REINFORCEKiT® 4D SUBSEA, Severe corrosion and multiple holes – Africa
Subsea composite repair solution for pipe reinforcement
Overview
The objective of the repair, performed in December 2025 by the local distributor of 3X ENGINEERING (3X) was to reinforce a 40 produced water caisson suffering from severe corrosion and 16 holes. To restore the integrity of the caisson, it was decided to repair the defective area using 3X composite repair solution specifically designed for offshore/subsea environment REINFORCEKIT® 4D SUBSEA. Due to the location of the defect, rope access was required.
Results
The composite repair successfully restored the integrity of the caisson and ensured long-term structural reinforcement in a harsh offshore environment. The REINFORCEKIT 4D SUBSEA system provided effective sealing of through-wall defects and durable protection against further corrosion, in compliance with ASME PCC-2 requirements.
 Defect type |
Severe corrosion and multiple holes |
Details |
40" produced water caisson |
Location |
Africa |
3X Product type |
REINFORCEKiT® 4D SUBSEA |
SCOPE OF WORK
According to ASME PCC-2 standard and 3X design calculations, the application of REINFORCEKIT® 4D SUBSEA system using a dedicated subsea resin was selected. Six layers of composite material were specified to reinforce the defective area. The damaged location was situated approximately 3 meters above sea level and required the use of rope access techniques for both inspection and repair. Surface preparation was completed using Bristle Blaster® machine to achieve the required surface profile and ensure optimal adhesion between the steel and the composite repair system. The prepared surface was then cleaned prior to composite wrapping.
The composite repair was executed following 4 main stages, as described below:
- Plugging and sealing of 16 holes using fitted sealing pegs inserted into the through-wall defects, followed by the application of 3X subsea filler to ensure sealing and prepare the area for composite reinforcement.
- Reconstruction of the damaged area using 3X primer to restore the original geometry of the riser prior to composite wrapping.
- Composite wrapping using Kevlar® tape impregnated with 3X subsea resin. The wrapping operation was performed by a team of rope access technicians (A total of six composite layers were applied over a repair length of 3 meters to meet the structural reinforcement requirements).
- Finalization and validation of the repair. An identification plate was installed for traceability and hardness measurement were conducted to check proper curing of the products applied.
