THE BACKGROUND

A 12″ export line, extending 5 m above and below sea level on a
platform in coastal West Africa, suffered significant corrosion.
The damage necessitated an immediate splash zone repair to
increase the lifespan of the asset.

The contractor opted for a bolted joint to eliminate welding and
streamline the process. Pipeline integrity specialist MORGRIP^®
were selected to provide a holistic solution, including equipment,
full training and installation support.

03 // MORGRIP® connector installed subsea onto vertical riser.

02 // Platform in West Africa.

THE SOLUTION

MORGRIP^® manufactured and supplied a 12″ connector together with subsea bolt tensioners and a subsea pipe cutting machine to carry out the repair. The contractor purchased all the equipment including an additional 10″ flange adaptor for later use. The company intends to undertake similar repairs on approximately 30 pipelines.

The diving team was based on an accommodation barge in the field with one hour transport to the unmanned platform, had limited English speaking and was inexperienced with the equipment. MORGRIP^® committed fully qualified service personnel to ensure these logistical challenges were quickly overcome.

MORGRIP^® coordinated with the dive crew ahead of the job, providing full onshore training on all three pieces of equipment. During the installation campaign, the export line was cut above the topside field joint and the connector was installed subsea. The project was completed within a short 14-week timeframe, covering equipment delivery, training and installation.

The Senior Offshore Applications Engineer for MORGRIP^®, said: “Adaptability was key to the success of this project. It’s not enough to supply the right equipment; we must always ensure that the required procedures can be executed safely and efficiently. As a global business, we have to be flexible. Different regions can bring communications and technical challenges, that’s why we focus on preparation and remain committed to the whole project, rather than simply delivering products.”

The Managing Director for the diving contractor said: “Thanks to MORGRIP^® we successfully completed the project on time and on budget and established a long-term business development opportunity. We now have full training and the equipment to repair several additional pipelines in the region while seeking additional opportunities.”