CuNi Piping & ANSI Flange Package for Offshore Platform Seawater System

Project Overview

An offshore production platform undergoing seawater cooling system expansion required CuNi 90/10 piping and matching ANSI flanges. The project involved extending the existing seawater intake and distribution system to support new processing modules.

Challenge

• CuNi 90/10 pipe — long lead time material, typically 10-14 weeks from mills
• ABS certification required for all piping components
• ASTM B467 (pipe) and B171 (flanges) material specifications
• Mixed sizes: 2" to 10" NPS across the system
• Flanges: ANSI B16.5, Class 150, RF face — 47 flanges in 6 sizes

Our Solution

Hicool sourced from a specialized CuNi manufacturer with ABS production approval and mill stock:

• CuNi 90/10 Seamless Pipe — 380 meters total, sizes 2" to 10" NPS, Schedule 10S
• 47× ANSI B16.5 Flanges — CuNi 90/10, Class 150, RF, sizes matching pipe schedule
• Fittings Package — elbows, tees, reducers in CuNi 90/10, butt-weld ends
• All items with ABS mill certificates and 3.1 inspection certificates

Results

• 35-day delivery — leveraging manufacturer's CuNi billet stock to bypass mill lead time
• ABS survey at mill passed with zero findings
• Dimensional inspection: 100% of flanges within ANSI tolerance
• Material cost approximately 30% below European CuNi suppliers

Key Takeaway

CuNi piping projects are typically constrained by material lead times. Sourcing from Chinese manufacturers with existing CuNi billet inventory and ABS production approval can cut delivery from 14 weeks to 5 weeks — critical for offshore platform schedules with limited weather windows.