Offshore pipeline scope &

routing selection

DR. IR. RICKY LUKMAN TAWEKAL

BANGUNAN LEPAS PANTAI II (SUBSEA PIPELINE ENG.)

topics
ROUTING SELECTION & MARINE SURVEY

Routing Development & Selection

Marine Survey
Bottom Roughness

EXPECTATION

Understand the routing selection criteria

Know the routing desktop study
Know the radius curvature
Know the routing selection
Know the main marine survey methods
Know the survey equipment used and the data
can be obtained
Know which survey operation to perform at
each stage in the installation of pipeline

routing development

Route Selection Criteria

Route Study
Marine Survey
Route Selection and Optimisation

routing development step

Route Selection
Criteria

Route Study

Marine Route
Survey

Seabed profile

Bottom
Roughness

Design

Allowable
Span
Length

Mix Data
& Compare

NO

Modify
Route

OK
Select Final Route

Route selection criteria

Route Selection Criteria:

Rules of Thumb for Routing

Regulations
Clients Needed

Route selection criteria

RULES OF THUMB:

The Shortest - Straight line is ideal

Minimise materials
Minimise pressure losses
Minimise installation risk
Easiest for installation
The Safest, minimize risk & impact
Minimize Cost

Route selection criteria

Easiest for Installation
To be able to lay the pipeline, minimize installation difficulties

The Safest, minimize risk & impact

The selection of pipeline route is to minimize potential risks of damage
to the pipeline during installation and operation phases.
The optimum pipeline route is to be selected based on the detail
survey result within the specified pipeline corridor
Perpendicular approach to the landfall, to contour line

Route selection criteria

Straight line never happens cause:

Seabed Features/Geohazard Present

Existing Facilities
Third Parties
Shore Crossings

Installation Constraints
Environmental Considerations

Routing - seabed features

Geohazard Risk

Routing - seabed features

Seabed Undulation
Difficult soils (hard clay, very soft silt)
Sand waves
Wrecks, debris
Mine Fields
Seabed slopes
Active Faults
Landslide/mudslide
Shallow gas
Pock--marks
Pock
Boulder fields
Rock/coral outcrops
Soil depression
Gas hydrate accumulation
Scarp
Mud Volcanoes
Subsidence
Seismic Activities
Seabed Current

Routing - seabed features

Routing - seabed features

scarp
A steep slope or long cliff that results from erosion or faulting
and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.
WHY??

Subsea to Beach
Preferred Development Option
Scarp is in the way

Shortest Route
Reduced pressure drop
Smaller Diameter
Smaller Umbilical
Defer compression

Save Money

Scarp the challenges

Geohazards
Turbity Currents
Mud Slides
Scarp Failure
Triggers (Seismic / Metocean)

Large Free Spans

Steep Slopes
Large Diameter Pipeline
Installation Capabilities

Flow Assurance
Sand Transport
Slugging

Slope Failure
3 deg slopes
Seismic event
Soil type
Debris Flow / Turbidity Current

Loads on the Pipeline

Scarp geohazard challenges

Mapping the Risks:

Survey (Geophysical and Geotechnical)
Data Acquisition on Steep Slopes
Age dating of flows
Modelling of Geohazards

Pipeline Routing:
Avoid Failure Prone Slopes
Avoid Soil RunRun-out Areas
Probability and Consequence Modelling

Routing existing facilities

Existing facilities
Pipelines & Cables (crossings, proximity/distance
between existing & new line, lay in corridors)
Cables (power, telecommunication, fiber optic)
Wellheads (exploration and production)
Platforms / FPSOs (available riser slots, dropped
objects)
Subsea structures
Access for tietie-ins (existing / future)
Drilling rig legs/anchors
Coastal protection

Generally want 500m clearance

Routing - third parties

International boundaries
Other exploration licences
Fishing area (commercial & recreational)
Military
Shipping lanes (ASL & Local), Type & intensity of shipping
Dredging & Dumping (dredged materials, waste, ammunition) areas
Marine/Nature Reserves
Mineral deposit
Archaelogical site
Heritage
Anchorage Area/Anchoring Zone
Iceberg plow marks

