Analysis of buried pipelines laid under the pipelines operation, is subjected to operational loads

Abstract

Today’s successful operation within the oil and gas industry is based on the triangle “Safety – Reliability – Profitability (Efficiency)”. It is of high importance to properly balance these different and sometimes opposite positions. The article describes the characteristics of the strength of the buried offshore pipeline. Pipe geometric imperfections as the cross section ovality, combined load effects as axial and bending loads superimposed to the external pressure, material properties as compressive yield strength in the circumferential direction and across the wall thickness etc., significantly interfere in the definition of the demanding, in such projects, minimum wall thickness requirements.