HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
3
pipelines of higher strength were required. During the 1960s, engineers met
this challenge with new designs and with refined methods of analysis and deployment. Pipeline Systems evolved into two main types: sea floor and vertical
configurations. Both are used to transport gas and oil, but the vertical Systems also include risers to carry drilling tools, electric power fines, dredge pipes
for deep sea mining, and cold water pipes (CWP) for océan thermal energy
conversion (OTEC).
Throughout the world there are at présent about 80,000 km of marine
pipelines. Since 1986, the rate of building new marine pipelines has been about
1000 km per year. Individual pipelines on the sea floor vary in length from 1 to
1000 km and in diameter from 7 to 152 cm. For instance, a Norwegian project
features a 1000 km line extending from the Troll field to Belgium, which was
completed in 1992. At présent, Kuwait has the loading line of largest diameter,
152 cm. The pipelines of smaller diameter are used to transport oil and gas
from wellheads, and those of larger diameter are used to load and unload oil
from tankers moored at offshore terminais. The deepest sea floor pipelines at
présent are the 46 cm diameter gas fines in the Gulf of Mexico, for which the
Figure 1.1 Six offshore platforms at their maximum depths: (a) jackup rig; (b)
gravity platform; (c) jacket structure; (d) compilant tower; (e) tension leg platform;
(f) semisubmersible.
3
pipelines of higher strength were required. During the 1960s, engineers met
this challenge with new designs and with refined methods of analysis and deployment. Pipeline Systems evolved into two main types: sea floor and vertical
configurations. Both are used to transport gas and oil, but the vertical Systems also include risers to carry drilling tools, electric power fines, dredge pipes
for deep sea mining, and cold water pipes (CWP) for océan thermal energy
conversion (OTEC).
Throughout the world there are at présent about 80,000 km of marine
pipelines. Since 1986, the rate of building new marine pipelines has been about
1000 km per year. Individual pipelines on the sea floor vary in length from 1 to
1000 km and in diameter from 7 to 152 cm. For instance, a Norwegian project
features a 1000 km line extending from the Troll field to Belgium, which was
completed in 1992. At présent, Kuwait has the loading line of largest diameter,
152 cm. The pipelines of smaller diameter are used to transport oil and gas
from wellheads, and those of larger diameter are used to load and unload oil
from tankers moored at offshore terminais. The deepest sea floor pipelines at
présent are the 46 cm diameter gas fines in the Gulf of Mexico, for which the
Figure 1.1 Six offshore platforms at their maximum depths: (a) jackup rig; (b)
gravity platform; (c) jacket structure; (d) compilant tower; (e) tension leg platform;
(f) semisubmersible.