StatoilHydro plugs subsea leaks

London, UK - In the wake of Hurricane Katrina and the damage inflicted on pipeline systems in the Gulf of Mexico, there is a growing trend in the industry to thoroughly prepare for the possibility of pipeline disruption, especially subsea.

For StatoilHydro, these strategies recently came into play when the Kvitebjørn field was shut down in August 2008 due to a gas leak 10km from the platform. The pipeline, between the platform and the Kollsnes processing plant, near Bergen had been dragged out of position and damaged by a passing ship’s anchor.

To develop alternative techniques to repair the subsea pipeline, StatoilHydro engaged TDW Offshore Services to carry out extensive testing at its base in Stavanger. The work  included trialling an onshore installation of a special subsea clamp system on a mock-up of the affected portion of the Kvitebjørn pipeline.

The clamp was designed and optimised to secure the integrity of the pipe connector where it was not possible to obtain adequate holding power with the primary system. The unit became a key features of the pipeline repair, which enabled StatoilHydro to resume exporting liquids and gas earlier this year.