Routing shore crossings

Social impact (fishermen)

Land usage proximity to people

Minimise shore approaches (pipeline stability)

Maintain adequate clearance from adjacent islands

Onshore routing / destination

Environmental parameters (waves, tides, scour, coast erosion,

beach movement, topography, geology, environmental
sensitivity)

Environmental constraints conservation, coral

Routing shore crossings

10

Routing shore crossings

BEACHPULL

Routing installation constraints

Installation method
Minimum curvature
Vessel anchor patterns
Vessel minimum operating draft
Lay tolerances (+/(+/-10m, corridor 50
50-100m wide)
Platform approaches

11

Routing tolerances

BS 8010, page 8, Sect. 4.1.6.4:

The pipeline should be installed within 100m of the

selected pipeline route and never installed outside
the survey corridor. The limit of deviation from the
selected pipeline route should be reduced in
congested area.

Routing installation constraints

12

Route selection criteria

A surprising number of factors have to be taken into account:

Water Depth (Avoid extremely shallow depth & extremely deep water)
Seabed Features (Sea(Sea-bottom undulation, Very hard seabed, Very soft seabed, Sand
waves, Soil depression, Boulder fields, Wrecks, Debris, Rock outcrops, Mine fields,
Active Faults, Pockmarks, Landslide/Mudslide areas, shallow gas, seabed slope,
subsidence, seismic activity, seabed current) - Geohazards
Existing Facilities (Existing platforms and risers, Minimized crossings of existing
pipelines & cables, spacing between pipelines, subsea structures, subsea wellheads,
coastal protection)
Third Parties (Submarine exercise areas, Fishing area, Dredging, Dumping grounds
(dredged material, waste, ammunition), Avoidance of Shipping Lane - ASL & Local,
Marine/Nature Reserves, Mineral Deposit, Archaeological Site, Heritage, Military,
Avoidance of zones exposed to anchor damage, Avoidance of zones exposed to
dropped--object damage, Iceberg plow marks (site specific))
dropped
Shore Crossings (Environmental
(Environmental constraints conservation, Social impact (fishermen,
pearl worker), Land usage proximity to people, Beach mobility, Minimise shore
approaches (pipeline stability), Maintain adequate clearance from adjacent islands,
Onshore routing / destination)
Installation constraints (Installation method, Minimum curvature, Vessel anchor
patterns, Vessel minimum operating draft, Lay tolerances, Platform approaches)
Future Marine Development & Activities
Politics

ROUTE STUDY

Start and Destination

Gather all available information

Naval Charts
Projects in the Region
Seismic Data
Environmental Constraints
Block Ownership

13

ROUTE STUDY

Propose Preliminary Routes (Rules of Thumb)

The shortest
The safest (Risk & Impact)
Easiest to Install
Cost

Define Scope of Work for Route (Marine) Survey

Geodetical
Geophysical
Geotechnical
HydroHydro-Oceanography
Visual (optional)

One day offshore will pay for months of office engineering time

ROUTE STUDY

Optimal route selection at the outset of an offshore pipeline project has the potential to
minimise subsequent design challenges and dramatically reduce construction costs. The
critical importance of routing decisions is recognised in our approach, which combines
extensive experience with rapid and effective analysis tools to screen candidate routes.

14

ROUTE STUDY

Gulf of Aqaba Crossing, 2003

The 36 pipeline passes from Taba in
Egypt to Aqaba in Jordan, crossing the
860m deep Gulf of Aqaba: a depth record
for a large diameter pipeline. Both sides
of the gulf are extremely steep, with
numerous gullies and unstable slopes, and
delicate corals at the shore approaches.
Any prepre- or postpost-lay intervention would
have been very costly, with no scope for
trenching or rock cover. Identifying a
suitable route was particularly
challenging, requiring sophisticated
numerical analysis to minimise span
lengths and avoid landslide runrun-out zones.

ROUTE STUDY

Gulf of Suez, 2005

Offshore and Onshore Support for pipeline
routed in shallow waters with extensive
reefs and rocky areas off the east coast of
Egypt. Pipeline route optimized to avoid
excessive spanning, relax installation
tolerances, and avoid severe cross slopes
to ensure lateral stability. .

