The Role of Niobium in High Strength Oil and Gas Transmission Linepipe Steels

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas G. Stalheim ◽  
Steven G. Jansto
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Operating Cost ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Processing Technique ◽  
Alloy Design ◽  
Transmission Pipeline ◽  
Low Temperature Toughness ◽  
Transmission Pipelines

Niobium’s role in the production of oil and gas transmission pipelines steels has gained significant importance in recent years. The economical movement of gas and oil to the marketplace from remote and rugged locations requires transmission pipelines to be designed to operate at higher pressures with improved toughness over a variety of temperature ranges. With the increased demand for energy resources continuing to grow, traditional plate mills, hot strip mills along with Steckel mills around the world are processing skelp for API pipe. The capabilities of these mills can be quite varied. Consequently, a variety of operational considerations and practices have put additional focus on Nb for its ability to retard recrystallization at elevated temperatures. This ability has added a new form of processing skelp for API pipe called High Temperature Processing or HTP. This new use of Nb in higher strength API oil and gas transmission pipeline steels allows a producer to create a ferrite/acicular ferrite microstructure without the traditional molybdenum alloy based design. The HTP Nb microalloy approach has benefits including reduced operating cost per ton, ease of rolling and welding, excellent low temperature toughness properties and high strength. This processing technique for API X70 and X80 is gaining acceptance as major pipeline projects are now applying this technology. In addition, X100 properties have been achieved with a combination of the traditional X80 alloy design and the newer employed HTP alloy design. This paper will discuss Nb’s role in meeting the increased strength requirements related to operating at higher pressures, improved low temperature toughness (TCVN > 200 J@−40 °C), microstructural demands and processing capability improvements for traditional plate, strip, and Steckel mill technology. The use of the new HTP concept in high strength API production will also be introduced.

Modern High Strength Steels for Oil and Gas Transmission Pipelines

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fulvio Siciliano ◽  
Douglas G. Stalheim ◽  
J. Malcolm Gray
Keyword(s):  
Acicular Ferrite ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
High Strength Steels ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Alloy System ◽  
Alloy Design ◽  
Nb Content ◽  
Transmission Pipeline ◽  
Rolling Temperatures ◽  
Transmission Pipelines

Increasing world demand for energy has resulted in plans to expand the oil and gas transmission pipeline infrastructure in many countries utilizing higher strength steels of API grade X70 and X80. Traditional transmission pipeline steels, up to grade X70, relied on a ferrite/pearlite microstructural design generated through traditional TMCP rolling of a niobium microalloyed C-Mn steel design. Increasing strengths up to X70 and X80 for transmission pipelines has resulted in a shift toward a ferrite/acicular ferrite microstructure designs. Traditionally, to generate the ferrite/acicular ferrite microstructure design for X70 or X80, TMCP rolling is applied to a C-Mn-Si-Mo-Nb alloy system. The Nb content is typically less than 0.070% in this alloy system. With the rising cost of alloys over the past three years, steel and pipe producers have been working with different alloy designs to reduce total costs to produce the ferrite/acicular ferrite microstructure. In recent developments it has been determined that an optimized low-C-Mn-Si-Cr-Nb alloy design (usually referred as NbCr steel), utilizing an Nb content between 0.080 – 0.11% can produce the same ferrite/acicular ferrite microstructure with either no, or minimal, use of molybdenum. This approach has been successfully used in several transmission pipeline projects such as the Cantarell, Cheyenne Plains and Rockies Express. Recognizing the success of previous projects around the world, the large ∼ 4500 Km 2nd West-East Pipeline Project specification in China has been modified to allow for the use of this NbCr design for both plate and coil for conversion to long seam or spiral pipe. The NbCr design allows the steel producer to utilize niobium’s unique ability to retard recrystallization at higher than normal TMCP rolling temperatures, hence the term for the alloy design High Temperature Processing (HTP), producing the desired ferrite/acicular ferrite microstructure with excellent strength, toughness and weldability. This paper will discuss the technical background, rolling strategy, mechanical properties, welding, specific projects, and specification modifications with practical examples.

