bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improved Facilities to Prevent and Mitigate the Effects of the Actions of Third Parties
Authors: Farin˜as Jaime , Nun˜ez Gary
Published: April 2011

Transierra is a gas transportation company that owns and operates the Yacuiba–Rio Grande pipeline (GASYRG), 432 kilometers in length and 32 inches in diameter, which transports natural gas from southern Bolivia to the Rio Grande compression station (Santa Cruz), and is part of the gas export system to Brazil. In September 2008 amid a scene of political upheaval, social protests and roadblocks, Transierra suffered an intrusion that resulted in damage to the pipeline, fire in the safety block valve SDV-03, environmental damage and reduced transportation capacity. With all the disadvantages of blocked roads, closed airports and lack of spare parts, fuel and equipment; the damage was repaired and the pipeline was up and running again in 60 hours. Given these circumstances, it became clear that there are sensitive points in the pipeline that are highly vulnerable to the actions of third parties. This paper overviews the actions taken to the light of this new dynamic of social environment in the affected area of the pipeline. Alternatives were analyzed in order to make improvements in the protection of installations and to guaranty operational continuity. This incident forced us to take action to prevent, anticipate and mitigate any malicious action of third parties. The purpose of this paper is to show our experience in the approach, conceptualization, design and fabrication of a prototype that would prevent and obstruct undesired access of third parties to improperly manipulate or damage the proper functioning of the safety valves elements, actuator and its instrumentation, seeking to decrease the degree of risk exposure and increasing the level of safety of facilities.
Innovative Management Strategies to Address Environmental and Social Concerns on a Major Pipeline
Authors: Marcuz Gabriel , Reale Rodolfo
Published: April 2011

Gasoducto Nor Andino is a 1,100 km long natural gas pipeline which runs through one of the most critical environmental and social areas of Argentina and Chile. The area is inhabited by aboriginal communities that face a progressive deterioration of their cultural values and traditional customs. The beginning of the construction of Gasoducto Nor Andino triggered a strong reaction in the local communities and environmental organizations such as Greenpeace. Such reaction soon extended throughout the country, generating a strong debate as to the value of Economic & Technological Progress vs Environmental Conservation. All the problems were successfully solved by actions conducted in accordance with the Company’s ethical values. The different stakeholders involved were called together and agreements were implemented with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), such as Greenpeace, representatives of the aboriginal communities, local and environmental authorities (National Park Administration, Environmental Secretariat of Salta Province, etc.). This paper describes the non-traditional and innovative actions taken to solve the problems and the remarkable results achieved.
Effect of Ethanol Chemistry on SCC of Carbon Steel: Results of a Round Robin Testing
Authors: Sridhar Narasi , Gui Feng , Trillo Elizabeth , Singh Preet M.
Published: April 2011

The stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of carbon steel in fuel grade ethanol varies as a function of major and minor constituents in ethanol. The results of a round-robin testing on six different ethanol batches are presented. Significant variations in test results between the laboratories may result from apparently minor differences in test procedures. The variation in SCC susceptibility of different ethanol chemistries appear to be small.
Effect of Liquid Impurities on Corrosion of Carbon Steel in Supercritical CO2
Authors: Ayello Francois , Evans Kenneth , Sridhar Narasi , Thodla Ramgopal
Published: April 2011

The increasing urgency to mitigate global warming has driven many efforts to control green house gas emissions. One solution among many is carbon capture and storage. However, CO2 emitters are not necessarily in the close vicinity of potential geologic storage sites. In consequence CO2 will be transported from generation site to storage sites under high pressures. This will necessitate a network of pipelines gathering supercritical CO2 from diverse sources and transporting it through transmission lines to the storage sites. These pipelines will be under corrosion risks, particularly because of possible carryover of trace impurities produced from the different sources, such as water, chloride, NOx, SOx, and O2. The effects of impurities on corrosion in supercritical CO2 have yet to be evaluated systematically. Corrosion of carbon steel associated with water and impurities in supercritical CO2 was studied by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy in autoclaves. Five impurities were studied by introducing them in the liquid condensed phase: water, amine, HCl, HNO3 and NaOH. Results were analyzed in terms of the phase behavior and speciation.
Comparison and Analysis on Specification of X80 Line Pipe for 2nd West-East Gas Transmission Pipeline Project
Authors: Ma Qiurong , Huo Chunyong
Published: April 2011

