Subsea PLEM
Subsea PLEM
Subsea PLEM
As the oil&gas field development move further away from existing subsea infrastructures, it become advantageous to consider a subsea tie-in of their export system with existing deepwater pipeline system offering spare transport capacity. This necessitates incorporating pipeline end manifolds (PLEMs) at both pipeline ends to tie in the system. A PLEM is a subsea structure used to connect rigid pipeline with other subsea structure such as a manifold or a tree, through a jumper. It is also called a pipeline end termination (PLET), especially to serve as a support for one pipeline valve and one vertical connector.
Manifolds
A subsea manifold is a large metal peice of equipment, made up of pipes and valves and designed to transfer oil / gas from wellheads into a pipeline. Manifolds are usually mounted on a template and often have a protective structure covering them - as with the image below right.
Subsea manifold
Manifolds vary greatly in size and shape, though can be huge structures reaching heights of 30 metres. The image below demonstrates just how large these structures can be, when compared to the cars placed alongside the manifold.
Scaled model of a subsea manifold and protection structure Although this equipment often has a protective structure surrounding it, there is still a serious risk of fishing gear becomming snagged on the protruding elements or within inner cavities.
Most subsea templates / manifolds will be protected by a 500 metre safety zone centered on one position. However, other equipment may also be clustered within the same area, justifying the need to have a 500 metre safety zone. The image to the right shows how associated seabed structures may extend more than 100 metres from the central location of the safety zone. This demonstrates just how important it is that a 500 metre safety zone is recognised by all seabed users. Cluster of subsea equipment around a manifold