SIMULATED SERVICE TEST

OPERATING MANUAL

Doc. No. SST-OM-1001

Revision 0
Date September 22, 2017

PT INDAL STEEL PIPE

2017
1.1 INTRODUCTION

As hydrocarbon exploration and production moves into more challenging environments

the insulation systems used to protect subsea pipelines and structures are subject to increasingly
extreme temperature and pressure conditions. Simulated Service Testing is a critical
requirement, used to replicate subsea conditions for the purposes of qualifying subsea pipeline
insulation and field joint systems, ensuring that assets are suitably protected and can withstand
service conditions. Simulated Service Testing validates the thermal properties of the insulation
and ensures the continuous flow of hydrocarbon fluid through subsea oil and gas pipelines.
All simulated service testing is carried out in accordance with ISO 12736:2014
Wet thermal insulation coatings for pipelines, flow lines, equipment and subsea structures. This
facility is able to support all subsea pipeline testing requirements for a maximum outside
diameter of 1500 mm, 9 m length, and hydrostatic pressure of 30 bar.
Our purpose-built facility is to respond quickly and effectively to customer demands
and provide a complete service offering.

1.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

This technical note describes a procedure for the determination of the steady state and
cooldown characteristics of factory applied ‘wet’ insulation coating systems (used on
flowlines, pipelines, etc), field joint coating systems, pipe-in-pipe systems, etc. under ambient
pressure and pressurised simulated service conditions.
This approach utilises a number of custom built test facilities that have the capability
of being used to evaluate the behaviour of ‘wet’ insulation systems applied to the external
surface of a length of steel pipe in water depths down to 300m. PT INDAL STEEL PIPE is
prepared to conducting SSTs for the oil and gas sector and regularly carries out tests with
reference to BS EN ISO 12736:2014.

1.3 TEST ARRANGEMENT

The length of coated pipe required for a test can vary between 6m and 9m depending
on the coated OD of the test pipe and the specified test pressure. The specimen is devided into
a three seperated zone: Zone 1 (left guard zone), Zone 2 (central measurement zone), and Zone
3 (right guard zone). Each zone has an independent thermal control unit which will supply hot
water to the zone at predetermined temperature. Each zone is seperated by water tight seal.
The length of zone 1 and zone 3 can vary from 1m to 2m and the length of the central
measurement zone can vary from 3m to 4m depending on the overall length of a test pipe and
the specified test pressure.

Figure 1
On each side of water tight seals, at the ends of each zone, a group of four
thermocouples are installed. The individual thermocouples within each group of four are
aligned with the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock reference axes established for a test. The individual
thermocouples are screw loaded so as to make good contact with the internal surface of the
steel pipe. On the middle of the outer part of zone 2, four thermopile heat flux sensors (HFS)
and four thermocouples are installed and aligned with the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o’clock reference
axes.
The hydrostatic pressure inside the pressure vessel is monitored using a pressure
transducer mounted in the pipework running directly between the water pump unit and the
pressure vessel.
The custom built process control system developed for the test facility allows the
temperature within each of the three zones to be controlled independently of each other. The
process control system also includes a data acquisition facility that records all the
measurements obtained from thermocouples, HFS, pressure tranducer, and ambient parameters
throughout the duration of a test.
When a test pipe is positioned within the pressure vessel the annulus between the
internal surface of the pressure vessel and the external surface of the coating system is filled
with water which is supplied by thermal control unit within the specified temperature range.
The shell of the pressure vessel is completely enclosed within a thermally insulated enclosure
comprising of a stainless steel shell with 100mm thick polyurethane foam.

1.4 TEST PROCEDURE FOR STEADY STATE

Test pipe (specimen) shall be prepared in accordance with ISP Procedure PTMB-ISP-
QDTEC-0013. Before specimen put in to the tes rig, it shall be weighed and the result shall be
recorded. After the test is completed, the same specimen shall be weighed again.
When the preparation of a test pipe (specimen) is complete and it is positioned within
the pressure vessel all the final piping, instrumentation, continuity and safety checks are
completed. The thermal control unit for surrounding water (TCU4) is then switched on and a
period of time is allowed to elapse until steady state conditions have been achieved as
demonstrated by a lack of a significant variation within the measurements obtained from the
thermocouples. The thermal control unit (TCU4) of the surrounding water is typically set at
30°C for a test.
When this condition has been achieved the individual TCUs for the temperatures of
each zones 1 (TCU1), 2 (TCU2) and 3 (TCU3) is switched ON. This TCUs are set at 70 C. It
should be noted that there are a number of options in the process control system for defining
the average temperature of the internal surface of the steel pipe in each zone. Normally all the
available thermocouple measurements in each zone are used to calculate the average
temperatures of the steel pipe during a test.
The temperature increase rate of each zones are normally set at the same level so that
there is a deliberate slow build up of temperature in the pipe wall along the pipe until the preset
temperature is reached. When steady state conditions have been achieved at the specified
temperature the pressure of the tap water inside the pressure vessel is gradually increased
manually up to the specified test pressure.
The test conditions are maintained constant, within practical limits, over the specified
duration of a test i.e. 28 days. During this period the data acquisition systems record all the
measurements obtained from the thermocouples, HFS and all the other measurement devices
used in a test.
On completion of a 28 days test period a cooldown test as described in Section 1,5 shall
be started.
1.5 COOLDOWN (OPTIONAL)

