Prof. Gheorghe Zecheru, Ph.D. Eng.

Prof. Andrei Dumitrescu, Ph.D. Eng.

Assoc. Prof. Gheorghe Drăghici, Ph.D. Eng.
Assist. Prof. Alin Diniță , Ph.D. Eng.

Mechanical Engineering Department

Petroleum – Gas University of Ploiești

INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING THE

CONSTRUCTION, EXPLOITATION AND
MAINTENANCE OF NATURAL GAS
TRANSMISSION PIPELINES SYSTEMS
9th ANNUAL ROMANIA OIL & GAS
Conference & Exhibition 2017

Ramada Parc Hotel - Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Steps in Transmission Pipelines Maintenance

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Defects/Flaws of Steel Transmission Pipelines

Geometrical flaws:
grooves and
local deformations /
dents

Metal loss flaws Crack-like flaws

due to corrosion and/or erosion

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Magnitude and consequences of several major
damages produced on pipelines belonging
to the Romanian National Transmission System

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Comparison of the percentage weight of
pipelines incidents produced by various causes,
obtained from various databases available

Class A – Defects generated by time-dependent factors (eg. corrosion);

Class B – Defects caused by stable factors (manufacturing / construction);
Class C – Defects caused by time independent factors (third party,
incorrect operation, climate conditions, etc.).

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Evaluation of the severity of the detected flaws and
definition of the transmission pipeline areas to be
1
reinforced by performing maintenance works
Data required / to be known:
• dimensional characteristics of the investigated pipelines: De, tn;
• pipeline operational conditions: p, MOWP  p, temperatures;
• mechanical characteristics of the pipe steel and design
factors: E, Rt0,5, σa = F Rt0.5 , Rm, A2in, KV, K1C;
• geometrical characteristics of each individual defect and/or
of each group of flaws that interact: sp, cp, dmax.

Applying a Fitness For Service – FFS evaluation procedure,

from the ones recommended (API Std 579-1:2007 / ASME FFS-1,
2007, ASME B31.G etc.), the residual mechanical strength and
the remaining operating life of each pipeline area with
detected flaws should be assessed.

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Evaluation of the detected flaws using:
a. DAC - Defect Acceptance Chart (grooves, pitting, metal loss);
b. FAD - Failure Assessment Diagram (crack-like flaws)

Coordinates of the characteristic point of each defect:

• DAC: dpr = dp/s and Lpr = Lp/(sDe)0.5;
• FAD: Lr = σ/Rt0,5 and Kr = K1/K1C,
where σ = 0.5 MOP De/s, K1 = σ(dp)0.5 f(dp, Lp)
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 Examination of pipeline areas with flaws
Definition of the River Bottom Route and Critical
Thickness Profile for the flaws areas

Pipeline areas with flaws

are subject to FFS to asses
the residual mechanical
strength and the reinforcement level to be guaranteed by
maintenance works, using a Level 1, 2 or 3 evaluation
procedure (geometrical models of the flaws + methods
to determine the mechanical stress and strain state).
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
Assessment of the Remaining Strength Factor
(RSF) of a pipeline with local metal loss flaws
Remaining Strength Factor = ratio between the value of a
mechanical load or strength characteristic of the pipe with
flaws and the value of the same load / characteristic for the
pipe without flaws.
The (minimum) allowable value: RSFa = 0.8...0.9
RSF < RSFa: evaluation procedure to define the maintenance
works required to reestablish the pipe loading capacity.
RSF  RSFa: maintenance works not necessary, but the pipeline
remaining operating life to be assessed.
RSF value for a pipe with corrosion flaws should be assessed in
relation not only to the serviceability limit state (pipe stresses
reaching allowable level), RSF (as defined by the Norms), but
also to the ultimate limit state (pipe failure / bursting), RSFu.
RSFu = ratio between the bursting pressure of the pipeline with
flaws, pbd, and the bursting pressure of the pipeline without any
flaw, pb.
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 Examples of
diagrams for the
evaluation of RSF
and RSFu for
pipelines with local
metal loss flaws
sp
srp  - relative length of the flaw; drp = dmax/t - relative depth of the flaw
De t
Flaw Acceptance
Diagram,
based on RSF
evaluation for
serviceability limit
state

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Assessment of Interacting Metal Loss Flaws

Procedure recommended in API 579 Assessment according to ASME B31G

Assessment using Finite Elements Method – some analyses results

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Classification and Codification of the Technological
2 Procedures for Transmission Pipelines Repair

