Oil & Gas Pipeline Welding Practices New Orleans, LA
Steve Nanney January 27, 2010 Overview
• Regulatory Overview of 2009/2010
• PHMSA Expectations • PHMSA Actions to Date • API 5L Actions to Date • Construction Issues - Summary • API – Needed Actions • Challenges • Looking Ahead • PHMSA Links Regulatory Overview of 2009/2010 • Editorial Rule – Published 11/30/09 • Distribution IMP – Published 12/4/09 • Control Room Management – Published 12/7/09 • One Rule - Summer 2010 • Standards Update - Summer 2010 • Miscellaneous Rule – Summer 2010 • Excavation Damage – To Be Determined (TBD) • Low Stress Integrated Insp. – TBD PHMSA Expectations • Hold safety paramount • Protect the public and environment • Follow the regulations • Update standards - reflective of issues • Focus on people and processes – Quality Management Systems PHMSA Actions to Date April 23, 2009: PHMSA New Construction Workshop May 14, 2009: ADB: Potential Low and Variable Yield and Tensile Strength & Chemical Composition Properties in High Strength Line Pipe June 5, 2009: PHMSA Letter to Industry Trade Associations June 22, 2009: API Standards Conference Summer 2009: Letters to Alternative MAOP SP holders on Low Strength Pipe Spring/Fall 2009: Worked with Operators to identify low strength pipe & remove August 2009: Construction web site established November 2009: Weld in service rupture due to alignment and welding January 2010: Weld in service leak due to alignment and welding API 5L - Actions to Date • API 5L – sub-committee proposed changes for “low strength” pipe issues – QA management system for the supplying steel and rolling mill (8.3.1) – Coil/plate rolling practice shall be controlled to ensure mechanical properties are uniform (8.3.7) – Qualifications in hot rolling practice deviations (8.3.8) – Standard sampling locations along plate or coil length according to documented procedures (10.2.3.2) – Modifications to retest procedures (10.2.12.2) API 5L Actions to Date - continued • Manufacturing Procedure Specification – new (B.3) • Inspection and Test Plan – required (B.4) • Manufacturing Procedure Qualification Tests – mechanical tests (B.5.3) • Qualification consider assessment of coil/plate tensile property variability and coil/plate to pipe strength changes • Purchaser shall be notified of all plate/coil/pipe that do not meet the initial defined rolling practices control parameters, but have been re-qualified (B5.6 and B5.7) API Actions to Date • API 5L – subcommittee – co-chairs and members – Great effort to improve API 5L standards • API 5L – sub-committee proposed changes for “low strength” pipe – Needs API Membership approvals • PHMSA is appreciative of Efforts – “Proposed” Revisions to API 5L need timely approvals Construction Issues - Summary Topic Occurrences Coating* 117 Welding* 87 Excavation 20 Nondestructive testing 20 Pipe material* 12 Bending 9 Lowering in* 7 Hydrotesting 4 Design 3 Other 8 Construction Issues • Low Strength Pipe • Coating Adhesion Construction Issues • Repair Weld Cracking Issues Construction Issues • Pipe bevel ends and alignment – high/low Construction Issues • Welding, NDT, Transitions, & Alignment • Cut Induction Bends Construction Issues • Alignment – does it meet standards for API 1104? Construction Issues • Alignment – does it meet standards for API 1104? Construction Issues • Weld Failures – Transition and Cracking – Pipe Sizes • 42-inch • 36-inch • 30-inch • 20-inch API 1104 – Needed Actions • Appendix A – Guidance for ECA – Input Parameters for ECA – Defined steps in defining Defect Acceptance Criteria – Pipeline stress analysis – using field construction and operational extremes for procedures – WPQ – Essential Variables – Defect Acceptance Criteria – UT – verification procedures – Procedures – for field usage – Training Joint API – Needed Actions • Appendix A - Weld Procedure – Essential Variables – Change in the grade or manufacturing process of the pipe material or a change in the chemical composition or processing – • Different- steel manufacturers and hot rolling practices – Major change in joint design – (API 1104 & API 5L) – Pipe Bevel Alignment – usage of API 5L and/or ASME B31.8 or 31.4 criteria - (API 1104 & API 5L) Joint API – Needed Actions • Weld Tolerances – (API 1104 and API 5L) – Pipe, diameter of body and pipe ends - API 5L – Bevel Design – API 1104 & ASME B31.8 and B31.4 – Alignment – API 1104 – Varying/uneven wall thickness (ASME B31.4 and B31.8) – Bends – cut within bend – ovality/out-of-roundness criteria • Repair welding – (API 1104) – Preheat – Welding procedures – Post heat – NDT standards Transition Weld Failures • Alignment – bevel and uneven wall thickness • Ovality and out-of-roundness • Lateral displacement during construction • Soil settlement • Overburden loads • Pipeline right-of-way topography • Weld stress concentration factor (SCF) • Internal pressure Transition Weld Failures • Alignment – does it meet standards for API 1104? Challenges • Industry – Putting safety first – in practice – Establishing standards that address all issues – Recognize that large diameter, higher grade material with higher operating pressures need “updated and some new” practices • People – Getting people to consistently do it right – Finding and retaining appropriate skill sets – Achieving sustained improvements • Processes – Establishing proper procedures – Ensuring a seamless transition between contractors and owners – Contracting methods Looking Ahead • PHMSA construction inspection focus will continue • Expect increased use of enforcement actions on all construction issues – 72%SMYS and 80%SMYS • MAOP Rule • Construction OQ – required by MAOP Rule • (If planning project, contact PHMSA Region for details.) • May need to explore other options: – More effective regulations and standards – Timely enforcement actions – Operator qualification for construction PHMSA – links • Pipeline Safety Guidance – Advisory Bulletins, Low Strength Pipe Guidelines, MAOP Rule FAQs – http://www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/guidance • Construction Workshop – http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/construction/index.htm • MAOP Rule – FAQs – http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/maop/index.htm • Special Permits – FAQs – http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/classloc/faqs.htm QUESTIONS Thank you
Steve Nanney Office: 713-272-2855 Mob: 713-628-7479 E-mail: steve.nanney@dot.gov