Multiple uses of Umbilical cables and a brief idea about Flexible drilling pipes
An umbilical is a type of cable which is mainly used by the divers to go in the subsea environment. These cables are specially designed with outer rings that help the cable to withstand the harshest wear and tears beneath the ocean. An umbilical can supply air or power to space suits; can even transfer electrical power and fiber optics to the pieces of machinery in the ocean.
Today, let’s get a comprehensive idea about the multiple uses of an umbilical offshore cable.
Subsea operations
Diving
An Umbilical cable has several pipelines, which help a diver to go deep inside the sea. It works as a lifeline for the diver by providing the essentials, like power and gas. It is controlled by the crew on the boat and tested carefully before diving. The umbilical cable is connected to the diver’s helmet or mask. It has 3 parts,
- Gas pipe
- Pneumofathometer Pipe
- Communication cable
The gas pipe supplies the necessary oxygen to the diver, while the pneumotachometer helps the supervisor on the boat to keep an eye on the subsea pressure. The communication cable helps the diver to communicate with the crew above. Sometimes an umbilical cable has 2 more lines, one to provide hot water to control the temperature and the other one can transfer live videos to the upper crew members or the operators. Umbilical cables are strong and in case of any emergency, the diver can be pulled up using the cable.
Space operations
Rockets and Spacesuits
In missiles or space vehicles, umbilical cables provide the necessary electrical power, telemetry, and undisputed communications. It helps to supply all the essentials to the missiles or space rockets before the launch. With the stages of the launching, umbilical cables are disconnected.
In the primary stages of space explorations, umbilical cables were used to provide oxygen and communications to the spacesuits. It works exactly like a diver’s umbilical cable. Though, a few of the mechanisms are different. New spacesuits don’t require umbilical cables as they have built-in oxygen and batteries and communication systems.
Flexible drilling pipes
Flexible drilling pipes, also known as coflexip reels can be used in drilling most cost-effectively. While drilling geothermal wells, it helps continuous reeling to one pipe rather than using multiple pipes. Using different pipes on different stages can cost the construction a lot. A flexible drilling pipe eliminates the need for using multiples pipes on every joint. They are more resistant to the pressures beneath the grounds. It is made to withstand 69 Mpa pressure and 120-125C during the time of drilling and can stay steady during the downtimes with 2 Mpa of pressure and a maximum of 230-250C temperature.
A flexible drilling pipe has multiple thermostat layers, which helps the pipe to be as flexible as a rubber while giving it the strength of a steel pipe. That is the main difference between a normal rigid pipe and flexible drilling pipes. Normal pipes cannot be bent or curved. If it comes to a situation like that on any joint, new pipes will be used. Flexible drilling pipe has reduced that problem by a lot. Any flexible drilling pipe has 3 sections in common,
- Interlocking steel (Z section), which provides the necessary strengths for both internal and external pressures.
- Thermoplastic layers keep the inner pipe in a safe position from leaking.
- Armoring layers have steel straps spiraling in contrasting directions to provide more durability and strength at the time of impact.
Over the past few years, Flexible drilling pipes have made drilling much better and easier than ever.