Strohm, a business that specializes in composite pipe technology, announced on Thursday that it had opened a new office in Rio de Janeiro and that it was establishing a center of excellence for developing its Thermoplastic Composite Pipe (TCP) technology as part of its South American expansion strategy.
"Strohm is extending its footprint in Brazil and gearing up for the execution of a significant contract, which is expected to be announced soon. The company is aiming to hire an additional ten local people over the next twelve months to bolster the engineering and back-office support teams to further enhance business development opportunities," Strohm said, adding that in the coming years, there are plans to set up a local TCP manufacturing capability to better support the clients in the region.
Renato Bastos, who has been Strohm’s vice president in Brazil for the past three years, will head up the Rio de Janeiro site. He has over 20 years’ experience in the energy industry, with a strong background in the installation of steel and flexible pipes.
Bastos said: “With Brazil’s ultra-deepwater market ramping up and an increasing number of independent operators acquiring fields from Petrobras, we see opportunities both in the highly demanding pre-salt applications as well as with the independents on the mature fields.
“With this move, we are in a great position to take advantage of these opportunities. Our TCP is perfectly suited as it’s non-corrosive and robust, offering up to 60% reduced CO2 footprint compared to steel alternatives. It also has reduced installation costs as it is so lightweight."
Strohm said it had started a staircase qualification program in 2018 for flowlines intended to be deployed in deepwater Brazil.
"Progressing on its roadmap towards ultra-deepwater dynamic applications in harsh environments, Strohm now sets up for the ultimate goal - the TCP Riser," the company said.
According to Strohm, its TCP Riser design delivers the lowest total installed cost solutions for such demanding applications, while offering maximum flexibility to operators in terms of subsea configuration and choice of installation method.
The TCP Riser is installed using vessels currently available in the market, and as it does not require any buoyancy elements during installation, there is a significant reduction in costs and CO2 emissions, Strohm explained.
Strohm, formerly known as Airborne Oil & Gas, earlier this year secured a contract with Total and ExxonMobil for a qualification testing program for a high pressure, high-temperature Thermoplastic Composite Pipe (TCP).
The qualification project will create a foundation for further development of this TCP technology for riser applications.
Under the agreement, Strohm will execute a qualification testing program for a TCP Jumper for permanent subsea application, for hydrocarbon service.