The cutting edge in Flexible
Pipe technology:
PA12 for Flexible Flowlines
and Risers
Jan Berger
Weihong Du, Andreas Dowe
June 5th, 2013
Page | 2
1. Evonik High Performance Polymers
2. PA12 in Unbonded Flexible Pipes
3. Material qualification and Material
properties
4. Summary and Outlook
Evonik Industries > 160 yrs industry experience
A presence in over 100 countries
EOGG
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Evonik
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EOGG: Evonik Oil and Gas Group
Overview - Thermoplastic Materials C
os
t D
rive
n
Pe
rfo
rma
nc
e D
rive
n
amorphous crystalline
Engineering
Polymers
High Performance
Polymers
PET PBT
POM PUR
PC PPE
Commodity
Polymers
PA4.6
PPA
PPS
LCP
FPs
PEEK
PA12
PA11
PAI
PPSU
PEI
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PSU
PAR PA612 Transp. PA
PA6 / PA66
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PE
PP
PMMA
PMMI
PMI
= Polymers from Evonik
PE-LD PE-HD
VESTAMID® HTplus
VESTAKEEP®
VESTAMID® NRG
Date | Title of Presentation Page | 7
Oil & Gas Application - working team
Innovation
Management
Marketing &
Sales
Business
Leader
J. Franosch, J. Berger,
R. Tuellmann, C. Behrens,
H. Beyer
W. Du, V. Lavini, A. Simoes,
K. Ogenia, A. Gadkari,
M. Delgado, K. Goldstein
A. Dowe
Page | 8
1. Evonik High Performance Polymers
2. PA12 in Unbonded Flexible Pipes
3. Material qualification and Material
properties
4. Summary and Outlook
Page | 9
Increased melt viscosity of PA 12
Melt viscosity in acc. to ASTM D4440
1 E+03
1 E+04
1 E+05
1 E+06
1 E-01 1 E+00 1 E+01 1 E+02
Shear rate [1/s]
Vis
co
sit
y [
Pa
s]
240 °C
240 °C
200 °C
VESTAMID NRG1001
PA 12 standard grade
PE extrusion grade
Starting Point - New PA 12 Platform Retaining the Benefits of PA 12
Innovation to increase the melt viscosity let to
large diameter tubes and pipes
Advantages of PA 12
• High chemical
resistance
• Exceptional notch
impact strength
• Excellent resistance to
stress cracking
• Low water absorption
Page | 10
Unbonded Flexible Pipes - Application
Flexible riser with
Vestamid NRG
Flowlines with
Vestamid NRG
Jumper with
Vestamid NRG
Page | 11
Unbonded Flexible Pipe - Standard structure
Carcass (e.g. Alloy 316L)
Pressure
Armor Layer
Tensile Armor
Layers
Jacket Sheath (static: PE, dynamic: PA)
Pressure Sheath (PE, PA11, PA12, PVDF)*
Anti Wear Tapes (PA, PVDF, PEEK)
Anti Bird Caging
Tape
*: depending on temperature and certain
conditions in the field
Page | 12
1. Evonik High Performance Polymers
2. PA12 in Unbonded Flexible Pipes
3. Material qualification and Material
properties
4. Summary and Outlook
Page | 13
Result of approval program (API 17 TR2):
Vestamid NRG1001 has very similar properties compared to
existing Polyamide Solutions for Flexible Pipes.
But also some advantages of NRG1001 found:
• Doubles the lifetime of flexible tubes vs. Nylon 11
• Maximum possible operation temperature is about 6°C
higher than for Nylon 11 (PA11)
• Significant better methanol compatibility
• High ductility even at low temperatures (-50°C)
• Better resistance to heat aging
• Easy to process
• No pre drying is required before processing
Unbonded Flexible Pipes - Outcome of the comprehensive testing program
Page | 14
Arrhenius life time curves for PA in H20 without CO2
0,01
0,10
1,00
10,00
100,00
50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120T [°C]
Tim
e t
o r
ea
ch
in
itia
l a
cc
ep
tan
ce
cri
teri
on
of
CIV
= 1
.2 d
l/g
[ye
ars
]
pH=7 (API 17TR2)
PA 11 H2O/no CO2 fit [years] CIV=1.2
PA 11 H2O/no CO2 [years] CIV=1.2
PA 12 H2O/no CO2 fit [years] CIV=1.2
PA 12 H2O/no CO2 [years] CIV=1.2
Unbonded Flexible Pipes - A clear improvement in aging performance
Page | 15
Unbonded Flexible Pipes - A clear improvement in aging performance
Methanol compatibility of PA12 vs. PA11
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Aging time [d]
Str
ain
at
bre
ak
[%
]
PA12 at 70°C
PA11 at 70°C
PA12 at 80°C
PA11 at 80°C
PA12 at 90°C
PA11 at 90°C
Page | 16
Unbonded Flexible Pipes - A clear improvement in heat aging
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
0 50 100 150 200
ageing time [days]
elo
ng
ati
on
at
bre
ak [
%]
PA 12, T = 120°C
PA 12, T = 140°C
PA 11, T = 120°C
PA 11, T = 140°C
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
ageing time [days]
elo
ng
ati
on
at
bre
ak [
%]
PA 12, T = 80°C
PA 12, T = 100°C
PA 11, T = 80°C
PA 11, T = 100°C
Page | 17
Unbonded Flexible Pipes - High ductility and fracture toughness
Force-Deformation Plot [-30°C]
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 10 20 30 40 50
Deformation [mm]
Fo
rce
[N
]
VESTAMID LX9020
BESN O P40 TL
BESN O P40 TLX OS
Test parameters: virgin, ASTM E399; 10 mm/min; round-CT specimen;
W=48,75mm
Page | 18
Advantages of VESTAMID NRG 1001 - Easy processing and no pre-drying
Influence of wet extrusion on CIV
1
1,1
1,2
1,3
1,4