15

Radius of curvature

The minimum radius of curvature, R is based on the following

bending stress equation;

E .D
2. f SMYS

R=

where,
y
=
E
=
S
=
f
=

y E
f S

R =

radius of steel pipe (mm)

modulus of elasticity for steel (MPa
(MPa))
specified minimum yield stress (SMYS) (MPa
(MPa))
factor of safety, taken as 5%

Radius of curvature

Jansen VH (This section calculate

radius natural bend based on moment
curvature (section pipeline design
calculation for elastic curve pipe)

3ED
;
4 fa
E = mod ulus of

xt
x2

x1
L

R=

D = pipe

Elasticity;

diameter

fa = design factor x SMYS

design factor = 5 10%

SMYS = Minimum Yield Strength

sin ( / 2) =

y / 2R

x1 =

y( R y)
y (2 R y )

x2 =

yR
y (2 R y )

xt = y (2 R y )
L =R

Pipeline components (e.g. valves, tees) in particular

should not be located on the curved route sections
of the pipeline

16

Radius of curvature

Turning Point (TP) - 1

Inflection Point (IP)

Turning Point (TP) - 2

R=

E.D
2. f SMYS

Radius of curvature
Based on tension laying capacity:

R=
T
i
W sub
SF

T
SF
i

W
( sub )
= Bottom Tension (residual lay tension) (kg)
= Lateral pipe/seabed friction coefficient ~ 0.5
= Pipe Submerged Weight (kg/m)
= safety factor, 2 (considered appropriate)

17

Marine survey
Survey are for finding information about:

Geodetic Survey:
Geodetical parameters

Geophysical:
The seabed along the pipeline route (contours)

Geotechnical:
The nature of soil

Hydro--Oceanography:
Hydro
Meteorology & Environmental Load

Visual:
Real Time Monitoring (by ROV, AUV, DIVER)

marine survey geophysical & geotechnical

Data Processing of Pipeline Route Survey Flow Chart

Bathymetry

Contouring

Topography Map

Sub
Bottom
Profile
Drawing
Map

Thematic Map
Side
Scan
Sonar

Interpretation
Description

Magneto
Description
Soil

REPORT

Laboratory
Analysis
General
Description

Thematic Map

18

Marine (route) survey

Offshore Geodetic Survey:

DGPS
Static Global Positioning System (GPS) & Real Time
Kinematic (RTK) Survey
Traverse
Profiling & CrossCross-Section Leveling
Advance contour mapping with fast, accurate and
flexible result for planning, design and construction

Marine (route) survey

Offshore Geophysical Survey:

Bathymetry
Side Scan Sonar
SubSub-bottom profiling
Grab samples
Magnetometer

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marine survey - geophysical

Bathymetry

Medium Resolution

Single beam enchosounder

Hull Mounted
750m wide swathe
Best 8m footprint size

High Resolution
Multi Beam
Towed close to seabed
Much narrower swathe

marine survey - geophysical

20

marine survey - geophysical

Side scan sonar

Used to find seabed profile, wrecks, wellhead, rock

outcrops etc
Towed fish

marine survey - geophysical

Seabed feature from side scan sonar record

21

marine survey - geophysical

Seabed feature from side scan sonar record

SANDY CORAL
HIGH REFLECTIVITY

DIRECTION OF SHIP MOVEMENT

50 Meter

120 Meter

HIGH REFLECTIVITY

CORAL DOMINATED BUT SAND

ALSO EXHIBITED

marine survey - geophysical

Sub--bottom profiler
Sub

General purpose pinger

Seismic structure of top 1010-15m of seabed
Looking for reflector horizons
Acoustic signature
Can use AUV
(autonomous underwater vehicle)

