Successful deepwater trials completed in Mediterranean
Pipelaying trails in the Strait of Sicily demonstrated technical feasibility of installing a submarine pipeline in water depths to 1,850 ft. The trials, completed Oct. 1976, also proved that deepwater pipelaying requires the use of sophisticated computing and forecasting tools. Another conclusion is that the combination of great depths and rough sea conditions make the use of conventional flat-bottom laybarges extremely difficult and somewhat marginal in such operations. Saipem was the pipelaying contractor for the Sicily trails and Snamprogetti was in charge of engineering and basic studies. Both companies are members of Italy's ENI group. The trials were mainly intended to determine the following: (1) possibility of anchoring a pipelaying barge at depths of 610 m (2,000 ft) and over; (2) feasibility of laying sea lines along a selected route with the accuracy required in morphologically tormented areas; (3) possibility of singling out particular problems arising during abandonment and recovery operations at great depths; (4) possibility of installing supports at special locations along the line to reduce the length of possible free spans; (5) buckling phenomena; and (6) coating behavior.
- OSTI ID:
- 6558120
- Journal Information:
- Pipe Line Ind.; (United States), Vol. 46:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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