Airborne Oil & Gas begins TCP Riser qualification program in South America

Airborne Oil & Gas (AOG, IJmuiden, The Netherlands) announced June 26 it has commenced a qualification program of a thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) riser for deepwater and dynamic applications for a major operator in South America. The program is a collaboration with Subsea 7 (London, UK), who is providing global riser behavior analysis and installation analysis, for the riser.

The TCP Riser qualification program aims to provide a disruptive new riser pipe technology for operators with international deepwater applications. According to AOG, the TCP Riser design delivers a low cost solution for total installation while offering flexibility to operators in terms of subsea configuration and choice of installation vessel.

Henk de Boer, CTO with AOG, explains, “With our knowledge of materials and experience, we are able to work with the supply chain to develop the optimal material combination for each application, resulting in a fit-for-purpose approach. For this qualification in Brazil, we set out to develop a material that would allow operators to use a free hanging catenary configuration, to be installed by suitably available pipe-lay vessels.”

Ivan Cruz, technology manager at Subsea 7, adds, “We believe that the TCP Riser can become a compelling solution for future deepwater fields. The technology has a disruptive potential as a fundamentally simple pipe, and a straightforward solution that equally removes the need for buoyancy requirements. Working with Airborne Oil & Gas, the collaboration with Subsea 7 brings together both design and installation technology expertise for the provision of complete riser solutions for our clients.”