Offshore installations are periodically modified or upgraded which inevitably requires additional pipe work, valves etc. The operator needs to minimize downtime and costs during those periods.
A report from DNV states the Vector SPO compact flange to be as reliable as a 12m length of girth welded pipe.
This means the prefabricated and cold work assembled solution is an acceptable technical alternative (and cheaper option) to hot work habitat welding of joints. Without the habitat the whole installation must shut down during the hot work process.
( example 8” line, 150#, Sch 20, LT carbon steel )
Example:- the tie in of the pipeline from Ormen Lange to Sleipner R platform where the achieved downtimesaving was 14 days.
This was as a result of :
As you can see you can greatly reduce shut down periods and costs by using Vector SPO compact flanges, as well as improving safety by eliminating offshore welding!
DNV (Det Norske Veritas) considers the Vector SPO CF to be in the magnitude as a welded connection with respect to leakage probability (stated in DNV report no/DNV Reg. No. : /12FQG2F-6 Rev 01,2010-03-12).
This means that the Vector SPO Compact Flange can be considered as being as reliable as a welded connection.
Standard offshore flanges on the other hand (see chart to the left), are regarded as a potential leak source and are consequently avoided at certain areas at an oil & gas installation. Operators have taken advantage of the high reliability provided by the Vector SPO Compact Flange to use flanged connections in hazardous areas, and consequently achieved significant savings.