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GB2586975A - Device and method for use with subsea pipelines - Google Patents

Device and method for use with subsea pipelines Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2586975A
GB2586975A GB1912980.8A GB201912980A GB2586975A GB 2586975 A GB2586975 A GB 2586975A GB 201912980 A GB201912980 A GB 201912980A GB 2586975 A GB2586975 A GB 2586975A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
syringe
casing
soluble
active chemical
pipeline
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB1912980.8A
Other versions
GB201912980D0 (en
GB2586975B (en
Inventor
Wilkie Peter
Kirkpatrick Alistair
Makowska Jolanta
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ROEMEX Ltd
Original Assignee
ROEMEX Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by ROEMEX Ltd filed Critical ROEMEX Ltd
Priority to GB1912980.8A priority Critical patent/GB2586975B/en
Publication of GB201912980D0 publication Critical patent/GB201912980D0/en
Publication of GB2586975A publication Critical patent/GB2586975A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2586975B publication Critical patent/GB2586975B/en
Active legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01MTESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/02Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum
    • G01M3/04Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
    • G01M3/20Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01MTESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/02Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum
    • G01M3/04Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
    • G01M3/20Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material
    • G01M3/22Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators
    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01MTESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01M3/00Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
    • G01M3/02Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum
    • G01M3/04Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point
    • G01M3/20Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material
    • G01M3/22Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators
    • G01M3/222Investigating fluid-tightness of structures by using fluid or vacuum by detecting the presence of fluid at the leakage point using special tracer materials, e.g. dye, fluorescent material, radioactive material for pipes, cables or tubes; for pipe joints or seals; for valves; for welds; for containers, e.g. radiators for tubes
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16LPIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16L1/00Laying or reclaiming pipes; Repairing or joining pipes on or under water
    • F16L1/12Laying or reclaiming pipes on or under water
    • F16L1/20Accessories therefor, e.g. floats or weights
    • F16L1/235Apparatus for controlling the pipe during laying

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Medicines Containing Antibodies Or Antigens For Use As Internal Diagnostic Agents (AREA)

Abstract

A syringe 10 comprising a plunger (14, Figure 1) and a tube (12) with an exit orifice containing an active chemical (19) encased by a soluble casing (18). The plunger expels the active chemical and soluble casing through the exit orifice. The active chemical may be a dye, corrosion inhibitor, biocide or oxygen scavenger. The syringe may add a dye and soluble casing into a subsea pipeline 20, preferably one including monoethelyene glycol (MEG). The pipeline may be pressure tested before use with leaks observed by escaping dye. Using the syringe device, chemicals can be protected from the environment during deployment subsea, more easily handled and added into the pipeline. The dye may comprise Rhodamine B salts, Fluorescein salts, cellufluor, or methylene blue. The casing and active chemical may be solid. The casing may comprise a polymer or sugar, dissolve in seawater and melt between 25° and 65°C. A method of manufacturing a syringe is disclosed.

