Technology

Structural Design

First of all, we are engineers and artists in concrete. We calculate and create designs in mass, reinforced and prestressed concrete and engineer from them a full range of precast products.

Protection Design

We design products flexibly to fulfil a number of functions. They are equally capable of application in a range of differing situations. Our designs allow for flexibility in use, too. For instance, rigid protective covers give clearance to ensure that in the event of severe impact the installation is totally isolated. A blanket can provide sufficient cushioning effect against minor impacts to protect a pipeline. All our designs result in liftable systems that are seabed supported and therefore do not need the additional complexity and expense of anchors or piles.

Foundations

We have the engineering capability to assess all the foundation parameters necessary to ensure adequate bearing and sliding resistance and the prediction of any settlement, for all our products.

Wave & Current Analysis

We offer a design and analytical capability to assess the effects of environmental loading on all our installations. The correct prediction and combination of forces created from wave velocities, accelerations, currents and lift characteristics ensures that our products are both cost effective and fit for purpose.

Scour Control / Prevention

Pipeshield in conjunction with HR Wallingford and Fugro Ltd carried out in depth Scour Studies for Shell to establish scour potential and provide preventative measures on the Carrack and Cutter fields. Computer CFD models were created and tested against measured data to establish site specific scour benchmarks in order to predict and thus prevent scouring in the two southern North Sea locations using fronded concrete blankets

Code Checks

All our designs are provided in accordance with relevant codes such as API RP2A, DnV, NORSOK and the relevant British Standards.

Impact Protection

We are experienced in subsea impact analysis and so able accurately to design concrete structures to resist the effect of dropped objects and trawl board impact, thereby protecting subsea installations of all kinds. These structures are also designed to ensure liftability and on-bottom stability to provide our clients with a cost effective solution to the problem of impact.

Testing

Pipeshield constantly undertakes engineering testing and carries out research to prove and improve its products. Among the tests we carry out are:

• Flume test trials to prove the hydrodynamic properties of blankets - especially, to examine behaviour of N2 Nose and Notch blocks.
• Dropped object impact tests.
• Field joint coating impact tests.
• Development of improved concrete mixes.