Pipelines Material Selection in the Oil & Gas Industry

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Anup Kumar Dey December 11, 2019

Types of Pipelines in the Oil & Gas Industry

In the pipeline industry, various names are provided for the lines depending on the
function and location of the pipelines. They are

Definition, Types, Advantages, Appl...

Definition, Types, Advantages, Applications, ASTM List
Table of Contents

Types of Pipelines in the Oil & Gas Industry

Pipeline Typical Flow Scheme – Export Crude (Fig. 1)
Pipeline Typical Flow Scheme – Export Gas (Fig. 2)
Pipeline Typical flow scheme – Offshore (Fig. 3)
Codes used in the Oil & Gas Industries
Other Pipeline Components
Corrosion Threats in Oil & Gas
Material Selection Process
Corrosion Agents in Oil & Gas
Material Options
Advantages & Disadvantages of Material Options (Fig. 4)
Corrosion Control in Oil & Gas Pipeline Chemical Injections
Online Video Courses related to Pipeline Engineering

Injection lines: Pipelines injecting water/steam/polymer/gas into the wells to

improve the lift.
Flow lines: Pipelines from the wellhead to the nearest processing facility.
Trunk lines / Inter field lines: Pipelines between two processing facilities or from
pig trap to pig trap or from block valve station to block valve station.
Export lines / Loading lines: From the processing facility to the loading or export
point.
Transfer lines / Spur lines: Branch line exiting into trunk line or export line.
Gathering lines: One or more segments of pipelines forming networks and
connected from the wells to processing facilities.
Disposal lines: Pipeline which disposes of normally produced water into disposal
wells (shallow/deep).
Subsea pipelines: Pipelines connecting the offshore production platforms to
onshore processing facilities.

Pipeline Typical Flow Scheme – Export Crude (Fig. 1)

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 Fig. 1: Figure showing Pipeline Typical Flow Scheme – Export Crude

Pipeline Typical Flow Scheme – Export Gas (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2: Figure showing Pipeline Typical Flow Scheme – Export Gas

Pipeline Typical flow scheme – Offshore (Fig. 3)

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 Fig. 3: Figure showing Pipeline Typical Flow Scheme – Offshore

Codes used in the Oil & Gas Industries

Design and Construction

Different codes and standards used for the design and construction of pipelines are

ASME B31.4 – Pipeline Transportation Systems for liquid hydrocarbons and other
liquids
ASME B31.8 – Gas Transmission and distribution piping systems
ISO – 13623 – Petroleum and Natural gas industries Pipeline transportation
systems
DNV –F-101 – Offshore Standard for submarine pipeline systems

Sour Applications

The pipeline codes and standards used for sour service applications are

NACE MR-01-75 – Sulphide stress cracking resistant materials for oilfield

equipment
ISO 15156 – Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil and gas
production

Materials
Pipeline codes and standards that define the material requirements are

API 5L – Specification for line pipe

API 5LC – Specification for CRA line pipe
API 5LD – Specification for CRA clad or lined pipe
API 5LE – Specification for Polyethylene line pipe
ISO 3183 – Petroleum & Natural gas industries – Steel Pipe

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 ISO 14692 – Petroleum and Natural gas industries – Glass Reinforced plastic piping
AWWA M – 45 Fiberglass pipe design

Pipeline Fittings

ISO – 15590 – 1 Pipeline Induction bends

ISO – 15590 – 2 Pipeline Fittings
ISO – 15590 – 3 Pipeline Flanges
MSS – SP 75 – Specification for High Test Wrought Butt welding fittings
MSS – SP 44 – Steel Pipeline Flanges
ASTM A 694 – Steel forgings for high-pressure transmission service

Valves

API 6D – Pipeline valves

API 594 – Check valves
API 608 – Metal Ball Valves
API 609 – Butterfly valves
ISO 14313 – Petroleum & Natural gas industries – Pipeline valves

