Trelleborg to Enhance Safety at Sverdrup Oil Field
Photo: Trelleborg
Trelleborg’s offshore operation has secured a contract to supply its thermal insulation, corrosion and passive fire protection (PFP) solutions for use on the new Johan Sverdrup oil field in the North Sea, off Norway.
Contracted by Kvaerner, Trelleborg’s offshore operation in Norway will supply its Vikotherm R2 thermal insulation coating to be applied to 12 risers. In addition, the company will provide corrosion coating for 195 riser guides, 40 caisson guides and 15 J-tube guides.
By working with Trelleborg, Kvaerner has reduced the number of its suppliers for insulation, corrosion and fire protection requirements, which is expected to save the contractor time and money throughout the life of the project. Production will begin at Trelleborg’s facility in Krokstadelva in September and will continue until May 2016.
Ben Erik Jansen, Business Group Director at Trelleborg’s offshore operation in Norway said, “We’ve worked closely with Kvaerner on previous projects, but we take no contract for granted. So when they confirmed that we had successfully won the project for the Johan Sverdup field, we were thrilled. We are looking forward to working with Kvaerner in the coming months.”
Trelleborg’s Vikotherm™ R2 rubber is chemically resistant to most corrosive liquids, gases, salt water, ozone and UV-light; all of which are corrosive agents commonly encountered in the offshore environment. In addition, the material’s operating temperature ranges from -49 °C to +155 °C / -56 °F to 311 °F.
The high performance rubber-based composite insulates and protects jumpers, manifolds, risers, pipelines, flow lines, equipment and other subsea structures. Designed to last a minimum of 30 years, the material is maintenance-free, eliminating the need for future replacements or rectifications. It is practically incompressible and resistant to both seawater and impact, effectively withstanding low and high temperatures and giving corrosion and mechanical protection.
Trelleborg’s offshore operation in Norway has delivered a variety of rubber based products and solutions since 1896. In 1972, the company started providing corrosion protection to the oil industry and in 1986 made its first delivery of thermal insulation to the Oseberg field, Norway.
After the Pipe Alpha disaster in 1989, Trelleborg worked with Hydro and Saga Petroleum, now Norsk Hydro, to develop a new type of fire protection in rubber, for use on risers in splash zones. Since then, Trelleborg’s Firestop technology has developed further, growing the portfolio of fire protection solutions for the oil and gas market.
