Trelleborg’s offshore operation in Skelmersdale in the U.K., has been certified for the design of its Bend Restrictor Reaction Flange under the American Petroleum Institute’s specification for flexible pipe ancillary equipment (API 17L1 Ed. 1 2013). Having acquired the design review certification for the standard bend restrictor element in 2016, Trelleborg’s complete bend restrictor product is now API 17L1 certified.
The certificate was awarded by Lloyds Register EMEA, acting as an independent verification agent. All design verification was completed by conducting a thorough overview of the design philosophies. Andrew Garside, Innovation and Engineering Director from Trelleborg’s offshore operation, says: “The API assessment is a detailed process approved by an independent third party, which put our design of the bend restrictor reaction flange under stringent analysis. Receiving the certification demonstrates the ability of our design team and the performance of our bend restrictors, especially for use in challenging and harsh offshore environments.”
Designed to reduce lead times, the unique concept of Trelleborg’s Bend Restrictor Reaction Flange eliminates the need for welding. This avoids any constraints due to steel grade availability and procurement and, as steel is not used for welding the flange, the overall weight of the product is reduced.
Trelleborg's bend restrictors are used to protect flexible pipelines from over bending and buckling during their installation or operation phase where static loads are generated. The system comprises of interlocking elements that articulate in three dimensions when they are subject to external loads. At a designed radius, the elements mechanically lock to form a semi rigid curved structure that will not bend further. Bend restrictors are of split design to allow easy installation of the restrictor after pipe termination, meaning installation and maintenance is much simpler.
API 17L1 specification was officially released in March 2013 and all the flexible pipe ancillary equipment now supplied to the offshore industry are in compliance with this standard. The specification defines technical requirements for safe, dimensionally and functionally interchangeable flexible pipe ancillary equipment that is designed and manufactured to uniform standards. These industry standards determine the minimum requirements for the design, material selection, manufacture, documentation, testing, marking and packing of flexible pipe ancillary equipment.
Trelleborg’s offshore operation currently holds API certificates for bend restrictors, bend stiffeners, distributed buoyancy modules and Uraduct®.
For additional information visit our API17L Certificate page.
