MPWT19-14239

Avoid Potential Repeated Failure (Cracked Gas Compressor line) Through Proper
Material Assessment

Ahmed Elsharkawi
Eastern Petrochemical Company (SHARQ)
Road 218
Al-Jubail, Eastern Province, 31961
Saudi Arabia

Amro Hassanein
Eastern Petrochemical Company (SHARQ)
Road 218
Al-Jubail, Eastern Province, 31961
Saudi Arabia

The heat treatment condition of industrial materials is a critical parameter for material evaluation
and its fitness for intended service. Proper heat treatment will produce desired mechanical and
physical properties, while absence or improper heat treatment may lead to major failure with huge
production, Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) impacts. We hereby explain an actual case
for cracked gas compressor (CGC) 5th stage discharge line caustic stress corrosion cracking
(SCC) that caused unplanned plant shut down and resulted in noticed financial and production
loss.
The proven root cause is absence of normalization. Emergency piping batch is received and
supposed to be normalized to avoid failure recurrence. Many discrepancies extracted from
submitted material certificates, also many physical signs observed on the material itself raising
doubts about received material compatibility. Using advanced Positive Material Identification
(PMI) device to verify the chemical composition of the received material, results show that the
material is questionable.
As a precise test to verify heat treatment condition, microstructure analysis test (metallography)
conducted to confirm normalization condition of the material, the resulted grain structure size and
growth confirm that one of the received pipes has improper or absence of normalization.
The material rejected as it is proven and confirmed that it is not normalized as per the
requirements to avoid further potential of hydrocarbon leakage due to improper material
specification. Rejecting the material eliminate the potential of having repeated failure, in addition
to 600,000 Saudi Riyal (SR) cost saving as material cost. A common recommendation shared
with concerned parties to consider metallography as a mandatory test to be submitted with heat-
treated material test certificate (MTC).

Key words: Heat treatment, microstructure, normalization, grain structure, failure, metallography
 INTRODUCTION

In January 2017, CGC 5th stage discharge line caustic SCC caused an unplanned shut down
resulting in noticed financial and production loss. The inspection of the line revealed many other
SCC in seam and girth welds, in addition to many construction defects. As a short term emergency
plan, a batch of material was secured to be utilized in case of any sudden failure or to be
considered in line replacement.
The critical parameter in the material is the normalization condition, the old material cracked once
and caustic carry over happened because of the remaining residual stresses associated with the
welding during construction and the material didn't receive normalization heat treatment to release
such stresses. Many discrepancies were extracted from submitted material certificates, also many
physical signs observed on the material itself raising doubts about received material compatibility.
Using an advanced PMI device to verify the chemical composition of the received material, results
show that the material is questionable.
As a precise test to verify heat treatment condition, microstructure analysis test (metallography)
conducted to confirm normalization condition of the material, the resulted grain structure size and
growth confirm that one of the received pipes has improper or absence of normalization.
The material rejected as it is proven and confirmed that it is not normalized as per the
requirements to avoid further potential of hydrocarbon leakage due to improper material
specification. Rejecting the material eliminates the potential of having repeated failure, in addition
to 600000 SR cost saving as material cost.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

The happened failure proved to be caustic stress corrosion cracking due to absence of
normalization.
The emergency material batch received detailed assessment to confirm its heat treatment
condition.
Advanced positive material identification (PMI) device (Figure: 1) utilized to confirm the chemical
composition.
Tabulated results for the two samples (Table: 1) versus the submitted MTC and with reference to
API 5L code showed clear discrepancy.
To evaluate firmly the normalization condition, two samples taken from two pipes’ spools and
prepared for lab metallography test as the microstructure is the clearest reflection for the grain
growth and size to evaluate the heat treatment condition.
The resulted microstructure (Figure: 2) proved absence of normalization.

Figure 1: Advanced PMI Device

 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
PMI resulted in discrepancy in the chemical composition for the two samples in comparison with
the submitted MTC, and with reference to API 5L code requirements.
The analysis highlighted three main elements carbon (C), manganese (Mn), and phosphorous
(P).

Table 1: Chemical composition analysis result

Ref./Elem. C Mn P

Submitted
0.14 1.010 0.022
Certificate

Sample 1 0.218 1.24 0.015

Sample 2 0.104 1.40 0.0101

API 5L Gr. B 0.26 1.2 0.03

Although sample 1 still matches API 5L Gr. B requirements, it doesn’t match the submitted MTC.
It means that the two analyzed samples meet API 5L Gr. B requirements in terms of chemical
composition, but can’t be from the same heat number as per related MTC. Stresses that are
required to initiate SCC may be applied (no applied stresses as verified by vibration probes) or
residual from welding process. Objective of the normalizing heat treatment is to release the
residual stresses and to some extent refine the grains, hence improves ductility and
toughness. Material heated to the austenite phase, above the transformation range (A3 line in
Figure 2), the line at which transformation of ferrite to austenite is completed during heating,
subsequently cooled in still air at room temperature. The normalizing heat treatment balances the
structural irregularities and makes the material ductile for further working.

Figure 2: Iron carbon diagram shows A3 normalization transformation line

Normalization condition is the most critical parameter impact the material fitness for the intended
service, so agreed to conduct metallography to check material normalization condition. The
microscopic examination of related samples’ microstructure revealed that improper or absence of
normalization for one sample.

Figure 3: Microscopic Microstructure for two samples, First one shows sign of normalization,
while second one reflects improper normalization
As shown above in the marked sample, bands of pearlite with associated decarburized regions
distributed in relatively coarse grains matrix in parent metal reflecting the absence of grain
refinement and indicates improper normalizing. It means that material stresses not released and
has potential to fail in similar pervious mode. Material rejected being not normalized.

CONCLUSIONS

Received material metallography confirmed un-normalized structure, which has high potential for
failure recurrence. The received material rejected because it doesn’t meet the required
specifications and not matching with submitted MTC. A common recommendation shared with all
concerned parties to confirm submitting metallography report with MTC for any heat treated
material as a mandatory condition. FAT test should be activated for such similar material.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to recognize SHARQ Management, Jubail, for their vision to have advanced tools
and devices, moreover a deserved thank to SABIC Asset technology center for their guidance
and consultancy. Thank you my colleague Amro Hassanein for his valuable contribution in related
inspection activities to discover abnormalities during material receiving.

Thank you MPWT 2019 Technical committee members, for giving the chance to be there.

REFERENCES

1. API 5L (45th edition, 2012), “Specifications for Line Pipes” (American Petroleum Institute).

2. API 571, (second edition), “Damage Mechanisms Affecting Fixed Equipment in the
Refining Industry” (American Petroleum Institute).

3. ATC (Sabic Asset Technology Center), “Failure of cracked gas compressor 5th stage
discharge line” (Jubail, Eastern Province: Sivuyile Funani, Abdulaziz Al-Mashari, Gys Van Zyl).

4. TCR (TCR Arabia), “In situ metallography report” (Jubail, Eastern Province: Sayed Ahsan
Ali).

5. www.tec-science /material-science/heat-treatment-steel/overview-of-heat-treatment-
processes.

6. ASM handbook, (volume 4 1991 edition), “heat treatment”.