Description

Device and Method for Use With Subsea Pipelines This invention relates to a device and method for use with subsea pipelines.
After installation of subsea pipelines, it may be some time before all the network of pipelines, or other infrastructure is ready to be used. In the meantime, it is known to fill the pipelines with a fluid such as seawater or monoethelyene glycol (MEG), especially mixtures thereof, to resist hydrate formation or other pipeline degradation.
Before use, a pressure test is usually performed by adding a dye into the pipeline, increasing the pressure therein, and observing any leak of the dye into the surrounding water.
The dye is normally provided as a stick, and deployed by a diver or a Remotely Operated vehicle (ROV) and added into the pipeline through an entry point. In order to resist degradation or dissolution of the dye underwater before being added to the pipeline, it is known to add a polyvinyl alcohol based film around the dye stick. The film should be slowly soluble in sea water and in most cases enough layers should be added to the stick that it lasts in seawater for a period of at least 2 hours at 4°C.
In certain circumstances, it is useful to add other chemicals into a pipeline in a similar way, such as corrosion inhibitors.
However, the present inventors have noted that the PVA film can cause problems when inside a pipeline filled with fluids such as glycol, such as blocking valves upon production of reservoir fluids as the film is not soluble in certain fluids such as glycols.
An object of the present invention is to mitigate one or more problems of the state of the art.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a syringe comprising a tube with an exit orifice, and a plunger; the tube containing an active chemical at least partially encased by a soluble casing, the plunger being activatable to move through the tube to expel the active chemical and soluble casing through the exit orifice.
The active chemical may be a dye. The dye may comprise salts of Rhodamine B (9-(2-carboxypheny1)-3,6-bis(diethylamino)xanthylium), salts of Fluorescein (2-(6-oxido-3-oxoxanthen-9-yl)benzoate), cellufluor (2,2'-ethene-1, 2-diyl-bis-(5-((4-((3-amino-3-oxopropyl (2-hydroxyethyl)amino)-6-(aminopheno1-1, 3, 5-triazin-2-yl)amino) benzenesulphonate, disodium salt) methylene blue (methylthioninium chloride) or other suitable dyes.
Rhodamine B salts include: Rhodamine B chloride [9-(2-carboxypheny1)-6-diethylamino-3- xanthenylidene]-diethylammonium chloride and Rhodamine B acetate 9-(2-carboxyphenyI)- 3,6-bis(diethylamino)xanthylium acetate.
Fluorescein salts include sodium (Disodium 2-(3-oxo-6-oxidoxanthen-9-yl)benzoate) and Fluorescein dipotassium (dipotassium 3-oxo-3h-spiro[2-benzofuran-1,9'-xanthene]-3',6'-diolate).
The active chemical may comprise instead of or in addition to a dye: a corrosion inhibitor, and/or biocide, oxygen scavengers or other chemicals useful to be added to a pipeline.
The casing is normally soluble in MEG, especially a MEG solution in water such as in the range of 40-70% (v/v).
Preferably the casing is generally soluble in seawater whereby complete partial dissolution is achieved after 4 hours and complete dissolution after 24 hours at 4°C.
The casing may be made from a variety of chemicals. Preferably they are non-toxic. Preferably they are solid at room temperature and have a melting point at between 25 -65 °C. Normally they are inert with respect to the tube and with respect to the dye or other active chemical. Their molecular weight may be in the range of 800 -6000 g/mol.
Optionally the casing may be a polymer and/or a sugar.
Suitable examples include polyaspartate/sodium salt, 18-crown-6 ether (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane), guanidine aetate, sorbitol, and ethoxylated isotridecanol.
The active chemical is normally in a solid state. The casing is normally in a solid state.
A portion of soluble casing material may be added to the end of the active chemical, proximate the orifice.
In preferred embodiments the active chemical is entirely encased within the soluble casing. For other embodiments, it may be encased over 75% or over 90% of its outer surface area.
The tube normally has a substantially uniform inner diameter along its length.
A removable cap may be placed over the orifice of the tube.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of using a syringe subsea, in order to deploy chemicals into a pipeline.
The syringe may be the syringe described herein above and according to the first aspect of the invention.
The method may comprise deploying the syringe subsea, aligning the exit orifice of the syringe with an entry point to an inside of a subsea pipeline, activating the plunger to move through the tube and expel at least a portion of the encased active chemical into the inside of the pipeline.
The pipeline may comprise MEG especially a MEG solution in water in the range of 40-70(v/v). Nevertheless, it is known to have solutions of, for example, 50%, 70% or 100% MEG. For certain applications, the pipeline may contain only seawater, no MEG, or at least partly contain another chemical.
The pipeline is normally one for transport of hydrocarbons.
