Umbilicals are made of small-diameter tubes, cables and/or optical fibers and are used for transporting fluids, supplying power, and transmitting information. Although they do not transport any produced oil or gas, umbilicals are a key component in a subsea installation. They are used to connect the equipment on the seabed to a control station at the surface. Thanks to an innovative manufacturing process, tubes for umbilicals produced at the new Vallourec Umbilicals plant in Venarey-Les Laumes, Côte-d’Or, France, offer superior strength and mechanical properties compared to products currently available on the market. Elaborated with TOTAL as Technical Sponsor, this new product widens Vallourec’s offer of premium solutions for offshore operations.
 
The continuous production process developed by Vallourec (rolled and longitudinally welded tubes) capitalizes on the knowhow acquired by the Group in the production of long welded tubes. It allows for the production of tubes of 10 km to 30 km with a minimum number of butt welds, reducing “weak” points, and an unmatched welding quality of the whole. Vallourec’s tubes will be inserted in the umbilicals alongside other components (electric cables, carbon rods, optical fibers). They will carry utility fluids necessary for production operations. Vallourec’s tubes are thinner hence the umbilicals they will be integrated in lighter and easier to install at sea. Their superior strength and mechanical properties improve the overall resistance of umbilicals in operational conditions.
 
After having obtained its ISO 9001 and Bureau Veritas certifications, Vallourec Umbilicals has become an approved supplier of TOTAL, and is currently in the qualification process by its clients, the main umbilicals manufacturers. The plant is already working on a prototype order; actual industrial ramp-up is expected to take place in 2014.
 
Dominique Richardot, managing director of Vallourec’s Pipe Project and SURF (Subsea, Umbilicals, Risers, and Flowlines) activities, declared: "By offering a product with unique characteristics to the market, we are positioning ourselves to meet the growing demands of deepwater and ultra-deepwater offshore fields. This new premium activity reinforces Vallourec's position on the subsea construction market and our ability to provide integrated solutions."
 
This new product completes the range of integrated solutions offered by Vallourec for subsea construction - which also includes line pipe, risers, and welding services, and gives the Group access to a new, highly premium market.
 

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Vallourec is a world leader in premium tubular solutions primarily serving the energy markets, as well as other industrial applications.  With over 23,000 employees, integrated manufacturing facilities, advanced R&D and a presence in more than 20 countries, Vallourec offers its customers innovative global solutions to meet the energy challenges of the 21st century.