GTT Pluto II Subsea Cryogenic Pipeline

Approved by

As the LNG market is growing continuously, elements of the LNG value chain have to
adapt constantly to new needs. Some new LNG import and export terminals have to be built
near populated areas or have to accommodate with bad soil conditions. Cryogenic sub sea
pipeline offers an opportunity to built terminals in those areas: environmental impact is
reduced to a minimum, unloading platform can be moved away from shore line to reach a
sufficient water depth; pipeline can be laid on a wide range of soil offering a cheaper solution
than complex trestles.

As pipeline statistics show that accident can always occur, GTT developed a double
containment pipeline offering the very high level of safety needed for service during 30 years
or more without maintenance. The design philosophy is inspired both by traditional pipeline
codes which tends to eliminate very improbable failure modes and by the International Gas
Code which focuses more on catastrophic failure chain.

Pluto II Pipe structure 6

The pipe structure from the inner element to 5

the outer is: 4

Flow line (1) made of 36% nickel
alloy. 3

Primary insulation layer (2). 2

Secondary 36% Nickel alloy Barrier
(3). 1

Secondary insulation layer (4).

HD Concrete weight lining (5).

Carbon steel carrier pipe (6). S

Foam spacers (S)

Double barrier pipe structure

A fully redundant pipe structure

which offers a very high reliability
Materials and Component detail
Materials
Materials used in the PLUTO II technology
permit to reach a high level of security, to
avoid any expansion loop or bellows and to
grant a good thermal efficiency:

36% Nickel alloy used for barriers is
widely used in GTT’s NO96
containment systems. It has a low CTE
Value (< 2.10-6 /°C) and very good
mechanical properties at cryogenic
temperatures. Expansion loops are
avoided, assembly is simplified, space is
saved and pressure drops are minimized.

The base insulating material is
nanoporous silica also called aerogels or
nanogels. It is currently the best
insulating material for atmospheric
pressure applications. This passive
insulating material ensures a constant
thermal efficiency; it consequently
permits to reach an expected lifetime of
more than 30 years.

The foam used for spacers is a
common material for LNG applications.
Spacers permit to center components
while avoiding significant local thermal
leak. They also ensure insulation
integrity during pipe in pipe sheathing
and field jointing operations.

The base design carrier pipe is made
of common carbon steel. Its main roles
are to act as an armor for internal parts,
to prevent any water ingress from
surrounding media, and finally to ensure
the adequate rigidity and strength for the
laying operation. Conventional corrosion
protection is applied to prevent any
external corrosion; cathodic protection
will be used for sub sea applications.
Component detail

36% Nickel alloy barriers
Low CTE alloy barriers are fabricated
using the spiral forming process. For
pipes with a high D/t ratio, spirally
welded pipes offer:
- Better tolerances than LWP.
- Higher burst and critical pressures.
- Similar weld quality.
Moreover SWP are easier to handle and
manipulate during the prefabrication
stage.
Welds on barriers are 100% X-Ray
tested and visually inspected.
Prototype spirally welded pipes in 36%
Nickel alloy have been manufactured
using the TIG welding process.

Insulating blankets
Insulation blankets commercialized by
Aspen Aerogels were initially made of
6.4mm thick plies assembled together in
a reinforced paper bag in order to reach a
given thickness. A new version is
currently under approval. A single
coated ply is rolled around the pipe to
reach the required thickness.
Both versions lead to the same thermal
and mechanical performances, with the
only difference being the insulated
barrier prefabrication method.

Weighted carrier pipe
In the classical design, PLUTO II
technology uses a HD concrete lined
carbon steel pipe. Concrete liner is
manufactured using the centrifugal lining
process. A drying line (a simple duct) is
molded in the concrete liner. An
alternative version has been designed
with a standard carbon steel pipe
externally weighted or not which is more
adapted for onshore applications.
 Peripheral systems

Nitrogen sweeping
During line service, gaseous nitrogen is
swept in both insulation spaces. The
roles of sweeping are to:
- Avoid presence of oxygen to
eliminate risks of explosive
mixture due to potential
porosities. Removing oxygen
also ensures internal corrosion
inhibition.
- Detect potential leak or
porosity thanks to sweeping gas
analysis at the outlet.
- Ensure an accurate control of
insulation spaces pressure
during transient phases.
Nitrogen sweeping

