PETRONAS TECHNICAL STANDARDS

Free Span Analysis for Submerged Pipeline

PTS 11.30.03
November 2015

© 2015 PETROLIAM NASIONAL BERHAD (PETRONAS)

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form
or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the permission of the copyright
owner. PETRONAS Technical Standards are Company’s internal standards and meant for authorized users only.
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FOREWORD

PETRONAS Technical Standards (PTS) has been developed based on the accumulated knowledge,
experience and best practices of the PETRONAS group supplementing National and International
standards where appropriate. The key objective of PTS is to ensure standard technical practice across the
PETRONAS group.

Compliance to PTS is compulsory for PETRONAS-operated facilities and Joint Ventures (JVs) where
PETRONAS has more than fifty percent (50%) shareholding and/or operational control, and includes all
phases of work activities.

Contractors/manufacturers/suppliers who use PTS are solely responsible in ensuring the quality of work,
goods and services meet the required design and engineering standards. In the case where specific
requirements are not covered in the PTS, it is the responsibility of the
Contractors/manufacturers/suppliers to propose other proven or internationally established standards or
practices of the same level of quality and integrity as reflected in the PTS.

In issuing and making the PTS available, PETRONAS is not making any warranty on the accuracy or
completeness of the information contained in PTS. The Contractors/manufacturers/suppliers shall ensure
accuracy and completeness of the PTS used for the intended design and engineering requirement and
shall inform the Owner for any conflicting requirement with other international codes and technical
standards before start of any work.

PETRONAS is the sole copyright holder of PTS. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, recording or
otherwise) or be disclosed by users to any company or person whomsoever, without the prior written
consent of PETRONAS.

The PTS shall be used exclusively for the authorised purpose. The users shall arrange for PTS to be kept in
safe custody and shall ensure its secrecy is maintained and provide satisfactory information to PETRONAS
that this requirement is met.
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ANNOUNCEMENT

Please be informed that the entire PTS inventory is currently undergoing transformation exercise from
2013 - 2015 which includes revision to numbering system, format and content. As part of this change,
the PTS numbering system has been revised to 6-digit numbers and drawings, forms and requisition to 7-
digit numbers. All newly revised PTS will adopt this new numbering system, and where required make
reference to other PTS in its revised numbering to ensure consistency. Users are requested to refer to
PTS 00.01.01 (Index to PTS) for mapping between old and revised PTS numbers for clarity. For further
inquiries, contact PTS administrator at ptshelpdesk@petronas.com.my
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Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 5
1.1 SCOPE ............................................................................................................................. 5
1.2 GLOSSARY OF TERM ....................................................................................................... 5
1.3 SUMMARY OF CHANGES ................................................................................................ 6
2.0 AMENDMENTS/SUPPLEMENTS TO DNV RP F105 ......................................................... 7
3.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................... 9
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1.0 INTRODUCTION

This PTS provides the minimum technical requirement for analysis of free span to assess
potential pipeline failure. This PTS is developed to ensure optimum design in mitigating free span
and safe operation of offshore pipeline system.
This PTS was developed to ensure optimum design in mitigating free span and safe operation of
offshore pipeline system. This PTS adopts DNV RP F105 with additional requirements as an
amendment and supplement based on PETRONAS lessons learnt and best practices.

1.1 SCOPE

1.1.1 This PTS specifies methodology of span analysis for submerged pipeline, its acceptance criteria
and mitigation measure. It is applied for assessment of span during basic design stage, detail
design stage, installation, post-construction, during hydrotest and during operation.

1.1.2 This PTS is applicable to single pipeline system only, which is designed in accordance with ASME
B31.4 or ASME B31.8 or DNV OS F101. Extra precaution shall be taken in applying this PTS to
pipelines bundle and piggybacked pipeline that is assumed to be single pipeline to ensure
hydrodynamic phenomena and model response are properly taken into account. If required,
testing or engineering critical analysis (ECA)/finite element analysis (FEA) shall be conducted to
verify the analysis model.

1.1.3 This PTS also covers submerged pipeline spans due additional support, i.e. crossing support and
lateral buckling mitigation using sleeper.

1.1.4 This PTS does not cover spans for dynamic riser. Fatigue analysis of dynamic riser span shall be
performed according to DNV RP F204. The fundamental principle of this PTS may be applied for
short riser spans (typically steel risers supported by a jacket structure), in case no information
available to allow for fatigue analysis. Response model according to section 4 of DNV RP F105
2006 may be used with extra care on the environmental load; otherwise the fatigue analysis shall
follow DNV RP F204.

1.1.5 This PTS does not cover span analysis for J-tube for flexible pipeline or cable, which shall be
treated as structural member.

1.2 GLOSSARY OF TERM

1.2.1 General Definition of Terms & Abbreviations

Refer to PTS Requirements, General Definition of Terms, Abbreviations & Reading Guide PTS
00.01.03 for General Definition of Terms & Abbreviations.

