Success Story

Large Pipeline Operator in the Bakken Installs FlexSteel Pipe in the Midst of Severe Winter Conditions

FlexSteel helped customer complete pipe installation in extreme weather conditions before even harsher oncoming weather arrived

The Challenge

The Bakken oil field was founded in the 1950s, and has been on the rise as a hot shale play since 2007, when technology made it economically feasible to extract oil from this shale reserve. As the oil production in the Bakken oil field increased in 2008, a large pipeline operator wanted to tap into the shale with 35 wells and potentially add an additional 200 wells over time. While the Bakken region showed potential; with over 18 billion barrels of recoverable oil lying in wait, the region possessed many difficulties as it still does today. For this particular project, extreme weather and the geological composition of the formation would bring the most significant challenges. The pipeline operator needed pipe for lateral lines that could be efficiently installed in harsh winter weather conditions and ultimately beat the worst of the extreme weather rapidly approaching.

The Solution

Recognizing the value of FlexSteel pipe line as providing superior performance with cyclic operating pressures and being quick, easy and cost efficient to install, the operator selected FlexSteel’s uniquely designed 4”, 1000 psi spoolable pipe in lieu of traditional steel line pipe for the project. With harsh weather conditions already present and expected to only get worse in the near future, the installation needed to be performed before December passed them by and promptly executed. Using FlexSteel pipe which has proven to be installed up to 5 time’s faster than traditional line pipe, enabled the operator to efficiently lay the required lengths of pipe in time.

The Results

Due to the continuous lengths of FlexSteel pipe able to be pulled and the fact that connections are only required every 2500 ft; versus connections every 40 feet required with conventional steel, the operator was able to quickly install and connect FlexSteel pipe for the project before the harshest weather conditions arrived. The operator also saved money, alleviating the need for special bedding materials and connection welding for the installation, as FlexSteel’s pipe can be directly installed in extreme terrain without special handling and connected using FlexSteel’s midline connections. Life-time maintenance costs in the field were also minimized, since FlexSteel’s anti-corrosive properties of the pipe retains structural integrity for the lifetime of the installation. Today, the pipeline operator has installed over 52 miles of FlexSteel pipe in the Bakken region.