation can be
broadly classified into geophysical and geotechnical survey. Geophysical survey will give
subsurface data of a seabed and geotechnical will give indirect measurements through site test
or from the laboratory

2.1 GEO PHYSICAL SURVEY

Geophysical survey shall be performed along the proposed route of the pipeline these are the
input required from the geophysical survey to design a subsea pipeline
Bathymetry which will give seabed topography (Echo sounding)
Seabed features and obstructions (side scan sonar)
Sub bottom profiling (seismic technique)
Detection of crossings (towed magnetometer) [1] [2]

2.2 GEO TECHNICAL SURVEY

Following data were provided in geotechnical report along the routes for both the pipelines
Core resistance
Excess pore pressure
Frictional Ratio
Relative density
Based on provide CPT data top soil is silty sand and these data is making below impacts on the
provided design calculation

1) Coefficient friction for the stability analysis

2) Soil parameters and density
3) CPT data is required to confirm whether the sea bottom is dense to very dense and firm
and stiff clay

4
 4) Relative density of the soil for the upheaval buckling and in order to stabilize how much
soil to covered or trenched in order to avoid upheaval buckling [1] [2]

Provided all the data enough to calculate bottom on bottom stability and upheaval
buckling

3. PIPE POSITIONING ON PPIPELINE B ON SEABED

Pipeline B is a 10 inch single rigid pipe connecting between S drills to BLP platform

10 Inch NB=250mm ID OD =290mm

𝜋𝜋 𝜋𝜋
Cross sectional area of the steel = (Do2-Di2) = (.2902-.2502) =0.016m2
4 4

Weight of steel =0.016x7850=133.10 Kg=1305N/m

𝜋𝜋 𝜋𝜋
Cross sectional area of the contents of the pipe = (Do2) = (.2502) =0.04906 m2
4 4

Weight of the oil =0.04906x850x9.81=409.107 N/m

𝜋𝜋 𝜋𝜋
Cross section area of the insulation coating = (Do2-Di2) = (.3902-.2902) =0.05338m2
4 4

Weight of the insulation coating =0.05338 x850x9.81=445.109 N/m

𝜋𝜋 𝜋𝜋
External area of cross section = (Do2) = (.3902) =0.1193 m2
4 4

Weight of water displaced =1193 x1025x9.81=1199.35N/m

Weight total =Weight of Pipe +W coating +Weight of oil –Weight buoyancy =959.85N/m
Let’s consider the case of steady flow
1
Drag force Fx= 𝜌𝜌 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝑈𝑈 2 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
2
1
Lift force Fx= 𝜌𝜌 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝑈𝑈 2 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
2

The velocity should be obtained from the linear wave theory

2𝜋𝜋 2𝜋𝜋
𝜎𝜎= =0.5460 K= =0.0307
𝑇𝑇 𝐿𝐿
𝑔𝑔𝑇𝑇 2
L= �𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇𝑇ℎ(𝜎𝜎 2 𝑑𝑑)3/4 � 2/3 =204.41
2𝜋𝜋
P

D/L>0.5381 since the D/L >0.5 this case will be considered as deep water
2𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋
𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋𝜋
Water particle velocity u =
𝑇𝑇
𝑒𝑒 𝐿𝐿 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 =7meter/sec
In order to calculate the Drag force and lift force, we need to calculate the drag and lift
coefficients which are related to Reynolds number
𝑉𝑉 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷
Reynolds number Re = 𝜇𝜇 =1.80x106
𝜌𝜌

When plot the Reynolds number in graph, since the pipeline is coated with insulation coating, it
is considered as smooth surface
C D =0.65 C L =0.9
In order to calculate the Inertia coefficient we need to calculate Kc which is
𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉
Kc = =206.41
𝐷𝐷0

In reference to Keulegan-Carpenter number Ci=3.20

5
For an unsteady flow
1
Drag Force + Inertia force Fx= 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 ( 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈 + 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈)⌊𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈 + 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈⌋𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 + 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝜌𝜌 𝑉𝑉𝑉𝑉2
2