Metallurgical Design and Development of High Deformable X100 Line Pipe Steels Suitable for Strain-Based Design

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Hara ◽  
Yoshio Terada ◽  
Yasuhiro Shinohara ◽  
Hitoshi Asahi ◽  
Naoki Doi
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Pipe Material ◽  
Pipe Steels ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Line Pipe ◽  
The World ◽  
Low Temperature Toughness ◽  
Transmission Pipelines

The demand for natural gas using pipelines and LNG to supply the world gas markets is increasing substituting for oil and coal. The use of high strength line pipe steels provides the reduction of cost of gas transmission pipelines by enabling high-pressure transmission of large volumes of gas. In particular, high strength line pipe materials with a yield strength of X80 or higher have been developed over the last few decades around the world. Long distance gas transmission pipelines from remote areas sometimes pass through discontinuous permafrost, and are subject to ground movements by repeated thaw subsidence and frost heave. In this case, strain-based design has been applied as well as stress-based design. Therefore, high deformable line pipe is required for strain-based design in order to prevent the pipeline from fracturing. Nippon steel has also developed high deformable high strength line pipe material suitable for strain-based design. In recent years, demand for high strength line pipe steels has emerged in which the molybdenum content is reduced because of the high cost of molybdenum. Conventionally, high strength line pipe steel with Mo addition has been developed in order to control the microstructure and to obtain pipe properties such as strength and low temperature toughness. This paper describes the metallurgical design and development of high deformable high strength X100 line pipe with lower Mo content suitable for strain-based design. High deformable X100 line pipe with 16 mm wall thickness as well as good low temperature toughness and seam weld toughness has been developed.

When Metals and Microbes Meet: Preventing Microbial Corrosion in Crude Oil Transmission Pipelines

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa M. Gieg ◽  
Mohita Sharma ◽  
Trevor Place ◽  
Jennifer Sargent ◽  
Yin Shen
Keyword(s):  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Combined Treatment ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Test Methods ◽  
Microbial Corrosion ◽  
Gas Industry ◽  
Chemical Treatments ◽  
Transmission Pipeline ◽  
Transmission Pipelines

Abstract Corrosion of carbon steel infrastructure in the oil and gas industry can occur via a variety of chemical, physical, and/or microbiological mechanisms. Although microbial corrosion is known to lead to infrastructure failure in many upstream and downstream operations, predicting when and how microorganisms attack metal surfaces remains a challenge. In crude oil transmission pipelines, a kind of aggressive corrosion known as under deposit corrosion (UDC) can occur, wherein mixtures of solids (sands, clays, inorganic minerals), water, oily hydrocarbons, and microorganisms form discreet, (bio)corrosive sludges on the metal surface. To prevent UDC, operators will use physical cleaning methods (e.g., pigging) combined with chemical treatments such as biocides, corrosion inhibitors, and/or biodispersants. As such, it necessary to evaluate the efficacy of these treatments in preventing UDC by monitoring the sludge characteristics and the microorganisms that are potentially involved in the corrosion process. The efficacies of a biocide, corrosion inhibitor, and biodispersant being used to prevent microbial corrosion in a crude oil transmission pipeline were evaluated. A combination of various microbiological analyses and corrosivity tests were performed using sludge samples collected during pigging operations. The results indicated that the combined treatment using inhibitor, biocide 1 and biodispersant was the most effective in preventing metal damage, and both growth-based and Next-Generation Sequencing approaches provided value towards understanding the effects of the chemical treatments. The efficacy of a different biocide (#2) could be discriminated using these test methods. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of considering and monitoring for microbial corrosion of crucial metal infrastructure in the oil and gas industry, and the value of combining multiple lines of evidence to evaluate the performance of different chemical treatment scenarios.

