SUBSEA PIPELINE DROPPED OBJECT ANALYSIS

CONTENTS

• Introduction
• Reference standards
• Sequence of analysis
• Input parameters
• Acceptance criteria
• Drop point selection
• Object excursion
• Hit probability
• Hit frequency
• Conditional impact energy of pipeline
• Impact energy & failure frequency
• Risk analysis
• Risk reducing measures
• Outcomes of study
 INTRODUCTION
Objective
• To assess the risks caused by dropped object associated with the potential target areas during normal
operation & maintenance phase by platform/rig cranes, leads due loss of containment & asset
damage .
• Outcome of HAZID
Assessment areas
Vessels
Potential drop target Topsides
Subsea pipelines, umbilical
(scope of work)
Risk evaluation

Impairment frequency assessment Consequence assessment

(with pipeline) (quantify pipeline damage)

Acceptance criteria / risk matrix

Risk reducing measures

(pipeline protection)
 REFERENCE STANDARDS

Risk assessment methodology Acceptance criteria evaluation

Det Norske Veritas (DNV), - DNV-RP-F107 Det Norske Veritas (DNV), - DNV-OS-F101
“Risk Assessment of Pipeline Protection” “Submarine Pipeline System”
 SEQUENCE OF ANALYSIS
Identify potential
hazard

Identify the targets

Compile all input parameters

Define Acceptance Criteria

Identify the drop point

Frequency

consequence
analysis

Object excursion Damage classification &

analysis
conditional probability
Hit probability
Total no of lifts
Hit frequency Impact energy of
dropped objects
Drop frequency

Impairment/failure frequency

Risk analysis
(acceptance criteria / risk matrix)
If risk low If risk high

Design ok Recommendation
(risk reducing measures)
 INPUT PARAMETERS

Platform data
Crane data Pipeline data Lifted objects data
(layout)

Laydown area Outer diameter Object weight

No of cranes
location

supply vessel crane rotation wall thickness Object

location angle dimensions

crane exclusion yield stress

crane location No of lifts
zone
concrete thickness,
water depth boom length concrete crushing or
cube strength
(if protection given)
 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
Acceptance criteria shall be evaluated as follows,
1. Fluid classification
2. Location classification
3. Nominal safety class classification
4. Nominal failure probability (or) Acceptance Criteria
1. Fluid classification
 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
2. Location classification

3. Nominal safety class classification

 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

4. Nominal failure probability (or) Acceptance Criteria

DROP POINT SELECTION
 OBJECT EXCURSION
Steps
1. Estimation of lateral deviation for each object
2. Drawing concentric rings of 10m radius from drop point
3. Evaluation of probability of an object hit in each category for every 10m radius

1.Estimation of lateral deviation for each object category

 OBJECT EXCURSION

Lateral deviation
Water depth
Angular deviation

2. Drawing concentric rings of 10m radius from drop point

Field Layout with indication of 10-metre interval rings for calculating the object excursion and hit probability
 OBJECT EXCURSION

3. Conditional probability of hit for each of the objects to fall within 10-metre
intervals on the seabed
Normal distribution
OBJECT EXCURSION
OBJECT EXCURSION
 HIT PROBABILITY

• Hit probability depends on excursion of objects, length of pipeline within each ring, pipeline
diameter & object size.
• Object excursion –conditional probability of hit for each of object to fall within 10m intervals on
the seabed (without pipeline)
• Hit probability -conditional probability for each of object to hit the pipeline within 10m intervals
on the seabed (with pipeline)
It can be calculated by,

conditional probability for each of object to hit the pipeline with each10m radius
intervals on the seabed
conditional probability of hit for each of object to fall within 10m intervals on the
seabed area
Length of subsea pipeline lies within each 10m intervals
Diameter of pipeline
Breadth of hit object (For containers and massive objects, B can be set to
the average of the two shortest sides,
For tubular objects, B can be set equal to the equal to
the length of objects)
 HIT PROBABILITY

Probability of hit within a ring, defined by inner Field Layout with indication of 10-metre interval rings
radius, ri, and outer radius, ro, from the drop point for calculating the object excursion and hit probability
HIT PROBABILITY
 HIT FREQUENCY

Hit frequency shall be calculated by,

Estimation of drop frequency per lift (flift)

HIT FREQUENCY
 CONDITIONAL IMPACT ENERGY OF PIPELINE

Conditional impact energy(absorption energy) is used to calculate the pipeline failure frequency at
different damage levels.

