Suspension characteristics and influencing factors of submarine pipelines in the Chengdao Oilfield

Submarine pipelines are important facilities for offshore oil and gas production, but the suspension of submarine pipelines is one of the main factors affecting their safety operation. Based on the survey data, we analyzed the distribution of suspended submarine pipelines in the oilfield based on the ArcGIS software, and the reasons as well as the influencing factors causing the pipeline suspension are analyzed. The results show that the suspended pipelines account for 4.03% of the total length of the investigated pipelines and are mainly distributed in the delta front slope with water depth ranging from 5 m to 15 m. Nearly 90% of suspended pipe sections are less than 60 m in length, of which 10-20 m is the most common. More than 90% of the suspended pipe sections are less than 1 m in height, of which 0.2-0.4 m is the most common. The main reason of submarine pipeline suspension in the study area is seabed scour, and its influencing factors mainly includes sediment characteristics, topography and marine dynamic conditions.