ContraTherm® Subsea

Alderley Materials has developed the ContraTherm® C55 Subsea System specifically to meet the need for a resilient insulation material capable of tolerating the temperature and pressure extremes required for high temperature developments.  The system is engineered to withstand the particular service requirements demanded by offshore oil and gas production and comes into its own where high temperature high pressure field developments are concerned.  The ContraTherm® Subsea System provides the user with the following major benefits:

• Excellent thermal insulation properties
• Excellent resistance to water ingress
• Excellent stability in water depths to 3,000 msw
• Excellent resistance to compression loads
• Excellent resistance to impact loads
• Long term high temperature stability
• Long term structural stability (30 years +)
• Ease of application, modification and repair

Flow Assurance & Insulation

As oil and gas production extracts fluids of ever increasing temperatures from deeper waters and at longer tie-back distances from the host structure, the benefit of insulating subsea equipment becomes increasingly apparent. With fluid temperatures approaching 200oC (390oF) and at water depths approaching 3,000 msw (10,000 fsw) the need for a high temperature high pressure insulation material capable of withstanding such environmental extremes becomes a consideration of paramount importance.

The ContraTherm® Subsea System addresses the technology gap presented.

Application Methodologies

The ContraTherm® Subsea System may be supplied either as a wet coating applied directly to the primed substrate in the field or as a pre-moulded engineered component. A combination of both methodologies may provide the best solution in certain applications.

Direct Application

The process of direct application involves mobilising materials, equipment and personnel to construction sites worldwide and applying the ContraTherm® system directly to the equipment substrate. The ContraTherm® Subsea System's cold curing properties make it an ideal material for direct application at any stage in the build programme of the subsea equipment, including finished assembled packages such as Xmas trees and manifolds. This allows the EPC contractor to fit the application of thermal insulation into the overall delivery programme with a great degree of flexibility. The application methodology, not requiring the construction of any mould tooling or formers, makes it possible to apply ContraTherm® in areas which would normally prove difficult to access.

The core material in its wet state has a bread dough consistency and is designed to be easily applied to equipment and pipe work in layers of up to 20mm thickness at a time without sagging. The material does not experience shrinkage during curing enabling accurate thickness control. The application process ensures joints will become homogenous ensuring there are no weak points in the system. The process is relatively simple and makes the modification and adjustment to the insulation thickness and coverage during application quick and simple. The composite outer skin is applied after approximately 48 hours once the core material has cured.   The individual glass fibre layers are wrapped onto the core material and impregnated with resin between each individual layer.

ContraTherm® does not require the fabrication of mould tooling nor does it require complex pumping equipment. ContraTherm® utilises simple mixing and application equipment which is readily available and does not require extensive maintenance or spares in the field. The relative simplicity of the application process makes ContraTherm® an ideal material for application using local labour with suitable training and under the supervision of Alderley technicians. The ContraTherm® Subsea System is supplied in pre-measured and pre-packaged kits to ensure ease of correct usage.

Pre-Moulded Engineered Components

The ContraTherm® Subsea System may be moulded into pre-designed shapes to suit the equipment to be insulated. Such mouldings may be required to reduce application times and/or to provide for articulation or removable solutions where later access may required.

ContraTherm® components are produced by compression moulding and the material properties allow intricate single piece mouldings to be manufactured. This is advantageous in that large or complex mouldings need not be manufactured in smaller sub-assemblies and subsequently bonded together risking potential weak spots at the joint interfaces.

Pre-moulded components come in a range of shapes and sizes from relatively simple pre-designed and moulded panels, blocks or 'half-shell' C-sections up to the most complex connector cover arrangements such as ROV installed 'doghouse' mouldings. Each design is engineered to match the dimensions of the component to be insulated and produced in highly accurate compression moulds. The shapes are subsequently fastened to the structure by the most suitable means, from simple strap banding arrangements to complex ROV operated closure systems, and sealed as appropriate to minimise water flow and retain insulation performance.  Whilst Alderley will mould very complex components individually, the bonding of subordinate pieces can be achieved by the use of proven subsea epoxy adhesives. These adhesives also allow the bonding of panels directly to the substrate as and when necessary.

More complex components would be delivered in their final assembled condition in advance of final installation. This may involve the fixing into position of subsea specification painted steel handling and closure frames and sealing arrangements to minimise the flow of water through the cover. Alderley is able to supply all associated bespoke steel fixtures, seals and other accompaniments required for specific insulation component designs whether surface or subsea, diver or ROV installed.