Joint industry project to introduce FlowHeat subsea flowlines

TotalEnergies, Equinor, Aker BP, DeepOcean, Tenaris and LS Cable & System are commercializing an innovative subsea flowline heating technology designed to reduce manufacturing and installation costs by up to 35% and carbon emissions by 30% through the separation of pipeline and heating installation.

The innovation, named FlowHeat, simplifies subsea flowline heating by enabling cables installation after the pipeline is laid. The technology also considers an alternative option of installing the cables in a reeled pipeline.

The FlowHeat system can be deployed after a pipeline has been laid and is suitable for distances of up to 30 km with a potential to increase to 50 km, in water depths of 3000 m. The technology also enables efficient heating installation using smaller remotely operating vehicles (ROV).

Initial small-scale and thermal trials have already proven successful. Tests have demonstrated reliable cable installation across obstacles and longer distances, as well as high electrical efficiency with low topside power demand. The technology can be deployed from all vessel types.