Life evaluation of a 35-kV submarine power cable in a continuous flexing environment

This paper describes the life testing of a 35-kV power cable that will connect a single anchor leg mooring (SALM) buoy with a platform in several hundred feet of water. While there are many power cable installations to offshore platforms and between platforms, this system is unique because the cable will be constantly flexing in compression as the mooring buoy moves in the water. The buoy design includes an articulated leg with universal joints to which the cable is clamped. It is the loop in the cable where it crosses a universal joint that is flexed, and is a major cause of concern. To predict the effects of this constant flexure while energized, a flex simulator and electrical circuit were devised to duplicate the service environment as closely as possible. This paper describes the cable system, the test apparatus and procedure, and the results obtained.