The increasing failure of massive subsea bolts have created a mystery
The increasing failure of massive subsea bolts have created a mystery for the National Academy of Science and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. At a recent Subsea Bolt Committee event in Houston, Texas, these organizations brought together government, industry, and other pertinent stakeholders to share recent findings related to the rising concern of faulty connector bolts in offshore equipment. Discussions covered root causes and mitigations, safety alerts, industry standards and guidance, as well as other related information pertinent to improving offshore equipment safety.
Oceanit’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, Dr. Vinod Veedu, spoke about functional coatings for subsea applications at the event and addressed recent Oceanit nanotechnology-based material projects. These material advancements provide tailored properties; for example, extreme non-wetting for corrosion prevention to address the issue of faulty bolts and connectors.
Innovative solutions by researchers contribute to pave a hopeful road in the oil and gas industry. Current research illustrates that existing industry standards do not adequately address bolt connector performance in marine applications and the primary cause of faulty bolts are through hydrogen-induced stress corrosion cracking. It is through research and discussions at industry events that necessary measures are created to continue the improvement of industry standards in material properties and manufacturing.
The failure of bolts in subsea oil and gas operations presents a major risk for offshore workers and the environment. Oceanit is developing functional coatings to provide solutions for future safe use of bolts and connectors
