The Challenge

Aging steel pipelines are a potential disaster for any operator in the oil and gas industry. For an operator who needed to rehabilitate an 8- and 10-inch gas pipeline in the Monterey Shale, doing the work with minimal impact on public infrastructure was key. Because the pipeline ran adjacent to major roadways, the company needed a cost-effective solution that would not require them to replace 8.7 mi (14 km) of pipe or cause damage to surrounding roadways. Furthermore, the operator needed an option that would enable the lines to be completed quickly and cost effectively and would cause as little disturbance to the nearby community as possible. 

The Solution

Working closely with the customer, FlexSteel analyzed the project’s operational challenges and developed an application-specific solution that included the operator pulling FlexSteel 6-inch, 750 psi (50 bar) spoolable steel reinforced pipe through the existing corroded steel pipelines. To check for unknown obstacles and anomalies within the carrier pipe, FlexSteel developed a custom sizing pig that would help ensure that the pipe’s minimum bend radius would not be violated. After verifying the pipe was clear, the existing steel pipeline rehabilitation was divided into two subprojects. The first subproject required a total of 6.7 miles (10.8 km) of FlexSteel pipe to be pulled through the existing 8-inch corroded steel pipeline. The second subproject called for the remaining two miles (3.3 km) of FlexSteel to be pulled through the existing 10-in steel pipeline. After both lines were installed, FlexSteel’s service technicians performed a hydrotest in the field to validate the pipeline’s integrity. 

The Result

FlexSteel’s corrosion-resistant line pipe provided a quick, easy-to-install solution to recommission the company’s aging steel line. The flexible pipeline system minimized the impact on public infrastructure while limiting the construction involved in replacing the corroded steel pipeline. Because the company chose FlexSteel, the welding, pipe inspection, and pipe- handling costs associated with steel pipe installations were eliminated, and the service life of the company’s new line was substantially increased.