22

marine survey - geophysical

Seabed profile from subsub-bottom profiler
SUB BOTTOM PROFILER RECORD
60 Meter

SEA WATER

SEA WATER

80 Meter

SEABED SURFACE

100 Meter
LAYER 1

LAYER 1

120 Meter

LAYER 2

LAYER 2
LAYER 1
140 Meter
LAYER 2

160 Meter

500 Meter
180 Meter

marine survey - geophysical

Seabed profile from subsub-bottom profiler

10 Meter
SEA WATER
183 Meter
20 Meter

ROCK OUTCROP

SEA WATER

30 Meter
SEABED SURFACE
LAYER 1
40 Meter

SEABED SURFACE
LAYER 1
LAYER 1

LAYER 2

ROCK
LAYER 2

LAYER 2

Line ESC

23

marine survey - geotechnical

Frequency of sampling varies for trenched vs onon-bottom

pipeline (500m to 5km), typical one was per km

Offshore Geotechnical Survey:

Sampling

Gravity Cores

Box Cores

Cone Penetrometer (CPT)

Vibrocore

Drilling
Field Test:

Deep Boring Test

Undisturbed Soil Sampling

Standard Penetration Test

Vane Shear Test

Dutch Cone Penetration Test
Laboratory Test:

Specific Gravity

Content

Grain Size Analysis

Atterberg Limit

Shrinkage Limit

marine survey - geotechnical

Soil sample from drop coring

Soil sample from CPT

Soil sample from vibrocore

24

marine survey - geotechnical

Data interpretation
Types of soil or rock at or below seabed
Thickness of layer
Engineering characteristic: unit weight, water content, liquid &
plastic limit, grain size, carbonate content, strength, density,
porosity etc
Shear strength parameters (intact and remoulded undrained shear
strength for clay, and angle of friction for sands)
Relevant deformation characteristics

Marine survey
Hydro-oceanography survey
Hydro-

HEIGHT & PERIOD OF WAVE

&

WAVE TRANSFORMATION

PHYSICAL
CONDITION

TIDAL

CURRENT VELOCITY

WIND SPEED

25

Metocean data
Lokasi

Panjang Pipa (m)

12373
Dari

Posisi

Location 1

0558.9 LS
106.58 BT

Kedalaman Perairan (m)

Periode Ulang
Parameter Metocean

Ke

0556.1 LS
106.11.7 BT
10.5

100

m/s

3.89

11.55

Simbol

Unit

W60

Kecepatan Angin
Angin 60 menit-an
Tinggi Gelombang
Tinggi Gelombang Signifikan

Hs

0.14

3.2

Periode Gelombang Signifikan

Ts

2.17

7.42

Panjang Gelombang Signifikan

Ls

7.35

85.93

Elevasi Muka Air

Mean Sea Level (MSL)
Higher Water level (di atas MSL)
Lowest Water level (di bawah MSL)

0.60

m
m

0.59
0.35

Kecepatan Arus
Kecepatan Total (karena pasut dan angin)
0 % dari kedalaman

V0

m/s

0.252

0.480

10 % dari kedalaman

V10

m/s

0.247

0.474

20 % dari kedalaman

V20

m/s

0.241

0.468

30 % dari kedalaman

V30

m/s

0.236

0.463

40 % dari kedalaman

V40

m/s

0.232

0.457

50 % dari kedalaman

V50

m/s

0.227

0.452

60 % dari kedalaman

V60

m/s

0.223

0.447

70 % dari kedalaman

V70

m/s

0.218

0.442

80 % dari kedalaman

V80

m/s

0.214

0.437

90 % dari kedalaman

V90

m/s

0.211

0.432

100 % dari kedalaman

V100

m/s

0.207

0.427

BOTTOM ROUGHNESS
ANALYSIS
Bottom Roughness analysis is performed to assess the
requirements for seabed preparation and span correction.
The study is accomplished by performing following tasks:
Review of seabed profile using the pipeline alignment
drawings and identify the segments of the pipeline route
that require detailed investigations;
Perform bottom roughness using specialist software, such
as OFFPIPE, SAGE, etc, and determine locations of
significant free spans and number of free spans that require
span correction;

26

General

Determine areas that may require prepre-lay correction;

Determine areas that may require postpost-lay correction;

Review alternative methods of remedial corrections, and

propose remedial actions that are cost effective.

Bottom Roughness Analysis

Specialist finite element or finite difference software is normally

used for this analysis.

