Strohm cheers DNV’s stamp of approval for its ‘game-changing’ deepwater TCP flowline

Dutch thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) technology player Strohm has tucked a new milestone under its belt with the receipt of DNV qualification for its deepwater TCP flowline. The company, which has been expanding its TCP operating envelope, claims to be the first player to receive an accreditation of this kind from the verification body.

According to Strohm, DNV’s Statement of Qualified Technology for its six-inch EGF-PE pipe for its use as a flowline or jumper in deep waters is a testament to “the reliability and robustness” of TCP under challenging operating conditions. For the Dutch player, this qualification is the result of “a rigorous program” executed across several years in Brazil.

Ramon Rojas, Program Manager for Strohm, commented: “A huge amount of work has gone into the development of our TCP, so on a personal level it is brilliant to get this qualification from DNV over the line. This is a landmark for Strohm and yet further evidence of the benefits of our game-changing solution. Our TCP is already in use around the world with an established and growing track record; this third-party accreditation is a further guarantee to operators that our product performs as predicted.

“Going forward it will help to further build industry confidence in TCP as a reliable and effective tool for offshore energy operations. It is the results of years of hard work from our employees at Strohm and demonstrates that we are able to accurately predict the behavior of our pipelines.”

Back in 2018, the initial trials – aimed at applications typical of the region’s post-salt deepwater fields, most of which require pipes connected to FPSOs to be produced – got underway and almost 40 tests were carried out on Strohm’s subsea flowlines, based on a product design life of 30 years, with changing loads at various temperatures.

Furthermore, the Durch firm explains that TCP is “a strong, spoolable, lightweight and non-corrosive technology,” compared to steel pipes, making it well suited for deepwater operations and 100% recyclable. TCP is installed using small vessels or subsea pallets, enabling the reduction of CO₂ emissions.

Philippe Noury, Principal Engineer, Energy Systems at DNV, remarked: “Strohm’s sixth-inch EGF-PE pipe went through very extensive reviewing and witnessing by our Technology Centre in Oslo and DNV is pleased to be able to provide Strohm with a Statement of Qualified Technology. The Statement of Qualified Technology is based on our standard DNV-ST-F119, which is intended to build trust and confidence in TCPs being safe and reliable for use in offshore service.”

Moreover, DNV’s Statement of Qualified Technology also assures Strohm’s TCP flowlines for use in adjacent energy applications, like hydrogen and carbon sequestration.

Strohm worked on several projects this year. In August 2023, the Dutch player confirmed the installation and commissioning of its first deepwater, high-pressure TCP jumper in South America for ExxonMobil Guyana.

Prior to this, the company got its hands on a contract with PRIO, formerly PetroRio, to provide its composite pipe solutions for a field offshore Brazil.