Sleeve work

Date 12-05-2012 13:28

I would give you a more detailed answer but I am typing this off my phone. In short so it dosent cause undo stress to the carrier pipe.

By jarsanb (***)

Date 12-05-2012 16:43

To prevent the adverse effects of accelerated cooling of the heat affected zone and weld. If you use backing straps then the weld is not in direct contact to the carrier pipe and therefore is not subjected to excessive hydrogen entrapment, potential hardness issues..etc. This may also alleviate the need for aditional weld procedures, testing and welder qualification testing requirements for welding onto 'in-services' applications for maintenance of pipeline or piping components.

By atc250r (**)

Date 12-06-2012 02:47

Because in most cases, corrosion has eaten away some/most of the wall thickness., hence the reason for the sleeve.

Other reasons for sleeves include dents (caused by rocks when backfilling), cracks, arc strikes, etc.

By jarsanb (***)

Date 12-06-2012 15:55

There is vast lack of understanding with regards to maintenance of pipeline systems. I hope these two links work and can provide anyone interested with a little insight to pipeline maintenance issues.

http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/44000/44200/44204/44204.pdf
https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rd/mtgs/071812/KenLee.pdf

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-06-2012 22:23

atc250r,
Really hope no pipeline operating companies are reading your post.
Hide pesky little cracks / arc strikes under a sleeve where no one can see them - what a great idea !
Regrds,
Shane

By atc250r (**)

Date 12-07-2012 01:55 Edited 12-10-2012 23:14

Shane,

What do you think is the point of a sleeve?? Its to "beef up" the pipe where strength has been compromised due to any number of reasons: arc strikes, corrosion/wall loss, dents, cracks, etc. How much sleeving have you seen and done???

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-07-2012 12:12

atc250r,
I spent the whole day trying not to respond to your post but finally gave in.
How many sleeves I have installed is totally irrellevant.
Cracks and arc strikes are not allowed by any welding code I know of and yet you are saying it is OK to cover them with a sleeve ?
So what are you doing ? - you are hiding defects !!!!
Have you ever heard of propogation ?
You keep doing what you think is OK but if it is a pipeline please do not do it near any populated areas,
Regards,
Shane

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 12-07-2012 13:03

The anomaly has to be evaluated before a sleeve is installed. It does not make any difference if it is a corrosion pit, dent, arc strike,etc. Until the mid 1970's arc strikes were NOT considered a defect and were left on the pipe. When high grades of pipe began to be used in the 1970's and the effects of notch defects were recognized arc burns became a defect.
Using a sleeve is NOT hiding a defect. When a pipeline operator installs a sleeve the reason and location has to be documented along with the repair sleeve materials, welder qualificaiton and procedures. It is not only legal it is a recognized repair as long as the anomaly has been evaluated. If you will look at 195.226 all it requires is arc burns be REPAIRED not removed. Arc burns requiring replacement is one of those things that that a lot of inspectors know what they know that just aint so.

This is what is LEGALLY required in the United States on regulated pipelines for new construction:
§ 195.226   Welding: Arc burns.
(a) Each arc burn must be repaired.
(b) An arc burn may be repaired by completely removing the notch by grinding, if the grinding does not reduce the remaining wall thickness to less than the minimum thickness required by the tolerances in the specification to which the pipe is manufactured. If a notch is not repairable by grinding, a cylinder of the pipe containing the entire notch must be removed.
(c) A ground may not be welded to the pipe or fitting that is being welded.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=6a61777137a9b362a7d9f3a2ea8bf604&rgn=div8&view=text&node=49:3.1.1.1.11.4.21.14&idno=49

