TPT March 2021

Business & market news

Corinth Pipeworks to supply Shell Colibri with ultra-long steel pipes for gas project

Corinth Pipeworks has signed an agreement with BG International (a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc), the operator of Block 22 and NCMA 4, in which Corinth Pipeworks will manufacture and supply steel pipes in connection with the development of Block 22 and NCMA-4 (Colibri), an offshore gas field development located in Trinidad and Tobago. The agreement covers 93km of 16" HFW and LSAW coated linepipe material for the export pipeline, which will bring gas from the development of Block

22 and NCMA-4 to the Shell-operated Poinsettia platform, located in Trinidad’s North Coast Marine Area (NCMA). The two blocks are held in partnership with the Trinidad and Tobago national oil company, Heritage Petroleum Company Limited. This award is a significant milestone in Corinth Pipeworks’ growing presence in the upstream energy business segment, as it will be the first offshore project where pipes will be supplied in ultra- long 24m (80ft) lengths.

This will allow an almost 50 per cent reduction in the number of offshore pipe to pipe welds resulting in a major CAPEX saving and an associated reduction in offshore vessel installation time. Pipe manufacturing and coating will commence at Corinth Pipeworks facility, in Greece, later in 2020 and pipeline installation will commence according to schedule within 2021. Corinth Pipeworks www.cpw.gr

TDW isolates burning natural gas liquids pipeline for repair following third-party strike

TD Williamson crews isolated a ruptured 14" natural gas liquids pipeline while product continued to flare off, enabling repair while the system remained in service and creating the conditions for the fire to extinguish itself. The west Texas pipeline exploded after it was hit by a third-party contractor excavating the right-of-way nearby. The explosion and massive fire that followed, which shot flames 300ft into the air, injured four people, one critically, and destroyed the trencher and all other equipment within a 300-yard radius. It was said at the time of explosion the concussion was felt ten miles away. The responding fire department registered a temperature in excess of 1,500°F.

Charles Parrish, TDW technical sales representative, west region, Texas and New Mexico, said the company’s response included 40 individuals, seven operations centres and six departments from across the US. He added that full Covid-19 precautions were followed at every step: “Everyone came together so efficiently that in less than six hours after the operator’s initial call the fittings were out the door,” Mr Parrish said. “And it took less than one day on the job site to solve our customer’s problem, safely and successfully.” The operator moved quickly to reroute product at a drastically lower flow rate. Within hours of the line strike, TDW had begun mobilising equipment and personnel to the site, including eight

hot tapping and plugging (HT&P) technicians who arrived from multiple TDW service centres in Texas, Oklahoma and California to provide around-the- clock coverage. The teamperformed a double STOPPLE ® operation to isolate the affected section. Sweeping the hot tap holes – a process that removes any metal chips or debris that could prevent the STOPPLE head from sealing securely – created a partial seal that caused the fire to bellow; when the STOPPLE heads were fully set, they robbed the fire of the NGL fumes fuelling it, and the blaze extinguished itself. TD Williamson www.tdwilliamson.com

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March 2021 TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL