4/20/2020 Subsea Dissimilar Joints: Failure Mechanisms And Opportunities For Mitigation - OnePetro

Subsea Dissimilar Joints: Failure Mechanisms

And Opportunities For Mitigation

Authors V.C. Beaugrand (TWI Ltd) | L.S. Smith (TWI Ltd) | M.F.
Gittos (TWI Ltd)
Document ID NACE-09305
Publisher NACE International
Source CORROSION 2009, 22-26 March, Atlanta, Georgia
Publication Date 2009
Document Type Conference Paper
Language English
Copyright 2009. NACE International
Keywords cracking, microstructure, subsea, Dissimilar joints,
hydrogen embrittlement
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ABSTRACT:

Dissimilar joints are a common part of subsea oil and gas systems where clad
forged fittings are joined to clad or CRA pipe. Whilst the majority of these joints have
given successful service, a small number have failed. In the current work,
environmental testing was carried out on a dissimilar joint to an 8630M forging,
buttered using alloy 625. Tests were monitored using a sensitive technique in order
to capture the first moments of crack initiation and to determine the minimum
threshold stress intensity factor Kth, below which there is no environmentally
assisted cracking. Two distinct initiation mechanisms were identified; one dependent
on hydrogen-charging in service (under cathodic protection) and one not. A detailed
microstructural investigation, including chemistry, structure and strain, gave insight
into the attributes of the 'partially mixed zone' (PMZ) immediately adjacent to the
fusion boundary, on the weld side, in which one of the failure modes occurred. The
chemical and microstructural characteristic of this PMZ are influenced by welding
and postweld heat treatment (PWHT) parameters. Based on this investigation, the
potential for mitigation of cracking susceptibility by materials selection or by
modifying the welding/PWHT procedure is discussed.

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INTRODUCTION:
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Dissimilar joints are a common part of subsea oil and gas systems. Typically, forged
and machined hubs or tees made from low alloy steel are buttered with a nickel Some of the OnePetro
alloy, such as alloy 625, and then joined to line pipe micro-alloyed steels. The main partner societies have
advantage of buttering is that it enables the forgings to be post weld heat treated developed subject- specific
prior to making the completion weld in the field, as the HAZ of the completion weld wikis that may help.
lies wholly in the buttered layers. The primary dissimilar interface of interest in the
present article is that between the forging and the butter. As for any fusion welded
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4/20/2020 Subsea Dissimilar Joints: Failure Mechanisms And Opportunities For Mitigation - OnePetro

dissimilar joint, a narrow partially mixed zone (PMZ) is observed at the dissimilar
interface, where the composition is graded between that of the parent forging and
the bulk weld deposit chemistry of the butter runs. In order to prevent corrosion of
piping systems, subsea, cathodic protection is applied, primarily using sacrificial PetroWiki was initially
aluminium anodes giving an applied potential of approximately -1100 mVSCE. created from the seven
Resulting in the potential for hydrogen embrittlement when an undesirable volume Petroleum
combination of susceptible microstructure and high applied load is present. Whilst Engineering Handbook
the vast majority of subsea joints have given successful service, a small number has (PEH) published by the
failed. Hydrogen induced cracking at dissimilar interfaces has been observed Society of Petroleum
historically in vessels for high temperature hydrogen service, specifically at the Engineers (SPE).
interface between austenitic claddings and low alloy Cr-Mo steels. Here, rather than
hydrogen charging through cathodic protection, thermal hydrogen charging is
experienced and cracking is a risk upon cooling during shutdowns. Asami and Sakai
first coined the concept of three types of cracking at various positions across the
dissimilar interface1. Type I cracking was defined as occurring at the interface itself,
Type II cracking was broadly intergranular, close to the interface in the PMZ in
shallow penetrating grains, and Type III cracking in the steel HAZ.

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content has been derived
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fourth edition.

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