Specification of X80 line pipe for 2nd West-East Gas Transmission Pipeline Project has referenced in context to the latest edition of international standards like ISO 3183 and API Spec 5L. Some complementarities have been made to achieve the balance between the safety and economy of the high-pressure gas transmission system, such as in the chemical content, tensile strength, arrest toughness, etc. The line pipe specification was analyzed combining with the properties of the practically manufactured pipe in this paper. It’s shown that the pipe manufactures have established the steel design process for X80 pipes and the pipeline designers have been developing the design method of high-pressure gas pipelines with X80 line pipe. As the collaboration between the pipe manufactures and pipeline designers, X80 line pipes are applicable in 2nd West-East Gas Transmission Pipeline Project commercially.
KOC’s Integrity Management Program for Non-Piggable Pipelines: A Case Study
Authors: Khera Ashish , Al-Mithin Abdul Wahab , Marr James E. , Safri Shabbir T. , Al-Sulaiman Saleh
Published: April 2011

More than half of the world’s oil and gas pipelines are classified as non-piggable. Pipeline operators are becoming aware there are increased business and legislative pressures to ensure that appropriate integrity management techniques are developed, implemented and monitored for the safe and reliable operation of their pipeline asset. The Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has an ongoing “Total Pipeline Integrity Management System (TPIMS)” program encompassing their entire pipeline network. In the development of this program it became apparent that not all existing integrity management techniques could be utilized or applied to each pipeline within the system. KOC, upon the completion of a risk assessment analysis, simply separated the pipelines into two categories consisting of piggable and non-piggable lines. The risk analysis indicated KOC’s pipeline network contains more than 200 non-piggable pipelines, representing more than 60% of their entire pipeline system. These non-piggable pipelines were to be assessed by utilizing External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA) for the threat of external corrosion. Following the risk analysis, a baseline external corrosion integrity assessment was completed for each pipeline. The four-step, iterative External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA) process requires the integration of data from available line histories, multiple indirect field surveys, direct examination and the subsequent post assessment of the documented results. This case study will describe the available correlation results following the four steps of the DA process for specific non-piggable lines. The results of the DA program will assist KOC in the systematic evaluation of each individual non-piggable pipeline within their system.
Excitation of Guided Waves in Oil Storage Tank Floor and Vertical Wall by Edge- and Wall-Mounted Transducers
Authors: Wang Weibin , Feng Zhanjun , Zhao Choumin , Yuan Keyi , Han Zandong , Chen Yifang
Published: April 2011

Oil storage tanks are crucial components in the petrochemical industry for transportation and storage. Corrosion of the tank floor and vertical walls is one of the most important safety concerns. In-situ inspection of the tank floor and walls with ultrasonic guided wave technique by edge- and wall-mounted transducers is still an active research area nowadays. A great deal of research has been conducted in detecting the defect of plate-like structures using Lamb waves. This application has been motivated by the fact that the Lamb wave velocity is the function of frequency and structural geometry (thickness), also the Lamb waves can propagate with low attenuation for long distance in plate structure. However, the complexity due to the existence of multiple Lamb wave modes weakens its applicability. Lamb waves are typically excited by transducers mounted on the surface of the inspected plates. Higher order modes are generated if the frequency-thickness product exceeds a certain threshold value that is dependent on the material of the plates. Low frequency guided waves can reduce this complication as only a small number of wave modes are generated. So operation with low frequency guided waves is usually recommended, but it encounters a problem that the resolution gets degraded hence small defects (compared to the wavelength) are difficult to detect. Our investigation considers the generation of guided waves in tank floor and vertical wall by edge excitation and wall-mounted excitation, respectively. Only when there is no access to the edge of the vertical wall, the wall-mounted excitation (surface excitation) is used. When the frequency-thickness product is small Lamb waves are generated, otherwise, longitudinal waves are generated. We investigate the intermediate frequency-thickness products where a pulse train of semi-longitudinal waves is excited. The pulse train is comprised of a leading pulse and some railing pulses, which have been predicted by the acoustic theory. The transition from Lamb wave to semi-longitudinal wave is investigated. In addition, energy transport from leading pulse to trailing pulses and the interaction of these trailing pulses with defects are studied. The results revealed that the semi-longitudinal wave is a viable option for tank floor and wall defect inspection.
Research and Prospect on Relationship Between Microstructure Characteristics and Strength-Toughness of High Grade Pipeline Steel
Authors: Tong Ke , Zhuang Chuanjing , He Xiaodong , Han Xinli , Song Juan
Published: April 2011

The strength property of high grade pipeline steel has been obviously improved with the rapid development of the constructing of oil and gas pipelines. And the excellent strength-toughness matching of pipeline steel is very important. The major affecting factor on strength-toughness of pipeline steel is microstructure characteristic. In this paper, the research status of pipeline steel microstructure characteristic including effective grain size, non-metallic inclusions and banded structure is summarized at home and abroad. In addition, the shortcomings of former research on the relationship between microstructure characteristics and strength-toughness are also analyzed for this pipeline steel. On this basis, a solution is put forward to investigate the characterization of effective grain size and micro-mechanical behavior of inclusions and banded structure with the method of electron backscatter diffraction and the method of SEM in situ observation. And the necessities and feasibilities of the solution are discussed.
Management of OSBRA Project Portfolio: Learned Lessons After Several Cases and Many Years of Experience
Authors: de Almeida Ma´rcio Manha˜es Gomes , Librais Junior Valter , Vieira Nilson
Published: April 2011