= 164425 N/m
1
Lift Force Fy= 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 ( 𝑈𝑈 + 𝑈𝑈𝑈𝑈)2 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 =1356 N/m
2

Pipeline will be stable if =Fd+Fi ≤ 𝜇𝜇 ( Wsub- F L) +Fp

Since as per CPT the soil is sand the frictional coefficient is 𝜇𝜇=0.6
FD+Fi ≤ 𝜇𝜇 (Wsub- F L) +Fp which is a stable condition
Here FD+Fi =164425 which is far greater than 𝜇𝜇 (Wsub- F L) +Fp 0.6(959.85N- 1356) N/m [1]
[2] [3] [4] [5] [6]
Hence the pipeline is unstable and in order to stabilize it, pipeline shall be trenched or
increase the weight by concrete coating

4. UPHEAVEL BUCKLING OF PIPE LINE A

Pipeline A is an 8”/14” Pipe in pipe inch pipeline which is connecting between BLP to C drill.
Upheaval buckling occurs when the pipe move up from the seabed and to know is we need to
calculate the effective axial force
𝜋𝜋
Moment Inertia of inner Pipe I I = ( D o 4-Di4) =7.82x107 m4
64
𝜋𝜋
Moment Inertia of outer Pipe I O = ( D o 4-Di4) =2.64x107 m4
64
𝜋𝜋 𝜋𝜋
As outer pipe = (Do2-Di2) =18545mm2 Ai inner pipe = (Do2-Di2) =16792.7mm2
4 4
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷1+𝐷𝐷02 𝐷𝐷11+𝐷𝐷12
R 0= D 01 + x ( ) = 372.5mm R 1= D 12 + x ( ) = 247mm
2 2

Total moment of inertia is resultant of above both inner and outer pipe and formula is provided
below
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴+𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴
Io= I O + I I +A o R o + A I R I 2+ A o R o 2- (A 0 +A i ) x ( ) = 3.42x10-4 meter 4
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴+𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴

Consider inner pipe is secured inside carrier pipe at intermittent distance, PiP is considered as a
single unit
𝜋𝜋 𝜋𝜋
As PiP = (Do2-Di2) =0.0780m2 Ai PiP = Di2 =0.0208m2
4 4
2 2
𝜎𝜎 r =-P i 𝜎𝜎𝜃𝜃 = (𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷
R
+𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷
𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷2 −𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 2
) X (P i - Po) = 8.03 x107 N/m2
The main driving force for the upheaval buckling is effective longitudinal force
For a fully restrained pipe subject to pressure and thermal loading the effective longitudinal
force is
Seff=V (σ r + σ 0) A s - Eα Δ T A s - P i A i =-3.8 x106 N/m2
Out of provided imperfection heights I have considered the highest which is 0.5 and find the
below calculation of L 0
Weight of pipe submerged with water 198 Kg/meter
The half wavelength of the pipe resting its own weight on prop type imperfection of height H
72 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸
L0 = � � 0.25=59.35 meter [5] [7] [8]
𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊𝑊
P

6
Total length of imperfection for the highest H is L=2xL 0 =118.76 meter
The following dimensionless formula are used to decide whether pipeline is stable or unstable

𝑊𝑊 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 0.5

∅w = � �= 0.01 ∅L = 𝐿𝐿𝐿𝐿 � � = 28.2
𝐻𝐻 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆2 𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸
P

Due to the above pipeline is unstable

𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆2𝐻𝐻
Appropriate minimum download required is w=0.064�
𝐸𝐸𝐸𝐸
� =6630 N/meter

Even though the trench depth is 1 meter on top of the pipeline, since there are imperfection on
trenching and minimum soil height on top of the pipe line is 0.5 meter. Hence we have taken the
worst case scenario which is 0.5 meter soil cover
The uplift resistance for the soil cover
W uplift = 𝛾𝛾 𝑠𝑠 𝐻𝐻 𝑠𝑠 D o + 𝛾𝛾 𝑠𝑠 D o 2(0.5 − 3.14/8)+f 𝛾𝛾 𝑠𝑠 (𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻 − 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷/2)2 =2988 N/ meter [2] [3] [1]
Weight of rock required = Minimum weight required – uplift of soil= 3642 N/meter

5. SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS IN DESIGNING PIPELINE

Safe transportation of oil and gas and other fluids through a pipeline is the one of the top
criticality in the oil and gas industry .In order to meet the industry goal of zero incidents, oil and
gas invest and put efforts for preventive measures including periodic inspection and repair,
corrosion protection, control and technologies, public awareness emergency response plans
and asset integrity management.
It’s essential to consider all the effect on the environment to be considered on all the life cycle of
the pipeline. For offshore pipelines more than of 32 inch size and 42 km length an environment
impact assessment to be carried out.

5.1 Design of a pipeline:

The operator is responsible to make sure that apart from designed fluid unless it can withstand
forces of the fluid, from its operations and external forces and chemical process. While
designing the pipeline need to take into consideration the pipeline operating regime, conditions
under which the fluid will be conveyed and environment on which pipeline will be laid. Also while
designing the pipe line need to consider maximum and minimum temperature and pressure.
External forces, chemical actions mechanical and thermal stress which will be subjected to the
pipeline to be considered. Pipeline Route design shall consider minimize the damage from the
external damages like drop objects, fishing gear, dropping anchor. Extra protection shall be
designed for the for long supported spans structural movements

5.2 Safety systems

Pipeline should have sufficient safety systems which are necessary to protect the people and
environment. Safety system shall include features like emergency shutdown valve, shown
valves with fail safe options, pressure relief valves, control and monitoring systems leak
detention system and safe interlock.

7
5.3 recommendation Access for examination and maintenance
While designing the pipelining, taken in account the inspection and examination requirements
and frequency (pigging)

5.4 Material Selection

All the material used for the construction of pipeline and associated equipment’s or any further
modification shall be suitable for the fluid. The material used for the construction should
withstand physical and chemical conditions of the pipeline is designed. Any changes in fluid or
the operating conditions reassessment to be done

6. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSIDERATIONS

An environmental impact assessment study to be conducted to identify the potential impact on

biological marine resources and physical resources by the construction and operations of the
subsea pipelines. This impact can be broadly classified into
1) Direct , indirect impacts
2) Cumulative and associated impacts.
A matrix to be developed to assess the sensitivity the magnitude of impact and sensitivity to
resources
Since EIA is not provided, magnitude of impact shall be assumed as low as it’s a short pipeline
and there are existing fields nearby. Also sensitivity of resources considered minimum
During construction and operations there issues with marine Fauna and marine mammal shall
be addressed. There will be impact by the underwater noise, light emissions on marine breeding
shall be studied and issues shall be addressed [9] [10] [11] [12]

6.1 IMPACT DURING INSTALLATION AND OPERATIONS

During installation and operations of the pipeline there will be impact on environment due to
following

1) Seafloor habitat during to operations like installation pipeline activities , pipe laying
,trenching and placement of anchors with anchorage lay barges
2) Water and waste discharge from vessel ( MARPOL)
3) Accidental spillage of hazardous substances ( MARPOL)
4) Disposal of hydro test water
5) High Sedimentation rates and sediments during pipeline and trenching activity
6) Light emissions, underwater noise
7) Interference with tropical lobster migration ,mammals , marine fishers [9] [10]

6.2 IMPACT DURING DECOMMISSONING

Detailed environmental impact assessment to be carried out to assess various options for the
decommissioning. This shall be based on complexity safety risk, cost environmental l impact
and disturbance to other sea users. The plan should include
1) Decruding of pipeline riser and flow line

8
 2) P& A of subsea well
3) Removing and cleaning well and all associated equipment’s from seabed
4) Removal / burial of pipeline as required [9] [10] [11] [12]

7. DECOMMISSIONING

It’s an industrial registrations and legalization that all the abandoned pipelines has to be
decommissioned as it has an environmental hazard. The main challenges of pipeline
decommissioning are material status, crossings, burial and configuration on the seed and
existing nearby live assets
The main pipeline decommissioning operations are visual inspection, dredging if the pipeline is
buried, cleaning, cutting, clearance of debris
The options available for pipeline decommissioning
• Leave the pipeline at side with intervention
• Cutting and recovering the method
• Reversed reel recovery
• Recovery by S lay method

If the pipeline is trenched and going to remain as it is then minimum intervention is required. If
the expected to be self-buried over an operation period then minor intervention is required. If the
pipeline had been subjected to exceptional circumstance and cannot be removed efficiently and
safely due to corrosion or damage is require major intervention.

