Date: April 2018

Location: Middle East

Client challenge

A 30” Crude Oil Pipeline, located in the Middle East had previously suffered a through-wall defect. Initially, a clamp had been employed as the preferred repair method; however, this approach had proven ineffective and was actively leaking. The urgent task at hand was to provide a solution to repair the leaking clamp while the pipeline remained in operation and the leak persisted.

What we did

We leveraged our innovative composite repair technology, Technowrap™ 2K fibreglass cloth with HA (High Ambient) resins to repair the defect. We began by creating a sump, with a large threaded nut strategically positioned in the center of the cured composite cloth and maneuvered into place beneath the pipework. Ratchet straps were employed to secure the threaded nut in position. Once the initial repair around the nut was fully cured, layers were meticulously applied around the threaded nut, with the leak actively exiting at this point. Subsequently, a bolt was screwed into the thread, and the necessary number of layers was applied over the bolted area of the sump to secure and seal the repair effectively.

Results

The repair solution was successfully applied while the pipeline remained live, resulting in no downtime and zero impact on production and operational activities. This case study underscores our ability to provide swift and effective solutions, even under challenging circumstances, ensuring the seamless restoration of critical infrastructure without interrupting vital operations and production processes.