Cathodic protection
for offshore pipelines

Deepwater designs and manufactures retrofit anode systems to extend the life of aging offshore pipelines.

Deepwater provides cathodic protection for new and aging offshore pipelines all over the world. In addition to standard bracelet anodes, we produce retrofit systems that replace or supplement anodes on mature pipelines needing a boost in cathodic protection levels or to fully replace systems needing life extension. With the majority of the world's offshore infrastructure beginning to reach the end of its original design life, it is more important than ever to address corrosion control and asset integrity for offshore pipelines.

Our N.A.C.E.-certified team of corrosion engineers and cathodic protection designers have engineered anode systems for offshore pipelines at all depths and in all types of conditions. Our team has the expertise to provide complete project management from design to installation, whether for a new build or for extending the life of an aging onshore or offshore asset. With a variety of proprietary systems and a long, proven track record of dependability and cost savings, Deepwater is way ahead in knowledge and experience.

For new pipelines - For new pipeline projects, we provide stock aluminum anode bracelets made at one of our certified ISO 9000 anode foundries. All foundry facilities are located only a few miles from where the design team and engineers manage each project, ensuring that strict QA/QC oversight is observed for all anode materials used in our systems.

For aging pipelines - For mature or damaged pipelines or lines in need of supplemental cathodic protection, we have two anode systems: RetroSled for standard bottom conditions, and SmartMat for difficult conditions, pipeline crossings and other special circumstances.

The RetroSled system is a standard rigid (or expanding) aluminum anode sled, installed on the sea floor next to the pipe and attached via diver or ROV with the RetroClamp. The SmartMat is a concrete mattress with integral aluminum or zinc anodes that simultaneously stabilizes, provides separation between lines and delivers cathodic protection current through a RetroClamp connection.

For hot spots - To focus a small amount of cathodic protection on a localized problem area (or "holiday"), the RetroClamp CP operates like a normal RetroClamp, except it has a small amount of anode material electrically attached to the body of the clamp, providing a small diver-or-ROV-installable clamp-on anode.

Related technical information

Extending the Life of Offshore Pipeline Cathodic Protection (Paper)

This paper discusses the practicalities of installing replacement cathodic protection to aging offshore pipelines using diver-assisted and diver-less systems.

Improvements in Offshore Pipeline Cathodic Protection (Paper)

Newly-developed survey methods combined with innovative design software and low-cost, easy-to-install hardware are helping redefine cathodic protection & life extensions for offshore pipelines.

External Corrosion Control & Inspection of Deep Water Pipelines (Paper)

The supply of pipe coatings with galvanic anode bracelets has worked equally as well in deep water as it has in shallow. However, there are some very important differences in the way corrosion control...

Corrosion Protection for High-Temperature Subsea Pipelines (Paper)

A subsea pipeline and associated components have been protected from corrosion with a combination of high temperature pipeline fusion bonded epoxy coating, thermal spray aluminum coating...

Preventing Damage to Corrosion Protection During Pipe laying (Article)

New, smaller-diameter pipelines increase the risk that an anode can be snagged during pipe-laying. If this happens, there is a risk that it will slide along the pipeline and damage the coating...

Offshore Pipeline Surveys Must Cover All Facilities (Article)

With the Gulf of Mexico's pipeline infrastructure getting older, it makes sense to conduct a detailed, effective cathodic protection (CP) survey of the entire system before external corrosion can start taking place...

The Deficiency in Data from Trailing-Wire / Tow-Fish Surveys (Paper)

For many years, the offshore industry has relied on the trailing-wire survey method to perform close-interval surveys on offshore pipelines. Many operators have recognized the lack of quality data...

Pipeline cathodic-protection systems