After the entry point is closed, the pipeline may thereafter be pressure tested (sometimes called hydrotested) and as part of the test, it is observed whether dye is expelled from the pipeline.
The invention also provides a method of manufacturing a syringe as described herein comprising: * providing the soluble casing material in molten form in the syringe, along with a mould thus displacing the molten soluble casing material between the mould and the inside of the tube; * allowing the molten soluble casing to cool and solidify; * remove the mould thus defining a void in the soluble casing; * adding the active chemical within the void defined by the soluble casing.
Normally the mould is added into the syringe only part of the way into the extent of the tube, such as 75% -95% of the extent of the tube, so that some soluble casing material is present at the bottom of the tube at an opposite end from the exit orifice, in order to further encase the active chemical.
Some further soluble casing material may be added to the orifice end of the active chemical, in order to further encase it.
A cap may be added to the tube. A lanyard may be attached to the cap and to, for example, the tube of the syringe device in order to hold onto the cap after it is removed from the tube in use.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of a syringe in accordance with one aspect of the invention; and, Fig. 2 is a side view of a subsea pipeline and syringe in accordance with one aspect of the invention.
Fig. 1 shows a syringe 10 in accordance with the present invention comprising a tube 12, plunger 14 and cap 16. The tube's contents comprise a soluble casing 18 and an active chemical 19, in this case a dye stick.
As shown in Fig. 2, this syringe is deployed subsea by a diver or ROV (not shown) towards a subsea pipeline 20 and attached or aligned with an entry point 22 thereof The pipeline 20 comprises a MEG/water mixture, which inhibits hydrate formation whilst the pipeline is not in use (for example it has been deployed but not operational).
The plunger 14 of the syringe 10 is activated to deploy the soluble casing 18 and dye stick 19 into the pipeline 20. The cap 16 is removed (or displaced by the encased dye stick 18/19) and the encased dye stick 18/19 is added into the pipeline 20. The MEG content within the pipeline will determine the time taken for the dye stick 19 to dissolve. Dissolution time is proportional to MEG content.
In due course, such as 2 -6 hours after this addition, the soluble casing 18 dissolves in the MEG/water mix, and the dye 19 dissipates.
A hydrotest (or pressure test) can then be performed on the pipeline, where the pressure inside is increased relative to the pressure outside, and it is observed if there is any leaks in the pipeline, such as at a connection between individual joints making up the pipeline, by the presence or absence of the dye in the surrounding water.
Experimental Pipelines are normally filled seawater, but can also be filled with MEG and different MEG: water mixes. Thus, dissolution of the casing in seawater was the first parameter to be 10 checked A number of possible chemicals were screened for suitability. In one example, 1000 ppm (500 mg) Isotridecanol, ethoxylated in 500 mL was added to sea water at 4 °C. The product was found to dissolve gradually and is totally dissolved after 24 hours.
Having successfully passed the dissolution in sea water test, the casing product was then tested for dissolution in various MEG: water mixes. This is done to replicate the internal conditions more commonly encountered within a pipeline.
An example of the test results for such testing is shown in Table 1.
Ethoxylated MEG (mL) Seawater (mL) 1 day 6 days Isotridecanol(ppm) 1000 40 60 Soluble Soluble 1000 50 50 Soluble Soluble 1000 60 40 Partially soluble Partially soluble Table 1. Ethoxylated Isotridecanol dissolution in MEG: seawater mixes This casing dissolved in various seawater and MEG mixes and was deemed suitable for applications using up to 60 chi MEG.
In order to form the syringe 10 a mould (not shown) is placed internally inside the tube through its exit and liquid casing material provided therebetween. This is left to cool and solidify. The mould is then removed, leaving an empty void space sufficient for chemical insertion. A dye stick (or other chemical) is then placed in the void space vacated by the mould. An additional chemical layer of casing material (e.g. Ethoxylated Isotridecanol) may then be applied to the top 18t of the syringe effectively sealing the active chemical within the syringe.
Once the additional layer solidified, the end is provided with the cap 16 to provide protection whilst in storage and during deployment.
An advantage of certain embodiments is that they can dissolve within 2-6 hours after deployment for the purposes of chemical protection and leak detection testing. In this way they can be placed in an open aperture in the subsea pipeline without immediate dissolution. This can provide the time for the diver to close the aperture, complete work in the vicinity and leave before the dye escapes into the environment and obscures the immediate vicinity. Premature dissolution during deployment can also result in a loss of product and could cause operational delays or potentially inability to detect and identify leaks.

