Is any special protection required for directional drilling of insulated oil pipelines?
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Problems encountered in the project: A DN250 oil pipeline insulated with yellow jackets needs to be passed through a river using directional drilling. Is special protection required for the section undergoing penetration? Some colleagues believe that the insulation layer in the crossing section is prone to damage, and therefore insulation should not be used; according to the specifications, enhanced 3PE protection is sufficient. I’m not sure if this statement is correct; I hope experts can give me some guidance.
OP, this issue is a typical example of the protection problem related to the outer coating during trenchless construction. Personally, I think either the calculations related to the manufacturing process permit the elimination of this insulation layer, or the ducts are well-lubricated. In any case, this has nothing to do with whether 3PE is used or not, as suggested by your colleague; one thing is insulation and another is corrosion protection – they are two different things
I wonder if there are any practical engineering applications for these two methods? For example, in actual construction, is it possible to ensure thorough lubrication of the holes?