The standard for acceptability:
§ 195.228   Welds and welding inspection: Standards of acceptability.
(a) Each weld and welding must be inspected to insure compliance with the requirements of this subpart. Visual inspection must be supplemented by nondestructive testing.
(b) The acceptability of a weld is determined according to the standards in Section 9 of API 1104. However, if a girth weld is unacceptable under those standards for a reason other than a crack, and if Appendix A to API 1104 (incorporated by reference, see § 195.3) applies to the weld, the acceptability of the weld may be determined under that appendix.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=6a61777137a9b362a7d9f3a2ea8bf604&rgn=div8&view=text&node=49:3.1.1.1.11.4.21.15&idno=49

And as for cracks. Again here is what is LEGALLY required:
§ 195.230   Welds: Repair or removal of defects.
(a) Each weld that is unacceptable under § 195.228 must be removed or repaired. Except for welds on an offshore pipeline being installed from a pipelay vessel, a weld must be removed if it has a crack that is more than 8 percent of the weld length.
(b) Each weld that is repaired must have the defect removed down to sound metal and the segment to be repaired must be preheated if conditions exist which would adversely affect the quality of the weld repair. After repair, the segment of the weld that was repaired must be inspected to ensure its acceptability.
(c) Repair of a crack, or of any defect in a previously repaired area must be in accordance with written weld repair procedures that have been qualified under § 195.214. Repair procedures must provide that the minimum mechanical properties specified for the welding procedure used to make the original weld are met upon completion of the final weld repair.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=6a61777137a9b362a7d9f3a2ea8bf604&rgn=div8&view=text&node=49:3.1.1.1.11.4.21.15&idno=49

You cant umpire baseball without knowing the rule book
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title49/49cfr195_main_02.tpl
This is for liquid pipelines.
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title49/49cfr192_main_02.tpl
This is for natural gas.

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-07-2012 14:07

DBK,
Thank you for all your reference material but please don't try to tell me that "hiding" a discontinuity or a defect under a sleeve is acceptable practice - I realise your background is pipelining but I spent 10 years in a tie in crew so I have been there, done that and I know that pipeliners get away with a huge amount of things that if the same thing happened on an oil refinery you would be out the gate.
Enough said on my behalf - just pleased to say that in the Southern Hemisphere (where I live) our regulatory bodies are a bit more stringent than yours,
Regards,
Shane

By Paladin (***)

Date 12-07-2012 14:27

Shane,
I've reread the above post and the only one talking about HIDING defects is you. atc250r said nothing about hiding defects. He and others are REPAIRING defects.

I don't see anything to get excited about. Most everyone here is trying to answer the original posters question.

I am a little curious about a sleeve with a backing strip. I have never seen one. But I have installed different types of sleeves on gas pipe.

Floyd

By 46.00

Date 12-08-2012 17:46

Paladin,
How can covering an 'arc strike' or 'crack' (which are classed as defects) with a piece of metal be classed as a REPAIR? Usually, when you cover something it is called hiding? The defect is still present. Usually, defects require removing or reducing to become discontinuities to be acceptable to most codes that I am aware of. On a side note, Sleeving an arc strike seems a bit overkill to me but then what do I know.

By Paladin (***)

Date 12-09-2012 15:37

46.00,
In the context we are talking, "hiding" something to me infers trying to get away with something not up to par, to deceive. See Welderbrent's post below.
Only Shane and you seemed obsessed with hiding something. I have never put a sleeve on an arc strike. Maybe someone has.

Is there a code that says " Thou shalt not cover an arc strike with a sleeve"? I can see a situation if the arc strike was not repairable, a sleeve would be the most practical way to "repair" not hide the damaged pipe.

Out in the open, on the level, not hiding anything,
Floyd

By 46.00

Date 12-09-2012 19:35

Thanks for the reply. I think this thread has gone way off the OP's original question so to preserve my limited credibility on this site I am not going to argue the point in this particular thread.

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-11-2012 04:28 Edited 12-11-2012 04:31

Floyd,
Concerned is a more appropriate word - please see my response to Ryan below.
The only thing I get "obsessed" about is a cold beer on a hot day,
Cheers,
Shane

Edit: Have a look at DBKs post regarding federal regulations for pipelines and arc burns - only two ways to "fix" (1) Grind it out or (2) Cut a section of pipe out - no sleeving of arc burns mentioned.

