The Problem
Inspection and assessment of flexible risers on offshore facilities is required to satisfy both regulatory and safety requirements, yet little or no inspection and assessment is presently being carried out. The development of API Spec 17J and API RP17B standards for the design, specification, manufacture and testing of flexibles is the first step in this process [Refs 1 and 2]. Significant industry effort has also been given to the development of guidelines for the integrity management of flexible pipe [3]. However, they are cumbersome and complex to use.

The Approach
Integration of these standards with inspection techniques into a Flexible Pipe Integrity Management System is the natural next step. In response to this need BHRSolutions collaborated with MCS International and CorrOcean to develop FLEXSENS, a flexible pipe assessment system that looks at the life cycle of the asset and covers design, operation (including changing operating conditions), maintenance, inspection and decommissioning.

The Technology
FLEXSENS allows an operator to develop strategies (such as what to inspect, and how often) for individual assets enabling operators to make informed decisions on the maintenance and inspection requirements for their flexible assets.

FLEXSENS aims to establish a planned programme of integrity management for an operator's flexible pipe system and update the integrity programme by integrating the results of internal pipeline inspections with risk and failure analysis methods.

The industry will have a methodology, the basis of which has already been established by leading oil companies, to develop planned programmes for the integrity management for their flexible pipe systems in accordance with regulatory and safety requirements.

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