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Reinforcing the defective areas of steel pipelines:
A. with welding ►applying steel patches or sleeves etc.
B. without welding
►applying composite materials wraps/sleeves etc.
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
Specific Features of Pipelines Repair by Welding
Main types of additional elements applied
A

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Types of Welded Joints performed to repair
Transmission Pipelines
CWJ

CWJ
CWJ

LWJ

➢ Circular Welded Joints / Outline Welded Joints – CWJ, butt or fillet welded
joints; their performance affects directly and considerably the pipe wall by
generating a field of residual stresses.
➢ Longitudinal Welded Joints – LWJ.
Welding procedures for CWJ require special analyses especially when performed
on in-service (pressurised) pipelines.
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 Main problems when welding directly
onto in-service pipelines
a) Avoiding burning trough pipe wall (by the electric arc) – if the
effective pipe wall thickness is s  6.4 mm and if wrapped electrodes
with a low content of hydrogen are used.
b) Avoiding hydrogen induced cracking (cold / delayed cracking),
activated by fast cooling of the pipe in the weld area – by using a
suficiently high heat input level, by welding with preheating, and by
deposing some narrow beads at the base of the weld in the corner.

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 CWJ Welding Procedure Specification
Welding process Metal-arc weldind – 111
Parent material (pipe & sleeve or patch) Steel X42, X46, X52, X60 – API 5L
%C / carbon equivalent CE IIW %C  022 / CEIIW  0,44
Pipe & attachment wall thickness s 7,1…12,5 mm
Gas pipeline pressure p / Flow rate of gas vg 10…35 bar / 1…3 m/s
Filler material designation / size de E8018 G / 3.25 mm
Type of welding current & polarity DC+
Single run / Multi run Multi run
Welding current: Is / Ua 130…150 A / 22…23 V
Travel speed vs / Heat input EL 10…12(15) cm/min / 14…21(24) kJ/cm
Preheat temperature No preheat, welding at RT  5 oC
Interpass temperature 200 oC
Welding positions L45 – J EN ISO 6947

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Simulation Analyses using Finite Elements Method
of a Pipeline Repaired with Welded Sleeves

FEM results for a

pressurized pipeline
repaired with B-types
sleeves, highlights the
important advantages
of using mechanical
coupling materials
between the defective
pipes and the applied
sleeves.

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas

Conference&Exhibition
Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 Manufacture of Sleeves / Patches used
for Pipeline Repair

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Technologies for obtaining Composite Materials
B
Wraps used to repair Transmission Pipelines
a. Clock Spring wrap; b. Fiba Roll wrap; c. Black Diamond wrap.

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 INNOPIPES Project
INNOVATIVE NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING AND ADVANCED
COMPOSITE REPAIR OF PIPELINES WITH VOLUMETRIC
SURFACE DEFECTS (local metal loss defects)
7th Framework Program, Marie Curie Actions,
International Research Staff Exchange Scheme
Project coordinator: Institute of Materials and Structures
Riga Technical University, Latvia
Project partners: Mechanical Engineering Department
Petroleum - Gas University of Ploieşti
Institute of Mechanics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia
Department of Mechanics and Applied Computer Science
Military University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland
E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute
of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev
State Scientific Institute V.A. Belyi Metal-Polymer
of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Gomel
Research Institute for Mechanics and Applied Mathematics
Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia
Department of Dynamics and Strength of Machines, Ukraine
National Technical University “Kharkov Polytechnic Institute”
9thXXIII-lea
Al Annual Romania
Simpozion Național
Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition
de Mecanica Ruperii Bucharest, 21 November
Sibiu, 20 octombrie 20172017
 INNOPIPES Project
Strategic objective: improvement of infrastructure in E.U. and Third counties
by increasing the reliability of existing transmission pipeline systems from
the petroleum industry.

Scientific and technical objectives: improvement of existing and developing

new methods for the detection and repair of volumetric surface defects (also
named local metal loss defects), generated by corrosion/erosion processes,
using low-frequency ultrasonic testing based on directional waves and
advanced composite repair systems, to bring the efficiency of damaged
transmission pipeline sections to the level of undamaged pipe.
The project was organized in five Work Packages (WP), among which WP 5 is
dedicated to Management and Dissemination Activities.

