Abstract
Pipeline integrity in oil and oil industry is utmost important with respect to its operational reliability while ensuring protection of health, safety and environment, and economy.
Pressure surge or hydraulic shock is caused by rapid velocity changes of the fluid usually incompressible liquids. Small lines (less than 100 m) are not commonly subjected to pressure surges. But, long lines are often prone to high pressure surges hence they are designed to surge protection and operated carefully. Otherwise this can result in ranging from minor shift of pipe line from its support locations to potent threat to its operational safety and integrity of plant in addition to dent in profitability of the asset. Here is an incident of catastrophic rupture of main line 42 inch (1.07 m) propane loading in gas plant storage facility of high consequence operating area after 30 years of safe operation.
Every incident, although unwarranted, give us an opportunity to review the design, practices, Nondestructive testing adopted and ways to avoid recurrence of such incident.
This paper elucidate the state of original material, joint design used in construction, weld defects, degradation of material and impact of surge including operational issues which led to brittle failure of propane loading line in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage facility.
