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Welding Criteria Permit Safe and Effective Pipe Line
Repair
Battelle Laboratories studies show weld sleeves and deposited weld metal can be applied without removing
defective lines from service
J.F. Kiefner, Senior Research Engineer, Battelle Houston Operations
Research conducted by the American Gas Association (AGA
!"#
and others
$"%
sho&ed that pipe line de'ects
can be repaired &ithout remo(ing the lines 'rom ser(ice. )&o repair methods e(aluated &ere 'ull"
encirclement slee(es and direct deposition o' &eld metal on de'ects.
*
)o ensure minimum ris+ &hen using
these methods, criteria 'or repairing pipe lines in ser(ice ha(e been 'ormulated ()able !.
)he criteria in the table are intended as a repair guide 'or lines that operate at ,- percent o' their speci'ied
minimum yield strength (S./S or more. )he criteria may be unnecessarily restricti(e 'or lines &hich
operate at or belo& ,- percent o' S./S.
0ote that de'ects in pressuri1ed pipe lines, especially pneumatically pressuri1ed lines, can cause sudden
catastrophic ruptures. 2hen the procedures are care'ully planned, ris+s are minimi1ed. 0e(ertheless, repair
errors could reduce the sa'ety margin o' these criteria. 3onse4uently, users o' )able ! are urged to e5ercise
caution &hen per'orming repairs.
Choice of repair method
)he repair method options included in )able ! are6
)ype A slee(e
)ype B slee(e
7eposited &eld metal
Remo(al
Remo(al by hot"tapping
)ype A slee(e repair consists o' placing a rein'orcing band concentric &ith the pipe &hile lea(ing the band
ends unsealed. )he slee(e strengthens a de'ecti(e area by restraining bulging that &ould other&ise occur
&hen the &ea+ened pipe shell is pressuri1ed. Such a slee(e may also carry a small portion o' the hoop
stress, but in no case can it become the sole pressure containing element since its ends are not sealed. As a
result, it cannot be used to repair a leading de'ect. 8' a gap e5ists o(er the de'ect, 'illing o' the gap is
re4uired. )&o classes o' )ype A slee(e e5ist6 no 'iller9 &ith 'iller.
)ype B slee(e repair re4uires a pressure"tight rein'orcing concentric band. 8ts ends are sealed to the carrier
pipe and it can contain pressure. 8t can be used to repair lea+ing de'ects. 8n addition, a )ype B can also be
used as a )ype A slee(e. )hree classes o' )ype B slee(es e5ist6 no 'iller9 &ith 'iller9 pressuri1ed.
7eposited &eld metal completely 'ills and eliminates clearly (isible de'ects such as corrosion. Access to an
entire de'ect is re4uired so that &eld metal can penetrate and bond to sound metal. 8t may be possible to
enlarge pits, laps, or undercut by grinding a groo(e &ide enough to permit access. 7eposited &eld metal
can be selected &hen re4uirements to pre(ent burn"through are met. )hese re4uirements are discussed later.
Remo(al o' a damaged pipe section is another &ay o' eliminating a de'ect. )he line must be ta+en out o'
ser(ice, purged, remo(ed and replaced &ith a sound tie"in piece. Remo(al is o'ten a poor economic choice
in terms o' &asted product and interrupted ser(ice. )hus, remo(al is recommended in )able ! &ith the
understanding that it may not be practical in certain instances.
Remo(al by hot"tapping ta+es ad(antage o' a &idely accepted method 'or ma+ing branch connections on
li(e pipe lines. )he coupon remo(ed 'rom the line must contain the entire de'ect. :imitations o' this
techni4ue &ill be discussed later.
Types of defects
3lasses o' de'ects listed in )able ! are6
.anu'acturing de'ects " crac+s, undercut, lac+ o' 'usion, and lac+ o' penetration inseam &elds9
laps, pits, crac+s, and rolled"in slugs in the pipe body9 hard spots.
En(ironmentally caused de'ects " selecti(e corrosion and hydrogen stress crac+ing in electric
resistance &elded or 'lash &elded seams9 general pipe corrosion9 pitting corrosion9 stress
corrosion crac+s9 hydrogen stress crac+ing in hard spots.