The bottom roughness analysis is performed for empty, hydrotest

and operational conditions.
The computer model for the bottom roughness analysis
incorporates following information:
Properties of the pipeline, including weight of concrete weight
coating and content.
Seabed profile is simulated using xx-y coco-ordinates along the
pipeline route under investigation.
Surface soil is simulated in the analysis to determine level of
settlement for different design conditions, i.e. empty and flooded
with seawater.

27

Bottom Roughness Analysis

Hydrotest pressure is included for the pipe in hydrotest
condition for bottom roughness analysis to determine if
the pipe stresses and predicated spans are within design
allowable. This determines if the pipeline can be
hydrostatically tested before span correction.
For analysis in operation condition, design pressure and
temperature is included in the analysis.

The predicted free spans are then compared with

recommended allowable free spans for each design condition.

Also stresses in the pipeline are checked to ensure they are

within the design allowable for all design conditions.

Interpretations of Findings

As the input for seabed profile coco-ordinates are of certain intervals,

span can be predicted to an accuracy of plus or minus the spacing
of the pipe nodes. The number of the spans reported in the above is
therefore subjected to that accuracy.

The estimated number of spans reduces when the pipeline is

flooded. This is due to increase in weight which results in (1) further
settlement/collapse of soil due to increased external load and (2)
increase in pipe sag which will reduces pipe span.

After hydrotesting and dewatering of the pipeline, the collapsed soil

will remain in the collapsed state. However, as the pipeline is now
lighter, the pipe span will increase. The actual span length cannot
be predicted but would be somewhere between that for an empty
condition and for a flooded condition.

28

Interpretations of Findings

If the span corrections is carried out only after pipeline

has been hydrotested and dewatered, then the expected
number of span correction corresponding to operation
condition can be expected to be less, but this is also
depend on the soil condition.

Estimation of spans is based on the assumption that the

pipeline is laid exactly on the route. However, as pipe
cannot be laid exactly on the planned route, and seabed
varies due to route deviation, the number of spans and
span length predicted are merely indicative. Actual
post--lay survey is required to determine the actual span
post
lengths and numbers of spans requiring correction.

Remedial Actions

Commonly used remedial measures for span correction

are:

TABLE 1 - PIPE SPAN ABOVE DESIGN ALLOWABLE DURING

OPERATION CONDITION
Type of Anomaly

Required Remedial Actions

High spots causing excessive

pipe stress and unacceptable
spans

High spots to be removed prior

to pipe laying (Pre(Pre-lay corrections)

Unacceptable spans but pipeline

stress within allowable limits

Either remove source of span

before pipe laying or correct span
after pipe laying (Post(Post-lay
correction)

29

Remedial Actions

The typical viable alternatives for correcting spans are:

For soft soil, prepre-sweeping to clear minor seabed ripples using a tug
dragging a chain or pipe at stern to clear the ripples and smoothen
seabed. A few tug runs would be required.
For isolated areas where separation between the bottom of the pipe
and seabed is significant (1m or more), or where localised stresses
are unacceptable, a dredger or similar equipment could be mobilized
to remove these.
Post--lay intervention jetsled, which is already required for trenching
Post
in the near shore area, is very viable for span correction.
Using conventional groutbags,
Alternatively, span correction using a combination of jetting and
placement of conventional grout bags/concrete mattresses may be
adopted.

Analysis Example

Pipeline Data:
~65m Water Depth
Undulating seabed with soft clayey soil and presence of
buried corals.
Calculated allowable span:
Installation

Hydrotest

Operation

Allowable Static Span (m)

91

54

46

Allowable Dynamic Span (m)

48

44

38

Recommended Allowable Span (m)

47

43

37

30

Analysis Example Installation Case

22" Pipeline - Installation Condition

-68

100
Seabed Profile
Pipeline Profile
Pipe Stress

90
80

Pipeline
Spanning
(L =72m)

-70

70
60

-71

50
40

-72

%SMYS

Elevation (m)

-69

30
20

-73

10
-74
3000

3100

3200

3300

3400

3500

3600

3700

3800

0
4000

3900

Horizontal Distance (m)

Recommended allowable span (Installation) = 47m

Analysis Example Hydrotest Case

22" Pipeline - Hydrotest Condition

-68

100
90
80
70

-70

60
50

-71

40
-72

%SMYS

-69

Elevation (m)

