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ABC Chemical Complex 1

Pipeline Repair
ABC Company
ABC Chemical Complex
Engineering Specification
ABC Chemical Complex 2
Pipeline Repair
PURPOSE
Provides repair guidelines on above ground and
buried pipelines.
GENERAL
When a pipeline is determined to be leaking, an
immediate temporary repair will be made to
insure public safety, minimize damage to
property, and avoid damage to the environment.
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Pipeline Repairs
REFERENCES
API 1104
Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities
API 1107
Pipeline Maintenance Welding Practices
ASME B31.8
Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems
ASME B31.4
Liquid Transportation Systems for Hazardous
Chemicals and Hydrocarbons
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Pipeline Repair
DEFINITIONS
CGI: Combustible Gas Indicator
HVL: Highly Volatile Liquid
LEL: Lower Explosion Level
MAOP: Maximum Allowable Operating
Pressure
MSDS: Material Safety Data Sheet
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Pipeline Repair
Consult MSDS for the pipeline product
during a pipeline repair. Determine
personal protective equipment specific to
the chemical and request from person in
charge of the repair.
The following table summarizes the
minimum required safety equipment for
pipeline repairs.
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Material or Chemical
Ethylene
Hydrogen
VCM Vapors
VCM Liquids
Kerosene
Ethylene Dichloride
Natural Gas
Safety Equipment
Fire extinguisher
Combustible Gas Ind.
Fire Retard. Clothing
Eye goggles
Ear plugs
Full or air face mask
Slicker suits and boots
Non-Sparking Tools
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Pipeline Repair
Check for gas presence prior to welding in or
around an area containing flammable gas or
liquids.
Maintenance craftsman have the final authority
for work to be performed.
Post warning signs at the entrances of the right-
of-way during repair work.
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Pipeline Repair
PROCEDURE
Leak Repairs
Leak Classification
Pinpointing the Leak - Aboveground Gas and HVL
Pinpointing the Leak - Underground Gas and HVL
Excavation
Precautions
Preliminary Failure Analysis
Initial Leak Arrest
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Pipeline Repair
Methods of Repair - Corroded Areas
Repair, if possible, by cutting out a cylindrical pipe
section and replacing it with a pipe of equal or
greater design strength.
Do not weld on hydrogen or ethylene pipelines
before shutdown/purging operations are complete.
Acceptable repairs on a pipeline during operation:
Weld a nipple over a small leak and install fitting.
Install a leak clamp over a corrosion pit.
Use a patch with rounded corners for pipe with <40K
SMYS.
Repair with full encirclement welded split sleeve.
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Pipeline Repair
Leak Repair - Cracks or Tears
Replace a cylindrical section containing the crack or
tear with an equivalent pipe section.
Reduce the pressure to 20SMYS equivalent or less if
the line cannot be removed from service.
Determine the pipe condition by visual and NDE methods.
Stop welding or heating operations on the pipe.
Drill the ends of the crack and test by NDE
Repair with a full encirclement welded split sleeve.
Request Unit Manager approval to return to service.
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Pipeline Repair
Leak Repair - Gouges, Grooves, and Dents
Repair by cutting out a section of the pipeline
containing the defect and replace with a new section
of equivalent or higher strength and composition.
Reduce pressure to 20%SMYS or less if line cannot
be removed from service. Use one of the following
methods for repair:
Install a full encirclement welded split sleeve.
Repair with installation of a full encirclement welded hot
tap sleeve providing the entire defect can be removed with
the hot tap coupon.
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Pipeline Repair
RECONDITIONING OF PIPE
Pipelines that cannot be removed from service
Repair with replacement of an equivalent section.
Repair cracks in welds by grinding and rewelding.
Repair small corroded areas by weld metal overlay.
Repair small pitted areas with a welded patch.
Repair large corroded area with a full encirclement
welded split sleeve.
Repair all gouges or grooves deeper than 10% wall
thickness. Use a full encirclement welded sleeve.
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Pipeline Repair
Repair dents deeper than 1/4 on pipe to NPS 12 or
more than 2% greater than NPS 12.
Repair dents that affect the curvature of the pipe
with removal of a cylindrical section containing the
defect and replacement with an equivalent section.
Repair dents not meeting the above restrictions by
filling the dent with a hardenable material and
installing a full encirclement welded split sleeve.
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Pipeline Repair
Initial Inspection
Determine soundness of the pipe adjacent to the
defect prior to work
Inspect external surface of the pipe by one of the
following methods:
Inspect exterior of pipe visually aided by a pit gage.
Use magnetic particle inspection if cracking is suspected.
Determine pipe wall thickness with ultrasonic testing.
Use radiographic inspection as required for definition.
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Pipeline Repair
Welding
Check for hardness on hydrogen lines and maintain
a hardness equal to or less than BHN 235.
Welding Procedures
Perform all weld repairs by Company employees using
Company Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) 1.2.
Perform all weld repairs by Contract employees using
Company-approved welding procedures provided by the
Contractor.
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Pipeline Repair
Welder Qualifications
Use Company welding procedure for qualification of
Company employees to make weld repairs.
Use Contractor welding procedure (Company approved)
for qualification of Contract employees to make repairs.
Burn through control
Burn through during welding is not expected when
welding parameters do not exceed 20 volts and 100
amperes, if the remaining wall thickness is greater than
0.320 inches (See ASME/ANSI B31.8, paragraph
851.43f). Welding performed outside these limits must be
approved by the Plant Engineer.
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Pipeline Repair
Coating Repair
Repair pipe coating damaged during pipeline repair
activities in accordance with the original coating
manufacturers recommendations.
Hydrotest pipe replacement sections to 1.5 times
MAOP prior to installation. Hold for one hour.
Test all field welds with 100% NDE coverage using
the best method for the weld configuration.
Grade and repair weld defects in accordance with
API 1104 and API 1107 requirements.
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Pipeline Repair
Documentation
Include the location of the leak, location class, grade
of the leak, and action taken when writing leak
reports.
Add repair reports to the original equipment file, the
inspection file, and the DOT coordinators file.
The DOT Coordinator shall determine if the leak is
classified as an incident that requires reporting to the
regulatory authorities.

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