Direct Electrical Heating (DEH) Subsea Flowline Calculator
Model single-phase 50/60 Hz AC power delivery, current division between pipeline and seawater, and active heating duty (W/m) to prevent hydrate plugs.
Pipeline & Electrical System Parameters
DEH Power & Sizing Results
Recommended Tools & Equipment
Tested hardware and components for high reliability
Direct Electrical Heating (DEH) Architecture
Direct Electrical Heating is an advanced flow assurance system that prevents hydrate and wax deposition in long subsea tiebacks during unplanned production shutdowns. A single-phase AC current is driven down a piggyback cable strapped to the insulated pipeline and connected to the pipe steel at the far-end subsea template.
Current Division & Skin Effect
The return current naturally splits between the conductive carbon steel pipeline shell (typically 55% to 65%) and the surrounding seawater (35% to 45%). At 50/60 Hz, the ferromagnetic nature of steel concentrates current in an outer skin layer of only 1 to 3 mm, substantially increasing the effective AC resistance and generating Joule heat ($P = I^2 R$).