REINFORCEKiT® 4D SUBSEA, Calm buoy piping repair – Australia
Subsea composite repair solution for pipe reinforcement
Overview
The objective of the repair, carried out in January 2026 by the local distributor of 3X ENGINEERING (3X) was to reinforce a 12" pipeline section located on a CALM buoy within Australian waters that was affected by external corrosion. To restore the structural integrity of the pipe, 3X composite repair solution specifically designed for subsea environment, REINFORCEKIT® 4D SUBSEA, was selected and installed.
Results
The entire scope was successfully executed within a single day, with zero incidents or safety deviations. The structural integrity of the pipeline has been fully restored, extending its service life by an additional 20 years.
 Defect type |
Corrosion |
Details |
12" straight pipe, oil, op. temp. 50°C |
Location |
Australia |
3X Product type |
REINFORCEKiT® 4D SUBSEA |
SCOPE OF WORK
In accordance with ISO 24.817 standard and 3X design calculations, REINFORCEKIT® 4D SUBSEA system, using a dedicated subsea resin, was selected as composite repair solution. The repair was performed in shallow water at a depth of 3.3 meters. Surface preparation was performed by sandblasting to achieve the required surface profile (minimum Rz 60 microns) ensuring optimal adhesion between the steel pipe and the composite repair system. The surface was thoroughly cleaned prior to composite application.
The composite wrapping repair was executed following 4 main stages, as below:
- Primer application: A dedicated subsea primer was manually applied to the prepared surface using slow circular movements to ensure uniform coverage of the defective area.
- Plate installation with filler: A pre-manufactured metallic plate, conformed to match the pipe shape, was coated with subsea filler and immediately centered over the defect. The plate was secured using ratchet belts and maintained in position until full curing.
- Composite wrapping: Kevlar® tape impregnated with 3X subsea resin was wrapped helicoidally around the pipe. The subsea wrapping operation was performed by a team of 4 qualified divers under the supervision of a 3X specialist (A total of 14 composite layers were installed over a repair length of 128 mm, in accordance with the approved design calculations).
- Finalisation and validation: Upon completion, final inspection and quality control were conducted. An identification plate was installed to ensure full traceability of the repair. Hardness testing was performed to confirm proper curing of the applied materials.