OSBRA is a 20″ multiproduct pipeline operated by TRANSPETRO that supplies Diesel oil, gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from REPLAN, the Brazilian major refinery, to five Tank Farms located along the country Midwestern region. In 2001, five years after OSBRA first commissioning, TRANSPETRO initiated several projects to improve the pipeline and Tank Farms operational performance on quality, measurement, safety and environmental care. A project portfolio management system was established in order to keep control of projects conducted along the 964 kilometers of pipeline, its Tank Farms and two unmanned pump stations. Learned lessons and good practices were adopted from typical project management cases on the pipeline industry, such as: tank drainage, effluents and fire protection systems; improvements on pipeline measurement and control systems; improvements on pipeline leak detection system; tank construction; short length pipelines construction; truck loading and unloading terminal facilities; jet fuel receiving, storage and delivering system; technology developing projects and so on. Some of these projects were conducted based on PETROBRAS traditional experience on project management, some were conducted according to the Independent Project Analysis Institute - IPA and the best recommended practices from the PMI’s PMBOK® Guide, and others were conducted considering a mix of both practices. During the project, the members of the project team and its stakeholders were geographically spread out through several sites. This paper presents how the OSBRA project portfolio has been managed by a reduced multi-disciplinary team, including safety and environmental professionals, in order to keep each project aligned to meet its essential operational and business objectives.
Strength of Line Pipe With Dent and Crack Defect
Authors: Rafi Abu , Silva Jorge , Kenno Sara , Das Sreekanta , Kania Richard , Wang Rick Yahua
Published: April 2011

Pipeline industry and various research organizations have been undertaking studies to understand how the pressure strength of line pipes reduces as the defects in the line pipes grow. Defect in pipe lines can be in the form of corrosion, dent, wrinkle, gouge, crack, and combinations of these. A large number of studies have been completed in developing methods for determining the pressure strength of line pipes with dent and gouge defects and also in the form of combined dent-gouge defect. Some of these studies were undertaken with the intention of determining the pressure strength of line pipes when a combined dent and crack (dent-crack) defect has formed. However, in these studies no cracks were simulated in the test pipe specimens; instead, a gouge (machined cut or notch) was produced and considered as a crack. Therefore, it is not realistic to call this defect a dent-crack defect; rather, it should be called dent-gouge defect. Hence, the current project is being undertaken at the University of Windsor to study how the dent-crack defect influences the pressure strength of line pipes. In this study, a crack in true sense was introduced in the pipe wall. Two different techniques were used to simulate the crack in the pipe wall. This paper discusses the procedures used in this study to simulate crack and dent. In addition, the test procedure and test data obtained from denting and pressure tests are discussed.
In-Field Application of Steel Strip Reinforcement for Pipeline External Rehabilitation
Authors: Venero Nicholas J. , Bond Tim J. M. , Burke Raymond N. , Miles David J.
Published: April 2011

A new technology for external rehabilitation of pipelines, known as XHab™, has been developed. This method involves wrapping multiple layers of ultra-high strength steel (UHSS) strip in a helical form continuously over an extended length of pipeline using a dedicated forming and wrapping machine. The reinforcement afforded by the strip can be used to bring a defective section of pipe (e.g. externally corroded or dented) back to its original allowable operating conditions, or even to increase the allowable operating pressure if the desired operating conditions exceed the original pipeline design limits. This paper describes the design, manufacture and testing process for a self-propelled wrapping machine for in-field rehabilitation. The wrapping apparatus consists of several major components including an opening sufficiently wide to receive the pipe, a movement assembly, a winding head, a preforming device, an accumulator and an oscillating adhesive applicator. The wrapping apparatus uses the winding head to wrap the reinforcing steel strip around the pipe. The movement assembly uses a pair of tracks in contact with the pipe to drive the wrapping apparatus along which enables helical wrapping of the reinforcing strip material. The oscillating adhesive assembly applies structural adhesive to the pipe immediately before the strip is wound. The winding head, motive assembly and adhesive applicator are electronically synchronized to one another to enable precise control of pitch and adhesive volume. The paper also describes the field application of XHab including mobilization/demobilization of equipment and interaction with other rehabilitation equipment, as well as specific aspects such as initiation and termination of wrapping, protection of rehabilitated area and implementation of cathodic protection.
Testing and Analysis of Steel Strip Reinforcement for Pipeline External Rehabilitation
Authors: Miles David J. , Bond Tim J. M. , Burke Raymond N. , van Schalkwijk Ruben
Published: April 2011