Seabed Profile
Pipeline Profile
Pipe Stress

Span Length reduces in

Hydrotest
(L = 38m)

30

Collapsed soil due to

weight of pipeline in
Hydrotest

-73

20
10
0

-74

3000

3100

3200

3300

3400

3500

3600

3700

3800

3900

4000

Horizontal Distance (m)

Recommended allowable span (Hydrotest) = 43m

31

Analysis Example Operation Case

22" Pipeline - Operation Condition (Corroded Pipe)

100

-68

Span Length increases due to

lighter pipe content but less
than that of installation
(Lope = 60m)

Seabed Profile
Pipeline Profile
Pipe Stress

90
80

60
-71

50
40

-72

%SMYS

70

-70

30

Collapsed soil remain

collapsed

-73

20
10

-74

3000

3100

3200

3300

3400

3500

3600

3700

3800

3900

4000

Horizontal Distance (m)

Recommended allowable span (Operation) = 37m

Analysis Example High Spot Location

22" Pipeline - Operation Condition

-69

-70

110
100

High spot causing

Overstress and adjacent
long pipeline span

90
80
70

-71

60
50
-72

%SMYS

Elevation (m)

Elevation (m)

-69

40
30

-73

-74
3500

Seabed Profile
Pipeline Profile
Pipe Stress

3550

3600

20
10

3650

3700

3750

3800

3850

3900

3950

0
4000

Horizontal Distance (m)

32

Analysis Example Possible Prelay Span

Correction by Dredging

22" Pipeline - Operation Condition

-69

100
90
80
70

-71

60
50
-72

%SMYS

Elevation (m)

-70

110

Possible Dredged Profile

to remove high spots and
long spans

40
30

-73

-74
3500

Seabed Profile
Pipeline Profile
Pipe Stress

3550

3600

20
10

3650

3700

3750

3800

3850

3900

3950

0
4000

Horizontal Distance (m)

Analysis Example Use of Typical Grout

Bags for Span Correction

ELEVATION VIEW
GROUT BAGS
FOR SPAN CORRECTIONS
NOTES:

33

Route selection & optimization

Review Survey Data

Refine Preliminary Routes

The shortest
The safest (Risk & Impact)
Easiest to Install
Cost

Bottom Roughness Assessment

Software tools to predict spans
Optimise routes

intervention

Pre--lay - Diverless
Pre

Matts

Strakes CRP
Mass PrePreexcavation
PSL Jetprop

Grout Bags

Post Lay - Diverless

ROV Trenchers

Ploughs

Supports

34

Routing study case 1

1.
2.

3.
4.

Very rugged seabed

Very high tidal currents across the
possible pipeline routes means the
seabed is very mobile
3 pipeline routes need to be fitted in
LNG tanker terminal and shipping
traffic

Routing study case 2

1.

Due to the shore approach section of the pipeline, the

pipeline installation startstart-up will probably be initiated from
the Balongan onshore facilities end.

2.

From the Balongan onshore end, the pipeline would then

headed generally in the NorthNorth-East direction toward the
new PLEM.

3.

It is proposed that the submerged pipeline shall be postposttrenched to a minimum burial depth of 2.0m from the top
of pipe

4.

The onshore pipeline shall be buried with minimum burial

depth of 1.0m from the top of pipe.
Total pipeline length is 10.46 km.

5.

35

Routing study case 3

Installation subsea pipeline from Teluk to Muara

Routing study case 4

Ormen Lange - Langeled

36

Routing study case 4

Ormen Lange Langeled Concept

Routing study case 4

37

Routing study case 4

Routing study case 4

Ormen Lange Langeled Routing

38

Routing study case 4

Narrow & Steep Landfall

Routing study case 4

39

Routing study case 4

Routing study case 4

40

Routing study case 4

Ormen Lange - Langeled

Routing study case 4

Steep Landfall & Sharp Curve

41

Routing Development

Route Selection Criteria

Route Study
Marine Survey
Route Selection and Optimization
Bottom Roughness

SEKIAN..

TERIMA KASIH

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