-Sets new performance standards for subsea flow assurance insulation in offshore oil production pipelines
-Proprietary new chemistry enables a complete wet insulation with the widest temperature range available today
-Simple, two-layer system designed for use in all pipeline applications simplifies the application process and reduces room for error
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Dow Oil & Gas announced the launch of the NEPTUNE Advanced Subsea Flow Assurance Insulation System, a breakthrough technology specifically engineered to withstand the increasingly harsh conditions associated with subsea oil production. The system is now commercially available for subsea architecture applications, across the Middle East and Africa region, through Dow's global qualified coater network, with line pipe and field joint applications to be available soon.
A simple, complete system designed for line pipe, field joint and subsea architecture applications from the wellhead to the delivery point, the NEPTUNE System outperforms existing subsea flow assurance wet insulation technologies, combining excellent thermal properties with the highest temperature performance end-to-end: from -40C (-40F) up to 160C (320F) during installation and use, at depths of up to 4,000 meters.
"As offshore oil and gas production efforts in the region require wells to be drilled deeper than ever before, the resulting rise in subsea temperature and pressures experienced during production creates a need for reliable insulation that can effectively handle these conditions," said Antoine Samaha, Regional Commercial Leader, Dow Oil & Gas, Middle East & Africa. "The NEPTUNE System is a simple, two-layer insulation system built with patented Dow technology that brings an enhanced performance safety factor, along with the ability to withstand harsh conditions, to offer producers a wet insulation solution for subsea oil production that is superior to anything else on the market today."
Designed in response to direct requests from offshore operators, the NEPTUNE System is the result of a Dow-led multi-million-dollar, multi-year research and development effort. It is based on an entirely new chemistry developed by Dow for this application: a proprietary, hybrid polyether thermoset. It has undergone full-scale production trials by globally recognized and respected flow assurance insulation system coaters and additionally, the material has been rigorously tested to ensure it meets operators' stringent design requirements for deepwater oil production.
"Our customers asked for an advanced flow assurance insulation system to withstand the increasingly harsh conditions they encounter in deepwater oil production, and we delivered," said Larry Ryan, general manager, Dow Oil & Gas, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company. "NEPTUNE Technology builds on 25 years of success with Dow HYPERLAST technology, with more than 500 references worldwide, but now takes a giant step forward. The market knowledge, chemistry expertise and innovation capabilities of Dow - combined with the application expertise of the coaters with whom we have collaborated - have enabled us to deliver a flow assurance wet insulation solution with the widest temperature range available on the market today."
Compatible with current industry production and installation methods, the NEPTUNE Flow Assurance Insulation system is an easy, all-in-one system with just two layers:
- NEPTUNE FBE Anti-Corrosion Coating, a fusion-bonded epoxy based on patented Dow resin technology
- NEPTUNE Flow Assurance Insulation Coating, a proprietary, hybrid polyether thermoset material.
Competitive technologies can require up to seven layers. The dual-layer composition of the NEPTUNE System provides a distinct advantage by eliminating the need for a separate adhesive tie layer, simplifying the entire application process and reducing the potential for error.
Dow Oil & Gas is committed to maximizing value for our customers by offering innovative, customized solutions tailored to the ever-evolving needs of the oil and gas industry. Backed by the proven resources of The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, Dow Oil & Gas offers advanced chemical innovation, intimate industry knowledge and exceptional service. More information can be found at www.DowOilandGas.com.
About Dow in the Middle East
Dow has a longstanding relationship with the Middle East beginning with the establishment of manufacturing and commercial facilities in the United Arab Emirates more than 35 years ago. Since then, Dow has established a solid presence in the Middle East petrochemicals industry, partnering with leading regional companies to set up state-of-the-art petrochemical complexes across the region. For 17 years, Dow and Petrochemical Industries Company K.S.C. (PIC) of Kuwait have shared one successful milestone after another, partnering on six industry-leading joint ventures. Saudi Aramco and Dow have formed a joint venture. Sadara, to build, own and operate a world-scale integrated chemicals complex in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. From the entrepreneurship initiatives of LoYac in Kuwait to the new Dow Middle East and Africa R&D Center at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, Dow actively supports the social and economic aspirations of the communities where it operates. For more information about Dow in the Middle East, please visit: www.dowmiddleeast.com
Fadi Fahem
Dow Middle East
Tel: +971 453 7093
ffahem@dow.com
Reuven Proena
Weber Shandwick
T +971 4 321 0077
dow@ws-mena.com
Press Release 2012