A new technology for external rehabilitation of pipelines, known as XHab™, has been developed. This method involves wrapping multiple layers of ultra-high strength steel strip (UHSS) in a helical form continuously over an extended length of pipeline using a dedicated forming and wrapping machine. The reinforcement afforded by the strip can be used to bring a defective section of pipe (e.g. externally corroded or dented) back to its original allowable operating conditions, or even to increase the allowable operating pressure if the desired operating conditions exceed the original pipeline design limits. This paper describes the full scale burst testing and analysis of defective pipes which have been repaired using the XHab process. The full scale test sections are 30″ × 0.5″ API 5L X52 DSAW pipe and include the following specimens: • Bare pipe with no defects; • Bare pipe with single machined defect; • Wrapped pipe with single machined defect and designed reinforcement; • Wrapped pipe with single machined defect and insufficient reinforcement; • Wrapped pipe with interacting defect array and designed reinforcement. The above full scale burst tests are supplemented by FEA models using ABAQUS. The material models for the steel pipe, UHSS strip, defect patch material and strip adhesive are based on measured data from the batch tests and tuned against the control burst test results. The structural behavior in the individual metallic and non-metallic elements can therefore be examined more closely, particularly in the region of the defect and where the wrapped strip crosses seam and girth welds.
Inline Inspection: Both Effective Data Collection and Interpretation Needed to Achieve High Quality Reporting Results
Authors: Walker James R. , Mallaburn Paul , Balmer Derek
Published: April 2011

Historically, pipeline operators have tended to place more weight on inline inspection tool specifications than on the inherent design and reporting capabilities of the service providers themselves. While internal collection of integrity data is very important, it’s imperative that vendors, also, have high levels of expertise and effective quality control systems in place to successfully analyze exceedingly high volumes of inspection data. The quality of inspection information is vital to assessing if a pipeline is fit for purpose now and/or into the future. Integrity managers attempting to reduce overall operating risk by making decisions based on inaccurate or poor quality reporting are in fact exposing their networks to greater safety and financial risk. Recognizing these risks and that inline inspection (ILI) is an overall system that needs to be formally qualified, operators and ILI service providers have collaborated to develop several international standards. The most recent is the umbrella API-1163 industry consensus standard, which is now being widely adopted, primarily in USA. This standard provides requirements and recommended practices for qualification of the entire ILI process. Two companion standards: ASNT In-line Personnel Qualification and Certification Standard No. ILI-PQ and NACE Recommended Practice In-Line Inspection of Pipelines RP0102 combine to address specific requirements for personnel who operate and analyze the results of ILI systems. In Europe, the Pipeline Operators Forum (POF) has, also, established specific requirements for ILI reporting processes and data formats. However, these standards do not define how operators and vendors must meet these requirements. To follow will be a story about how an ILI service provider embraced a holistic approach to address these standards’ requirements, in particular in the areas of data analysis, reporting, and dig verification due to their significant importance in assuring the final quality of its deliverables. A key outcome desired will be to provide operators with greater insight into what best practices and technologies ILI service providers should have embraced and invested in to insure reliable service delivery.
Pipe Resonant Bending Fatigue Test Setup With Optical Measurement System
Authors: Van Wittenberghe Jeroen , De Baets Patrick , De Waele Wim , Ost Wouter , Verstraete Matthias , Hertele´ Stijn
Published: April 2011

Pipes and tubular members are used in offshore applications as structural elements such as columns or in transport pipelines, risers etc. When subjected to dynamic loads, weld defects or geometrical stress raisers can initiate fatigue cracks causing the columns or pipelines to fail prematurely. In order to investigate the fatigue behaviour of pipe joints, a resonant bending fatigue setup was designed, suitable for testing pipes within a diameter range from 6″ to 20″. In this setup the pipe, filled with water, is subjected to a dynamic excitation force with a frequency close to the natural frequency of the filled pipe. The force is applied using a unique drive unit with excentric masses. The pipe is supported in the nodes of its natural wave-form, so that no dynamic forces are transmitted to the setup. The deformation of the pipe is measured at discrete locations using an optical 3D dynamic measuring system. Through thickness fatigue cracks can be detected by pressurizing the water in the pipe and applying a pressure gauge. In this paper some unique aspects of the design of the resonant bending fatigue setup are discussed by presenting the results of a semi-analytical model used for calculating the deformation and bending stress in the excitated pipe and by comparing these results to the deformation measurements made by the dynamic measuring system. The working principles of the setup are illustrated by showing the preliminary test results for a 12″ diameter X65 steel pipe with a wall thickness of 12.7mm. It is demonstrated that the model predicts the behaviour of the pipe in the setup very accurately.
A Model for Predicting the Average Hydraulic Wax Deposition Thickness of a Long-Term Unpigged Crude Pipeline
Authors: Miao Qing , Jiang Baoliang , Tao Jianghua , Hu Sen , Liu Jianjun
Published: April 2011