1,5
1,6
1,7
1,8
1,9
2
0 0,05 0,1 0,15 0,2 0,25 0,3 0,35 0,4 0,45
Moisture content of granules [%]
CIV
dL
/g
VESTAMID LX9020
Influence of remaining moisture in granules on final CIV
PA11 large pipe grades
Acceptance of moisture content for processing of Nylon materials
} Strong influence on processability and final material
performance
Seite 19
additional
influences
Hydrolysis Aging under Service Conditions
- an extended aging model
Aging model
for Polyamides Elongation at break
+ CIV
lifetime prediction API 17TR2
Temperature CO2 saturation
deionized
water
Time
Seite 20
CIV vs. Elongation at break
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
0,6 0,8 1 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2 2,2
CIV [dl/g]
Elo
ng
ati
on
at
bre
ak
[%
]
API 17 TR2 hydrolysis
Seawater hydrolysis
crude oil saturated
scCO2 hydrolysis
CIV = 1,05
Page | 21
1. Evonik High Performance Polymers
2. PA12 in Unbonded Flexible Pipes
3. Material qualification and Material
properties
4. Summary and Outlook
Page | 22
Summary: Advantages of PA12
Feature Advantage Benefit
Methanol compatibility Reliable, durable
Less maintenance
costs, broaden
maintenance
technologies
Hydrolysis resistance
Lifetime, operation
temperature
Cost reduction, adds
safety
Ductility
Performance at low
temperature
Adds safety at certain
conditions: arctic
installation and Joule-
Thomson-Effect
Stable melt
characteristics Excellent processing
Cost reduction, no pre-
drying, less scrap
Page | 23
VESTAMID NRG is the perfect choice for barrier
layers and jacket sheaths of flexible pipes
• Lifetime up to 20 years at 65 °C
• Fully API 17 J qualified
• >800 km flexible pipes produced with PA12
pressure and/or jacket sheath since end of 2006
• Superior performance (e.g. arctic)
• Easy to process
Summary: VESTAMID NRG 1001 is the perfect choice for Flexible Pipes
Page | 24
TCR vs. SCR
- stiffness a factor 10 lower then steel smaller mean offset
- MBR a factor 8 or more smaller then steel, avoiding fatigue
issues at the touch down point.
- Reduced top tensions and floater loading
- Lower friction and pressure drop, due to smooth liner
surface.
- Significant improvement in fatigue resistance
- Lower thermal conductivity and higher heat capacity
than steel, better thermal properties for flow assurance.
Outlook: Composite Technology
The future in subsea pipe systems?
Page | 25
TCR vs. Flexibles
- one solid reinforcement layer supports all different load
cases
- the all composite TCR is impervious to corrosion.
- improvement in fatigue resistance.
- because of the solid cross-section, load transfer at the end-
fittings is more efficient and less complex.
- no friction between reinforcement layers
- reinforcing the liner creates a smooth bore inner liner with
high collapse strength, avoiding carcass induced pulsations.
Outlook: Composite Technology
The future in subsea pipe systems?
Date | Title of Presentation Page | 26
Jan Berger
Innovation Management
Senior Project Manager
High Performance Polymers
Phone +49 2365 49-6994
Evonik Degussa GmbH
Paul-Baumann-Str. 1
45764 Marl
Germany
Page | 27
Steel Catenary Riser
(SCR)
Steel Flowline
Application: PA12 Liner
- applications in Oil & Gas fields
Liner for corrosion protection of carbon steel production pipelines in O&G
fields. At Onshore fields the targeted applications are production pipelines
operating at temperatures from 60 to 100°C. Onshore PE liner are limited to a
maximum temperature of 60 °C.
Liner for steel pipelines
Offshore fields Onshore fields
Page | 28 Page | 28
PA 12 Liner - total costs comparison
PA12 lined
Carbon
Steel Pipe
Page | 29 Page | 29
PA 12 Liner - The Integrated Lining Technology
Insertion Technology Connection Technology
Venting Technology required to vent off permeated gas
in the event of a pressure drop in the pipeline
Date | Title of Presentation Page | 30 Page | 30
Length swelling in light oil of PA12 at 105°C vs PE100 at 60°C
0,00
0,50
1,00
1,50
2,00
2,50
3,00
3,50
4,00
4,50
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
Aging time [days]
Len
gth
sw
ell
ing
[%
]
PA12 at 105 °C
PE at 60°C
Length swelling in light oil of PA 12 at 105°C vs PE100 at 60°C
Swagelining PA12 liner system - advantage of VESTAMID NRG
Low swelling vs. PE
less stresses
avoids axial buckling
Page | 31 Page | 31
Tensile modulus vs Temperature of PA 12 and PE100
virgin and saturated in light oil
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500
550
40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
Temperature [°C]
Mo
du
lus [
MP
a]
PA12 virgin
PA 12 saturated
PE100 virgin
PE100 saturated
Tensile modulus vs. temperature of PA 12 and PE100
Virgin and saturated in light oil
Swagelining PA12 liner system - advantage of VESTAMID NRG
High tensile modulus
max. stability of liner in
service
max. collapse
resistance of liner