Other Pipeline Components

Pig launcher / Pig receivers
Barred Tees
Isolation Joints
Pig signallers
Corrosion monitoring fittings
Shrink sleeves / External coatings / Cathodic protection for buried lines

Corrosion Threats in Oil & Gas

CO2 Corrosion (Sweet Corrosion) – General metal loss due to the presence of CO2
in the process fluid.
H2S Corrosion (Sour Corrosion) – Localized metal cracking and corrosion due to the
presence of H2S in the process fluid.
Chlorides and Bicarbonates – Cracking in the metal due to the presence of stress
and chlorides in the process fluid.
Corrosion due to Oxygen – Oxidation and metal loss due to the contact of metal
with oxygen in the process fluid.
Microbiologically induced corrosion – Bacteria that induces corrosion, particularly
within H2S
Erosion (Abrasion) corrosion – Corrosion due to the fluid flow and velocity within the
pipe environments.
Corrosion (External) Threats in the facilities – External atmospheric corrosion on
above-ground lines and corrosion due to soil for buried lines.

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 Corrosion Under Insulation – External corrosion due to water ingress under the
insulating materials.

Material Selection Process

Identify corrosion threats
Define the corrosion circuits
Calculate the corrosion rate per year
Calculate the Service Life Corrosion (SLC) based on design life
Consider the materials options
Carry out the Life Cycle Costing (LCC) – Capex / Opex / Install
Review the selection of the material with respect to the
design/operating/constructability
Finally, select the chosen materials

Corrosion Agents in Oil & Gas

Carbon Dioxide – CO2
Hydrogen Sulphide – H2S
Oxygen – O2
Chlorides – Cl-
Water – H2O

Material Options

Metals:
CS with a corrosion allowance
Stainless Steel
Duplex Stainless Steel
Super Duplex Stainless Steel

Metals + Lining:

CS with internally coated FBE

CS with internal PE lining
CRA clad/lined materials

Non Metals:

Glass Reinforced Epoxy (GRE)

Polyethylene (HDPE)

Advantages & Disadvantages of Material Options (Fig. 4)

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 Fig. 4: Advantages and Disadvantages of materials

Corrosion Control in Oil & Gas Pipeline Chemical Injections

Corrosion inhibitor: Basically meant for CS pipelines, forms a layer of film on the
surface and protects the core pipe from corrosion attack. Batch injection or continuous

Scale Inhibitor: Prevents scale formation in the pipelines by dissolving scale-forming

salts

Wax inhibitor: Dissolves the wax within the crude

Oxygen Scavenger: Reacts and removes oxygen in the fluid

Biocide: Destroys the bacteria, algae, and fungi in the process fluid.

Coagulant / Antifoam: Normally mixed in the separators to improve mixing and reducing
the foam

Demulsifier: Prevents emulsion in the multiphase system

Dehydration agents: Removes moisture in the gas normally Glycol injection

Odorant: Added to the fluid to add smell and detect the leakage

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Online Video Courses related to Pipeline Engineering
If you wish to explore more about pipeline engineering, you can opt for the following video
courses

Pipeline Stress Analysis using Caesar II

Design of Underground Pipeline Supports
Hot Tapping in Piping and Pipeline Industry
Buried or Underground Pipeline Stress Analysis using Caesar II

Few more Pipeline related useful Resources for You..

Underground Piping Stress Analysis Procedure using Caesar II

Comparison between Piping and Pipeline Engineering
A Presentation on Pipelines – Material Selection in Oil & Gas Industry
Corrosion Protection for Offshore Pipelines
Start up and Commissioning of the Pipeline: An Article
DESIGN OF CATHODIC PROTECTION FOR DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL (DSS)
PIPELINE
AN ARTICLE ON MICRO TUNNELING FOR PIPELINE INSTALLATION
A short presentation on: OFFSHORE PIPELINE SYSTEMS: Part 1
Factors Affecting Line Sizing of Piping or Pipeline Systems

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