A crude oil pipeline transporting Daqing crude in the Northeast of China had not been carried out pigging for four years. The wax deposition in it increased gradually over past four years. In this paper, from the operation data of the pipeline among the four years, the average hydraulic wax deposition thicknesses are calculated and analyzed statistically. Based on the results, the increment of the wax deposition in the long-term unpigged crude oil pipeline is concluded qualitatively and so a mathematical model for predicting the average hydraulic wax deposition thickness of such a pipeline is created. The physical meanings of the coefficients in the model are explained in the paper. Also, as an example for showing how to use this model, the statistical results on certain section of the pipeline are selected and the determination for the coefficients is introduced in detail.
Pipeline Modeling and Assessment in Unstable Slopes
Authors: Nieves Ca´ceres Carlos , Pereira Ordon˜ez Mauricio
Published: April 2011

The OCENSA pipeline system is exposed to different geotechnical problems, including faults, landslides and/or creeping slopes. These problems are typical of the Andes Mountains, especially in tropical countries like Colombia. Due to the fact that the system was constructed buried, the pipe interaction with the surrounding soil is a very important factor that must be taken into account in these unstable places in order to guarantee the pipe integrity. In this paper, a methodology to evaluate the pipe response under soil displacements in slow landslides is proposed. This methodology consists of three different cases of analysis, according to the characteristics of the place in study. It starts using a simplified analytical model and ends with 3D finite element numerical simulations using the real geometry of soil and pipe. The 3D continuum finite element models are made using the general purpose nonlinear software ABAQUS/Standard. These models are calibrated and validated with soil displacement data acquired from geotechnical instrumentation and pipeline geometry information obtained from in-line inspection tools. The models are used to predict the pipe behavior, estimating the moment at which the pipe overpasses the allowable strains. Based on the calculated strains, relief procedures are programmed and executed. These activities allow the pipeline to relieve the strain caused by soil movements, avoiding the occurrence of failures. For this reason, the proposed methodology is a very important tool in the OCENSA pipeline integrity program, which has been used successfully to assess the pipe condition in unstable areas and to take the appropriate remediation and mitigation techniques.
Management of Transpetro’s Corporate Social and Environmental Responsibility in the Midwest of Brazil
Authors: Brito Walderes , Bortolon Carlos Roberto , de Castro Newton Camelo , Rodrigues da Silva Simone , Machado Cardoso Guilherme
Published: April 2011

Evidence of compliance with the corporate policy of social and environmental responsibility of a company is not always fully matched to the daily lives of each of its regional managers or business units. Consolidated information on business reporting often generalizes individual experiments and thus hides the lack of capacity of the company to meet the parameters of social management and environmental responsibility. This article records the experience of the Management of Land and Oil Terminals Transpetro in the Midwest to face the challenge of overcoming this trend by developing mechanisms to regionally monitor performance in various dimensions of environmental responsibility and the relationship with internal public, environment, communities, government and society, among other things. The work was initiated in 2008 with the creation of the Center for Environmental and Social Responsibility, made up of professionals from different sectors of management, whose first task was to make a diagnosis which would position Transpetro Midwestern regarding the fulfillment of general requirements of social responsibility corporately as well as those specific requirements of the gas sector and energy. Compared with the “Corporate Social Responsibility Indicators”, this diagnosis has provided an overview of environmental responsibility actions already undertaken in the management system, and has pointed to those areas that require greater commitment. This allows the business unit to demonstrate why Petrobras is considered a benchmark for social and environmental responsibility in Brazil and the world.
Managing Integrity of Underground Fiberglass Pipelines
Authors: Deng Chuntao , Salamanca Gabriel , Santander Monica
Published: April 2011

The majority of Husky’s fiberglass pipelines in Canada have been used in upstream oil gathering systems to carry corrosive substances. When properly designed and installed, fiberglass pipelines can be maintenance-free (i.e., no requirements for corrosion inhibition and cathodic protection, etc.) However, similar to many other upstream producers, Husky has experienced frequent fiberglass pipeline failures. A pipeline risk assessment was conducted using a load-resistance methodology for the likelihood assessment. Major threats and resistance-to-failure attributes were identified. The significance of each threat and resistance attribute, such as type and grade of pipe, and construction methods (e.g., joining, backfill, and riser connection) were analyzed based on failure statistical correlations. The risk assessment concluded that the most significant threat is construction activity interfering with the existing fiberglass pipe zone embedment. The most important resistance attribute to a fiberglass pipeline failure is appropriate bedding, backfill and compaction, especially at tie-in points. Proper backfilling provides most resistance to ground settlement, frost-heaving, thaw-unstable soil, or pipe movement due to residual stress or thermal, and pressure shocks. A technical analysis to identify risk mitigation options with the support of fiberglass pipe supplier and distributors was conducted. To reduce the risk of fiberglass pipeline failures, a formal backfill review process was adopted; and a general pipeline tie-in/repair procedure checklist was developed and incorporated into the maintenance procedure manual to improve the workmanship quality. Proactive mitigation options were also investigated to prevent failures on high risk fiberglass pipelines.
Osbra’s Environmental Management System: A Successful Experience
Authors: Torres Carlos Alberto Rodrigues , Camargo de Vicente Ana Paula , Mitidiero Leonardo , Coelho Jorge Ibirajara E. , Bortolon Carlos Roberto , Junqueira Taˆnia
Published: April 2011

The Osbra (Oleoduto Sa˜o Paulo–Brasi´lia) System is one of the main pipeline systems for Petrobras Transportes S. A. - Transpetro and its function is to carry gasoline, diesel oil and liquefied petroleum gas throughout the Midwest region of Brazil. Since the beginning of the operation of Osbra in 1996, the Environmental Management System (EMS) has evolved following the development of the company, nationally and globally. The basis of environmental management is ISO 14001, in which the system has been certified since 2001. The evolution of the management system has significant marks, among which we highlight the Program for Excellence in Environmental Management and Safety, the Program Process Safety and the Project on Excellence. The positive performance of the EMS is demonstrated in the excellent performance of indicators, such as, zero spills from pipeline and one of the best evaluations in the Program of the Evaluation of Environmental Management for the Company. This paper provides a review of this initiative, including the main processes, programs, difficulties, solutions, tools and indicators that contributed to the success in over fourteen years of operation of the Osbra System.
Pipeline Batch Planning to Optimize Storage Requirements
Authors: Ma Bill , Zhou Alan , Steeves Jim
Published: April 2011

Pipeline batch delivery is a common practice in the industry to transport multiple products in the same pipeline. Proper batch planning can minimize the product storage requirement in operating a pipeline system. Transporting fluids in batches without using separation pigs can result in interface contamination between two different fluids in the pipeline. The volume of interfaces is closely related to the diffusion and dispersions occurred on the interface, which are dependent on product properties such as density and viscosity, fluid flow velocity, flow regime, pipeline mechanical configuration, pipe diameter and roughness, and travelling distance. In general, a turbulent flow is preferred to minimize the boundary viscous layer, thus, reducing the interface volume. The batching sequence is typically arranged so as to achieve the minimum batch interface contamination with the distance travelled. Normally, this is done by arranging the adjacent batches in descending or ascending order of the product quality or density. In this paper, a batch delivery analysis is performed on a proposed multiproduct pipeline to transport eight refined products from a refinery to a delivery terminal through a 240 km NPS 18 pipeline. The minimum volume of each product making up a batch will be sized to allow for reinjection of the interfaces back into the corresponding product tanks at the delivery terminal according to a set of contamination criteria. The proposed batch sequence is to minimize the required tank storage volume. A dynamic hydraulic flow simulator is utilized in this study to confirm the batch planning of the delivery system. The model is developed with the optimized batch plan and the dynamic net tank storage requirement for each product is determined. This paper will detail the methodology for batching design and tank storage calculations.
Using Geospatial Solutions to Meet Distribution Integrity Management Requirements
Authors: McElroy Robert A.
Published: April 2011

Recently enacted U.S. regulations will require distribution system operators to develop Distribution Integrity Management Programs (DIMP). The purpose of this regulation is to reduce system operating risks and the probability of failure by requiring operators to establish a documented, systematic approach to evaluating and managing risks associated with their pipeline systems. Distribution Integrity Management places new and significant requirements on distribution operators’ Geographic Information System (GIS). Operators already gather much of the data needed for meeting this regulation. The challenge lies in efficiently and accurately integrating and evaluating all system data so operators can identify and implement measures to address risks, monitor progress and report on results. Similar to the role geospatial solutions played in helping transmission pipeline operators meet Integrity Management Program requirements, this paper will discuss the role GIS can play in helping operators meet the DIMP regulations. Data requirements, storage and integration will also be presented. The paper will give examples of how risk-based decision making can improve operational efficiency and resource allocation.
Long Term Corrosion Behaviour of Carbon Steel During Anaerobic to Aerobic Cycling Under Near-Neutral pH Saline Conditions
Authors: Sherar Brent W. A. , Keech Peter G. , Qin Zack , King Fraser , Shoesmith David W. , Worthingham Robert G.
Published: April 2011

