Session: 02-06 MATERIAL - Qualification & Design

Paper Number: 133555

133555 - Refining the Hydrostatic Design Basis Assessment for Composite Pipes 

Abstract: 

A collaborative project between Gas Technology Institute and C-FER Technologies (1999) Inc. was carried out for the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to conduct a review of modern composite pipe material properties and to assess the suitability of their qualification procedures. The main objective of the project is to evaluate the feasibility of the installation, inspection and integrity management of alternative-steel and non-steel composite systems in natural gas and hazardous liquid gathering and transmission pipelines. The project is divided into eight different tasks; each task will focus on a specific area.

This paper primarily discusses the third task, of which the primary focus is on the evaluation of procedures for designing composite pipes for maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP). The specific goal of this third task was to identify important considerations and limitations that exist within the current body of publicly available standards and recommended practices for the qualification and requalification of composite pipes. A critical review and gap analysis have been conducted to identify important knowledge gaps that exist in relation to the determination of MAOP and the lifespan for composite pipes used in high-pressure transmission and distribution of oil and gas. Also investigated were the test methods used to determine the hydrostatic design basis for composite pipes and their applicability to modern products.

The results of the investigation suggest that identifying the onset of non-linearities in the elastic behaviour of composite pipes through a combination of strain-to-failure and ultimate elastic wall stress (UEWS) analysis can provide insight into the pipes’ long-term performance. This option has shown great promise among the several techniques explored to provide alternative solutions for predicting long-term hydrostatic design pressure. It has been suggested that this technique can be used to reduce the time and resources needed to qualify newly developed products, if other members of the product family have been qualified through the existing test methods.

Presenting Author: Daniel Fujinaga C-FER Technologies

Presenting Author Biography: Daniel Fujinaga is a Research Engineer at C-FER based out of the Pipeline integrity and Risk Management group. Daniel has a background in materials engineering and has worked for 5 years in the oil and gas industry. His main areas of focus are hydrogen-resistant coatings and composite piping.

Authors:

Mohammad Gilde C-FER Technologies
Daniel Fujinaga C-FER Technologies
Enyinnaya George Ohaeri C-FER Technologies
Mathew Bussiere C-FER Technologies