By welderbrent (*****)

Date 12-07-2012 15:11

Shane,

I have been asked several times in my career by the City, Municipality, gas company, etc, to sleeve a bad section of pipe (rather gas, jet fuel, water, etc). Always to the requirements of an engineer. That is not "HIDING" anything. It is an authorized repair. It has been done on new projects as well as in use pipe that developed a leak, was damaged by construction but not yet leaking, or was determined to be corroding and needed extra thickness BEFORE it blew out completely. Testing was done to determine the extent of the repair. Maintaining is usually cheaper than emergency repairs or a complete replacement.

Sometimes while installing the sleeve we find the source of problems such as arc strikes (burns), copper deposits from improper grounding (electrolysis), dents from equipment, etc.

Back to the OP, I'm trying to picture a sleeve application where you could use backing bars? Am I missing a "sleeve" application where there is nothing underneath for a space? Or when doing a T connection and cutting out for flow at the union? If you totally remove a bad section to replace it, even if only a portion of the circumference is removed not the whole section of pipe, is it still a sleeve? It would sleeve the good section of pipe and cover the hole created by removing the corrosion affected area I guess. Then you could install backing around the edge but if your replacement is sleeving the good area the weld would not hit the backing bar. So it would only apply if the patch part just fit in where the removed part was cut out in order to leave the OD approximately the same as original while replacing a defective section of piping. Then you would use backing in order to assure CJP while also distributing stresses and eliminating stress risers.

Other than that I'm not sure why you would use backing. I guess I'm not sure enough of your application and how you are proceding with the operation. You didn't give us a code, geographic location, nor complete information as to the job.

Have a Great Day, Brent

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 12-07-2012 19:08

You use the backing bar so the long weld is not attached to the carrier pipe.

By dbigkahunna (****)

Date 12-07-2012 19:28

OK Shane but how does that change things? API 1104 now has the old API 1107 integrated with it which covers repair welding to pipelines. If the country you are working in regognizes API 1104 as a standard for pipelines, then the repair part of 1104 is also recognized. I do not for one minute believe a pipeline operator would shut down and drain up or blow down to replace pipe that could be repaired using sleeves.

Another approved repair method is composite sleeves or Clockspring and they have put thousand's of these sleeves in Australia. I do not know if your experience is there, but that is in the southern hemisphere.
http://pipeliner.com.au/news/developments_in_composite_sleeves_for_permanent_pipe_and_pipeline_repair/011828/

If you have reference to regulatory requirements is other parts of the world, then please post it as it could help others that work outside of the US. But if one is working in the United States, US Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration or PHMSA is the regulatory body WE have to answer to. How they do it elsewhere is irrelevant to what is required on DOT regulated pipelines. And there has not been a documented failure of a pipeline which has been repaired with sleeves. The failures one sees in the news in the US have been related to either unrepaired mechanical damage, unrepaired corrosion, or pre 70 ERW pipe.

By jarsanb (***)

Date 12-07-2012 20:11 Edited 12-07-2012 20:28

My response to this post was intended to address why a backing strip is used instead of welding the seams of a sleeve directly into the side wall of the carrier pipe. For the reasons stated in these reports. The "USE" of a sleeve is entirley a different conversation. Obviously the type of defect that warrants the sleeve would need to identified. Then the correct type of sleeve, either a Type A or Type B. Type A is only used for reiforcement which is welded along the seams. The circumferential ends of the sleeve are not welded. The seams use a backing bar or strip or even an external bar over the joint which is then fillet welded. Type B sleeve would also need the circumferential ends fillet welded. When welding on to an in-serive pipeline a procedure should be qualified and if addressed properly will have different criteria than a standard constuction welding procedure. This procedure should address diffusible hydrogen issues and potential hardness issues. If you do not weld the seams directly to the carrier pipe then no 'special' procedure needs to be used. You can use just an XX10 electrode per procedure and call it good...often done when welding Type A sleeves. When welding a type B sleeve you may still try to avoid the in-serivice requirement for a more restrictive procedure for the seam welds, by using backing strips, but would still be required to follow the 'special' procedure for the circumferential fillet welds. If your In-Service welding procedure calls for E7018 for example and you as a welder have not qualified to that procedure with that electrode than you can't install that sleeve (type A)....hence the need for the backing strip which gets you away from the in-service criteria. For those areas of the country that don't use API 1104 appendix B or ASME PCC-2, get ready....