A cooldown cycle is started until steady state conditions, as described above, have been
achieved and maintained over a period of 28 days. Two procedures are available for use during
a cooldown cycle i.e. a ‘passive’ cooldown cycle and an ‘active’ cooldown cycle. Normally a
procedure based on the ‘active’ cooldown cycle approach is adopted. In this approach the heater
of the central measurement zone (TCU2) is switched off at the start of the cooldown cycle but
the group of heaters in both guard zones (TCU1 and TCU3) remain active throughout the
cooldown cycle. However, the heaters of the two guard zones are programmed to track the
average temperature of the pipe wall in the central measurement zone ± a programmable
temperature offset. Typically a temperature offset of -0.5ºC is used i.e. the average temperature
in the two guard zones at any point in time is 0.5ºC lower than the average temperature in the
central measurement during the cooldown cycle.
When the average temperature in the central measurement zone of a test pipe has fallen
to either 5ºC or until it remains unchanged the process is repeated i.e. the pipe is heated up
again until steady state conditions have again been achieved and maintained for the required
period of time before the cooldown cycle, as defined above, is repeated. Once confirmation of
the repeatability of the cooldown cycle is reached the hydrostatic pressure is reduced to
atmospheric pressure and all TCU shall be switched off.

1.6 TEST RESULTS

The variations in the measurements recorded throughout a test are presented as plots
against a base of time. The heat transfer characteristics of the factory applied insulation coating
system are obtained directly using the measurements recorded during a test i.e. using the
average measured heat flux measured by HFS as a result of the temperature gradient across the
coated wall of a test pipe within the central measurement zone.
1.7 REFERENCES
1. PTMB-ISP-QPITP-0011 Inspection and Test Plan of Overall Heat Transfer Coeficient
(OHTC) Test

2. PTMB-ISP-QDTEC-0013 Inspection & Test Procedure For Full Scale Simulated Service
Test of Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient
 EXHIBIT A OPERATING INSTRUCTION
1. Prepare test pipe specimen according to PTMB-ISP-QDTEC-0013.
2. Weigh the specimen before simulated service testing and record the results.
3. Install the zone dividers to divide the specimen into 3 specified heating zones. Install 4
thermocouples at each zone on the internal pipe surface at four clock positions and 4
thermopiles on the outer concrete surface of zone 2 as appropriate.
4. Close the test specimen with sealing flange at both ends
5. Perform hydrostatic pressure test of 3 Bars and holding times 10 minutes on each zones
and record.
6. Check the inside of the vessel, it must be in clean condition.
7. Put the test specimen into the vessel by using pipe carriage.
8. Connect all cables to data loggers and hoses to related TCU (Temperature Control Unit).
9. Close both ends of the vessel by bowl sealing flanges.
10. Fill up the vessel with fresh water by switching TCU 4 on until it reaches a steady state
temperature between 28.2 and 31.5°C.
11. Switch ON TCU 1, TCU 2 and TCU 3 to heat up zone 1, zone 2 and zone 3. The water
temperature shall be increased incrementally in a minimum of 3 steps, typically 50 %
and 75 % of the target temperature, until specified test temperature is reached at 70oC.
12. Monitor and maintain of the temperature at zone 1, zone 2 and zone 3 at 70 ± 1oC
13. Monitor and maintain the water temperature of the surrounding at 30 ± 1 oC
14. Apply and maintain pressure of 3 barg to the surrounding water. If necessary switch ON
the pressure controller pump.
15. Wait until steady state condition is achieved. When steady state condition is achieved,
the 28 day hold period shall begin.
16. Record and monitor all required data every 2 minutes.
17. Record any deviation occurs during this process.
18. After 28 days holding period completed, perform cooling down process.
19. Switch off TCU 2 and leave zone 2 to cool down naturally. Program the guard zones to
track the average temperature of the internal surface of the steel pipe in the central
measurement zone ± a programmable temperature offset, e.g. -1.0 °C to -0.5 °C.
20. When the average temperature in the central measurement zone within the coated pipe
length has fallen to either specified test temperature or until it remains unchanged for a
period of 24 h, the cooldown cycle is completed.
21. On completion of the cooldown cycle, reduce the pressure to atmospheric and drain out
the water.
22. Open the end cover bowl flange of vessel and take out the test specimen from vessel.
23. Drain out the water from the specimen. And weigh the specimen.
24. Evaluate the test result according to PTMB-ISP-QDTEC-0013

-----------------------------end of Exhibit A-----------------------------

Exhibit B Instruments Diagram
Exhibit C Equipment Lay-out
 Exhibit D Specimen Description

7 8 9

3
2
1 6
4
5

1500 mm 3000 mm 1500 mm

6000 mm

1. Steel pipe OD 812.8 mm x 14.7 mm

2. MLPP thickness > 19.4 mm
3. Concrete coating thickness > 100 mm
4. Sealing flanges at both side to isolate the spesiment from the surrounding water.
5. Zone devider assembly which consist of two set of sealing system and connecting
rods with tightening nuts. By tightening the nut the seal 7 will expands press tightly to
the pipe wall.
6. Thermocouples hold by spring loaded screw.
7. Rubber seal
8. Thermopile heat flux sensors which will directly measure the heat transfer across the
pipe wall in Watt/m2.
9. Auxilliary ring to hold the thermocouple in its position
 Exhibit E TEST RECORDS
Date :
Time T21 T22 T23 T24 T25 T26 T27 T28 TP21 TP22 TP23 TP24 U21 U22 U23 U24 Uavg
06.00
07.00
08.00
09.00
10.00
11.00
12.00
13.00
14.00
15.00
16.00
17.00
18.00
19.00
20.00
21.00
22.00
23.00
24.00
01.00
02.00
03.00
04.00
05.00

Formulas: [1]. U21 = TP21/(T25-21) [2]. U22 = TP22/(T26-22) [3]. U23 = TP23/(T27-23) [4]. U24 = TP24/(T28-24)
[5]. Uavg = (U21 + U22 + U23 + U24)/4 [6]. Standard Deviation