Maintain Wells and Facilities

Maintenance Strategy
Title Installation Strategy No.

Page 1 of 4

Flowlines and Well Gas Lift Lines

All A72MSG05 Issue date Version 06/12/07 1.0

COVERAGE
This generic maintenance strategy is written to cover the well flowlines and well gas lift lines within Thai Shell. The term flowline is used to define the line from wellhead to the first common manifold including the part of the manifold, which is directly connected to the well (i.e. the section after the choke valve). Equipment covered with this strategy is defined with Equipment Type Codes PLFL or PLGL in Thai Shell Computerised Maintenance Management System (IMMPOWER).

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the maintenance strategy is : To demonstrate and maintain the technical integrity of (safety critical) assets. To fulfil maintenance activities in the most business-efficient manner by effective and efficient deployment and use of resources. To improve asset reliability, availability and performance and optimise maintenance efforts such that company targets in terms of product quantity, quality and unit maintenance cost can be met. To have in place and operate an auditable system of asset performance and maintenance controls. To comply with all applicable legislation and company HSE policies.

REFERENCES
A72-PH, Thai Shell Maintenance Philosophy API 570, Piping Inspection Code. NACE Standard RP0274-98, High Voltage Electrical Inspection of Pipeline Coating. NACE Standard RP0169-96, Control of External Corrosion on Underground or Submerged Metallic Piping Systems. EP 2000-5008 Carbon Steel Pipeline Corrosion Engineering Manual. ASME B31.3 Process Piping. ASME B31.8 Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping System.

STRATEGY
The need for the regular inspection of flowlines on Thai Shell facilities to assure integrity in service is identified in Thai Shell Maintenance Philosophy and also in Statutory Regulations. Flowlines: In Thai Shells the wells are drilled from common well site locations and grouped in manifolds after a short distance from wellhead. Therefore the flowlines mentioned in this strategy represent lines with 100 meters average length from wellhead to the manifold. Corrosion threats: Internal corrosion: Currently the field operates with very low carbon dioxide contents and no hydrogen sulfide. The water cut averages at 50% across the field with some wells producing up to 90% water. With the introduction of the water flooding of the reservoir the water cut will increase more rapidly than before.
Company Confidential Prepared by:
File ref.: A72MSG05

Thai Shell Exploration and Production Company Limited Approved by: NCD/1

NCD/1

Maintain Wells and Facilities

Maintenance Strategy
Title Installation Strategy No.

Page 2 of 4

Flowlines and Well Gas Lift Lines

All A72MSG05 Issue date Version 06/12/07 1.0

Sand erosion: Some wells are producing high percentage of sand and sand erosion takes place at T junctions at the downstream of the choke. External corrosion: A large portion of the flowline is underground. That section is protected against external corrosion by protective wrapping. No cathodic protection is applied. In some well locations that section of the flowline is routed through open concrete trench and some have no protective coating, as such they are more vulnerable to external corrosion. Well gas lift lines: External corrosion: Same as well flowlines. Internal corrosion: The lift gas is gnerally dry. However with the introduction of wet gas wells directly to the gas lift system there is a increasing risk of internal corrosion.

Inspection frequencies:
The interval between piping inspections shall be established and maintained based on corrosion/erosion rate and remaining life calculations. The inspection frequency will be calculated by applying and Inspection Interval Factor (IIF) to the remaining life. The inspection factor will be based on Risk Based Assessment (RBA). A spreadsheet tool or Shell Groupo software will be used for this process. Default IIF of 0.5 will be used if RBA has not been conducted. Note: Advanced inspection techniques are been continuously explored (e.g. Long Range Ultrasonics, Pulsed Eddy Current) which may eliminate the need for excavation or removal of the section of the coating for ultrasonic wall thickness measurement. So far these techniques have not been able to produce equivalent results. The Company Technical Integrity focal point using the formula provided in ASME B31.8 will evaluate locally thinned areas. The following provides the maximum frequencies:

1 Month:
Wells with high volume of sand production. Ultrasonic wall thickness measurement at elbow and T sections after the choke of the flowline.

2 Months:
Wells with medium volume of sand production. Ultrasonic wall thickness measurement at elbow and T sections after the choke of the flowline.

6 months:
Wells with low volume of sand production. Ultrasonic wall thickness measurement at elbow and T sections after the choke of the flowline.

1 year:
New installed flowline and gas lift line: (One off inspection); ultrasonic wall thickness measurement and pipe coating holiday survey for excavated section. Flowlines and gas lift lines in open trenches: Ultrasonic well thickness measurement (uncoated pipe) or pipe coating holiday survey (coated pipe)

Company Confidential Prepared by:

File ref.: A72MSG05

Thai Shell Exploration and Production Company Limited Approved by: NCD/1

NCD/1

Maintain Wells and Facilities

Maintenance Strategy
Title Installation Strategy No.

Page 3 of 4

Flowlines and Well Gas Lift Lines

All A72MSG05 Issue date Version 06/12/07 1.0

5 years:
Ultrasonic wall thickness measurement at excavated section (both flowline and gas lift line). Piping inspected periodically by excavation shall be inspected in lengths of 2m-2.5 m at two locations (one close to the well head the other close to the manifold). Excavated piping shall be inspected full circumference for the type and extent of corrosion (pitting or general) and the condition of coating. If inspection reveals damaged coating or corroded piping, additional piping shall be excavated until the extend of the condition is identified. Pipe coating holiday survey at excavated section (both flowline and gaslift line).

APPENDIX: Calculation of minimum allowable piping wall thickness

The minimum allowable piping wall thickness (MAT) for piping is based on the higher of two thicknesses: Wall thickness required for pressure competency. Note: Wall thickness required for pressure competency can be calculated with the following formula (as per ANSI B31.8) t = P * D / 20 * S * F *E Where D= Nominal Outside Diameter of pipe, mm P= Operating pressure, barg S= Specified Minimum Yield Strength, MPa F= Design Factor, 0.72 for wellhead flowlines E= Longitudinal weld efficiency, use 1 t= MAT, mm Wall thickness required to cover other loading on the pipe, besides internal pressure, e.g. support loading, third party damage, vibration etc., which are very difficult to quantify, often called the "retirement thickness". Note: Recommended Retirement Thickness for Nominal Pipe Sizes (NPS) NPS (in) Recommended Retirement Thickness (mm) 0.5 - 3 2.50 4 3.00 6 3.75 8 4.50 10 4.75 12 4.75

Company Confidential Prepared by:

File ref.: A72MSG05

Thai Shell Exploration and Production Company Limited Approved by: NCD/1

NCD/1

Maintain Wells and Facilities

Maintenance Strategy
Title Installation Strategy No.

Page 4 of 4

Flowlines and Well Gas Lift Lines

All A72MSG05 Issue date Version 06/12/07 1.0

Line standards
A standard well flowline consist of the following sections: 1 3- SCH 160 line pipe and elbows, material API 5L Grade B (Yield Strength 241 MPa), from X-mas tree until the choke valve. 2 3- SCH 80 line pipe and elbows, material API 5L Grade B, from choke valve to the manifold. 3 1- SCH 80 line pipe and elbows, material API 5L Grade B, drain line after choke valve. Gas lift lines are 2 SCH 80 line pipe, material API 5L Grade B. Table 1. Line outside diameters and original wall thicknesses. Size (in) Sch OD (mm) WT (mm) 1 80 33.4 4.55 2 80 60.3 5.54 3 80 88.9 7.62 3 160 88.9 11.13

Company Confidential Prepared by:

File ref.: A72MSG05

Thai Shell Exploration and Production Company Limited Approved by: NCD/1

NCD/1