The Swiline range has already been fully qualified and specified for the USD 12.6 billion Shell Prelude project – the world’s first FLNG, located in the Timor Sea, where production will commence in 2017 (photo: Trelleborg)

Trelleborg’s oil and marine hoses operation is once again pushing the boundaries of technology for the sector, this time with the launch of a dedicated seawater intake hose engineered specifically to meet the unique requirements of floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) extraction facilities.

Remote gas extraction presents a variety of challenges due to the crucial role of the cooling process in reducing the volume of the gas by compressing it into liquid form (LNG) to maximise efficiencies in transportation. For this reason, the new Swiline range of hoses from Trelleborg can be used in lengths of up to  600 meters or even more, enabling the use of seawater from greater depths, which can be up to 20° C cooler than water at the surface, for the liquefaction process and so making it more effective.

Jonathan Petit, Project Manager for oil & marine hoses at Trelleborg, explains, “FLNGs offer the potential to effectively extract vast amounts of LNG for industrial and domestic use but to do that – and ensure the LNG is transported as cost-efficiently as possible – effective cooling is crucial. This means using seawater which is as cold as possible. This therefore needs to be extracted from greater depths and pumped in higher volumes than is the case with FPSOs, for example. Our Swiline solution draws on proven proprietary Trelleborg technology to deliver a guaranteed solution in even the most demanding conditions, accredited to the international API 17K standard.”

Swiline hoses are fully certified to the API 17K standard, which certifies up to 30 years of maintenance free service life with a safety factor of 10. The seawater intake hoses are designed to deliver optimum performance in even the most demanding process conditions. Employing a unique design incorporating an integrated bending stiffener with a continuous inner liner and rubber outer cover, the hoses minimise the risk of corrosion while offering optimal thermal insulation. The combination of steel cables in a rubber matrix minimises creep and offers typical tensile strength as high as 1,600 tonnes for 40 inch ID hose.

Swiline hoses can be easily installed vertically from the FLNG deck. Assembly can take place beside the hull with connection on the intake flange by divers, or in the riser caisson. Hydraulic simultaneous tightening of the flange ensures reliable, homogeneous pre-loading of the bolts for optimum performance.

Diameters from 24 to 40 inch ID are available to enable the hoses to cope with the greater quantities of water – up to 50,000 m³/hour – while minimising the pressure drop to avoid the risk of cavitation. Swiline products are suitable for use with both bundled and stand-alone riser configurations.

Tags: Trelleborg