Subsea Bearings for Offshore Infrastructure: Reducing Friction, Extending Service Life and Improving Reliability
As offshore and subsea infrastructure becomes larger, deeper, and more complex, the demands placed on bearing systems continue to increase. Pipelines, PLETs, manifolds, subsea power cables, and support structures are all exposed to constant movement caused by thermal expansion, ocean currents, installation loads, and operational cycling.
Without the correct bearing solution, these movements can create excessive stress, abrasion, coating damage, and long-term reliability issues.
At Fluorocarbon, our Fluoroglide® subsea bearings have been developed specifically to operate in harsh offshore environments where low friction, high load capacity, abrasion resistance, and maintenance-free performance are critical.
Table of Contents
Typical Subsea Bearing Applications
Fluoroglide® FL340 Sleeper Pads – T Bearings
FL134 Subsea Sliding Pads – J Bearings
How Fluoroglide® Subsea Bearings Compare to Alternative Subsea Bearing Materials
From Concrete Mattresses to Low-Friction Subsea Bearings
Bespoke Engineering and Testing Support - What we offer
Supporting Reliable Offshore Infrastructure
Why Subsea Bearings Matter
Subsea structures rarely remain static during operation. Pipelines and cables continuously expand and contract as temperatures and pressures fluctuate. At crossover points and support structures, this movement can generate frictional wear and stress concentrations.
In many cases, these issues can lead to:
- Damage to pipeline coatings
- Increased stress in connected infrastructure
- Pipeline walking
- Abrasion from sand and debris
- Difficult or costly maintenance operations
- Reduced operational lifespan
Subsea bearings are designed to absorb and accommodate these movements safely while minimising friction and wear.
Fluoroglide® subsea bearings utilise advanced PTFE-based Fluorinoid® materials engineered specifically for offshore service conditions. These materials provide extremely low friction characteristics while remaining chemically inert and resistant to marine growth.
Typical Subsea Bearing Applications
Fluoroglide® subsea bearings are used across a wide range of offshore and subsea applications, including:
- Pipeline crossover supports
- PLET and manifold support systems
- Subsea skidways
- Buckle initiation sleepers
- Power cable crossover points
- Offshore bridge and linkspan supports
- Heavy subsea structural supports
- Sliding interfaces for thermal expansion systems
These applications require bearings capable of operating under high loads and low-speed movement while exposed to seawater, sand, pressure cycling, and long service intervals.
Fluoroglide® FL340 Sleeper Pads – T Bearings
Our Fluoroglide® FL340 Sleeper Pads, (also known as T Bearings), were developed specifically for subsea crossover points and support structures.
These bearings are commonly installed on concrete or steel crossover supports where pipelines or power cables must move freely without damaging insulation or protective coatings.
The FL340 material was selected because of its:
- Exceptional abrasion resistance
- Low coefficient of friction
- Resistance to marine growth
- Excellent performance in sand-contaminated environments
- Long-term dimensional stability
Unlike conventional metallic bearing systems, FL340 bearings require no lubrication and are virtually maintenance-free throughout their operational life.
Designed for Harsh Offshore Conditions
One of the key challenges in subsea environments is abrasion caused by suspended sand and debris. Fluorocarbon has undertaken extensive environmental simulation testing, including sand-slurry wear testing and accelerated lifecycle testing, to validate the performance of FL340 under realistic subsea operating conditions.
Testing can also be carried out using project-specific seawater and sand compositions to replicate real-world field conditions as closely as possible.
FL134 Subsea Sliding Pads – J Bearings
Fluoroglide® FL134 Sliding Pads (J Bearings) were originally developed for the BP Greater Plutonia project offshore Angola and are designed to allow controlled movement between rigid subsea structures and supporting mud mats.
As pipelines thermally expand and contract, significant loads can develop if movement is restricted. J Bearings allow low-friction sliding movement that helps mitigate:
- Stress build-up
- Pipeline walking
- Structural fatigue
- Excessive loads transferred into surrounding infrastructure
The chemically and mechanically locked FL134 bearing material is designed for reliable long-term subsea operation with no lubrication requirements. The material also resists barnacle and marine growth attachment, helping maintain consistent friction performance over time.
Key Performance Benefits
Fluoroglide® subsea bearings offer several advantages over conventional metallic or lubricated bearing systems:
- Extremely low friction characteristics
- No stick-slip behaviour
- No lubrication required
- Chemically inert in seawater
- Resistant to corrosion and marine growth
- Very low moisture absorption
- Long operational lifespan
- Minimal maintenance requirements
-
Ability to accommodate some misalignment
- Excellent wear resistance
PTFE-based materials are widely recognised throughout the offshore industry for their low friction performance and durability in marine applications.
