Plastic pipes for oil and gas production:
reliable, efficient and safe in application
Advantages of PE pipes for your oil and gas production project
Corrosion-resistant plastic pipe systems are a good option for transporting aqueous solutions that originate from industrial separation processes or separation processes in oil or natural gas production and are potentially harmful to the environment because they are contaminated with volatile organic hydrocarbons and often also with salts.
The enormous flexibility of PE pipes makes it possible to deliver them to the construction site as coiled rings or on drums and integrate them into pipe networks with only a few connection points. However, pipe systems made exclusively of PE have their limits in some applications, e.g. at operating temperatures above 60 °C or when transporting volatile hydrocarbons. In connection with the transport of hydrocarbons, the high solubility of hydrocarbons in the PE matrix of the pipe wall leads to high permeation rates. The safe transport of these environmentally relevant components in the pipe systems over many years of operation is the concern of every responsible operator.
Industrial pipes that set standards
Flexibility
The high flexibility of the material polyethylene enables the handling and transport of long coiled lengths in rings or on drums and to integrate them into pipe networks with only a few connection points. This allows PE pipes to be laid very quickly at a speed of over 1 km/day. In addition, the high flexibility also enables the use of modern trenchless installation techniques such as HDD or pipe rehabilitation using relining. A special option for renovation is the use of preformed pipes, which can also be installed trenchlessly in large lengths up to dimensions of 500 mm and fit tightly against the old pipe during later operation.
Permanently tight welded connections
The material polyethylene is easy and safe to weld. The specifications are established and described in the DVS regulations. The resulting connections are tensile and permanently tight. They thus enable safe operation of pressure lines, even for sensitive or hazardous media.
Permeation tightness
Plastic pipes are resistant to most chemicals and also hydrocarbons. However, permeation, especially of hydrocarbons, can occur. Plastic pipes with barrier layers are therefore ideal for applications that require a permeation-tight pipe system. A permeation barrier layer reliably prevents the permeation of pollutants through the pipe wall in both directions.
100% safety thanks to leakage monitoring
Some applications in industry require the permanent monitoring of these for possible leaks to protect the environment and possibly also to comply with legal requirements. The escape of chemical media into the environment, possible consequential damage to people and nature, and the resulting liability risks can thus be reliably excluded. An electrically conductive aluminum layer integrated into the plastic pipe enables 100% leak monitoring for soil and water protection.
Temperature-resistant pipe systems
Common PE pipes reach their limits under operating conditions at higher temperatures or when transporting hot process water. In these cases, pipe systems made of temperature-resistant PE materials are required, which enable longer service lives. The egeTherm® High-T pipe system can safely transport media up to a temperature of +70 °C permanently and with an operating time of 50 years.
Pressure-resistant pipe systems
In various applications, pressure ratings above the usual applications of PE pipes are required. PE pipes have many advantages such as high flexibility, corrosion and incrustation resistance, making them an economical solution. With reinforcement layers, PE pipes are also suitable for higher operating pressures. For high pressures, egeplast offers self-reinforced high-pressure pipes (HexelOne® SLM), monocomposites made only of polyethylene. This reinforcement enables new applications in the high-pressure range, i.e. operating pressures above those previously covered by PE pipes.
