Saipem Upgrades UPS’ Pipeline Tech for Offshore and Subsea Use

Italian offshore energy services firm Saipem has secured DNV’s Statement of Qualified Technology for pipeline technology developed by United Pipeline Systems, which was upgraded for offshore and subsea use.

The technology was initially developed for the internal lining onshore pipelines before Saipem conducted upgrades to make it suitable for offshore and subsea use.

It uses plastic as a replacement for corrosion-resistant alloys in the inner coating of pipelines, thus reducing the total system cost by up to 40%, Saipem said.

According to the Italian company, DNV's certification grants its innovation a unique rating on the market as it qualifies the technology for even ultra-deepwater and high-pressure pipelines of 1000 bar, or approximately 15,000 psi.

In line with the cooperation agreement signed with UPS, Saipem will market the upgraded technology for water injection pipelines in a first step, then for risers, both in traditional offshore markets like the Middle East and in frontier subsea markets with ultra-deep high-pressure reservoirs such as the Gulf of Mexico and Brazil.