Claims (15)

  1. Claims 1 A syringe comprising: a a tube with an exit orifice, and a plunger; b the tube containing an active chemical at least partially encased by a soluble casing; c. the plunger being activatable to move through the tube to expel the active chemical and soluble casing through the exit orifice.
  2. 2. A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the active chemical is entirely encased within the soluble casing.
  3. 3. A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the active chemical comprises a dye.
  4. 4 A syringe as claimed in claim 3, wherein the dye comprise or consist of one or more of salts of Rhodamine B (9-(2-carboxyphenyI)-3,6-bis(diethylamino)xanthylium) or salts of Fluorescein ( (2-(6-oxido-3-oxoxanthen-9-y1) benzoate), cellufluor (2,2'-ethene-1, 2-diyl-bis-(5-((4-((3-amino-3-oxopropyl (2-hydroxyethypamino)-6-(aminopheno1-1, 3, 5-triazin-2-yl)amino) benzenesulphonate, disodium salt) and methylene blue (methylthioninium chloride).
  5. 5. A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the active chemical comprises at least one of a corrosion inhibitor, biocide and oxygen scavenger.
  6. 6 A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the casing is soluble in monoethelyene glycol (MEG), especially a MEG solution in water such as in the range of 40-70 (v/v)
  7. 7. A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the casing is soluble in seawater.
  8. 8. A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the soluble casing and active chemical are in the solid state.
  9. 9. A syringe as claimed in claim 8, wherein the casing has a melting point of between 25 and 65°C.
  10. 10. A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the casing comprises a polymer and/or a sugar.
  11. 11. A syringe as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the casing is formed from one or more of the group consisting of: polyaspartate/sodium salt, 18-crown-6 ether (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaoxacyclooctadecane), guanidine aetate, sorbitol and isotridecanol, ethoxylated
  12. 12 A method of using a syringe as claimed in any preceding claim subsea, the method comprising deploying the syringe subsea, aligning the exit orifice of the syringe with an entry point to an inside of a subsea pipeline, activating the plunger to move through the tube and expel at least a portion of the active chemical and soluble casing into the inside of the pipeline.
  13. 13. A method as claimed claim 12, wherein the pipeline comprises MEG especially a MEG solution in water in the range of 20 -40% (w/w)
  14. 14. A method as claimed claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the active chemical comprises dye, and the pipeline is thereafter pressure tested and as part of the pressure test it is observed whether dye is present outside the pipeline.
  15. 15. A method of manufacturing a syringe as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 comprising: providing the soluble casing material in molten form in the syringe, along with a mould inserted through the tube orifice, thus displacing the molten soluble casing between the mould and the inside of the tube; allowing the molten soluble casing to cool and solidify; remove the mould thus defining a void in the soluble casing; adding the active chemical within the void defined by the soluble casing.
GB1912980.8A 2019-09-09 2019-09-09 Device and method for use with subsea pipelines Active GB2586975B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1912980.8A GB2586975B (en) 2019-09-09 2019-09-09 Device and method for use with subsea pipelines

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1912980.8A GB2586975B (en) 2019-09-09 2019-09-09 Device and method for use with subsea pipelines

Publications (3)

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GB201912980D0 GB201912980D0 (en) 2019-10-23
GB2586975A true GB2586975A (en) 2021-03-17
GB2586975B GB2586975B (en) 2024-03-06

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Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5065690A (en) * 1990-08-27 1991-11-19 Bontempo Donald T Swimming pool leak detector
JP2005037289A (en) * 2003-07-17 2005-02-10 Aohata Corp Packaging material having oxygen detection function and packaging body using the same
WO2005105058A1 (en) * 2004-05-04 2005-11-10 Amorepacific Corporation Sustained-releasing injectable formulation for the treatment or prevention of bone-related diseases comprising bisphorenate-containing polymeric microparticles
US20130189369A1 (en) * 2012-01-23 2013-07-25 Allergan, Inc Time released biodegradable or bioerodible microspheres or microparticles suspended in a solidifying depot-forming injectable drug formulation
WO2018135839A1 (en) * 2017-01-17 2018-07-26 한국화학연구원 Microparticle type sustained-release injectable agent and method for production therefor

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5065690A (en) * 1990-08-27 1991-11-19 Bontempo Donald T Swimming pool leak detector
JP2005037289A (en) * 2003-07-17 2005-02-10 Aohata Corp Packaging material having oxygen detection function and packaging body using the same
WO2005105058A1 (en) * 2004-05-04 2005-11-10 Amorepacific Corporation Sustained-releasing injectable formulation for the treatment or prevention of bone-related diseases comprising bisphorenate-containing polymeric microparticles
US20130189369A1 (en) * 2012-01-23 2013-07-25 Allergan, Inc Time released biodegradable or bioerodible microspheres or microparticles suspended in a solidifying depot-forming injectable drug formulation
WO2018135839A1 (en) * 2017-01-17 2018-07-26 한국화학연구원 Microparticle type sustained-release injectable agent and method for production therefor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201912980D0 (en) 2019-10-23
GB2586975B (en) 2024-03-06

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