Composite Mudmat and Mounting Base for Faster Subsea Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing subsea umbilical termination assemblies (UTAs) are challenging to assemble, deploy, and operate due to the use of metallic components that require complex welding and result in high fabrication costs, long lead times, and increased risk of errors.
Innovation Solution
The use of composite materials, such as glass reinforced polyester, for mudmats and mounting bases, which are formed using injection molding, reducing the need for metallic components and enabling faster assembly and deployment with integrated cathodic protection systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If metallic components are used for mudmats and mounting bases, then strength and structural integrity are improved, but fabrication complexity and cost increase due to welding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials (specifically glass reinforced polyester) to manufacture mudmats and mounting bases through injection molding. This replaces traditional metallic components that require welding, thereby maintaining structural integrity while significantly reducing fabrication complexity and cost. The composite material provides sufficient strength for subsea applications without requiring complex assembly processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes mechanical welding processes with injection molding technology. Instead of assembling metallic components through welding operations, the entire mudmat and mounting base structure is formed as a single integrated piece through injection molding, eliminating the need for welding and associated complexity.
2Strength
If metallic components are used for mudmats and mounting bases, then structural strength is improved, but cycle time and lead time increase due to complex assembly processes
Solution Approach 1:
Using composite materials enables the mudmat and mounting base to be manufactured as a single integrated component through injection molding, eliminating multi-step welding and assembly processes. This significantly reduces the manufacturing cycle time and lead time while maintaining the required structural strength for subsea UTA support.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the mudmat and mounting base into a single integrated component formed by injection molding. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate fabrication and assembly of multiple metallic parts, thereby reducing cycle time and accelerating deployment to subsea locations.
3Ease of manufacture
If composite materials are used for mudmats and mounting bases, then ease of manufacture and deployment are improved, but weight reduction may affect structural performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies glass reinforced polyester as the composite material, which provides an optimal balance between weight reduction and structural performance. The glass reinforcement maintains sufficient strength and rigidity for supporting UTAs in subsea environments, while the polyester matrix enables ease of manufacture through injection molding and simplifies deployment operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A subsea assembly includes a mudmat formed using a composite material within a first mold and a mounting base, coupled to the mudmat, formed using the composite material within a second mold. The subsea assembly further includes one or more metallic components coupled to apertures formed in at least one of the mudmat or the mounting base, the one or more metallic components associated with one or more cathodic protection systems. The mudmat and the mounting base including physical dimensions and one or more component coupling features particularly selected based, at least in part, on one or more operating conditions and the composite material.