7e'ects caused by outside 'orces &hich include dents and gouges.
3onstruction de'ects.
Submerged arc"&elded (SA2 seam de'ects, both straight seam and spiral, include undercut, incomplete
'usion, incomplete penetration, and crac+s. Repair methods recommended 'or these de'ects are sho&n in
)able !. 0o 'iller is re4uired &ith slee(es because a'ter the &eld rein'orcement is ground 'lush, no gap
bet&een the pipe and slee(e should e5ist. Remo(al by hot"tapping is not recommended because the tap
&ould in(ol(e cutting through the seam, a practice considered unacceptable by many companies. Repair by
deposited &eld metal is applicable only 'or undercuts and is sub;ect to special re4uirements gi(en in
'ootnotes o' )able !.
)ype B pressuri1ed slee(es used on nonlea+ing de'ects can be pressuri1ed only by using a tapping nipple.
Since other means o' slee(e repair are entirely ade4uate &hen used as directed, the intentional
pressuri1ation o' a slee(e &hen no lea+ or near lea+ is present is not necessary.
8nside or interior de'ects re4uire special consideration since they are not readily (isible. Remo(al may be
the best alternati(e unless one can be reasonable certain o' the e5tent o' the de'ects. Hot"tapping is not
recommended because o' the uncertainty o' the e5tent o' an inside or interior de'ect.
Electric resistance &elded (ER2 or 'lash &elded (<2 seam de'ects include6 =pturned 'iber
imper'ections9 incomplete 'usion9 penetrators9 cold &elds9 crac+s. )hese can only be repaired &ith
pressuri1ed slee(es and remo(al since the &elds are susceptible to brittle 'racture or lo&"resistance ductile
'racture initiation. )he (alue o' restraint o' bulging 'rom either type o' nonpressuri1ed slee(e is uncertain.
Hence they are not recommended 'or these de'ects. Hot"tapping also is not recommended because o' the
in(ol(ement o' the seam &eld. 8t is not recommended that &eld metal be deposited because o' possible lo&
ductility. Re4uired grinding be'ore such &elding &ould in(ol(e creating or enlarging a de'ect in a
potentially lo&"toughness material. Only remo(al or use o' a )ype B pressuri1ed slee(e &hich stress"
relie(es the de'ect is recommended.
Other seam de'ects include lap &elds and 'urnace butt &elds. )hese must be dealt &ith on a case by case
basis. Such &elds usually appear in older or smaller and lo&er pressure pipe lines &here 'racture resistance
re4uirements are less stringent. On the other hand, some o' this older material can be 4uite susceptible to
lo&"toughness 'racture beha(ior. 8t is probably best to treat these materials &ith the same caution as ER2
and <2 seams as they are being operated at stress le(els e5ceeding ,- percent o' S./S.
:aps, pits, seams, crac+s, and rolled"in plugs should be repaired sub;ect to these limitations6 special
re4uirements o' 8.7. and interior de'ects and lea+s must be obser(ed9 hot"tapping is acceptable on
nonlea+ing, O.7. de'ects as long as the entire de'ect is remo(ed &ith the coupon9 deposited &eld metal
may be used to repair pits or laps i' they can be entirely e5posed by grinding.
Hard spots created in the plate by accidental 4uenching on the run"out table may become 'lat spots in the
pipe since they do not yield &hen the plate is 'ormed to pipe. Such hard spots do not 'ail spontaneously
unless they contain 4uench crac+s, or unless they undergo hydrogen stress crac+ing. Such spots should be
repaired i' they are not crac+ed. )ype A or B slee(es &ithout 'iller &ould not be acceptable since they
&ould not restrain 'lat spots 'rom bulging.
Hard spots can be remedied by se(eral methods i' the occur as outside nonlea+ing de'ects. Slee(e repair
methods &ith 'ill not only pro(ide strengthening but shield the hard spot 'rom the en(ironment, &hich may
cause it to become crac+ed.
