Ultra Heavy Wall Linepipe X65: Severe In-Service Straining of Lined Pipes

Abstract

Tenaris and Centro Sviluppo Materiali (CSM) carried out a Joint Industrial Project aimed at developing heavy wall line pipes. The suitability for very severe applications, involving high service pressures and temperatures, the latter causing large strain fluctuations, in presence of an aggressive sour environment, is analyzed both theoretically and experimentally, including small and full pipe models and tests. Five papers have been already presented on this project, in previous OMAE conferences. The present paper focusses on Lined Heavy Wall Pipes for the adoption in presence of extremely aggressive conveyed fluids. As in-service large strains are involved in the JIP envisaged scenarios, the risk of liner buckling is necessarily concerned. To evaluate the suitability of lined heavy pipes in presence of in-service severe straining, a finite element study has been performed aimed at quantifying the limits for pipe deformability without occurrence of liner buckling. Two full scale tests on lined pipe strings have been also performed, imposing the very severe straining sequence previously determined as extreme for pipeline resistance. The sequence has been applied both in pure axial (tensile / compressive) loading and in bending conditions. The latter has been performed in very low internal pressure conditions to conservatively verify the resistance to liner buckling. In both cases, the lined heavy wall pipe resisted the severe straining sequence without any liner buckling, pipe excessive ratcheting or any other damage compromising the serviceability of the pipe.