As a global leader in the design and manufacture of subsea solutions and systems, Matrix understands the need for rigorous testing and validation of products used in harsh, deep water environments.

Matrix’s quality and operational reliability is supported by our Subsea Test Facility located at the company’s head office in Western Australia. Boasting the Southern Hemisphere’s largest commercially available hyperbaric chamber and an inhouse R&D office, the facility allows for the testing of a wide range of products from large energy exploration support components, to items from the defence forces and small subsea electrical connectors.

Hyperbaric testing

Matrix’s hyperbaric test facilities have been a key component of our production process for over a decade and operate within Matrix’s ISO 9001 systems and other international standards, such as those prescribed by the American Petroleum Institute. The facility uses state of the art control algorithms and software logging tools to ensure precise control and high quality test data results.

Standard tests include:

• Total sea level buoyancy
• Buoyancy loss under hyperbaric load
• Elastic modulus
• Water absorption and collapse
• Long term buoyancy loss
• Temperature dependent effects
• Subsea control pod testing
• Valve and hull penetration testing.

The facilities are supported by a 40-tonne crane that also services 300 m2 of working space with heavy vehicle access, allowing for large structures to be easily carried directly to the workspace, unloaded, instrumented and loaded for testing in the same undercover area. The Matrix facility is licensed to carry out hyperbaric testing up to 5,200 metres sea water.

Chamber specifications

Matrix operates a suite of 11 hyperbaric chambers in a variety of sizes, with the largest having internal dimensions of Ø1.6 X 7.28 m pressurised up to 52 MPa . By default, the chambers are fully instrumented and capable of recording pressure, buoyancy loss and temperature changes over time. Other types of instrumentation can be installed to suit client requirements.

The chambers have been designed to accommodate electrical and hydraulic access, as well as cameras for visual monitoring via a series of penetrations on the lids of each chamber. All chambers are orientated vertically to facilitate loading and unloading via our 40-tonne crane, with larger chambers mounted underground for safety and environment stability.

Additional test services

BUOYANCY VERIFICATION TANK

• Buoyancy verification
• ROV immersion and testing
• Hydrostatic testing and gas leakage
• Surface stability
• Riser testing
• Product density trials.

MECHANICAL TESTING

• Axial and lateral slip loads
• Static loading and 3-point bend
• Compression, shear and tensile testing
• Dropped weight impact testing
• Lifting point/insert load testing
• Paint adhesion testing
• Function and fit-up.

Laboratory and material testing

Matrix’s head office boasts a large R&D facility run by scientists and material engineers from a broad spectrum of high performing industry disciplines. A range of on-site testing facilities allows products to be tested to relevant internal, client and international standards before release. Standard test equipment includes:

• Universal testing machines – for compression and tensile properties
• Differential scanning calorimeters (DSC) – to determine reaction energies and glass transition temperatures of polymers
• Thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) – for determining decomposition temperatures and inorganic (fibre) content of composite plastics
• Pycnometer – for determination of true density of irregular solids
• Rheology – viscosity and gel point for liquids and pastes
• Thermostatic testing – accelerated aging of polymer materials (creep, chemical resistance).

Publications

• Matrix Subsea Test Facility Brochure