Thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) maker Strohm has signed an agreement with Petronas Technology Ventures (PTVSB) part of the Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas, to commercialise TCP in the industry and scale its utilisation across Petronas facilities.
The partnership has ensured these products are available in the market with immediate effect, Strohm said.
"The agreement will also be instrumental in expanding the knowledge of the design, production, and qualification standard from Strohm’s technology backbone – DNV (standard ST-F119), allowing operators to qualify and utilise TCP, instead of metallic pipes, creating substantial cost reduction potentials in all stages of oil and gas projects life cycle," Strohm said.
The two firms have been working together since 2012, when they began a TCP qualification program, followed by a successful pilot installation project for a full well stream production pipeline on the West Lutong field in Sarawak waters.
"With a growing track record globally, TCP has become widely acknowledged for its many benefits compared to steel alternatives, including zero corrosion, reduced weight leading to improved transportation and installation costs, and lower carbon footprint," Strohm said.
For flowlines, Strohm explains, an added benefit is the reduction in pressure drops and improvement of multiphase flow conditions, thanks to a smooth bore, bonded pipe, immune to any gas permeation risks.
For jumpers, Strohm adds, a particular edge is the elimination of offshore metrology requirements, which has a considerable impact on the cost and schedule risk associated with vessel standby and onshore rigid spool fabrication.
"A logical step forward from the single jumper application is Strohm’s ‘Jumper on Demand’ concept, whereby a long length of pipe is fabricated and stored on a single reel or cradle, ready to be cut and terminated in-country into individual jumpers as required," Strohm said,
Fabienne Ellington, Strohm’s Vice President, Middle East and Asia-Pacific, said: “We are very excited to take this next step together with Petronas. Their visionary spirit recognised at an early stage the potential for TCP and this extended commitment will build on our existing footprint with them in Asia Pacific and provide further robust business opportunities across the sector.
“Another recent key development has been the confirmation that the cost-effective glass fibre polyethylene material used for the Petronas pilot project is now complemented by carbon fibre polyamide and carbon fibre PVDF materials, which are fully qualified for full hydrocarbon well stream fluid applications. These materials are not susceptible to corrosion, blistering or embrittlement from CO2, H2S or hydrogen, making them particularly suitable for highly sour service applications, carbon sequestration projects and hydrogen transportation.
“With these milestones achieved and the signing of the commercialisation agreement with Petronas, our TCP solution is on track to further revolutionise the sector and support the energy transition.”
Dr Mahpuzah Abai, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PTVSB said that Petronas believes innovation is key to unlocking a sustainable future. “Through our proprietary non-metallic pipe technology, we can provide an effective solution to corrosive and challenging operational environments. Having Strohm B.V. onboard will create a progressive partnership in this area.”