Bespoke bolt tensioners secure deep-water pipelines

Boltight solutions continue to be employed on more and more specialist applications in a multitude of markets worldwide.

One example of this is Subsea Innovation, a UK-based company that serves the offshore industry. This company has been supplying subsea structures for over 25 years, and recently secured a multi-million-pound contract in Australia. 

For this project, Boltight has supplied tailormade bolt tensioning equipment for structural split repair clamps. These are part of the Emergency Pipeline Repair System (EPRS) for gas pipelines off the north and northwest coasts of Australia. Boltight designed and produced two sizes of tensioner to suit M120 and M150 bolts. These tensioners are used to tighten the main bolts located around the clamp body and are activated remotely using a hydraulic control system. 

The tensioners have been designed as per Subsea Innovation’s specifications, with Boltight adding its experience of supplying such solutions. The long-stroke, double-acting design means that they operate in both directions, so they can be reset without recovery to the surface. They are ideally suited for subsea use. 

Boltight worked with Subsea Innovation to agree on testing and operational specifications, ensuring that the applied bolt tension is correct and that the overall EPRS system operates properly when called upon. All parts were supplied by Boltight within a strict delivery window. 

The EPRS in Australia will act as a contingency if the main lines transporting gas need to be repaired. 

CUSTOMER: SUBSEA INNOVATION, UNITED KINGDOM 
LOCATION: AUSTRALIA 
APPLICATION: OFFSHORE STRUCTURES 
BOLTIGHT PRODUCTS: 14 UNITS OF M120 AND 10 UNITS OF M150 BOLT TENSIONERS 
PROJECT: STRUCTURAL PIPELINE REPAIR CLAMPS FOR EPRS