A consortium of offshore energy companies including TotalEnergies, Equinor, Aker BP, DeepOcean, Tenaris, and LS Cable & System has launched a joint industry project…
A consortium of offshore energy companies including TotalEnergies, Equinor, Aker BP, DeepOcean, Tenaris, and LS Cable & System has launched a joint industry project to commercialize a new subsea flowline heating technology designed to cut costs and carbon emissions related to deepwater oil and gas subsea tie-back projects.
The system, named FlowHeat, aims to lower manufacturing and installation costs by up to 35% and reduce carbon emissions by 30% through separating pipeline and heating installation processes.
Subsea tiebacks are key to connecting remote wells to processing facilities, but cold, deepwater environments pose challenges such as wax and hydrate formation. FlowHeat simplifies the heating process by allowing the installation of power cables after the pipeline is laid, or as an alternative, integrating them into a reeled pipeline.
“The patented design represents a breakthrough in subsea pipeline heating, offering significant cost savings, improved efficiency, and environmental benefits. The key advantages include reduced topside weight, lower power consumption, and less complex installation. The cable is also repairable and enables real-time monitoring via optical fiber,” said Andries Ferla, DeepOcean’s Technology Director and project owner.
The system can be deployed after pipeline installation and is suitable for tiebacks of up to 30 km, potentially extending to
Content Original Link:
" target="_blank">
