Offshore Flexible Pipe Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast Segmented by Raw Material (High-density Polyethylene, Polyamides, Polyvinylidene Fluoride), By Region, Competition 2021-2031F

Forecast Period	2027-2031
Market Size (2025)	USD 876.38 Million
CAGR (2026-2031)	6.48%
Fastest Growing Segment	High-density Polyethylene
Largest Market	North America
Market Size (2031)	USD 1277.32 Million

Market Overview

The Global Offshore Flexible Pipe Market will grow from USD 876.38 Million in 2025 to USD 1277.32 Million by 2031 at a 6.48% CAGR. Offshore flexible pipes are customizable, multi-layered conduits composed of helically wound metallic and polymer materials, engineered to transport fluids between subsea wellheads and surface facilities while withstanding dynamic marine forces. The market is fundamentally supported by the necessity for deep-water extraction where rigid systems are unfeasible, and the operational drive for cost-efficient subsea tie-backs to connect marginal fields. These drivers are distinct from temporary trends, representing core engineering requirements for field development in complex topographies.

Despite this utility, the market faces a significant challenge regarding material integrity, specifically the susceptibility of flexible risers to annulus corrosion and fatigue in harsh environments. This technical limitation complicates maintenance and shortens asset lifecycles, effectively increasing long-term operational costs. Highlighting the robust scale of the supporting supply chain, according to the Global Underwater Hub, in 2024, the United Kingdom’s underwater industry grew to a valuation of £9.2 billion. While this indicates strong investment in subsea infrastructure, durability concerns continue to restrain broader application in high-pressure reservoirs.

Key Market Drivers

The surge in deepwater and ultra-deepwater oil and gas exploration activities acts as a primary catalyst for the flexible pipe industry. As operators push into greater depths, the dynamic nature of floating platforms necessitates riser systems capable of withstanding extreme hydrostatic pressure and ocean currents. Flexible pipes are engineered to handle these dynamic stresses better than rigid alternatives, making them indispensable for risers in deepwater fields. This demand is evidenced by recent supply chain activity. According to TechnipFMC, October 2024, in the 'Third Quarter 2024 Earnings Release', the company reported that Subsea inbound orders reached $2.5 billion, reflecting robust operator spending on deepwater infrastructure.

Simultaneously, the increasing deployment of Floating Production Storage and Offloading systems drives market volume. FPSOs inherently require flexible risers to accommodate significant wave-induced motion and decouple hull movements from the subsea infrastructure. This operational prerequisite ensures that flexible pipe procurement scales linearly with new vessel commissions. Supporting this trend, according to Seatrium Limited, May 2024, in the 'Seatrium Secures S$11 Billion Contract from Petrobras' press release, the firm won an order to construct two FPSO platforms, highlighting the immense capital flowing into this production method. Broader sector health further validates this momentum, as according to Subsea7, in 2024, the company reported a backlog of $11.3 billion, underscoring the sustained demand for subsea hardware installation.

Download Free Sample Report

Key Market Challenges

The primary challenge hampering the growth of the Global Offshore Flexible Pipe Market is material integrity, specifically the susceptibility of flexible risers to annulus corrosion and fatigue. In deep-water and high-pressure environments, these vulnerabilities compromise the structural reliability of the conduits, leading to potential leaks or catastrophic failures. Consequently, operators face significantly reduced asset lifespans and the necessity for frequent, expensive inspections. This technical fragility directly restrains market growth by forcing energy companies to adopt more conservative, rigid piping alternatives or delay projects in complex topographies to avoid the financial and safety risks associated with premature pipe degradation.

The economic impact of managing subsea infrastructure integrity is severe, creating a barrier to new flexible pipe adoption. When assets fail to meet durability expectations, the financial burden shifts to costly maintenance or early removal, eroding the profitability of marginal fields. Illustrating the massive scale of these lifecycle costs, according to Offshore Energies UK, in 2024, annual decommissioning spend passed £2 billion for the first time. This rising expenditure on removing and managing subsea assets deters investment in flexible systems that cannot guarantee long-term resilience, thereby slowing their broader application in critical field developments.

Key Market Trends

The Accelerated Adoption of Thermoplastic Composite Pipes (TCP) is fundamentally altering offshore procurement strategies by replacing heavy metallic layers with non-corrosive composite materials. This technological shift is critical for ultra-deepwater developments where reducing top-tension weight and eliminating sulphide stress cracking are engineering priorities. Validating this transition, according to Strohm, July 2024, in the 'Strohm wins TCP Flowline contract with TotalEnergies EP Brasil' press release, the company secured its largest-ever commercial award to supply thermoplastic composite flowlines for a pre-salt field in the Santos Basin, marking a definitive move away from steel-based risers in complex corrosive environments.