How Fluoroglide® Subsea Bearings Compare to Alternative Subsea Bearing Materials
Several bearing technologies are used across offshore and subsea applications, including metallic bearings, elastomeric systems, and composite materials. Alternative products often promote features including water lubrication, dimensional stability, and wear resistance.
However, Fluoroglide® PTFE-based systems provide several distinct advantages:
| Feature | Fluoroglide® FL340 / FL134 | Conventional Metallic Bearings | Composite Bearings |
| Lubrication required | No | Often required | Sometimes |
| Corrosion resistance | Excellent | Limited | Good |
| Marine growth resistance | Excellent | Moderate | Good |
| Friction coefficient | Extremely low | Higher | Moderate |
| Abrasion resistance | Very high | Moderate | High |
| Maintenance requirements | Minimal | Higher | Moderate |
| Suitability for thermal expansion movement | Excellent | Moderate | Good |
Fluoroglide® subsea bearings are particularly well suited for subsea sliding applications where predictable low-friction movement is critical over long service intervals.
From Concrete Mattresses to Low-Friction Subsea Bearings
Historically, many offshore operators have used concrete mattresses, concrete sleepers, and articulated concrete mats to support and stabilise subsea pipelines and cables.
These systems are commonly deployed for:
- Pipeline stabilisation
- Seabed scour protection
- Pipeline crossover support
- Cable protection
- Thermal expansion management
- Separation between subsea assets
Concrete support systems remain widely used throughout offshore oil & gas, subsea power transmission, and renewable energy projects because they provide additional weight, impact resistance, and seabed stability.
However, while concrete mattresses are highly effective for stabilisation and protection, they are not always optimised for controlled low-friction movement.
As subsea infrastructure experiences thermal expansion and operational movement, direct contact between pipelines and concrete surfaces can potentially increase:
- Frictional resistance
- Coating wear
- Stress concentrations
- Abrasion damage
- Pipeline walking effects
This is where Fluoroglide® subsea bearings provide a significant advantage.
By integrating low-friction PTFE-based bearing materials such as FL340 and FL134 into subsea support structures, operators can combine the structural benefits of concrete foundations with controlled sliding performance.
In many applications, Fluoroglide® bearings are installed onto steel or concrete support structures to create a dedicated sliding interface that:
- Reduces friction during thermal movement
- Protects pipeline coatings
- Minimises wear and abrasion
- Accommodates expansion and contraction
- Reduces load transfer into surrounding structures
- Improves long-term reliability
This approach is increasingly valuable as offshore assets operate at higher temperatures, greater depths, and longer design lives.
Modern subsea support systems are therefore evolving from purely passive concrete stabilisation solutions toward engineered low-friction movement systems that actively manage operational loads and pipeline movement.
Fluoroglide® subsea bearings provide several advantages:
| Feature | Concrete Mattresses / Sleepers | Fluoroglide® Subsea Bearings |
| Primary function | Stabilisation & protection | Controlled low-friction movement |
| Thermal expansion management | Limited | Excellent |
| Friction coefficient | Higher | Extremely low |
| Pipeline coating protection | Moderate | Excellent |
| Abrasion resistance | Good | Excellent |
| Maintenance requirements | Low | Very low |
| Movement accommodation | Limited | Designed specifically for sliding |
| Typical applications | Stabilisation, scour protection, crossings | Crossovers, sliding supports, thermal movement systems |
Bespoke Engineering and Testing Support
Every offshore project presents unique engineering challenges. Bearing performance can vary significantly depending on load, movement frequency, seabed conditions, water depth, temperature, and installation methods.
Fluorocarbon works closely with operators, EPC contractors, and subsea engineers to develop bespoke bearing systems tailored to each application.
Our capabilities include:
- Custom-machined bearing geometries
- Material selection support
- Environmental simulation testing
- Friction and wear testing
- Accelerated lifecycle testing
- Third-party witness testing
- Installation guidance and support
Testing programmes can be independently witnessed by organisations such as DNV and Bureau Veritas where required.
Supporting Reliable Offshore Infrastructure
As offshore energy infrastructure continues to evolve, from oil and gas developments to floating wind and subsea power transmission systems, reliable low-friction bearing technology remains critical to long-term operational performance.
Fluoroglide® subsea bearings are engineered to minimise friction, reduce wear, absorb movement, and improve system reliability in some of the harshest operating environments on earth.
By combining advanced Fluorinoid® PTFE materials with bespoke engineering expertise and real-world subsea testing, Fluorocarbon continues to support critical offshore projects worldwide.
For more information on our subsea bearing solutions: