DNV Sesam Pipelines

 

DNV Sesam Pipelines 2026.03 is a comprehensive software suite that provides offshore pipeline engineers with a complete toolkit for efficient pipeline design and analysis. The suite comprises seven specialized modules covering the entire pipeline engineering workflow from installation analysis and on-bottom stability to free-span assessment and lateral buckling. Version 2026.03 continues DNV’s legacy of engineering excellence, offering enhanced finite element capabilities, updated code compliance (DNVGL-ST-F101), improved pipe-soil interaction models, and seamless integration with Sesam’s structural analysis platforms. Whether designing shallow-water flowlines or deepwater export pipelines, Sesam Pipelines delivers the accuracy, reliability, and efficiency that demanding offshore projects require.

 

????️ Primary Users

This professional offshore pipeline engineering software suite is designed for:

  • Offshore Pipeline Engineers & Subsea Engineers performing installation analysis, on-bottom stability, and free-span assessments.

  • Marine Contractors & Installation Specialists planning pipelay operations and route engineering.

  • Oil & Gas Operators & EPCI Contractors designing subsea pipelines for field development.

  • Pipeline Integrity & Asset Management Professionals assessing operational fatigue and remaining life.

  • Geotechnical & Marine Engineers evaluating pipe-soil interaction and buckling behavior.

 

⚡ Software Modules & Capabilities

???? Sesam Pipelines Suite – 7 Integrated Modules

  1. Pipelay – Installation analysis (S-lay, J-lay, reeling)

  2. On-Bottom Stability – DNV-RP-F109 / F105 stability design

  3. Free Span – Vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) and fatigue

  4. Lateral Buckling – HP/HT pipeline expansion management

  5. Pipe-Soil Interaction – Axial/lateral resistance & breakout

  6. Walking Analysis – Expansion/contraction (start-up/shut-down)

  7. Drop Objects & Trawl Impact – Mechanical damage assessment

???? ENGINEERING WORKFLOWS

???? Pipelay (Installation Analysis)

  • Static & dynamic lay analyses (S-lay, J-lay, reeling)

  • Overbend & sagbend curvature and strain limits

  • Lay vessel motion response (including vessel motion RAOs)

  • Touchdown point (TDP) variability – cyclic motion & hodograph

  • Riser and stalk interface with flexible / steel catenary risers (SCR)

???? On-Bottom Stability (DNV-RP-F109 / F105)

  • Combined wave & current stability (lateral + axial)

  • Embedment & soil suction for clayey and sandy seabeds

  • Hydrodynamic load models (Morison, transverse lift, inertia)

  • Stability length and weight coating optimization

  • Rock dumping / berm support placement for stability

???? Free Span (VIV & Fatigue)

  • Modal analysis (1st, 2nd, 3rd mode natural frequencies)

  • VN (Vortex-induced vibrations) screening and fatigue damage accumulation (DNV-RP-F105 / DNVGL-RP-F105)

  • Fatigue capacity (S-N curves) – weld class verification

  • Free span length & gap clearance assessment

  • Span crossing management (neighboring spans or trenches)

???? Lateral Buckling (HP/HT Pipelines)

  • Buckling initiation – zero-moment point location

  • Snaking & lateral displacement – force-resultant analysis

  • Buckling mitigation (flooding, rock dumping, buoyancy sections)

  • Fatigue amplification near doglegs and buckles

???? Pipe-Soil Interaction

  • Axial resistance & breakout (soft clay / dense sand / carbonate)

  • Lateral breakout & residual resistance as function of penetration

  • Curvature compliance – incremental soil stiffness model (DNV-RP-F114)

  • Effect of lay-induced trenching and backfill

???? Walking Analysis (HP/HT / Deepwater)

  • Global expansion / contraction per shutdown cycle

  • Walking ratcheting (feeder vs anchor point identification)

  • Low-cycle fatigue assessment at endpoints and buckle points

  • End expansion, tension & axial-bending interaction

⚡ Drop Objects & Trawl Gear Impact

  • Mechanical damage (dent, gouge, fracture) assessment

  • Residual strength & leak-before-break per DNVGL-RP-F107

  • Trawl board & clump weight impact energy (50-400 kJ)

  • Anchor/ship collision scenario evaluation

???? Finite Element Analysis Core

  • Implicit dynamic solution (large displacement, elastoplastic material)

  • Beam / pipe elements (O.D., I.D., coating, concrete weight coating)

  • Nonlinear soil springs (axial, lateral, vertical; user-defined)

  • Seabed profile (irregular bathymetry, span detection)

  • Temperature gradient (HP/HT, cool-down) and pressure fluctuation

???? Sesam Integration & Interoperability

  • Geometric models from Sesam GeniE for complex branching

  • Wave load transfer from HydroD / Wasim (VIV, fatigue)

  • Sima (time-domain coupling) – vessel, riser, pipeline interaction

  • Export to Abaqus / LS-DYNA for detailed nonlinear impact studies

???? What’s New in Version 2026.03

  • DNVGL-ST-F101:2025 code revision incorporated (material factors, safety classes)

  • Pipe-Soil Interaction with berms & backfill for rock dump and trench stability

  • VIV fatigue using site-specific current profiles (multi-layer, directional)

  • Coupled pipeline‑riser analysis (lumped mass, nonlinear flex elements)

  • Python API for batch sensitivity runs (on-bottom stability, span length)

  • Multi-core parallel solver – up to 4× faster for large free-span fields