Dow Chemical Co. announced a milestone in the commercialization of the DOW NEPTUNE™ Advanced Subsea Flow Assurance Insulation System at the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition (ATCE) in New Orleans. NEPTUNE P insulation for line pipes and NEPTUNE F insulation for field joints are now available for offshore flow assurance applications.
Alexander Lane, Dow global business leader for Oil & Gas Transmission said, “We have been developing the end-to-end system and working to bring each component to market since launching the NEPTUNE technology early last year. Now, both of these line-pipe and field-joint coating components have successfully passed multiple rounds of full-scale, rigorous testing, ensuring performance in the high-temperature, high-pressure operating environments found in deep water, as well as in the sub-zero temperatures experienced during cold climate installations or under extreme service conditions.”
The award-winning NEPTUNE system was developed in direct response to requests from offshore operators for subsea flow assurance protection from the harsh conditions encountered in the evolving offshore production landscape, including broader temperature ranges and higher pressures. The insulation’s excellent tested physical properties include flexibility down to -40°C (-40°F), thermal stability at service temperatures up to at least 160°C (320°F), and a consistently low K-factor.
While competitive, line-pipe coating systems can require as many as seven layers, NEPTUNE™ insulation has two: a robust and homogenous layer of novel insulation over a proprietary fusion-bonded epoxy. This simplified system eliminates the need for multiple materials and adhesive tie layers, which reduces the potential risks associated with bonding dissimilar and potentially incompatible materials, and contributes to a thinner coating profile. With components for coating line pipe, field joints and subsea architecture, the complete NEPTUNE system is a breakthrough in subsea insulation that protects assets from well head to delivery point.
”The commercialization of NEPTUNE™ P and NEPTUNE F Insulation is a significant step towards bringing the entire NEPTUNE System to market,” said Larry Ryan, general manager, Dow Oil, Gas & Mining. “This announcement comes on the heels of the NEPTUNE System being selected as a winner of a 2013 OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award, which honors new, innovative and proven technologies that have broad market interest and a significant impact on the oil and gas industry’s future. We’re excited that customers can now use this industry-recognized technology and benefit from its elevated performance.”
Subscribe