Cutting and recovering the method is cutting the pipelines in to small sections which can be
handled with vessel crane. This is not cost efficient when it comes to long pipeline of big
diameter. Subsea cutting tools along with or without ROV/ diver will be used for this operations

Reversed reel recovery operations require a reel hub drive system on a vessel and the pipeline
will be recovered into an empty reel and send to onshore. This is possible where long sections
and where there is no concrete coating. Since our case the length of the pipeline is short its
technically possible to this. The only one disadvantage is this will cause plastic deformation of
the pipeline wall and it will affect if the pipeline is subject multiple lay and recovery
Recovery of pipeline by S lay method shall have tensioners which are capable to for recovering
and installation. The stress and forces which are subjected to the pipe during recovery and
installation is almost same. Instead of welding stations it will be converted to cutting stations.
Rov or driver shall be used to monitor the pipeline during this operations. The challenge for this
operations is material status of the pipe and any residual left in pipe [9] [10] [11] [12]

8. CONCLUSIONS AND DESIGN RECOMMENDATION

Pipeline B is unstable as per my analysis and in order to stabilize it, pipeline shall be trenched
or increase the weight by concrete weight coating
Pipeline A is unstable even though it’s buried and in order to avoid upheaval buckling rock
dump is required and quantity of rock dump required is provided in Section -4

9
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY

[1] Q. BAI, SUBSEA PIPELINES AND RISERS, UK: ELSEVIER LTD , 2005.

[2] S. K. CHAKRABARTI, HANDBOOK OF OFFSHORE ENGINEERING, USA: ELSEVIER,

2005.

[3] L.-H. L. a. M. B. Brian W. Duffy, "Thermal Expansion & Helical Buckling of Pipe-in-Pipe
Flowline Systems," SIMULIA Customer Conference , 2012.

[4] I. E. D. a. E. EfereboNtubodia, "Comparison of On-Bottom Stability of a Subsea Pipeline

under Different wave spectra and currents," American Journal of Engineering
Research (AJER), Vols. e-ISSN: 2320-0847 p-ISSN : 2320-0936, no. Volume-8,
Issue-7, pp-98-110, 2019.

[5] B. STANDARDS, CODE OF PRACTICE FOR PIPELINES PD 8010, UK: BRITISH

STANDARDS , 2004.

[6] F. V. d. A. a. J. V. Voorde, "Stability of Offshore Pipelines," in 6TH PIPELINE

TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE , BELGIUM , 2011.

[7] H. L. a. Z. C. Zechao Zhang, "Lateral Buckling Theory and Experimental Study on Pipe-
in-Pipe Structure," Metals MDPI, Basel, Switzerland, no. 4 February 2019, p. 185,
2019.

[8] O. A. a. D. N. Simms, "Upheaval buckling of pipelines," Journal of Pipeline Engineering ,

vol. 15, no. 3, 2016, pp. 157-168, 2016.

[9] oilandgasukenvironmentallegislation.co.uk, "Environmental Impact Assessment –

Offshore," Key Legislation and Guidance:, no. Regulations .

[10] N. E. -L. F. P. EIA, "EVALUATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS," Noble energy,

noth america, 2002.

[11] B. O. P. R. F. E. A. DECOMMISSIONING, The Offshore Petroleum Production and

Pipelines (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1999 (as amended)
– A Guide, London: department for business and industrial strategy, 2019.

[12] D. A. Rydar, "Environmental Impact Assesment in the Pipeline Industry," Experiences

with UK north Western Ethylene Pipeline .

10