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  • Alert 01 002

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    SUKhan
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    Dummy leg pipe supports are commonly used but can develop leaks internally where inspection is impossible. Two leaks occurred at a refinery from internal corrosion in dummy legs without weep holes. To prevent future incidents, the document recommends identifying and repairing unsupported elbow-leg welds, inspecting existing weep holes, installing new small weep holes, and providing inspection openings in high risk dummy legs to check for internal corrosion. Proper design and maintenance of dummy leg supports can prevent leaks if piping inside can be periodically inspected.

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    ALERT-01-002

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    Dummy leg pipe supports are commonly used but can develop leaks internally where inspection is impossible. Two leaks occurred at a refinery from internal corrosion in dummy legs without weep holes. To prevent future incidents, the document recommends identifying and repairing unsupported elbow-leg welds, inspecting existing weep holes, installing new small weep holes, and providing inspection openings in high risk dummy legs to check for internal corrosion. Proper design and maintenance of dummy leg supports can prevent leaks if piping inside can be periodically inspected.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    92 views2 pages

    Alert 01 002

    Uploaded by

    SUKhan
    Dummy leg pipe supports are commonly used but can develop leaks internally where inspection is impossible. Two leaks occurred at a refinery from internal corrosion in dummy legs without weep holes. To prevent future incidents, the document recommends identifying and repairing unsupported elbow-leg welds, inspecting existing weep holes, installing new small weep holes, and providing inspection openings in high risk dummy legs to check for internal corrosion. Proper design and maintenance of dummy leg supports can prevent leaks if piping inside can be periodically inspected.

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    TECHNICAL

    ALERT
    CONSULTING SERVICES DEPARTMENT
    SUBJECT: Deficiency of Dummy Leg Supports ALERT NO:
    DATE:
    For Elbows
    002/01
    2/28/01
    SUMMARY:
    Dummy leg supports are widely used in refineries and chemical plants without major problems
    provided they are properly designed and constructed. However, dummy leg pipe support has the
    deficiency of prohibiting the inspection of piping areas inside the dummy leg. Two pipe leak
    incidents have occurred at dummy leg supports on October 1, and December 25, 2000 in Abqaiq
    Plants. A crack at 3 elbow of a liquid pump discharge line was initiated internally due to
    erosion/corrosion pit. Sour liquids leaked from the crack of into the dummy leg support, which has
    no weep hole. Therefore, the dummy leg support became a dead leg resulting in severe external
    corrosion of the elbow and internal corrosion of the dummy leg itself. This leakage was not
    detected until the dummy leg support was corroded through. Another pipe leak incident has
    occurred at the welded attachment area between a 24 elbow and the dummy leg.
    RECOMMENDATIONS:
    ?

    Identify and repair all dummy legs in hydrocarbon service without continuous welds at the
    weld attachment between the dummy leg and the elbows for external corrosion per SAESW-012 paragraph 10.19 at the next T & I.

    Inspect any leakage from existing weep holes of dummy leg supports in hydrocarbon
    service. Once leakage is identified, immediate action to repair shall be taken.

    Identify and install a 6 mm diameter weep hole at all dummy leg per SAES-L-011
    paragraph 5.6. This weep hole is intended for signal of leakage before the leakage causes
    severe pipe failure.

    Application of radiograph profile or installation of a small opening on the dummy leg is


    recommended to inspect the internal and the external corrosion of the piping area inside the
    dummy leg for high-risk piping system. This small opening shall be closed with flange after
    inspection.

    Cont. of Technical Alert No. 2


    The piping system is considered as high risk when all the following conditions are met:
    1. The line is in wet and sour hydrocarbon service or hazardous corrosive service,
    including but not limited to chlorine, sulfuric acid and rich DGA.
    2. During service, the line is subjected to erosion such as discharge piping of rotating
    equipments and upstream and downstream of control valves.
    3. Operating pressure is greater than 50 psig.
    The following table lists recommended sizes of inspection opening versus dummy leg support sizes:
    Dummy Leg Support Size
    (inch)

    Inspection Opening
    (inch)

    2
    3
    4
    6
    8
    10
    12 - 18
    20 24

    1 with stiffening gussets


    1
    1
    2
    3
    3
    4
    6

    If you have any questions regarding this technical alert, please contact James Chen at 873-8404.

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