Flat Reeled Composite Pipe
Authors: Groves Steve , Daton-Lovett Andrew , Galletly Diana , Ekström Lars 
Published: October 2008

Bi-stable Reeled Composite (BRC) is a new materials technology that offers the potential to make strong, lightweight, composite pipes which can be transported flat in compact coils with minimum continuous lengths of over 1,000m.

Made from fibre-reinforced polymers, the potential benefits of a BRC pipe system include lowering the cost of pipe transportation and installation, particularly in remote areas, and lower operational costs, due to its corrosionresistant nature. BRC pipes will find application for medium pressure pipes and flowlines, and pipe liners and protective sleeves. Real time monitoring of pipe performance should also be possible. While end-users will initially most likely be onshore, offshore potential will develop as experience with the product is gained.

This paper describes the results of an effort funded by BP Exploration's Upstream Innovation Board to demonstrate the feasibility of producing pipe from BRC.

Introduction

The development of the composite materials technology known as "Bi-stable Reeled Composites" (BRCs) has enabled long rigid structures to be stored as compact, coils.

BRCs are made from laminated, fiber-reinforced composites, using strong glass or carbon fibers embedded in a thermoplastic polymer matrix. BRC structures are in a resting, stable condition in both coiled and extended forms, thus needing no constraint when coiled. The laminate structure utilises surface layers with high Poisson's ratios. The forces derived from the elongation and compaction of these layers on each side of the neutral axis when the material is bent act to force the BRC between its two stable states. Mathematical design models can now accurately predict this type of behaviour.

The principal benefits of products made from BRC are, therefore, the ease of portability, access and storage.

In short lengths, BRC structures can be deployed repeatedly to carry cameras and other tools for remote inspection and maintenance of hazardous environments. Successful applications have included devices for the power, film/TV and defence industries.

In long lengths, BRCs can be transported as coils and deployed and welded on site to form pipes, linings and sleeves.

For BRC pipes, a BRC coil would be extended in the field to form a pipe with an overlapping longitudinal seam, as shown in Figure 1. This seam would be welded to produce a continuous pipe. BRC pipes could have fibre optic sensors embedded within them during manufacture to allow real time condition monitoring. Additional strength can be provided by deploying and welding several, concentrically nested BRC pipes or "wraps".

Figure 1- BRC Pipe(Available in full paper)

Transportation of pipe is an issue in all oilfield developments, with volume and weight being major limiting factors, both onshore and offshore. In its coiled form BRC pipe occupies only a fraction of the volume of its pipe form and is more compact than any other form of linepipe, potentially offering significant advantage in this respect. BRC pipes which can be produced, transported and installed in very long lengths, offer the prospect of savings on transportation costs, more automated pipe-laying and lower labour costs.