>
Hard spots at the 8.7. sur'ace should not be repaired &ith )ype A slee(es
since they may be susceptible to crac+ing in certain types o' product ser(ice. Such a slee(e &ould not
pre(ent a lea+ i' the resulting crac+ gre& through the &all.
Selecti(e corrosion and hydrogen stress crac+ing in ER2 and <2 seams are sub;ect to lo& toughness
'racture beha(ior. 8t is recommended that they be remo(ed or repaired &ith pressuri1ed )ype B slee(es to
relie(e stress.
General or &idespread corrosion is that &hich co(ers too &ide an area to be repairable by means o' hot"
tapping or deposited &eld metal. Any other repair means are acceptable i' they co(er the critically a''ected
area. 2hen internal corrosion is present, its e5tent must be reasonably &ell +no&n and 'urther corrosion
must be pre(ented. Remo(al may sometimes be the only suitable choice.
?itting corrosion may in(ol(e isolated pits or groups o' pits. Generally, isolated single pits &ill not re4uire
repair i' 'urther corrosion can be halted. AS.E guidelines can be used to determine &hether or not a
corroded region re4uires repair. Groups o' interacting pits can substantially lo&er remaining strength. 8'
strength has been lo&ered, the pipe should be repaired. Any o' the methods o' )able ! are suitable i' the
noted precautions are obser(ed.
Stress"corrosion crac+s occur in clusters and o'ten co(er a large area. 8t is di''icult to repair these crac+s by
hot"tapping or deposited &eld metal. Repair methods 'or stress"corrosion crac+s are con'ined to those
&hich can strengthen the entire a''ected area.
Hydrogen stress crac+ing appears in hard spots attac+ed by hydrogen emitted 'rom bacteria e5ternal to the
pipe and 'rom cathodic protection. 8nternally, the hard spots can be attac+ed by certain type o' products "
especially those containing hydrogen sul'ide. Because 'latness o'ten occurs near hard spots, non'illed
slee(es are not recommended. 7eposited &eld metal is not recommended because grinding o' a hydrogen
stress crac+ in a hard " and usually brittle " spot &hile the pipe is under pressure is not so't. 8nterior
hydrogen stress crac+ing should not be repaired by a )ype A slee(e since such a slee(e cannot pre(ent
lea+s i' the crac+ gro&s through the &all.
7ents and gouges and a combination gouge"in"dent result 'rom e5ternal encroachment by mechanical
e5ca(ating e4uipment , other +inds o' e4uipment, or roc+s. ?lain dents are usually innocuous unless they
are 4uite large *" 2 percent o' more o' the diameter " or unless they in(ol(e a seam or girth &eld. 2hen the
dent is large or &elds are included in the dent or gouge"in"dent, the repair should pre(ent its out&ard
mo(ement. Slee(es &ith 'illers or pressuri1ed slee(es are re4uired. 8' the included &eld is an ER2 or <2
seam, the de'ect should be remo(ed or the stress relie(ed &ith a pressuri1ed slee(e.
Gouges &ithout dents in the body o' the pipe or in SA2 seams or girth &elds may be repaired by any
means e5cept deposited &eld metal. Gouges"in"dents may be repaired only by means &hich pre(ent
out&ard mo(ement o' the dent. Slee(es &ithout 'illers are not acceptable.
2hen dents are in(ol(ed, hot"tapping is not recommended since it may not remo(e the dent entirely. <or
any gouge or gouge"in"dent, repair by deposited &eld metal is not recommended since concealed crac+s
may e5ist. 2hen a dent is present, &eld metal may not ha(e su''icient ductility to &ithstand the se(ere
strains that accompany out&ard dent mo(ement.
3onstruction de'ects in girth &eld include undercut, incomplete 'usion, incomplete penetration, and crac+s.
7eposited &eld metal may be one o' the best &ays to repair undercut or other e5ternally connected de'ects
in girth &elds &hich can be ground 'or access. Slee(es, i' used, should ha(e a special shape such as a
central hump to a(oid inter'erence &ith the girth &eld rein'orcement. Only slee(es &ith &elded ends are
recommended. Such slee(es tend to strengthen the de'ecti(e girth ;oint, &hereas those &ith non&eld ends
do not.