By jarsanb (***)

Date 12-07-2012 20:46

Pipeline failures aren't quite as uncommon as some think. Just a couple more links and I'll let it rest.

http://publicutilities.utah.gov/phmsaorganizationandruleupdate.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pipeline_accidents_in_the_United_States_in_the_21st_Century

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-08-2012 01:25

DBK,
I think you are being a bit creative with your comment that arc burns must be REPAIRED not removed.
There are two ways to "repair" the arc burn based on the legal requirements you have posted.
1 Grind the notch till it is completely removed as long as you don't compromise the minimum required wall thickness.
or
2 Cutting a section of the pipe containing the notch out.

In both cases you have removed the arc burn.

I cannot see where it says you can cover an arc burn with a sleeve because if you did that you have not repaired the arc burn and you have not removed it either - all you have done is covered it so it cannot be seen.

"If you will look at 195.226 all it requires is arc burns be REPAIRED not removed. Arc burns requiring replacement is one of those things that that a lot of inspectors know what they know that just aint so.

This is what is LEGALLY required in the United States on regulated pipelines for new construction:
§ 195.226 Welding: Arc burns.
(a) Each arc burn must be repaired.
(b) An arc burn may be repaired by completely removing the notch by grinding, if the grinding does not reduce the remaining wall thickness to less than the minimum thickness required by the tolerances in the specification to which the pipe is manufactured. If a notch is not repairable by grinding, a cylinder of the pipe containing the entire notch must be removed.
(c) A ground may not be welded to the pipe or fitting that is being welded"

I agree totally that sleeves play a very important role in pipelining but my understanding is they are meant for covering corroded areas, dented pipe etc - not for covering over a defect that may not comply with API 1104.
That is why I made my original comment - if you do not repair or remove the crack or arc burn there is a possibility it may propogate or grow bigger under the sleeve and then how do you track any growth ?

APPENDIX B—IN-SERVICE WELDING
B.6 Standards of Acceptability:
Nondestructive Testing (Including
Visual)
The standards of acceptability in Section 9 for imperfections
located by nondestructive testing should be applied to
in-service welds.

B.7 Repair and Removal of Defects
The requirements in Section 10 for the repair and removal
of defects should be applied to in-service welds. Care should
be taken during the removal of the defect to ensure that the
wall thickness is not reduced to less than that which is acceptable
for the operating pressure of the carrier pipe.

Found this for the OP

B.4.1.2 Root Opening—Longitudinal Seam Welds
For longitudinal butt welds of full encirclement sleeves,
when 100% penetration is required, the root opening (the
space between abutting edges) should be sufficient. These
joints should be fitted with a mild steel back-up strip or suitable
tape to prevent penetration of the weld into the carrier
pipe.
Note: Penetration of the longitudinal butt weld into the carrier pipe
is undesirable since any crack that might develop is exposed to the
hoop stress in the carrier pipe.

Cheers,
Shane

By pipetommy (*)

Date 12-08-2012 11:18

You guys have way too much time on your hands. How do you get any work done :twisted:

By RonG

Date 12-08-2012 20:26

I would offer this more of a discussion of semantics than Welding, “Hid”, “Repair”.

Essentially you would be replacing a section of the pipe with a larger ID & OD section of pipe versus removing and replacing with an identical section. One way requires draining and possibly purging while the other does not.

