Flexlife (Aberdeen, Scotland) has successfully applied its FlexGel, an oil-based product that is nonsoluble in water designed for halting corrosion of damaged areas of flexible risers or umbilicals within caissons, in a North Sea operation for an oil major, the company announced in February.The FlexGel deployment was carried out following consultation with the U.K.'s Health and Safety Executive. An annulus breach was discovered during testing by Flexlife in a 4.5-inch gas main flexible riser at a point 4.5-meterssubsea. Flexlife deployed 9,500 liters of FlexGel to fill the l-tube from 11.5 meters above seawater levels to 33.5 meters subsea. FlexGel was pumped in approximate meter increments above the mean sea level within the l-tube. This method allowed time for the FlexGel to settle and displace all water and air to fully surround the breach.
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