RetroMat™
Cathodic protection and stabilization mattress for pipelines

The RetroMat is a concrete stabilization mattress with built-in cathodic protection anodes.

The RetroMat is a standard concrete stabilization mattress with an integral cathodic-protection system comprised of many small aluminum or ICCP anodes cast directly into the concrete. The system is designed to provide cathodic protection for pipelines at crossings or for assets in unstable seabed conditions. The system uses  plastic Sea-Mat shells, which have revolutionized the deployment of offshore concrete mattresses. Rather than transporting pre-poured concrete, we can now ship a complete mat's worth of sea-struct shells and anodes that conveniently clip together, which allows local crews to assemble the mat and pour concrete on-site.

Perfect for pipelines -A cathodic protection retrofit using the RetroMat provides required stabilization and an added benefit of up to 30 years of cathodic protection for up to 3 miles of pipeline, depending on existing CP potentials and the operator’s needs. The RetroClamp system, used to electrically connect the anodes to the cathode, can be installed quickly by diver or ROV. Originally designed to provide cathodic protection at pipe crossings, RetroMats have patented non-shielding soft pads on the underside and can be loaded with aluminum or zinc anodes, making them suitable for all types of water chemistry from seawater to river water.

Versatile in design - The RetroMat is the perfect vehicle to house small cylindrical sacrificial anodes or ICCP anode discs, which makes it extremely useful for protecting a wide array of assets. Sacrificial aluminum is used for pipelines; for other applications such as docks, wind farms and waterfront structures, ICCP discs allow the system to deliver much more current via small rectifiers above the water line. The modular nature of the RetroMat allows cathodic protection designers to deliver the exact amount of anode current to protect the asset for the desired length of time. The low profile of the mats makes them extremely useful in shallow water applications where buoyant anodes are not an option.

A reliable connection - The RetroClampis proprietary technology developed at Deepwater and unavailable elsewhere. Two armored cables connect the RetroClamp and the RetroMat to the pipeline it is protecting. RetroClamp can be installed by diver or ROV, with contact tips for each application. For concrete coated pipe, the contact tip can be fitted with a soft drill bit that allows it to penetrate the weight coat without damaging the pipe. The design of the tensioned plate on top of the clamp ensures a strong and constant connection that won’t harm the pipe.

Applications

Pipeline crossings

The RetroMat is ideal for pipeline crossings; in conjunction with standard concrete mattresses, the RetroMat provides extra CP for the pipeline being crossed as well as the new pipeline. The CP provided can add a “free” CP retrofit of up to 20 years with minimal additional installation time required.

Pipeline river crossings

At river crossings, installing one or more RetroMats can provide additional CP for underwater pipeline sections, where coatings tend to be damaged and pipes often lack protection. The additional RetroMats provide the same added stability to the pipeline as standard concrete mattresses.

Pipeline cathodic protection retrofits

The RetroMat is an excellent solution for the retrofit of an aging or damaged pipeline. Placing the mat directly over a damaged area or holiday directs cathodic protection to the required area. When retrofitting older pipelines without a concrete weight coat, the RetroMat provides ballast to stabilize pipeline movement. Smaller diameter flowlines and short run pipelines also benefit from the ballast provided with a RetroMat. The stability of the mattress makes installation feasible in all types of harsh environments where strong currents are a concern. For buried pipe, the mat can sit on the surface and allow operators to locate the pipe for future surveys.

.

Jetties and waterfronts

The RetroMat will work anywhere that a submerged steel or reinforced concrete structure needs to be stabilized. The integral anodes of the mat can provide significant supplemental CP to a sheet-pile bulkhead. As the sea-side of the bulkhead typically corrodes more extensively than the shore-side, it is beneficial to direct extra cathodic protection to that side. The mattress also provides superior low-profile CP to prevent under-protection and scour in shallow water.

.

Wind-farm retrofits

The RetroMat is useful for retrofitting offshore wind turbines where shallow water and scour have proved difficult for traditional CP methods. The low-profile mattress works well in this environment, and the added ballast helps prevent scour.

Concrete about to be poured, after the anodes have been placed The aluminum anode, once cast inside the mattress segment A graphic showing the RetroMat installed on a pipeline, connected by two RetroClamps RetroMat segments, fitted with a rubber pad, which aids in one of the primary applications, pipeline crossings Concrete mattress stabiliting a pipeline at a river crossing RetroMat Cathodic Protection Concrete Mattress being installed to at a river crossing RetroMat withstands harsh conditions A wire rope is cast through each block of the RetroMat, electrically connecting the anodes together RetroMat segments allow the mat to be built to any dimensions RetroMats shown on the barge, on the way to deployment The connections to the lifting frame RetroMat segments shown here connected together, stored stacked eight mats high Two RetroMat sections connected with polymer bands, used to "anchor" a pipeline RetroMats shown on the truck, prior to being loaded onto the barge RetroMat shown on the sea floor Each RetroMat segment easily connects to one another Aluminum anode inside the concrete mattress 
$('#product-image').cycle('fade');

Key design points

Ballast provides a solution for harsh environments

In addition to its more standard application on pipeline crossings, the Mat's weight and stability make it ideal for replacing anodes on aging pipelines in harsh or unstable environments.

Reduce the intervention during installation

The RetroMat can be rapidly and safely deployed offshore with little-to-no diver intervention. RetroClamps are fully ROV-installable.

Quality control

All of the anodes that Deepwater provides are manufactured at one of our ISO 9000 certified foundries. Each foundry is located just minutes from the engineers and designers managing our projects, allowing Deepwater to oversee QA/QC on every anode.