Either way it is a "Repair", while the pressurized surface area remains the same for both, one has addition reinforcement and the other does not.

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-09-2012 06:23

Ron,
If that was indeed the case there would be no issue here at all.
Unfortunately, even your well worded explanation is (with all due respect) incorrect.
Your explanation is perfectly accurate if a dent, mechanical gouge,corroded wall etc is sleeved.
When the product finally breaks through the pipewall due to internal corrosion it is contained by the pressure retaining encirclement sleeve - no problem.
Now cracks or arc burns (which can easily turn to cracks) are totally different beasts.
Cracks happen for a variety of reasons (hydrogen induced, stress corrosion, arc burn etc etc) but there is one thing that you can be sure of - that crack happened for a reason (there is something wrong with the parent metal or weld metal)
Now cracks by their very nature always want to grow - as the area adjacent to the crack becomes more fatigued the crack starts to grow. That is why some structural applications allow you to drill a hole at either end of the crack to stop the progression - obviously you cannot do that with a pipeline.

Lets do a hypothetical here.
12" pipe with a 1/2" long crack that does not penetrate all the way through the wall thickness.
A full encirclement sleeve 1' long is installed.
After 1 year the crack has gone right through the WT and product is leaking out but contained by the sleeve - no problem.
After 2 years the crack has grown to be 3" long - still no problem
After 3 years the crack has grown 9" long - still no problem
After 4 years the crack is now the same length as the sleeve - still no problem

Here is the scary part - the circumferential fillet weld on the sleeve is not some kind of a barrier that will stop the crack - in some circumstances a transverse fillet weld on the pipe can make it worse.
So the crack continues out past the edges of the sleeve fillet welds and you either have a massive leak or a massive explosion - Now a very big problem.

I stand by my statement 100% that putting a sleeve over a defect (be it a crack or an arc burn) is stupid and illegal.

And Ryan (atc250r), "I hate it when people make comments about stuff they know nothing about". - not sure how old you are but there is a strong possibility I was pipelining while you were in diapers,
Regards,
Shane

By electrode (***)

Date 12-09-2012 07:49 Edited 12-09-2012 08:50

Shane,

I'm always learning from your posts.

From my perception you are one of a chosen few ones here on this forum being true assets to the welding community.

Having said this, parallel to Lawrence "penetration depth" question, I am watching this thread attentively.
Also, I was hesitating to post for a while because I as well "...hate it when people make comments about stuff they know nothing about.".
How quickly one can be crushed between such big rocks like you, DBK and others, when unintentionally causing an avalanche by ignorance.
Honest, I do not have the ability to contribute any to this particular topic/question but a comment and a question.

Hence.

Comment:
Your arguments, to me, are most reasonable thus understandabe, and the way you're standing by them is commendable. Moreover you provide me with the impression to battle for eliminating ignorance by true expertise - this is always honourable.

Question:
Forgive me my ignorance when I'm asking this but I'm curious.
What e.g. the pipeline was found to be defective, let's assume the worst case and say it was a small (whatever this may be) crack detected, e.g induced by an arc burn.
Let's further suggest that it proves entirely impracticable to cut out the defective section.
Now. As you said so well "That is why some structural applications allow you to drill a hole at either end of the crack to stop the progression - obviously you cannot do that with a pipeline."
Let's assume then some third party engineers would perform an Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA) on the criticality of the crack related to the pipeline's lifetime.
Let's suppose then, they find the crack "acceptable" (sorry for using this term) depending on the further use of the linepipe.
And here comes the question: "Is it a means then, or allowed or regularly accomplished using a sleeve to "hide" (sorry) EDIT : or "compensate" : the crack for assuring the pipeline can be used for the remainder lifetime?"

Like I said. I'm just curious. Perhaps or most likely it is male bovine excrement what I ask (see. "hate it when people make comments about stuff they know nothing about."), but how are cases such as the described one being dealt with?