Damage & release classification

Major damage
(D3)
Small release
(R1)

Moderate Damage
(D2) No release Major release
(R0) (R2)

Major damage
Minor damage (D3)
(D1)
 CONDITIONAL IMPACT ENERGY OF PIPELINE

Conditional impact capacity shall be calculated as follows,

For steel pipelines & risers
 CONDITIONAL IMPACT ENERGY OF PIPELINE
For flexible pipelines & risers

For umbilical
 IMPACT ENERGY & FAILURE FREQUENCY
Method-1
Failure frequency of pipeline is calculated as per below steps,
• Calculation of impact energy of a different dropped objects when it hits the pipeline.
• Comparison of calculated impact energy with conditional impact energies of pipeline which leads
to D2 & D3 damages to find the failure frequency.
Impact energy shall be calculated as follows,
Impact energy calculation Steps
1. Estimation of terminal velocity
2. Calculation of added mass
3. Calculation Impact energy
1.Estimation of terminal velocity
 IMPACT ENERGY & FAILURE FREQUENCY
2.Calculation of added mass

3.Calculation of impact energy

Failure frequency estimation

• Calculation of impact energies for all object categories
• Analyzing of impact energies which leads to moderate (D2) & major (D3) damages with conditional
impact energy of pipeline
• Finally failure frequency is calculated by,

Failure frequency = (hit frequency associated with d2&d3 damage) x (conditional probabilities)
IMPACT ENERGY & FAILURE FREQUENCY
 IMPACT ENERGY & FAILURE FREQUENCY
Method-2
• Followed when inadequate lifted objects information.
• The total hit frequency of each object categories is multiplied with the energy band distribution as
per below table,
 IMPACT ENERGY & FAILURE FREQUENCY
• Analyzing of impact energies which leads to different damage levels with conditional
impact energy of pipeline by using below table

Energy Band Representative Dent/Diameter

impact energy
[kJ] value [kJ] [%]

<50 50 5-10

50-100 100 10-15

100-200 200 15-20

200-400 400 >20

400-800 800 >20

>800 1000 >20

Values of energy band associated to dent deformation

• Finally failure frequency is calculated by,
Failure frequency = (calculated hit frequency) x (conditional probabilities)
 RISK ANALYSIS

Risk shall be evaluated as per the below matrix or with acceptance criteria estimated

Conditional impact energy

consequence Incidental Minor Moderate Major Severe Catastrophic

frequency 6 5 4 3 2 1
Likely
1
( >10-2 )
Failure frequency

Occasional
2
(10-2 >10-3 )

Seldom
3
(10-3 >10-4 )

Unlikely
4
(10-4 >10-5 )

Remote
5
(10-5 >10-6 )

Rare
6
( >10-6 )
 RISK REDUCING MEASURES
(PIPELINE PROTECTION)

1.Concrete coating

x0 = denotes the penetration

b = the breadth of the impacting object
h = the depth
D = the pipeline diameter

• The absorption energy of concrete will be normally of 40KJ for 45 mm normal density concrete
2.Polymer coating
 RISK REDUCING MEASURES
(PIPELINE PROTECTION)
3. Gravel dump (rock cover) and natural backfill
For tubular objects energy absorption is given by,

For box shaped objects energy absorption is given by,

For corner impact

For side impact

Sγ = shape factor equal to 0.6

L = length of the impacting side
 RISK REDUCING MEASURES
(PIPELINE PROTECTION)

OTHER PROTECTION METHODS

S.NO METHOD DESCRIPTION IMPACT RESISTANCE

1 Concrete for low energy impacts. In general, individual cones 5 – 20 kJ
blankets of concrete have only limited impact capacity (in the
order of 3 kJ), however several cones may be
activated during an Impact
2 Sand bags build artificial supports. Can be used for protection 5 – 20 kJ

3 Tunnel structures introduced in order not to restrain pipeline 50 kJ

movements.
Tunnel structures can be made up with a variety of
geometry and material.
 OUTCOMES OF STUDY

The outcome of dropped object study is as follows,

Impact energy required to withstand by pipelines & umbilical.

Recommendation of pipeline protection measures to tolerate the impact energy,
damages the target points and leads to hydrocarbon release.
SSIV location, recommending loads (impact energy) to be considered for SSIV design.
Input to QRA, failure & release frequency values.