XT Flowloop Structural Integrity & Fatigue Life Assessment
Project Overview
PDL supported TechnipFMC in the assessment of more than 50 subsea Christmas Tree (XT) flowloops used within critical subsea production systems. The project required detailed structural and fatigue assessments to verify the integrity of the flowloops under installation, operational pressure and thermal loading conditions, while maintaining compliance with demanding offshore industry standards.
Our Solution
Our engineers deployed a comprehensive suite of simulation tools, including ANSYS Mechanical for structural analysis and ANSYS Fluent for thermal-fluid interaction. We developed a detailed 3D model of the component, applying realistic boundary conditions and material properties. Key aspects of our solution included:
Material Characterization : Incorporating advanced material models to accurately represent behavior under irradiation and high temperatures
Topology Optimization : Identifying optimal material distribution to reduce weight while maintaining structural integrity.
Thermal-Structural Coupling : Simulating the interaction between temperature fields and structural deformation.
Fatigue Life Prediction : Performing high-cycle and low-cycle fatigue analysis to predict component lifespan.
The project delivered significant technical and commercial benefits. The enhanced fatigue assessment methodology demonstrated opportunities to increase the fatigue life of the flowloops by up to 70%, while automation reduced overall analysis lead times by 24 weeks and generated substantial cost savings. The approach improved confidence in the structural integrity of the equipment and provided TechnipFMC with a robust and consistent basis for design substantiation across its XT product range.
Client: TechnipFMC
Sector: Oil & Gas
Service Provided: Advanced Analysis, FEA, Fatigue Assessment, Design Verification, Automation Tools
Challenge: Structural integrity and fatigue assessment of more than 50 critical subsea XT flowloops under complex thermal, pressure and installation loading
Outcome: 30% increase in fatigue life, 50% reduction in analysis time and class approval achieved at first submission