)able ! " 3riteria 'or selecting an appropriate repair method (@ indicates an acceptable repair
!rn"thro!gh
Burn"through into a li(e pipe line &ould de'eat the purpose o' a repair, &ould probably cause the line to be
shut do&n, and might create a serious sa'ety ha1ard to the repair cre&.
An AGA study re(ealed that the 'ollo&ing parameters control burn"through6 remaining &all"thic+ness9
&elding heat input9 nature and state o' the pressuri1ation media in the pipe. 3onse4uently, it is possible to
prescribe sa'e limits 'or a(oiding burn"through &hile depositing &eld metal on a de'ect ()able 2.
)able 2 sho&s a relationship bet&een 8.7. sur'ace temperature during &elding and remaining &all
thic+ness 'or (arious pressure and 'lo& rates o' natural gas. )hese (alues &ere ta+en 'rom AGA cur(es.
)he table is based on6 heat input characteristics o' the ABA2"inch or !B%"inch lo& hydrogen electrode9 %- to
!-- amps &elding current at 2- (olts 739 an a(erage electrode tra(el speed o' , to# in.Bmin.
Energy input should not e5ceed these limits. :o& hydrogen electrodes are recommended 'or reasons
e5plained later. =nder these conditions, repairs can sa'ely be made in the 'lat, hori1ontal or o(erhead
positions pro(ided 'lo& or pressure is controlled. Analytic results predict that the 8.7. &all temperature &ill
not e5ceed 2,---C < and a burn"through is highly unli+ely &hen repairs are made in this manner.
Dalues sho&n in )able 2 are belie(ed to be 4uite conser(ati(e. Repairs &ere made &ithout burn"throughs
on -.!%-"inch remaining &all &ith air at ambient pressure and no 'lo& inside the pipe. )his conser(atism
pro(ides an e5tra sa'ety margin and allo&s linear e5trapolations 'or (alues bet&een those sho&n in the
table. )he minimum &all"thic+ness o' -.!#-"inch is established on the basis o' the e5perimental results.
)his thic+ness is also recommended by the British Gas 3orp. 2ithin these limits, repairs may be made by
deposited &eld metal ()able !.
#nder$ead Crac%ing
=nderbead crac+ing can be minimi1ed by ma+ing repairs &ith lo& hydrogen electrodes in a manner that
a(oids hard &eld heat"a''ected 1ones.
One &ay to help assure that e5tremely hard &eld 1ones are not 'ormed during repair &elding is to limit
repairs to &ell +no&n carbon e4ui(alent ranges. =n'ortunately, chemistries o' speci'ic samples needing
repairs &ill seldom be +no&n. :o& hydrogen electrodes pre(ent hydrogen 'rom being present in the
&elding atmosphere but they do not pre(ent 'ormation o' hard &eld 1ones &hen ad(erse chemistries are
present. .a+ing o' crac+"'ree &eldments re4uires care'ul control o' heat input to a(oid rapid 4uenching or
post"repair treatments to assure that e5treme hardness does not remain.
8n the case o' slee(es, the critical arc in &hich crac+ing most o'ten occurs is the 'illet"&eld at the ends. At
least t&o procedures 'or ma+ing these &elds, &ith a minimum ris+ o' crac+ing, are a(ailable.
!,,,#,%

8n the case o' deposited &eld metal repairs, heat input must be +ept lo& to a(oid burn"through during the
'irst or second passes. 7uring later passes, ho&e(er, higher heat inputs can be used to so'ten the resulting
repair metal microstructure and the heat"a''ected"1one o' base metal. A high heat input 'inal pass can be
made &ith a non'using tungsten electrode as suggested by the British Gas 3orp. % An alternati(e procedure
is to ma+e an e5tra pass &ith high heat input using a con(entional electrode. )his pass can be ground o''
since its purpose is merely to so'ten the heat"a''ected microstructure o' pre(ious passes.
)able 2 " :imitations on remaining &all"thic+ness 'or repairing &ithout a burn"through
Dalues are the minimum recommended thic+nesses in inches &ith natural gas as the
pressuri1ing medium at the pressures and 'lo&s sho&n.