Temperature monitoring
During transient phases and service,
temperatures of the secondary insulation
space are monitored thanks to a
distributed temperature sensor (fiber
optic & Raman effect based sensor).
Temperatures can be measured every 1
meter along the line.
It permits to:
- Detect any change in temperature
due to potential porosity (LNG
leak & water ingress).
- Detect, localize and monitor any
anomaly in insulation.
Fiber optic sensor is deployed using the
floating technique: small stainless steel
ducts are inserted in the secondary
insulation during prefabrication; they are
jointed during section assembly. The
fiber is finally floated in this duct using a
low viscosity liquid which density is
slightly higher than fiber’s average
density.

Cryogenic Flanges / Abutments
At both line extremities, special flanges
are needed to retain the three pipes. This
flange described on the figure below is
mainly composed of an internal low CTE
alloy flange (1) to which Low CTE alloy
barriers (4) are welded. This internal
flange is maintained in an outer flange
(2) connected to the carrier pipe thanks
to densified wood rings (3) which can
withstand thermal and pressure loads.
1
4 3
Cryogenic flange / abutment
Redundant monitoring system,
no maintenance needed
Design basis / System efficiency

Thermal efficiency

PLUTO II technology’s main interest is

to replace traditional trestles. The
maximum requested length for lines is
probably ranging between 15 and 20km.

LNG
Overall thermal efficiency is divided in
two parts: pressure drops and thermal
flux through the pipes. Classical
diameters (~ 30-32’’) allow a reduction
Service Radius
of pressure drop contribution to a low
enthalpy increase in cargo (~50W/m).
The thermal contribution is reduced
thanks to the thermal insulation and is of

LNG
LNG
the same order of magnitude (50 to
100W/m depending on surrounding
media temperature and nature). The
overall heat transfer coefficient in 30°C
water is lower than 0.21W/m2.K. (The LNG Leak Radius

average value is 0.17W/m2.K)

Pressure containment

Water
LNG

Pluto II pipeline has been designed under

the following assumptions:

- Design pressure: 30 Bars

- Service pressure : 15 Bars Water Ingress Radius

- Shortest valve closure: 5s Temperature profiles Vs Scenarios

Double barrier principle In the water ingress scenario (Water

Ingress graph), while the secondary
As shown in the figure on the right, the insulation loses part of its efficiency, the
double barrier pipe principle relies on the primary insulation remains fully
total redundancy of tightness and operational.
insulation.
During service, the temperature gradient
is divided between the two insulation
layers (Service graph).
In the LNG Leak scenario (LNG Leak
graph), the secondary barrier remains
tight and the secondary insulation
prevents the carbon steel pipe from High thermal and tightness
cooling down. That is the reason why
carbon steel pipe can be used as carrier
performances ensured by the
pipe avoiding the use of expensive alloys. double barrier principle
Tests, studies and prototypes

Characterization of materials:
- CTE Measurements
- Conductibility Measurement
- Mechanical test
- Thermal shocks & cycling
- Sea water compatibility
- Fiber optic validation
Cryogenic tests on concrete

FEM analyses:
For the pipeline itself:
- Steady state heat transfer
- Transient heat transfer
- Thermo mechanical study
- Collapse pressure evaluation
For the cryogenic flanges:
- Steady state heat transfer
- Thermo mechanical validation
FEM analyses on the flange and pipe

Mock-up tests:
- Fabrication procedures validation
- Thermal model validation
- Tolerances validation
- Collapse behavior of the assembly
Collapse tests and first mock-up

Fabrication tests:
- Mechanical tests on spacers
- 36% Ni alloy SWP fabrication
- Orbital welding on barriers
- Welding processes improvements
(The welding speed has been
increased from 30cm/min to
250cm/min)
Welding process validation tests

Full scale tests done on the
prototype:
- Sections fabrication validation
- Jointing procedures validation
- Flanges fabrication
- Steady state & transient thermal
validation.
- Validation of sweeping procedures
- Loss of containment.
- The pipe has been tested in
cryogenic conditions during
more than 110 days.
~30 m
Artist view of the test bench
 GTT Pluto II prototype

Barriers sheathing Installation on the test bench

Concrete Abutments

Abutments prefabrication

Pipe under water

Assembled prototype