PLUTO II cryogenic Double Barrier Pipeline
As the LNG market is continuously growing, elements of the LNG value chain have to adapt constantly to new requirements. Some new LNG import and export terminals have to be built near populated areas or have to cope with bad soil conditions. Cryogenic subsea pipeline offers an opportunity to built terminals in those areas: the environmental impact is reduced to a minimum, facilitating permit delivery. Also, the unloading platform can be moved away from shore line to reach a sufficient water depth. Moreover, pipeline can be laidon a wide range of soil offering a cheaper solution than complex trestles.
Safety, Longevity, No maintenance
GTT has developed a double containment pipeline (PiPiP) offering the highest level of safety, required for 30 years or more service, without maintenance. This fail-safe technology allows continuous operation, even in case of flow line defects. This avoids a costly shut down of the terminal and an emergency repair.
A proven technology
PLUTO II has been approved by ABS after the validation of its technology, its industrialization and its functional procedures. This validation was obtained thanks to multiple numerical simulations, mock-up tests, fabrication tests and full-scale prototype tests. The pipe has been tested in cryogenic conditions for more than 110 days.
Pluto II: a fully redundant pipe structure
The pipe structure from the inner element to the outer is:
- Flow line made of 36% nickel alloy
- Primary insulation layer
- Secondary 36% Nickel alloy Barrier
- Secondary insulation layer
- HD Concrete weight lining
- Carbon steel carrier pipe with anticorrosion coating
Safe & Reliable
The Pluto II technology relies on proven concepts:
- Fully redundant containment
- Fully redundant monitoring system
- Temperature monitoring all along the transfer line
- Insulation spaces gas sweeping composition analysis
Efficiency
The insulating material selected for the Pluto II technology ensures excellent thermal performances even when working at atmospheric pressure. The overall thermal efficiency (U < 0.2 W/m2.K) is far better than conventional foam insulated pipes, offering the opportunity to push the loading platform away from the shore line.
Flexibility
In DESIGN: The Pluto II pipe can be adapted for offshore but also onshore applications covering a wide range of flow rates.
During CONSTRUCTION: The Pluto II technology has been designed to easily accommodate project specific construction constraints. Depending on the project requirements, both longitudinal and spiral forming processes can be used to fabricate the line pipe. The use of local content can be optimized on project by project basis.
Cost effectiveness
Compared to conventional trestles, the Pluto II technology offers the opportunity to strongly reduce the CAPEX as shown opposite, but also to suppress the OPEX, linked to permanent dredging.
