Title: Advances In Pipeline Materials, Welding, and Inspection by Robin Gordon EWI, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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2Advances In Pipeline Materials, Welding, and
InspectionbyRobin GordonEWI, Columbus,
Ohio, USA
Presented at First Annual PRCI RD Forum April 8,
2003
3Pipeline Design and Construction
- Many new major Oil and Gas reserves are in remote
locations and will require the construction of
long distance pipelines. - Pipeline construction costs can exceed
- 1M - 1.5M per mile for cross country pipelines
- 3M - 5M per mile for offshore pipelines
- In many cases the cost of pipeline construction
dominates the economics of Oil and Gas recovery. - In addition to the capital investment associated
with new pipeline construction, there is a need
to extend pipeline design methods to cover
increasingly demanding operating requirements.
4Pipeline Industry - Business Drivers
- Reduce the cost of new pipeline design,
construction, and operation without compromising
pipeline integrity. - Extend existing pipeline design codes to cover
increasingly demanding operating requirements
including strain-based loading.
5Presentation Outline
- Pipeline Cost Reduction
- High Strength Pipe Materials
- High Productivity Welding
- Advanced NDE Methods
- Pipeline Design
- Strain-Based Design
6Pipeline Construction Costs
Welding Inspection
Materials (Linepipe)
Other
7Pipeline Cost Reduction
- Technology Options include
- High Strength Pipe
- Reduced Material Costs
- Higher Operating Pressures
- Higher Design Factors
- Higher Operating Pressures
- High Productivity Welding / Inspection
- Improved Construction Methods Equipment
8High Strength Pipelines - X80, X100, X120
- Current Status
- X80 Pipeline Technology
- Proven methods for X80 pipe production
- Good material properties (including crack arrest)
- Proven construction methods
- Cross country X80 pipelines constructed in Europe
and Canada - Offshore X80 pipelines are becoming increasingly
common (pipeline, flowlines, and risers) - Summary
- X80 Pipeline Technology is Mature
9High Strength Pipelines - X80, X100, X120
- Current Status
- X100 Pipeline Technology
- X100 Pipeline Technology is at an advanced stage
of development and demonstration. - Crack arrest performance is still not fully
proven, particularly for high pressure
applications. - TCPL constructed an X100 pipeline loop in the
Fall of 2002 to gain experience with field
construction. - X120 and Beyond
- Major proprietary RD program to develop and
assess X120 and X120 pipeline technology. - Initial results are very encouraging.
10High Strength Pipelines - CRLP
- Current Status
- Composite Reinforced Linepipe (CRLP) Technology
- CRLP is an alternative to high strength linepipe
- CRLP offers excellent crack arrest performance.
- Field Construction methods have been developed.
- Long term performance of composite wrap not fully
proven. - Composite wrap cannot be inspected or monitored
using conventional in-line inspection methods. - CRLP may not be suited to strain based design
(i.e., pipelines that may experience high strains
in service)
11High Strength Pipeline - RD Priorities
- Near Term
- Develop and Validate X100 Pipeline Technology
- Pipe Production and Pipe Properties
- Validate Construction Methods (Field Welding)
- Operational Integrity (Fitness for Service)
- Medium Term
- Develop and Validate CRLP Technology
- Long Term Structural Performance
- Long Term Corrosion Performance
- Strain Based Loading
- Monitoring and in-line inspection (embedded
sensors) - Long Term
- Develop and Assess X120 Pipeline Technology
12High Productivity Pipeline Welding
- Higher pipeline welding productivity can be
achieved through a combination of - High Speed Root Pass Welding
- High Productivity Fill Pass Welding
- High Speed Root Pass Welding
- Options include Laser / GMAW Hybrid Welding or
advanced Automated GMAW Welding (VP-GMAW). - High Productivity Fill Pass Welding
- Options include Laser / GMAW Hybrid Welding or
Dual Tandem GMAW Welding (e.g., CAPS)
13Schematic of Hybrid Process Used
14CAPS Welding System
15High Productivity Welding - Future RD
- Near Term
- Continue to validate high productivity GMAW
Welding for High Strength Pipelines - Welding productivity and weldability
- Consumable development
- Weld joint characterization
- Develop process monitoring capabilities
- Medium Term
- Continue to monitor Laser Welding Developments
- Long Term
- Monitor and evaluate future developments with new
high productivity and / or single shot welding
methods.
16Pipeline Girth Weld Inspection
- Current Status
- Automated Ultrasonic Testing (AUT) is now
recognized as the preferred inspection method for
new pipelines. - AUT system performance is generally very good
although there is uncertainty as to the actual
performance (POD Sizing Errors) of AUT. - Phased Array AUT Technology has been introduced
in the last few years for pipeline inspection and
appears to offer improved performance. - There is a need to determine the limits of AUT
and Phased Array AUT (particularly for larger
wall thickness pipes) to verify
fitness-for-service design methods and ECAs
17Pipeline Girth Weld Inspection - RD Priorities
- Near Term
- Compare performance of AUT and Phased Array AUT
NDE for pipeline girth weld inspection - Probability of Detection
- Sizing Errors
- Medium Term
- Assess Performance of AUT and Phased Array AUT
for heavy wall high pressure pipelines. - Long Term
- Extend and improve Phased Array AUT Technology
18Pipeline Design
- Current Status
- The majority of pipeline design codes are based
on stress based design methods. - Although conventional stress based design covers
most pipeline applications, it does not cover the
design of pipelines that may experience high
strains in service. - High strains can occur in service due to ground
movement, bending over an unsupported span and
seismic loading. In such cases pipelines should
be designed based on strain capacity. - Girth welds can be source of strain localization
and can be a limiting factor in strain based
design.
19Pipeline Design - RD Priorities
- Near Term
- Develop and validate ECA and strain based design
methods for cross country and offshore pipelines. - Design Guidance (Material Selection, Welding
Recommendations, Full Scale Validation) - ECA Guidance (Material Property Characterization,
FFS Models) - Medium Term
- Incorporate strain based design methods with
overall pipeline reliability methods.
20Summary
- The cost of pipeline construction can be reduced
through the adoption of next generation
technologies. - High Strength Pipe
- High Productivity Welding
- Advanced Inspection Methods
- Higher Design Factors and Operating Pressures
- Maximum benefit obtained by adopting multiple
parallel technologies simultaneously. - New Oil and Gas discoveries in remote
geographically demanding regions will require the
development of new improved design methods for
pipelines.
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