Technical Session: Subzero Temperatures, Sea Ice, Unknown Terrain, and Other Challenges for Arctic Pipelines

Houston, TX - ATC 2018 – Speakers and audience during a morning technical session at the Arctic Technology Conference, an OTC event, at the Hilton Americas on Wednesday, 7 November 2018. What’s different when the pipeline engineer and his team designs a pipeline in Arctic and subarctic areas of the world? Many things, some are potential game stoppers, some fall into the “nuisance” category. Temperature is certainly different - water temperature, ambient air temperature, and temperature changes, particularly during winter conditions. The pipeline’s foundation? Permafrost or no permafrost - almost certainly onshore, but how far does it extend offshore? Sea Ice, ice gouging, shore fast ice-pipeline burial - how deep? These are some of the potential game stoppers that must be considered.

Session Chairpersons: John Bomba, Consultant; Kerri Bridges, AECOM

The Arctic Technology Conference is built upon OTC’s successful multidisciplinary approach, delivering the world’s most comprehensive Arctic event. Photo by © OTC/Jason Notoras 2018 Contact Info: jnotoras@spe.org

technical session