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CASE STUDY
Pipeline Life Extension and Future Integrity Management using the INFINITY Modular Sealing Clamp
An operator in Asia identified severe wall loss at four locations across two 16-inch crude oil subsea pipelines. Situated in a nearshore area that supports local fishing and salt farming activities, the pipelines presented significant environmental and community risks in the event of a leak.
Without prompt intervention, the operator faced an increased risk of pipeline failure, environmental contamination, operational disruption, and escalating repair costs. Inspections also revealed several additional areas susceptible to further degradation, highlighting the need for both an immediate repair solution and a long-term integrity management strategy.
Norclamp proposed three 16″ INFINITY Sealing Clamps, a modular and expandable repair solution designed to address significant wall-loss defects while supporting future pipeline integrity management.
The INFINITY system is an interconnecting split-clamp technology that provides continuous sealing across multiple defect locations. Its expandable design allows additional clamp sections to be added in the future, enabling the repair footprint to grow as pipeline integrity requirements evolve.
Key benefits:
- Expandable design to accommodate future defect growth.
- Minimal surface preparation requirements.
- Lightweight construction for simplified handling and installation.
- Reduced offshore intervention and operational complexity.
- Fast manufacturing and delivery to meet the project schedule.
The solution provided a cost-effective alternative to pipeline replacement, delivering rapid deployment, operational simplicity, and the flexibility to support both immediate repairs and long-term pipeline integrity objectives.
Challenges
Multiple severe wall loss defects along the pipeline, creating an increased risk of defect growth and potential loss of containment.
Permanent repair solution required to ensure long-term pipeline integrity and support the planned conversion from crude oil to diesel service.
Fast-track repair solution requiring accelerated manufacturing and delivery to minimize downtime and restore operations within the project schedule.
Unpredictable weather conditions and tidal variations limited available offshore installation windows.
The solution needed to be cost-effective while providing a repair strategy that could be replicated at other defect locations identified along the pipeline in the future.
Results
Engineering and manufacturing completed within 9 weeks, enabling a rapid repair campaign and early return to service.
Repaired four critical defects, restoring pipeline integrity and enabling the continued safe operation of the existing pipeline infrastructure.
Reduced offshore intervention scope, vessel time, and operational complexity, minimizing downtime during execution.
Value Created
- Delivered approximately 90% lower repair costs compared with alternative solutions while avoiding the need for full pipeline replacement.
- Reduced environmental and community risk in a nearshore area supporting local fishing and salt farming activities.
- Extended pipeline service life through a scalable repair solution that accommodates future defect growth while reducing long-term maintenance and intervention requirements.
- Provided a faster and more cost-effective repair option than comparable solutions requiring a similar level of pipeline repair.
