Wood Group Kenny (WGK) in Perth Australia, is to lead the Joint Industry Project (JIP), “SafePark”. The project, proposed at an operators forum hosted by WGK, will deliver a recommended practice for the selection, application and monitoring of chemical treatment packages, in relation to the long term wet parking and integrity of carbon steel and corrosion- resistant alloy (CRA) pipelines.
Prevention of corrosion in a pipeline during the wet park lay-up stage, where the pipeline remains flooded with water from the hydrotest to ensure the strength of the pipe until it is dewatered during commissioning, is critical to retention of its integrity both during wet parking and after start-up. With wet parking periods of greater length becoming the new norm, preservation of pipeline integrity is increasingly challenging.
Initiated in response to market demand, the forum was attended by representatives from several oil and gas companies including Apache, Chevron, INPEX and Woodside. Discussions are also being held with global operators BHP, BP, ENI, ConocoPhillips, Exxon, Santos, Shell, Statoil and Total.
The development of a consistent, recommended practice for wet parking of pipelines will enable a decoupling of installation schedules, facilitate use of a ‘vessel of opportunity’ to install the pipeline and reduce the probability of corrosion of the pipelines, minimising the risk to the operator and ensuring their multi-million dollar assets are protected.
Enda O’Sullivan, director of Wood Group Integrity Management (WGIM) in the Asia Pacific region said of the project : “This initiative has clear benefits to the industry. By pooling ideas, philosophies and data on the issue of wet parking of pipelines, we will increase the industry understanding of the issue. The collation of the recommended practice is intended, in the long term, reduce risk and costs associated with projects and deliver safer more reliable pipelines to the global subsea industry.”
With the largest team of corrosion experts in the region and more than 20 years’ experience of delivering JIPs, Wood Group Kenny is well placed to lead the project, which is due to kick off in January 2014.
Press Release, August 01, 2013