This paper investigates the long term corrosion behaviour of pretreated carbon steel under alternating anaerobic to aerobic cycles over 238 days. Changes in steel behaviour were observed electrochemically by monitoring the corrosion potential, and calculating changes to corrosion rate from linear polarization resistance. With increasing cycle number the corrosion process becomes localized at a small number of locations, consistent with the formation of tubercles. Periods of aerobic corrosion were associated with more positive potentials (between −500 mV to −350 mV) and high corrosion rates (70 to 120 μm yr−1); whereas anaerobic corrosion yielded more negative potentials (< −650 mV) and lower corrosion rates (40 to 50 μm yr−1). Upon termination of the experiment, corrosion product deposits were characterized by several techniques: scanning electrochemical microscopy to detect morphology; focused ion beam and cross sectioning to judge film thickness and film porosity; and Raman Spectroscopy to identify iron phases.
Effect of Separation on Ductile Crack Propagation Behavior During Drop Weight Tear Test
Authors: Hara Takuya , Fujishiro Taishi
Published: April 2011

The demand for natural gas using LNG and pipelines to supply the world gas markets is increasing. The use of high-strength line pipe provides a reduction in the cost of gas transmission pipelines by enabling high-pressure transmission of large volumes of gas. Under the large demand of high-strength line pipe, crack arrestability of running ductile fracture behavior is one of the most important properties. The CVN (Charpy V-notched) test and the DWTT (Drop Weight Tear Test) are major test methods to evaluate the crack arrestability of running ductile fractures. Separation, which is defined as a fracture parallel to the rolling plane, can be characteristic of the fracture in both full-scale burst tests and DWTTs. It is reported that separations deteriorate the crack arrestability of running ductile fracture, and also that small amounts of separation do not affect the running ductile fracture resistance. This paper describes the effect of separation on ductile propagation behavior. We utilized a high-speed camera to investigate the CTOA (Crack Tip Opening Angle) during the DWTT. We show that some separations deteriorate ductile crack propagation resistance and that some separations do not affect the running ductile fracture resistance.
Maximum Reliability in Natural Gas Transport
Authors: Tomaz Luciane , Leite Joa˜o Paulo de Barros
Published: April 2011

This article describes a management program implemented to develop a methodology of continuous enhancement in the processes of natural gas transmission and processing operation, which are particularly aimed to ensure operational continuity, promoting a cultural change. The program was structured into six main areas of impact to operational continuity, namely pipeline commissioning & startup, gas transmission, gas processing, process management, maintenance management and training & knowledge transfer, which are the structural pillars of the program.
Study of Influence Factors on the CTOA Toughness Values by Experiment/Simulation Method
Authors: Wang Junqiang , Jian Shuai , Xu Xuerui
Published: April 2011

Although the crack-tip-opening angle (CTOA) has been widely recognized as an efficient fracture criterion for modeling stable crack growth and instability during the fracture process, the variation of its toughness value with many different kinds of factors changing for specific material during steady crack extension has been the focus of attention, such as specimen thickness, crack tunneling, notch shape, displacement rate, etc. At first, the present paper reviewed a variety of fracture parameters assessing the stable crack extension for ductile fracture toughness of pipelines steels or aluminum alloys. It was summarized that a few of test techniques and calculation methods available for determination of CTOA toughness, and the development of relative testing standards. Furthermore, the focus for this paper was to discuss a variety of influence factors of the CTOA toughness values in accordance with the results from the CTOA testing and finite element simulation of X70 and X80 steel specimens with different ligament thickness and the relative published articles. To compare the different CTOA values obtained by using direct surface methods and indirect methods from finite element analyses (FEA), CTOA toughness values of X70 and X80 pipeline steel were measured with a modified double-cantilever beam (MDCB) specimen in the servo-hydraulic uniaxial test machine. The gauge thicknesses included 4, 8 and 10 mm. The result of this study showed that critical CTOA values decreased with gauge thickness increasing. It was found that the computed surface CTOA in 3-D finite element analysis was generally lower than direct surface CTOA in the experimental measurement.
The Limit Load Calculations for Pipe Bend With Axial Part-Through Defect
Authors: Orynyak I. V. , Lokhman I. V. , Okhrimchuk S. O.
Published: April 2011

Pipe bend is very complicated element for the structural integrity assessment. Up to day there is no conventionally adopted technique for limit load calculation of pipe bend even without any defect. The problem is that at application of outer bending moment the pipe bend cross section ovalizes and the process of deformation can be described only with accounting for the geometrical nonlinearity. The paper deal with limit load calculation for pipe bend with axial part-through defect for particular case when circumferential stresses originated both from inner pressure and outer bending moment dominate over axial stresses from the moment and axial force. Two extreme cases are considered at start. First one is the action of the inner pressure only. The “Institute for Problems of Strength limit load model” (IPS model) can be applied here without any restrictions. The second case is consideration of circumferential bending stresses which have appeared due to ovalization from the outer bending moment. The model of the transmission of stresses from the defected region to the undamaged regions is suggested and the resulting formula for the stress concentration (or strength reduction) coefficient is obtained. At last the simultaneous action of both loadings is considered. As result the analytical formula for the reference stress calculation which is similar in appearance to that of API 579 for accounting for membrane stress as well as bending stress is suggested. The only difference is that strength reduction coefficients are considered for both the membrane stresses from inner pressure and bending stress from ovalization. This differs from API 579 approach where the influence of the defects length on the bending stresses is not taken into account.
Buckling and Unstable Collapse of Seamless Pipes and Tubes
Authors: Van den Abeele F. , Bar J. , Jakani S.
Published: April 2011

