TPi September 2016

products & developments Emergency gas pipeline repair clamp

clamp was forged, rough machined and heat treated.

Nord Stream pipeline at any required point along the Baltic Sea floor. The size of the forging exceeded the known parameters for the designated material selection and required a new engineering solution to make it possible. Sheffield Forgemasters excels in these realms of manufacture where the practicable realisation of process capability is considered alongside the theoretical metallurgy.” The clamp comprises two matched halves, which can be locked around the pipeline in order to stop any leakage. In order to provide the matched pairs of half clamps, the forging was produced as a single piece before being cut longitudinally. This was achieved by working close to the limits of capable production: starting with a 120" diameter ingot, a singular form for the whole

Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd (SFIL) has produced the largest ever forged sub-sea emergency repair clamp bodies for use on the world’s longest sub-sea gas pipeline. The company has delivered two clamp bodies for Oil States, each to form a crucial emergency repair back-up for the 1,224km Nord Stream pipeline, which runs along the Baltic Sea floor from Vyborg in Russia to Lubmin in Germany. The hydro-clamp, designed by Oil States Industries in Houston, Texas, USA, is designed to provide risk mitigation in the event of a breach in a sub-sea pipeline. George Brown, group projects director at SFIL, said, “The Nord Stream clamps are hydraulically operated repair mechanisms, designed to reinforce the

This provided a safe envelope for the finished shape, which was then cut along its 22ft length to produce two forgings that could be independently machined to the tight tolerances required, before being finally reassembled and pressure tested. “With a forged weight of over 200 tonnes, no sub-sea clamp of this size has ever been produced before and, if required, can restore full structural and pressure integrity to the Nord Stream pipeline in the event of a leak or identified weakness,” said Mr Brown. “The unique capability we have at Sheffield Forgemasters, to go from creation of the material to completion of the finish machined pieces, was fundamental to the successful outcome of the clamp manufacture.” The clamps are in the testing phase at Oil States in Houston, before they are shipped to the Nord Stream project, where they will be reserved for emergency back-up use. Nord Stream uses twin pipes that take 27.5bn cubic metres of natural gas per year from the Russian continent to the European grid, for use in European domestic and business markets. The pipeline is owned and operated by Nord Stream AG, a conglomerate of Gazprom, Wintershall, E.ON Ruhrgas, NV Nederlandse Gasunie and GDF Suez.

Sheffield Forgemasters International ltd – UK www.sheffieldforgemasters.com ‘Super big size’ press-fittings ready for sale SFIL’s forgings for the Nord Stream pipeline

sl, a producer of XXL fittings, will provide assistance and warranty in the event of technical problems related to their fittings and pipes.

Big Size diameters are available on request in the stainless steel range: 114.3mm, 139.7mm and 168.3mm. The new diameters can be used in the same system as Eurotubi fittings if a straight, DVGW-certified pipe is placed between them.

The range of Eurotubi Pressfittings has been expanded, with new ‘Super Big Size’ diameters now being available in the AISI 316L stainless steel fittings line. Increasing requests for press fittings for large industrial installations led Eurotubi to expand the range. Three new Super

eurotubi europa Srl – Italy info@eurotubieuropa.it www.eurotubieuropa.it

Eurotubi Europa and its partner Isotubi

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Tube ProducTS InTernaTIonal September 2016

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