Cost-efficient production of high-pressure, high-temperature, large-diameter flexible pipe for Oil & Gas, Water and Mining applications

Patent Pending Flexible Composite Pipe (FCP), also known as Reinforced thermoplastic pipe (RTP), has been widely used in Oil & Gas, Water and Mining industries in North America. It is superior to metal pipes in many dimensions: light-weighted, low-cost, pressure resistance and corrosion resistance. Given existing production techniques, FCP products are capped at 6” (150mm) inner diameter, 180°F (80°C) temperature and 150bar (2,175psi) operating pressure. This patent introduces a single new manufacturing method and equipment which is capable of producing two types of FCP. Type I product is on par with current FCP in size (2”-6”/50mm-150mm) and temperature (194°F/90°C), while enduring much higher pressure (up to 500bar/7,250psi). Type II product is much more flexible in size (3.5”-63”/90mm-1,600mm) with on par temperature (194°F/90°C) and medium-low pressure (8bar-50bar/116psi-725psi). For both types, manufacturing costs are 10%-50% lower than those of existing technology. With this invention, pipeline companies will gain competitive advantage with better product variety and lower costs. End users, such as oil & gas pipeline projects, will have the option to replace large diameter metal pipelines with FCP to achieve better efficiency and lower costs.