Simultaneously, the Expansion into Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) Applications is creating a dedicated niche for flexible pipes designed to handle supercritical carbon dioxide. Standard unbonded pipes are often unsuitable for CO2 reinjection due to permeation and rapid decompression risks, prompting the development of specialized barrier layers for gas management projects. Highlighting this application growth, according to Baker Hughes, October 2024, in the 'Baker Hughes Awarded Contracts to Supply Petrobras with Flexible Pipe Systems' press release, the firm received a contract to provide 77 kilometers of flexible pipe systems specifically engineered to mitigate stress-induced corrosion cracking in high-CO2 pre-salt fields, supporting the operator’s lower-carbon production targets.

Segmental Insights

According to recent market intelligence, the High-density Polyethylene segment is experiencing the most rapid growth within the Global Offshore Flexible Pipe Market due to its superior economic and operational advantages. Industry analysis reveals that operators increasingly prefer this material for its exceptional chemical inertia and corrosion resistance, which are critical for maintaining pipeline integrity in harsh marine conditions. Furthermore, High-density Polyethylene offers a high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing for reduced installation costs and easier handling compared to rigid steel or heavier polymer alternatives. These attributes make it the preferred solution for cost-sensitive deepwater exploration projects.

Regional Insights

North America maintains a leading position in the global offshore flexible pipe market, primarily due to increased deepwater drilling and production activities in the Gulf of Mexico. The region drives demand through the expansion of subsea tie-backs, which utilize flexible solutions to connect satellite wells to existing platforms efficiently. Additionally, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement enforces rigorous standards for subsea operations, promoting the continuous upgrade and maintenance of offshore pipeline systems. This strong focus on infrastructure reliability and deepwater resource extraction solidifies the region's market dominance.

Recent Developments

• In December 2025, TechnipFMC was awarded a significant contract by Ithaca Energy to supply flexible pipe systems for the Captain development in the UK North Sea. The scope of the project, valued between $75 million and $250 million, encompassed the design, manufacture, and installation of flexible risers, flowlines, and associated subsea hardware. This award supported the second phase of an enhanced oil recovery initiative at the field, which had been producing since 1997. The agreement reinforced the long-standing collaboration between the two companies, utilizing advanced flexible pipe technology to optimize production and extend the operational life of mature offshore assets.
• In October 2024, Baker Hughes announced the signing of major contracts with Petrobras to provide 77 kilometers of flexible pipe systems for Brazil’s pre-salt fields. The agreement, resulting from an open tender, involved the supply of risers and flowlines for hydrocarbon production and associated gas and water injection across the Búzios, Libra, Berbigão, Sururu, and Sépia fields. These flexible pipes were specifically engineered to address stress-induced corrosion cracking caused by high concentrations of carbon dioxide, a critical challenge in deepwater environments. Delivery of the systems was scheduled to begin in mid-2026 to support the operator's development goals.
• In July 2024, Strohm secured a contract from TotalEnergies to supply Thermoplastic Composite Pipeline (TCP) flowlines for a project in the Santos Basin. This agreement marked the first deployment of TCP technology in the Brazilian pre-salt region, selected for its immunity to corrosion and ability to withstand ultra-deepwater conditions of 2,200 meters. The composite pipes were chosen to replace traditional flexible lines for gas injection, offering a solution to carbon dioxide-induced stress corrosion cracking. This collaboration highlighted the market's growing adoption of non-metallic flexible pipe alternatives to reduce carbon footprints and ensure long-term reliability in harsh offshore environments.
• In May 2024, NOV announced the commercial launch and first contract award for its actively heated flexible pipe system, destined for a natural gas project in the Black Sea. This breakthrough technology was designed to manage flow assurance risks, such as hydrate formation and wax deposition, by electrically heating the pipe’s bore through its inner stainless steel carcass. The system offered a more energy-efficient alternative to traditional heating methods by delivering targeted heat without the need for complex fluid circulation. This development represented a significant innovation in the offshore flexible pipe market, with the first unit scheduled for delivery in 2025.

Key Market Players

• National Oilwell Varco
• TechnipFMC PLC
• The Prysmian Group
• GE Oil & Gas Corporation
• Shawcor Ltd
• Pipelife Nederland B.V.
• Airborne Oil & Gas BV
• Magma Global Ltd
• ContiTech AG
• Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC

By Region

North America Europe Asia Pacific South America Middle East & Africa

Report Scope:

In this report, the Global Offshore Flexible Pipe Market has been segmented into the following categories, in addition to the industry trends which have also been detailed below:

• Offshore Flexible Pipe Market, By Region:

• North America
• United States
• Canada
• Mexico
• Europe
• France
• United Kingdom
• Italy
• Germany
• Spain
• Asia Pacific
• China
• India
• Japan
• Australia
• South Korea
• South America
• Brazil
• Argentina
• Colombia
• Middle East & Africa
• South Africa
• Saudi Arabia
• UAE