In 2009, Tor Eriksen published an article in Valve World magazine on the potential of compact flange connections. (Read this original article here, in PDF format.)
Being smaller in size and lower in weight, compact flanges were said to be advantageous due to lower consumption of energy and raw materials.
Kindly giving an update to Valve World, Mr Eriksen reports: “Our compact flanges are now frequently specified as mechanical connectors in pipeline risers and subsea development projects, and our business in Drammen, Norway, which is center of excellence for this technology, has grown every year since 2009 in terms of revenue, all based on the compact flange technology.”
The largest order so far was for the Aasgard subsea compression, continues Mr Eriksen. “This will be the most comprehensive subsea installation worldwide when put to operation next year. Our bolted joints are used there both to protect environment against leakage of hydrocarbon gas but also to enable dry and reliable electronics and electric power supply through the entire lifetime of the installation.”
For more information about leakage probability, why not read Mr Eriksen’s PDF presentation: “Why SPO flanges are so superior to ASME flanges regarding risk of leakage”
In short, compact flanges are in demand for applications such as subsea and pipeline risers, and other special high pressure or high temperature applications, where customers may need extreme performance and reliability. (Read PDF file showing an example of compact flanges used at Rafnes here).
Finally, Mr Eriksen states that many other sectors could also benefit from using compact flanges, and he sees for example a great potential in the LNG industry. (Read Mr Eriksen’s thoughts on the LNG sector here – PDF file)
