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Spotlight

PEOPLE this area led to Technip being awarded a contract to supply the ? rst ? exible pipes

Differentiating for Petrobras’ ultra-deep water and ? uid harsh Libra pre-salt ? eld offshore Brazil. through technology

Technip is also working on next genera- tion carbon ? ber armor to cope with high temperatures and pressures as well

Aging infrastructure, deep as CO and H S, and its potential use in 2 2 waters, high-pressures and other layers of pipe. rising levels of H S and CO are

For ? exible pipe monitoring, Technip 2 2 is in the ? nal quali? cation phase of its all on the hit for Technip’s VP of

Morphopipe technology, a MEMS- (mi- technology development. croelectronic mechanical systems) based

Elaine Maslin spoke to riser curvature monitoring system, which uses MEMS sensors mounted on the

Laurent Decoret.

outside of the riser, protected by a sheath, at a critical bending point to provide live aurent Decoret has an enviable job, aurent Decoret has an enviable job, and historic motion data. The current

L not least in today’s cash-strapped not least in today’s cash-strapped design is a hard wired system, but future environment. He is Technip’s VP Tech-environment. He is Technip’s VP Tech- systems could be wireless.

nology Development. nology Development. Decoret says Technip is adding ? ber

While many are cutting costs, Technip While many are cutting costs, Technip optic sensing to electrically traced has increased its research and develop-has increased its research and develop- pipe-in-pipe technology, to bring more ment (R&D) budget, from under €60 mil-ment (R&D) budget, from under €60 mil- accuracy to pipe heating, as well as lion (US$63.4 million) in 2010, to more lion (US$63.4 million) in 2010, to more trace-heated blankets. The ? rm is also trace-heated blankets. The ? rm is also than €75 million ($79.3 million) in 2014. than €75 million ($79.3 million) in 2014. developing an in-service riser inspec-developing an in-service riser inspec- tion system (Iris), as well as an anti-H On Decoret’s desk is everything On Decoret’s desk is everything tion system (Iris), as well as an anti-H S 2 from unmanned surface vessels and to from unmanned surface vessels and to sheath – a polymer with special compo-sheath – a polymer with special compo- nents which captures H aluminum power core umbilicals. The aluminum power core umbilicals. The nents which captures H S – and nano 2

Laurent Decoret. Laurent Decoret. Photo from Technip.Photo from Technip.

French engineer, graduated from the French engineer, graduated from the materials to improve insulation. materials to improve insulation. power umbilicals, especially with more Ecole Centrale de Lyon, gave a rundown Ecole Centrale de Lyon, gave a rundown power umbilicals, especially with more “For Technip, differentiating through and more subsea processing.” of some of the future technologies’ we of some of the future technologies’ we and more subsea processing.” technology is a strategic priority,”

Technip’s umbilical prototype manu- can expect from Technip. can expect from Technip. Technip’s umbilical prototype manu- Decoret says, through both in-house

The aluminum core power cable is a The aluminum core power cable is a facture and quali? cation uses a 300sq facture and quali? cation uses a 300sq development, but also by working with mm 18/30kV triplex extruded and dry mm 18/30kV triplex extruded and dry specialist providers in the likes of poly- technology the ? rm hopes to bring to technology the ? rm hopes to bring to cured design with Aluminum 6000 cured design with Aluminum 6000 mers and composites. the industry early next year, Decoret the industry early next year, Decoret

For Decoret, the key challenges for the says. Already used onshore for power says. Already used onshore for power series corrosion resistant conductor ma-series corrosion resistant conductor ma- industry today are aging infrastructure, networks, Aluminum core power cables networks, Aluminum core power cables terial, supported by high-strength steel terial, supported by high-strength steel as well as tackling deepwater reserves, have been used in offshore wind farms, to have been used in offshore wind farms, to strands to take stress off the working strands to take stress off the working and complex and dif? cult reservoirs, with save weight and costs. As projects move core. Speci? cations on future projects core. Speci? cations on future projects high pressures and temperatures, H S and into deeper waters, with subsea process- will depend on umbilical length and 2

CO , all while remaining reliable. ing adding to power requirements, copper power requirements.

2 cable can reach limitations. “Today, 2000m water depth, in W est

To create extra strength aluminum “We are in the ? nal stages of quali- core power umbilicals, it has high

Africa, the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, these ? cation with the last full scale testing strength steel strands to support the are now regular,” he says. “Today, we see [mid-November],” Decoret says, with cable, taking the stress off the working that we are going to go beyond that and quali? cation to 3000m water depth and cable section. many operators are looking at reserves in including a wet mate 18/30kV connec- Technip is also looking at carbon deeper waters towards 4000m.” tor system. “The key bene? t of using ? ber armor for ? exible pipe, instead of Decoret’s career has seen him working aluminum is that it has much better steel, to reduce the weight of ? exibles in for Co? exip out of Aberdeen as a ? exible mechanical performance than copper in ultra-deepwater by up to 50%, as well pipe design engineer, before rising up the terms of strength and weight and capa- as having greater mechanical strength. ranks to head the ? rm’s UK engineering bility to accommodate loading, as well Such technology could also be used for department. In 2007, he returned to Paris as a signi? cant increase in performance oil of? oading lines, which tradition- to coordinate the engineering of the Total in fatigue behavior and a reduction in ally use steel armor, which then has to E&P Angola Paz? or SURF project, one of weight,” he says. “This is something be supported in the water by buoyancy the largest subsea contracts to be under- we see as very pertinent for deepwater modules, because of its weight. Work in taken by Technip at that time.

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