.a5imum &elding (oltage, 2- (olts
.a5imum &elding current, !-- amps
(Based on a paper, E3riteria 'or Repairing ?ipelines in Ser(ice =sing Slee(es and 7eposited 2eld .etalE
presented by the author at the AGA )ransmission 3on'erence at .ontreal, Fue., .ay %"!-, !GH%.
So!rce
Pipe Line Industry, Ianuary !G%-.
References
!. Jie'ner, I.<., and 7u''y, A.R., A Study of Two Methods for Repairing defects in Line Pipe,
?ipeline Research 3ommittee o' the American Gas Association, !GH,, 3atalog 0o. :222H#.
2. Jie'ner, I.<., and 7u''y, A.R., Bunn, I.S., and Hanna, :.E., Eeasibility and Methods of
Repairing !orroded Line Pipe,E .aterials ?rotection and ?er'ormance, Dol. 888, 0o. !-, Oct.,
!GH2.
A. Jie'ner, I.<., E3orroded ?ipe6 Strength and Repair .ethods,E ifth Symposium on Line Pipe
Research, Houston, )e5as, !GH,, American Gas Association, 3atalog 0o. :A-!H,.
,. Jie'ner, I.<., ERepair o' :ine ?ipe 7e'ects by <ull"Encirclement Slee(es,E "elding #ournal, Dol.
#$, 0o. $, Iune, !GHH.
#. Jie'ner, I.<., 2hitacre, G.R., and Eiber, R.I., E<urther Studies o' )&o .ethods 'or Repairing
7e'ects in :ine ?ipe,E to ?ipeline Research 3ommittee o' the American Gas Association, 0G"!%
Report 0o. !!2, .arch 2, !GH%.
$. 3assie, B.A., E)he 2elding o' Hot")ap 3onnections to High ?ressure Gas ?ipelines,E I.2. Iones
.emorial :ecture, ?ipeline 8ndustries Guild, British Gas 3orp., October, !GH,.
H. .orel, R.7., "elded Repairs on API $L%&$' Pipe, !Ath Annual ?etroleum .echanical
Engineering 3on'erence, 7en(er, 3olorado, September 2,, !G#%.
%. 3hristian, I.R., and 3assie B.A., EAnalysis o' a :i(e 2elded Repair on An Arti'icial 7e'ect,E
ERS.3.G$, October, !GH#.
G. Smith, R.B., and Eiber, R.I., E<ield <ailure Sur(ey and 8n(estigations,E ourth Symposium on
Line Pipe Research, American Gas Association, !G$G, 3atalog 0o. :A--H#.
!-. Eiber, R.I., E<ield <ailure 8n(estigations,E ifth Symposium on Line Pipe Research, American Gas
Association, !GH,, 3atalog 0o. :A-!H,.
!!. 2right, R.R., E?roper 8nspection .ethods .inimi1e ?ipeline <ailures,E (il and )as #ournal, .ay
2A, !GHH, pp. #!"#$.
Terminology
&efect Parameters
&efect' A crac+, pit, cre(ice, gouge, dent, metallurgical anomaly, or combination o' t&o or more
o' the abo(e &hich is +no&n or suspected to reduce the e''ecti(e pipe strength le(el to less than
!-- percent o' its speci'ied minimum yield strength (S./S
(.&. defect' A de'ect emanating at and e5tending radially in&ard 'rom the outside sur'ace but not
entirely through the &all o' the pipe.
).&. defect' A de'ect emanating at and e5tending radially out&ard 'rom the inside sur'ace but not
entirely through the &all o' the pipe.
)nterior defect' A de'ect emanating in the interior o' the pipe &all but not o' su''icient radial
e5tent to be connected &ith either the inside or the outside sur'ace.
Lea%ing (.&. defect' A de'ect &hich &as initially an O.7. de'ect, but &hich has gro&n through
the &all to become a lea+.
Lea%ing ).&. defect' A de'ect &hich &as initially an 8.7. de'ect, but &hich has gro&n through the
&all to become a lea+.