1.2.2 Specific Definition of Terms

None.
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1.2.3 Specific Abbreviations

No Abbreviation Description

1 FEA Finite Element Analysis

2 FEED Front End Engineering Design

3 3D Three Dimensional (X, Y, Z)

Table 1: Specific Abbreviations

1.3 SUMMARY OF CHANGES

This PTS 11.30.03 replaces PTS 11.30.03 (October, 2013).
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2.0 AMENDMENTS/SUPPLEMENTS TO DNV RP F105

In this section the reference clauses of NACE SP0196 are amended or supplemented. Existing
clause is revised or new sections are added as mentioned. Clauses that are not mentioned in this
PTS shall apply and remain valid.

1.2 Objective
Add new section:

1.2.2 The free span assessment shall be intended to maximize the allowable span lengths and
minimize the free span reduction/rectification work.
2.1 General

Add new section:

2.1.7 The following approach shall be followed in each stage of pipeline design until operation.
1. Basic Engineering (Conceptual or FEED)
The screening of maximum allowable free span shall not allow any onset VIV.
2. Detailed Engineering
a. On bottom roughness (3D) analysis shall be conducted using reputable and verified FEA
based software or general purpose FEA software as agreed by Owner. The pipeline free
span shall be compared with the maximum allowable length based on DNV RP F105.
Contractor shall also identify whether the adjacent span is isolated single span or
interacting multi spans, and the assessment whether using single mode response or multi
mode response.
b. Any span exceeding the maximum allowable length, but span gap ratio, e/D is more or
equal to 0.1, where ‘e’ is the average gap between the seabed and the bottom of the free
spanning pipe along the central one-third of the free span, ‘D’ is coated diameter pipe,
shall be assessed with full fatigue analysis. If the span length still exceeding the fatigue
limit, temporary free spanning is allowed but the maximum duration from pipelay
operation until span rectification work shall be specified.
c. VIV analysis is not required to be performed for span with gap ratio, e/D less than 0.1 and
considered as acceptable.
3. Installation
a. Pre-lay survey shall be conducted and the seabed profile shall be compared against the
seabed profile assessed during on bottom roughness during detail design stage.
b. The following pipeline installation parameter shall be documented:
i. Pipelay tension, barge, support and stinger configuration.
ii. Pipeline profile.
iii. Weather condition during pipelay.
c. Post lay survey shall be performed and any free span shall be identified and documented.
The free span length shall be screened against the maximum allowable span length. Any
free span below the allowable shall be marked as acceptable. Any free span exceeds the
allowable, but still pass the full fatigue assessment shall be marked as “to be monitored”.
Any free span length that exceed fatigue limit shall be marked as “rectification is
required”, and the duration until rectification work shall be specified. Rectification to
reduce the span length shall be conducted before the expiry of the specified duration.
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4. Operation
Any span that identified as “to be monitored” after installation shall be inspected/surveyed
during operation as per Owner’s inspection and maintenance requirement for visual survey,
or half of the span fatigue life, whichever is minimum, whether the length is maintained,
decreased or increased. If the span length increased, the span duration until rectification work
shall be specified. Rectification to reduce the span length shall be conducted before the expiry
of the specified duration. All span record shall be documented and maintained regularly to
allow for risk-based integrity management to be conducted during the design life of the
pipeline.

Add new guidance note:

2.2.5 For general type of corrosion, 50% corrosion allowance loss be applied. For localized type
of corrosion such as pitting, channelling or top of line corrosion, 10% corrosion allowance
loss should be applied.

Appendix B VIV Mitigation

B.2.1, replace the word “Sec. 9” to become “Sec. 10, H200”.

B.2.2, replace the word “Sec. 9” to become “Sec. 10, H200”.

Appendix C VIV in Other Offshore Applications

Add the following after Section C.2.2

“For riser span supported by a jacket structure, the reference height for the current to be applied for span
analysis shall be at ½ of the span height measured from the top clamp support, or 1 m, whichever is higher.
In case nothing is specified in the Metocean design criteria, 1/7th power law shall be used for current
velocity profile. The total length of the span shall be measured from the bottom of upper support/clamp
until top of lower support/clamp or touchdown on seabed.”
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3.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY

In this PTS, reference is made to the following Standards/Publications. Unless specifically

designated by date, the latest edition of each publication shall be used, together with any
supplements/revisions thereto:

PETRONAS TECHNICAL STANDARDS

Index to PTS PTS 00.01.01
Requirements, General Definition of Terms, Abbreviations & PTS 00.01.03
Reading Guide
Pipeline & Riser Engineering Design PTS 11.30.07
INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquid Hydrocarbons and ASME B31.4
Other Liquids, 2012
Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems, 2014 ASME B31.8
Submarine Pipeline Systems, 2012 DNV OS F101
Free Spanning Pipelines, 2006 DNV RP F105