March 2021, Vol. 248, No. 3
Tech Notes
Baker Hughes Offers Composite Flexible Pipe for Onshore Pipelines
Baker Hughes launched of its Onshore Composite Flexible Pipe to address the corrosion and cost of ownership challenges with conventional steel pipe for the energy, oil and gas and industrial sectors.
The lightweight reinforced thermoplastic pipe (RTP) offers an economic and environmentally conscious alternative to onshore steel pipes for optimizing the core structure of flowline and oil and gas pipeline networks. The pipe’s spoolable design makes it easier, faster and more cost-effective to transport and install versus steel pipe, reducing installed costs by more than 20%, Baker Hughes said.
Installation also requires fewer onsite support facilities and heavy vehicles, reducing operational risk and environmental impact while taking up less width on a pipeline right-of-way.
“This pipe is the result of our strategic investments for growth in innovative non-metallic materials,” said Hatem Haidar, global vice president of Flexible Pipe Systems – Onshore at Baker Hughes. “We are committed to supporting safer, more efficient and cost-effective technical solutions to serve the energy sectors, and non-metallics play a key role.”
The company sees flexible pipe as a vital component of the energy and industrial sectors which enables the transport of multiple energy sources, including hydrogen and natural gas, Haidar said.
Baker Hughes’ Onshore Composite Flexible Pipe offers an economic solution for the transport of CO2 and hydrogen, as well as the conversion of existing infrastructure to carry gases. In addition, the pipe’s non-corrosive materials can withstand contaminants without requiring chemical inhibitors, corrosion monitoring and inspection, or disruptive repair work – significantly reducing operating expenditures.
The Onshore Composite Flexible Pipe technology draws on years of Baker Hughes’ experience in developing advanced composite solutions for the highly demanding offshore environment, now applicable for onshore and industrial customers.
The composite pipe will be manufactured at Baker Hughes’ facility in Houston. With a 400,000-square-foot footprint, the facility will provide three to four times additional manufacturing capacity compared to Baker Hughes’ current capacity for flexible pipe solutions. The pipe will be available up to 8 inches in diameter, with a variety of liners including nylon, polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and delivering fluid pressures up to 2250 PSI.
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