Clamp on pipe (illustration: Trelleborg)

Trelleborg’s offshore operation in Skelmersdale, England, has been certified for the design of its Type 3 Clamp under the American Petroleum Institute’s specification for flexible pipe ancillary equipment (API 17L1 Ed. 1 2013). This is an important milestone, as the full suite of qualification requirements relating to the design methodology of Trelleborg’s clamps and Distributed Buoyancy Modules (DBM) is now complete.

Tom Perry, Product Design Manager within Trelleborg’s offshore operation, states: “Meeting stringent global standards to remain operationally and environmentally compliant is important to our customers and to Trelleborg. Receiving full industry-recognised accreditation from an independent verification agent, demonstrates our dedication to execute projects and designs to the required standard, providing customers with additional confidence and peace of mind.”

The Type 3 Clamp is a design primarily comprising of a syntactic foam clamp body split in to a number of segments, an upgraded titanium tensioning system and high tenacity straps. Typically used in high load capacity and lower pipeline compliancy applications, this clamp provides an axial restraint on the client pipeline/flexible riser to locate a Distributed Buoyancy Module (DBM). The clamp can also be used for other applications, for example in support of Ballast Modules or Ballasted Uraduct, used within a riser configuration or to increase the submerged weight along the riser section for additional stability.

The certificate was awarded by Lloyds Register EMEA, acting as an independent verification agent. The design verification was completed by conducting a thorough audit of all design documentation and calculations as well as supporting material qualification and test data.

The API 17L1 specification defines the technical requirements for dimensionally and functionally safe, interchangeable flexible pipe ancillary equipment that is designed and manufactured to uniform standards. These industry standards determine the minimum requirements for the design, material selection, manufacture, documentation, testing, marking and packing of flexible pipe ancillary equipment.

Trelleborg DBMs are typically used between a subsea structure and a surface vessel or platform to reduce top tension loads and to maintain project specific riser configurations. The Type 3 Clamp, as well as the API 17L1 approved Type 4 Clamp, which includes internal rubber segments allowing for larger pipeline tolerances and contractions, were developed with a semi-automatic hydraulic installation tool to allow for quick installation of the clamp on board vessels and platforms.

Trelleborg’s offshore operation currently holds API certificates for bend restrictors, bend stiffeners, distributed buoyancy modules, Uraduct®, Type 3 and Type 4 Clamps.

Tags: American Petroleum Institute, Trelleborg