23.08.2012

ClampOn Subsea Corrosion-Erosion Monitor (CEM)

At the OTC in Houston in May this year, ClampOn received the OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award 2012 for the subsea CEM. Operators have for many years been looking for a reliable system that can monitor changes in wall thickness on subsea pipes and structures on a permanent and continuous basis. The ClampOn CEM addresses this need in a reliable, easy-to-use and cost-effective manner.

The subsea CEM is non-intrusive and employs active ultrasound. It clamps on and can be retrofitted or pre-installed to monitor pipe wear rates over a large area. Up to 32 transducers operate to provide data on average mutual wall thicknesses. Wall thickness trends are generated automatically and can be observed in real-time on a computer running ClampOn CEM software, or logged internally in a data logger. It can also detect the location and extent of erosion. This highly versatile technology can be employed in water depths of up to 3000 metres. It can monitor any metal structure, including pipelines, flowlines, jumpers, manifolds and subsea production templates.

There are two different models available, one ROV-installable for existing pipes and structures, and one pre-installable solution that can be installed topside before the structure is submerged. Both models operate in the same way and will give the same results when it comes to reliability and repeatability.

The ClampOn Subsea CEM is nominated for the ONS 2012 SME Innovation award

ClampOn is proud to be nominated for the ONS SME Innovation award for the Subsea Corrosion-Erosion Monitor (CEM). The nomination is recognition of many years hard work. Development of this technology started some 10 years ago, and the first Subsea CEM was deployed for the first time in February this year in the Gulf of Mexico, 2 600 meters below sea level. The next delivery is on its way to a new development in the North Sea. The development of the subsea CEM has been a Joint Industry Project with BP, ClampOn and Innovation Norway, with each party contributing equally. BP is the first operator to install the sensor. They took part in this development because they found available technologies unsatisfactory. The interest for this product amongst the operators has been enormous.

ClampOn is prepared for increased production of the subsea CEM with new facilities and state-of-the-art clean room at its manufacturing facility in Bergen, Norway. By keeping production under the same roof as the rest of the company, the entire process is very flexible, from product development, to sales right through to delivery. ClampOn maintains full control over all aspects of the product and can react quickly where necessary as communication lines are so short. This flexibility is just one of the many reasons ClampOn remains the leader in this highly competitive market.

The OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award 2012 that ClampOn received in Houston in May is a prestigious award and it was presented at a ceremony at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, USA.

The OTC is the world’s largest trade show for the oil and gas industry. The annual recognition acknowledges technologies that are innovative, original, ground-breaking and capable of revolutionizing the offshore E&P industry. Another criterion is that the technology must have been proven, either through full-scale application or successful prototype testing, and the technology must make a significant impact, providing sizeable benefits beyond existing technologies. Environmental impact is also an important judgement criterion.

At the ONS ClampOn will exhibit the prototype of the subsea CEM, and we welcome you to visit our stand in hall E # 568/4. We are part of the Bergen Region Stand.

For more information please contact: tonje.dahl@clampon.com