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.
This paper discusses the practicalities of installing replacement cathodic protection to aging offshore pipelines using diver-assisted and diver-less systems.
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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
For new pipelines, Deepwater provides aluminum anode bracelets, manufactured at one of our foundry facilities. Each ISO 9000 certified foundry is located just minutes from the engineers and designers managing the project, allowing Deepwater to oversee QA/QC on every anode.
For sacrificial retrofits, the RetroSled is our standard aluminum anode sled, used in combination with the RetroClamp on most pipelines in need of anode replacement or supplementation. Our designers use modeling software and recent survey data to determine the optimum spacing between sled installations.
Our newest retrofit method, the SmartMat is a combination concrete-stabilization mattress and cathodic protection system. By casting anodes directly into the concrete segments, a standard mattress can now provide cathodic protection for pipeline crossings, pipelines in harsh bottom conditions and so forth.
A versatile component, the RetroClamp allows us to attach cathodic-protection anodes to a pipeline quickly and reliably with or without divers. RetroClamp is a standard, off-the-shelf item that’s fully ROV-friendly. There are currently more than 3,000 RetroClamps in service worldwide.
For localized protection, the RetroClamp CP allows an operator to retrofit small amounts of cathodic protection to specific areas of concern. Several small anodes are electrically attached directly on the clamp. The RetroClamp CP is fully diver-or-ROV friendly and current output is customizable.