Project Start Date: September 1, 2012

Project End Date: August 31, 2016

WP 1: Innovative non-destructive testing

(coordinated by the Institute of Mechanics, Sofia).
Objectives: improving and developing modern inspection methods, by
applying long-range ultrasonic testing and phased array technologies.
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 INNOPIPES Project – Work Packages 2-4
WP 2: Materials and technologies for advanced composite repair
(coordinated by the Metal-Polymer Research Institute, Gomel).
Objectives: define selection criteria for materials and technologies used to
repair pipelines, based on composite materials warps; development of non-
destructive techniques for the characterisation of composite materials properties;
experimental investigation of the properties of composite materials intended for
pipeline repair; definition of new methods for the selection of the materials and
technologies for repair.
WP 3: Optimal design of advanced composite repair
(coordinated by the Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiesti).
Objectives: to model, analyse and optimise the composite repair systems,
investigated within WP 2, under the pipeline operational conditions; development
of finite element models (FEM) for composite repair and analyses of the
behaviour of the in-service repaired pipelines; development of an optimisation
methodology for advanced composite repair systems.
WP 4: Prototype development and numerical models validation
(coordinated by the Paton Welding Institute, Kiev).
Objectives: to validate experimentally the FEM models developed within WP3,
based on the results of the static testing of a damaged pipe prototype with
advanced composite repair system, and to determine its effectiveness.
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
Selection and Characterization of Composite Materials
Mechanical characteristics of some composites used for
transmission pipelines repair
Composite material
Property Perma Clock RES-Q
Fiba Roll IWR RKIT 4D
Wrap Spring Wrap

Fibre (fabric) nature Glass Glass Glass Glass Aramid Carbon

Tensile strength (HD)a) RmC, MPa 580-620 72-86 630-650 265-315 188-205 822-1020

Tensile strength (AD)a) RmCa, MPa - - - - 50 269

Tensile modulus (HD)a) EC, GPa 34.0-38.0 7.9-8.7 33.8-34.5 17.5-22.7 48.0-49.3 67.5-69.8

Tensile modulus (AD)a) ECa, GPa - - - - 18.8 26.5

Poisson ratio C - 0.15-0.23 0.22-0.25 0.09-0.11 0.18-0.19 -

Elongation at failure (HD)a)εC, % 1.00 2.60 1.06 1.32 - 0.25b)

Elongation at failure (AD)a)εCa, % - - - - - 0.10b)

Shear modulus GCa, GPa - - - - 4.2 -

Impact resistance KC, J/m2 - - - - 11.2 -

a) HD – hoop / circumferential direction; AD – axial direction; b) allowable strain

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Structure and tensile properties of bi-axial and
tetra-axial woven fabrics for composite materials
The composite material for the reinforcement wraps should be quasi-isotropic because:
• it can be characterized using a reduced number of elastic constants;
• the analytic description of its behaviour under mechanical loads is simple;
• the composite material technologies are simple and easy to use.
The isotropy is mainly influenced by the type and characteristics of the fabric used as
arming component

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Determination of Poisson's ratio (EPC specimen)
and of tensile mechanical properties (ETC)
for a multilayered composite material

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Fatigue cracking behaviour of steel CT-like specimens
with applied composite wraps

• the composite wraps applied reduces 2.5...3.0 times the growth rate of the possible
cracks generated by variable loads in the steel pipes;
• if the wraps have a good adherence to the steel pipe, the possible cracks initiated in
the pipes does not affect them and the pipeline can maintain its tightness;
• the behaviour under variable loading of the composite material indicates the
synergic co-working between the matrix and the fibres fabric arming;
• the behaviour under variable loading of composite materials appears to be
essentially dependent on the loading cycles frequency, and the cracks initiation and
propagation is controlled mainly by strains (not stresses).

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Development of a new design method
for the composite repair systems
Sequence of steps for the repair systems design

lcw  sp + 2(stl + sol) 𝑝𝑑

𝑡𝑒𝑝 = 𝐷
2𝑎𝑝 + 𝑝𝑑 𝑒

TP – transmission pipelines without(a) / with(b) defect (VSD)

EP – equivalent pipeline (without defects); CW – composite wrap
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 Development of a new design procedure
for the composite repair systems
Stages of the proposed design procedure
1. Specification and confirmation of the input data of the application.
2. Determination of the characteristic dimensions (thickness tcw and length
lcw) of the composite wrap applied over the defect to repair the pipeline.
3. Primary verification of the design solution obtained at stage 2. Steps:
calculation of the contact pressure steel pipe / composite wrap; evaluation
of the stresses and strains state in the repaired pipeline area; assessment
of the state of stresses and strains in the composite wrap; validation of
the design solutions for the following conditions: strains continuity, pipe
strength, wrap strength, wrap strains acceptability.
4. Final confirmation and correction of the design solution (tcw and lcw), using
an iterative numerical analysis (nv steps) with the finite elements method
for the damaged pipeline with applied composite wrap: step 0 considers
the design solution; for step j, tcw,j = tcw – t,j; final step, nv, defines
tcwf = tcw,nv = min{tcw; tcw,1; tcw,2…tcw,nv},
integrally complying to the conditions from stage 3.

