TABLE OF CONTENTS The main feature of pipe-in-pipe and pipeline bundle systems is that the pipeline is comprised of concentric inner and outer pipes. The inner pipe or pipes within sleeve pipes carry the production fluids and are insulated, whilst the outer pipe or carrier pipe provides mechanical protection.
The first known pipe-in-pipe system was installed in 1973 by Pertamina Offshore Indonesia. This pipeline was 8 miles long extending from shore to a single point mooring facility. The outer and inner diameters of this pipeline were 40" and 36" respectively.
Up till now nearly 36 pipeline bundles have been installed by controlled depth tow method (CDTM). The first one was installed at the Murchison field in 1980. The longest pipeline bundle is the one being designed, constructed and installed in Norwegian Sector by Rockwater. This bundle is 14 km long with 46" carrier pipe and three production lines.
This Chapter presents the design procedure and strength acceptance criteria for pipe-in-pipe and pipeline bundle system. The design should ensure that adequate structural integrity is maintained against all possible failure modes. All relevant failure modes for pipelines described in Chapter 4 are to be considered in the design of pipe-in-pipe and bundle system.
Many of the newly emerging generation of high pressure high temperature (HP/HT) reservoirs in the North Sea are being exploited using pipe bundles and single pipe-in-pipe configurations as part of subsea tie-backs to existing platforms. Not only are reservoir conditions more harsh but there is...