By Shane Feder (****)

Date 12-09-2012 09:09

Electrode,
Thank you for your comments
Some codes allow the Engineer (Owners Representative) to overrule the code requirements but these are generally structural codes.
The scary thing is API 1104 puts a lot of onus on the "Company" to make decisions.
But based on DBKs posts above the US Federal regulations clearly overrule the API code and impose a much stricter regime so cracks and arc burns are not allowed.

The US pipeline system has a shocking safety record - at least 2 accidents per month average (from leaks to explosions) from 2000 to 2012 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pipeline_accidents - they clearly state this list is incomplete due to this is only reported incidents.
Obviously, no company will report something unless it was witnessed by a member of the public.

"And there has not been a documented failure of a pipeline which has been repaired with sleeves. The failures one sees in the news in the US have been related to either unrepaired mechanical damage, unrepaired corrosion, or pre 70 ERW pipe."

This quote above was by DBK - 10 minutes on google and I have 5 "reported" sleeve failures including a couple below

US Department of Transportation 400 Seventh Street, SW.
Research and Special Programs Administration Washington, DC 20590
PIPELINE SAFETY ALERT NOTICE
Alert Notice: ALN-87-01 Date: 03/13/87
To: All Natural Gas Pipeline Transmission Operators & all Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Owners
Background:
On October 7, 1986, there was a pipeline failure which released thousands of barrels of gasoline from a pipeline near King of Prussia, PA. The failure occurred in a 14" API 5LX-52 seamless pipe manufactured in 1956. A crack developed in the carrier pipe in the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) where a full encirclement repair sleeve had been fillet welded to the pipe. The pipe failed less than one month after the sleeve had been installed. This failed pipeline was analyzed by Battelle Laboratories (Columbus Division).

Here is another doozy:
On November 21, 2011, one of the four parallel pipelines in the Line 100 System ruptured near Batesville, Mississippi, resulting in the release of natural gas. The escaping natural gas ignited and formed into a fireball that continued to burn for the next several hours. The local authorities evacuated approximately 20 homes. There were no reported injuries or fatalities.

This is taken from Corrective Action Order CPF No. 2-2011-1010H issued to Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company - Nov 28 2011

The original installation of Line 100-1 occurred in 1944.
o In 1946, a wrinkle bend on Line 100-1 was repaired with a field-fabricated, pressure-containing sleeve after a leak was discovered. That sleeve is placed at a low point in the line between two river weights.
o After reviewing the results of a prior inline inspection (ILI), TGP excavated, visually inspected, recoated, and reburied the sleeve in 2000.
So the leak from 1946, whatever the initial reason was still being contained by the sleeve !
o In September 2011, TGP performed another ILI of Line 100-1, including the section that contains the wrinkle bend and sleeve, with a high-resolution magnetic flux leakage/deformation tool.
o TGP received the results from the September 2011 ILI inspection on the date of the rupture.
I cannot believe that I am the only one who thinks it strange that it takes 2 months to get test results and those "supposed" results arrive on the day their pipeline explodes - rather large coincidence ???
o The November 21, 2011 rupture of Line 100-1 occurred at the wrinkle bend with the pressure-containing sleeve.

In closing my rant, all I can say is unfortunately the US pipeline system is multiple accidents waiting to happen.
The pipeline companies are going to keep pumping their product through piping systems that are 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 years old until they either develop major leaks or explode.
How confident do you feel having a home next to a pipeline laid in the 1950s ?
Regards,
Shane

By electrode (***)

Date 12-09-2012 10:03

Shane,

I do thank you for this prompt and valuable response.

Very professional, very informative and... in part, very scary.

Again I was allowed to learn.

Cheers!

By RonG

Date 12-09-2012 22:05

No argument from me Shane. I might need to read back over all the contributions to this post. I was assuming that Defects would be removed / repaired per code. I am with you in respect to not “Hiding” anything hence I refer to definition of the words Hid & Repair. Too “Hid” a Defect on the OD would not even make sense, seeing as how the code allows for “Repairs”.