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 Some numerical analyses performed for stage 4 of the
proposed design procedure for composite repair systems

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Assessment of the efficiency of composite material
systems applied to repair transmission pipelines
using finite element analyses – some results

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Assessment of the efficiency of composite material
systems applied to repair transmission pipelines
using finite element analyses – other results

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

 The reinforcement level provided by applying
composite materials wraps on the pipelines

GCC = (1 – σθCmax/ σθmax) 100; De = 508 mm, t = 10.3 mm, X60 steel
(Rt0.5 = 414 MPa, E = 205 GPa, μ = 0.3), F = 0.4, p = MOWP = 4 MPa
Conclusion: the reinforcement effect of the composite materials
wraps increases with EC, respectively with the ratio EC/E
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
Assessment of the efficiency of composite material
systems applied to repair transmission pipelines
by performing experimental tests

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

Additional tests of composite material systems for
the validation of the numerical FEM models

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 Relevant Published Papers
1. Zecheru Gh., Drăghici Gh., Dumitrescu A., Yukhymets P.S., Methods for Determining the Residual
Strength Factor of Pipelines with Volumetric Surface Defects, Revista de Chimie, Vol. 66, No. 5,
2015, 710-717.
2. Zecheru Gh., Drăghici Gh., Dumitrescu A., Yukhymets P.S., Reinforcement Effects Obtained by
Applying Composite Material Sleeves for the Repair of Transmission Pipelines, Materiale Plastice,
Vol. 53, No. 2, 2016, 252-258.
3. Lyapin, A.A., Chebakov, M.I., Dumitrescu, A., Zecheru, Gh., Finite-Element Modeling of a
Damaged Pipeline Repaired Using the Wrap of a Composite Material, Mechanics of Composite
Materials, Vol. 51, No. 3 / July 2015, pp. 333-340.
4. Zecheru Gh., Birsan M.F., Draghici Gh., Dumitrescu A., Factors Determining the Occurrence of
the Burn Through Phenomenon when Repairing by Welding the Hydrocarbons Transmission
Pipelines, Sudura (Romanian Welding Society’s Journal), Year XXIV, No. 4, 2014, 17-32.
5. Zecheru Gh., Birsan M.F., Dumitrescu A., Draghici Gh., Technological Solutions for Preventing
Hydrogen Induced Cracking when Repairing by Welding Hydrocarbons Transmission Pipelines,
Sudura (Romanian Welding Society’s Journal), Year XXV, No. 4, 2015, 20-45 (Part I); Year XXVI,
No. 1, 2016, 14-39 (Part II).
6. Zecheru Gh., Nicolae E., Assessment of the Remaining Strength Factor for Pipelines Subject to
Local Metal Loss, PGUP Bulletin, Technical Series, Vol. LXIV, No. 4/2012.
7. Zecheru Gh., Lata I.E., Birsan Fl., Draghici Gh., Dinita A., Temporal Evolution of the Steel Pipes
Quality Requirements for the Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines, PGUP Bulletin, Technical Series,
Vol. LXV, No. 4/2013, p. 17-28.
8. Zecheru Gh., Lata I.E., Birsan Fl., Draghici Gh., Dinita A., Strength and Toughness Properties of
Steel pipes in the Superannuated Pipelines of the National Natural Gas Transmission System,
PGUP Bulletin, Technical Series, Vol. LXV, No. 4/2013, p. 29-38.
9. Zecheru Gh., Drăghici Gh., Dumitrescu A., Yukhymets P., Design of Composite Material
Reinforcing Sleeves Used to Repair Transmission Pipelines, PGUP Bulletin, Technical Series, Vol.
LXVI, No. 1/2014, p. 105-117.
9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017
 Thank you
for your attention

9th Annual Romania Oil&Gas Conference&Exhibition Bucharest, 21 November 2017