Deepwater pipelines and high pressure casing and tubing are prone to buckling and unstable collapse under compressive loading and external pressure. The most important parameters governing the unstable collapse behaviour of perfectly round pipes and tubes are the circumferential yield stress of the material, the Young’s modulus and the ratio of diameter over thickness (D/t). Initial imperfections in the geometric shape of the pipe, like wall thickness variations or ovality, can have a pronounced influence on the collapse resistance of a pipe. Local dents can reduce the collapse pressure significantly, and trigger propagating buckles along the line. In this paper, buckling and unstable collapse of seamless pipes and tubes are studied. First, collapse pressure experiments for High Collapse Casing grades L80HC and P110HC are presented, showing that the seamless pipe production at ArcelorMittal Tubular Products in Ostrava (Czech Republic) is under tight quality control and complies with the API standards. Then, the critical collapse pressure is calculated for different scenarios. Depending on the ratio of diameter to wall thickness, four regimes are identified: yielding collapse, followed by plastic collapse, a transition range, and finally elastic collapse. For each condition, closed form expressions are derived for the critical collapse pressures. In addition, simplified design equations are reviewed to quickly estimate the collapse pressure. Then, the influence of initial imperfections on the collapse resistance is studied. Both the effects of geometric imperfections (ovality and wall thickness eccentricity) and material properties (especially yield stress and residual stresses) are addressed. In the end, an enhanced design equation is proposed to predict the critical collapse pressure of dented seamless pipes. This equation is validated by collapse experiments, can account for different initial imperfections, and is valid for a wide range of D/t ratios.
Towards a Numerical Design Tool for Composite Crack Arrestors on High Pressure Gas Pipelines
Authors: Van den Abeele F. , Amlung L. , Di Biagio M. , Zimmermann S.
Published: April 2011

One of the major challenges in the design of ultra high grade (X100) high pressure gas pipelines is the identification of a reliable crack propagation strategy. Ductile fracture propagation is an event that involves the whole pipeline and all its components, including valves, fittings, flanges and bends. Recent research results have shown that the newly developed high strength large diameter gas pipelines, when operated at severe conditions (rich gas, low temperatures, high pressure), may not be able to arrest a running ductile crack through pipe material properties. Hence, the use of crack arrestors is required in the design of safe and reliable pipeline systems. A conventional crack arrestor can be a high toughness pipe insert, or a local joint with higher wall thickness. Steel wire wrappings, cast iron clamps or steel sleeves are commonly used non-integral solutions. Recently, composite crack arrestors have enjoyed increasing interest from the industry as a straightforward solution to stop running ductile cracks. A composite crack arrestor is made of (glass) fibres, dipped in a resin bath and wound onto the pipe wall in a variety of orientations. In this paper, the numerical design of composite crack arrestors will be presented. First, the properties of unidirectional glass fibre reinforced epoxy are measured and the micromechanic modelling of composite materials is addressed. Then, the in-use behaviour of pipe joints with composite crack arrestors is covered. Large-scale tensile tests and four point bending tests are performed and compared with finite element simulations. Subsequently, failure measures are introduced to predict the onset of composite material failure. At the end, the ability of composite crack arrestors to arrest a running fracture in a high pressure gas pipeline is assessed.
Integrated Real-Time Information to Use in Commercial, Logistics and Operational Activities Provided by the National Control Center Operation of TRANSPETRO
Authors: Aniceto He´lio A. R.
Published: April 2011

The National Control Center Operation TRANSPETRO created an information site that allows obtaining in real-time, using a system PIMS (Plant Information Management Systems), the information of process plants involved in the operations of our pipelines. The site provides different views for different clients. It also indicates the logistics transportation schedule progress, pipelines operation rates, comparative graphs (like global movement historical by period), transportation summaries by product or regions, covering all pipeline operations in Brazil. We also have links to process data of some plants long and short oil pipeline and for transfer of custody, obtaining information on pumps, valves, control valves, pressure and flow of the operation in progress. The pipeline location maps have a dynamic representation using geographic maps and showing the pipeline status. We are still developing applications to improve the information quality for clients, what give us feedback about the site’s stage progress. When we created the site of the National Control Center Operation TRANSPETRO we seek the principal function of technology PIMS “collect data from all areas of a plant and provides them for any type of application and makes it a great diffuser of information across the various organizational levels” [1].The benefits obtained from deploying the site using the PIMS technology brings potential gains support for the “decision-making of strategic and tactical levels of the enterprise” [2].