Vipo is partnering with Demeta, a Green Chemistry company, to develop novel subsea thermal insulation materials. Funded by the Research Council of Norway, the collaboration will focus on developing, manufacturing, and commercialising new materials for deep and ultra-deep-sea offshore applications.
Eirik Simonsen, Research and Development Manager at Vipo’s operation in Norway, states, “We are very excited about this collaboration project. With the recent launch of our Vikotherm® R3 material, we are pleased to already be on route to discovering new formulations to expand our subsea thermal insulation solutions range. By partnering with Demeta, we can utilise its extensive knowledge and insight into next-generation catalysts for high performance materials.”
The project focuses on development of materials in the current Vikotherm® thermal insulation range. It will aim to develop a new generation of materials that combine the unique properties of Vipo’s rubber solutions with technology from Demeta for use on spools, fieldjoints, manifolds or X-mas trees, which will increase mechanical and thermal performance.
Patrick Piot, Chief Executive Officer at Demeta, states, “The collaboration with Vipo aligns with our long-standing commitment to work with leaders in the offshore industry. It illustrates the relevance of our dicyclopentadiene materials to support the advancement of polymer solutions in a sustainable way, meeting the highest requirements for extreme applications, such as the harsh offshore environment.”
Vikotherm® thermal insulation materials include liquid precursor thermosets such as polyurethane, syntactic polyurethane and silicones, high molecular weight thermosets such as rubbers and syntactic rubbers and thermoplastic products derived from polyolefins. Using this combination of materials and systems allows for a wide operating temperature range from -40° C to +180° C without limitation on water depth.