S!perficial defect' A lap, cre(ice, pit, group o' pits, metallurgical anomaly, or plain dent (i.e.,
&ithout scratches, gouges, or crac+s &hich is o' insu''icient e5tent to reduce the e''ecti(e
strength le(el o' the pipe belo& !-- percent o' S./S.
Kinds of defects
* (7e'initions mar+ed by asteris+ are 'rom A?8 Bulletin #)! *ondestructive Testing Terminology, )hird
Edition, April, !GH2.
0ot e(ery concei(able +ind o' de'ect in pipe is co(ered by this list. )he list is limited to those &hich are
li+ely to be encountered in an in"ser(ice pipe line.
&efects originating from pipe man!fact!re
a. 7e'ects not necessarily in the seam &eld (primarily in the body o' the pipe
:ap6 <old o' metal &hich has been rolled or other&ise &or+ed against the sur'ace o'
rolled metal, but has not 'used into sound metal.
?it6 A depression resulting 'rom the remo(al o' 'oreign material rolled into the sur'ace
during manu'acture.
Rolled"in slugs6 A 'oreign metallic body rolled into the metal sur'ace, usually not 'used.
Seam6 3re(ice in rolled metal &hich has been more or less closed by rolling or other
&or+ but has not been 'used into sound metal.
Hard spot6 An area in the pipe &ith a hardness le(el considerably higher than that o'
surrounding metal9 usually caused by locali1ed 4uenching.
3rac+6 A stress"induced separation o' the metal &hich, &ithout any other in'luence, is
insu''icient in e5tent to cause complete rupture o' the material.
b. 7e'ects in the seam &eld
8ncomplete 'usion6 :ac+ o' complete coalescence o' some portion o' the metal in a &eld
;oint.
8ncomplete penetration6 A condition &here &eld metal does not continue through the 'ull
thic+ness o' the ;oint.
=nder"cut6 =nder"cutting on submerged"arc"&elded pipe is the reduction in thic+ness o'
the pipe &all ad;acent to the &eld &here it is 'used to the sur'ace o' the pipe.
2eld area crac+6 A crac+ that occurs in the &eld deposit, the 'usion line, or the heat"
a''ected"1one. (3rac+6 A stress"induced separation o' the metal &hich, &ithout any other
in'luence, is su''icient in e5tent to cause complete rupture o' the material.
=pturned 'iber imper'ection6 .etal separation, resulting 'rom imper'ections at the edge
o' the plate or s+elp, parallel to the sur'ace, &hich turn to&ard the 8.7. or O.7. pipe
sur'ace &hen the edges are upset during &elding.
?enetrator6 A locali1ed spot o' incomplete 'usion.
3old &eld6 A metallurgically ine5act term generally indicating a lac+ o' ade4uate &eld
bonding strength o' the abutting edges, due to insu''icient heat andBor pressure. A cold
&eld may or may not ha(e separation in the &eld line. Other more de'initi(e terms should
be used &hene(er possible.
&efects originating from e*ternal or internal environmental degeneration of the pipe
a. Seam &eld de'ects
Selecti(e corrosion6 ?re'erential corrosion in the 'usion line o' an electric resistance
&elded or 'lash &elded longitudinal seam.
Hydrogen stress crac+ing6 En(ironmentally stimulated crac+ing o' the &eld metal or
heat"a''ected"1one o' the longitudinal seam.
b. 7e'ects not in the body o' the pipe (possibly in the seam &eld""but not speci'ically because o' the
seam &eld.
*
One method o' protecting hard spots 'rom hydrogen stress crac+ing &hich, so 'ar, has pro(en ade4uate, is
that o' using a concentric band o' sheet metal spaced a&ay 'rom the pipe by rubber seals. )he annular
space i' 'illed &ith coal tar to e5clude ground &ater, and the metal band (&hich is itsel' coated shields the
hard spot 'rom hydrogen generating cathodic protection current.
>
?resent re4uirements o' 'ederal regulations ?art !G2 dictate remo(al o' dents e5tending o(er 2 percent o'
the pipe diameter.
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