Flexpipe Systems

Flexpipe Systems manufactures spoolable composite pipe, a non-metallic alternative to steel line pipe built from a thermoplastic liner, a helically wound reinforcement layer and an external thermoplastic jacket. The company was founded in 2001 by a group of engineers and has been part of Mattr Infrastructure Technologies (formerly Shawcor Ltd., rebranded to Mattr in 2023) since 2008.

Headquarters are in Calgary, Alberta, with a manufacturing facility in Rockwall, Texas and teams in other locations worldwide. The pipe is used for oil and gas gathering, gas distribution, water gathering and transportation, CO2 injection and enhanced oil recovery. Flexpipe reports more than 50,000 kilometers installed globally and states a 20 year design life for the product.

Pipe products

Three product families cover the pressure and temperature range, in diameters from 2 to 6 inches. HT versions carry a higher continuous service temperature, and Flexcord (FC901) uses high strength steel cord reinforcement for higher pressure duty.

The base Flexpipe line is also listed at a 300 psi rating. Flexcord is offered in 3 and 4 inch diameters, and an anti-buoyant version, the 2 inch FC901 AB released in 2013, is intended for shallow water installations. Crimp fittings join multiple reels of pipe to one another and tie into existing pipeline infrastructure.

Installation equipment and training

Fitting and installation equipment is available for rent alongside specialized installation accessories. Rental kits include:

• Crimpers and insertion presses
• Power packs and remote valves
• A-frames for carrying pipe reels
• Riser support trays and pull tools
• Custom cleaning pigs
• Denso and 3M corrosion prevention products

A contractor training and certification course combines classroom theory with hands-on work using rental equipment, pipe and fittings, and covers manufacturing procedures, handling, deployment and installation methods. Training is delivered at the customer's site, at solution centers in North America, or at the Calgary and Rockwall plants. Design support, project coordination and on-site technical support are also offered.

Standards and testing

Flexpipe holds the following certifications:

• API Spec Q1, 10th Edition
• API ISO 9001:2015
• API Monogram

The product line obtained API 15S certification in 2019, the year the Calgary facility achieved its API Q1 license, and a qualification program is run in accordance with API 15S. Every batch of spoolable composite pipe is tested using full-scale methods that follow API and ASTM guidelines. CSA Z662-23, ASTM F2686 and ASTM D2992 are listed as standards the company says its products exceed.

Installed base

The first installation took place in Western Canada in 2003, followed by expansion into the United States in 2005, Australia in 2011 and South America in 2012. Published case studies include:

• Gas gathering in Central Alberta
• Produced water gathering in Central Louisiana
• Crude gathering at Tioga, North Dakota
• Oil well flow lines for a producer in west Texas
• A helium pipeline for North American Helium
• A Cooper Basin project for Santos in Australia
• Work for PEMEX in Mexico

The company states that installation costs run 30 to 40 percent below steel, that crew size is reduced by half, and that up to 2,000 meters of spoolable pipe can be installed per day.