Chevron has awarded Trelleborg a license agreement to develop buckling mitigation buoyancy technology, including the design and qualification of the new product.

In certain offshore conditions, lateral movement of traditional fixed buoyancy modules can cause soil compaction, increased lateral soil resistance and the formation of berms. This condition can cause secondary regions of high stress, increasing the risk of lateral pipeline buckling, the company explained.

After years of research and testing, Chevron identified a solution and has partnered with Trelleborg to develop and qualify a new product. The new solution offers an alternative lateral buckling mitigation strategy using a rotating mechanism compared to standard fixed buoyancy - enhancing reliability and effectiveness of thermal expansion mitigation on subsea pipelines, Trelleborg said.

“By partnering with Trelleborg offshore, we’re using a new approach to accelerate the deployment of this technology,” said Antonio Critsinelis, subsea pipeline team lead with Chevron Energy Technology Company. “This is an important partnership to bridge the gap from technology conception to production.”

John Drury, managing director at Trelleborg’s offshore operation in Skelmersdale said: “We are excited to work with Chevron on this joint-development project and are honored they chose Trelleborg as the sole manufacturer and distributor. We believe our knowledge and application expertise will support Chevron’s team to conclude a successful project.”