Spoolable pipes are typically reinforced composite pipes and generally consist of spoolable composite pipe (SCP) and reinforced thermoplastic pipe (RTP). Popular applications of this specialized pipeline are in the upstream oil and natural gas industry, typically in oil production installations for corrosive gathering and injection applications. A variety of reinforcement can be used such as high strength glass fibers that imparts remarkable corrosion resistance, marked flexibility, and high installation speed and re-usability. These pipes can withstand high temperatures to the tune of 203° F (95° C). The scores of features spoolable pipes display makes them preferable over conventional steel and carbon steel pipe lines in high pressure applications such as for flow lines in hydrocarbon production.

The growing application of spoolable pipes for offshore, onshore oil and gas, and waste water treatment is driven by several advantages these have over traditional pipes made of steel and carbon. The cost-effectiveness of spoolable pipes is a notable aspect catalyzing their demand. A growing number of manufacturers in developed countries of spoolable pipes are entering into joint ventures and collaborations to expand their manufacturing facilities in emerging markets. Flexpipe Systems, a leading manufacturer of spoolable composite pipe systems used in corrosion resistance and high-pressure applications in the oil and gas industry, has formed a joint venture with indigenous pipe installation company, with an aim to open manufacturing facilities in the Middle East.

This joint venture will endow on the unit owned by Shawcor Ltd. the major ownership and will also enable it to meet the various end-user needs in Asia Pacific and North Africa. This venture will have a substantial bearing on the production capacity of spoolable composite systems.In another similar industry development to bolster the supply of spoolable pipes in the oil and gas industry globally, Marubeni-Itochu Steel Inc. (Japan-based company) and Airborne Oil & Gas BV (Netherlands-based manufacturer) have inked a pact for the promotion and sale of the latter’s thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) products, spoolable pipes. Such initiatives also augur well in bringing down the global cost of oil per barrel.

The cooperation is expected to be at global scale and spoolable pipes will be have promising applications in brownfield and greenfield oil and gas projects.World over, the rise in oil rig count is also favoring the expansion of the market. Key advantages of spoolable pipes include their high fatigue resistance, enhanced flow rates, and easy maintenance, with their adoption being facilitated by faster commissioning. The rising usage of fiber-reinforced spoolable pipe to supplant steel pipes in high-pressure applications in the oil and gas industry is propelling the growth of the market. The rising number of remediation of old or damaged pipelines is also bolstering the demand for spoilable pipes.