Research and Development of High Strength Architectural Heavy Plates

2012 ◽  
Vol 190-191 ◽  
pp. 590-594
Author(s):  
Ming Wei Tong ◽  
Ze Xi Yuan ◽  
Kai Guang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Technical Requirement ◽  
Good Match ◽  
Iron And Steel ◽  
Fracture Transition ◽  
Fine Microstructure ◽  
Low Temperature Toughness ◽  
Base Plates

This paper provides a detailed description of high strength architectural heavy plates with 80mm in thickness developed at Wuhan Iron and Steel（Group）Corporation(WISCO). The chemical composition of plates contains mainly C-Mn-Nb-V-Ti with proper content of other alloys, and the thermal-mechanical controlled process and normalizing treatment were applied. The results show that the base plates manufactured at WISCO have a good match of high strength, good through-thickness characteristic, low yield ratio and low temperature toughness with fine microstructure, and the fracture transition temperature is about -40°C. The welding plate also has high strength and good low temperature toughness which comprehensively meet the technical requirement of large-scale architectural buildings.

scholarly journals Modelling of Sub-Sea Gas Transmission Pipeline to Predict Insulation Failure

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ode Samson Chinedu ◽  
Okoro Emeka Emmanuel ◽  
Ekeinde Evelyn Bose ◽  
Dosunmu Adewale
Keyword(s):  
Transmission Line ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Normal Operation ◽  
Distributed Temperature Sensing ◽  
Transmission Systems ◽  
Insulation Failure ◽  
Transmission Pipeline ◽  
Optic Fibre ◽  
Transmission Pipelines

Background: Thermally insulated subsea production and transmission systems are becoming more common in deep-water/ offshore operations. Premature failures of the insulation materials for these gas transmission pipelines have had significant operational impacts. The ability to timely detect these failures within these systems has been a very difficult task for the oil and gas industries. Thus, periodic survey of the subsea transmission systems is the present practice. In addition, a new technology called optic-fibre Distributed Temperature Sensing system (DTS) is now being used to monitor subsea transmission pipeline temperatures; but this technology is rather very expensive. Objective: However, this study proposed a model which will not only predict premature insulation failure in these transmission pipelines; but will also predict the section of the transmission line where the failure had occurred. Methods: From this study, we deduced that in gas pipeline flow, exit temperature for the system increases exponentially with the distance of insulation failure and approaches the normal operation if the failure occurs towards the exit of the gas pipe. This model can also be used to check the readings of an optic-fibre distributed temperature sensors. Result and Conclusion: After developing this model using classical visual basic and excel package, the model was validated by cross plotting the normal temperature profiles of the model and field data; and R-factor of 0.967 was obtained. Analysis of the results obtained from the model showed that insulation failure in subsea gas transmission pipeline can be predicted on a real-time basis by mere reading of the arrival temperature of a gas transmission line.

IN-787

Alloy Digest ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fracture Toughness ◽  
Corrosion Resistance ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Atmospheric Corrosion ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Heat Treating ◽  
Line Pipe ◽  
International Nickel Company ◽  
Pipe Welding ◽  
Low Temperature Toughness

Abstract IN-787 is an age-hardenable, high-strength structural steel. It is characterized by low-temperature toughness, good atmospheric corrosion resistance and excellent weldability, even under adverse field conditions such as line-pipe welding. This datasheet provides information on composition, physical properties, elasticity, and tensile properties as well as fracture toughness. It also includes information on corrosion resistance as well as forming, heat treating, machining, joining, and surface treatment. Filing Code: SA-286. Producer or source: International Nickel Company Inc..

Metallurgical Design and Development of High-Grade Line Pipe

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuya Hara ◽  
Taishi Fujishiro ◽  
Yasuhiro Shinohara ◽  
Eiji Tsuru ◽  
Naoki Doi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Design And Development ◽  
Line Pipe ◽  
Good Balance ◽  
Low Temperature Toughness ◽  
And Control ◽  
High Deformability

The application of high-strength line pipes has enabled pipelines to operate at high pressure, generating cost savings for both gas transportation and construction. In general, high-strength line pipes require crack initiation resistance and crack arrestability at low temperatures, as well as field weldability. High strength and deformability for strain-based design and excellent sour resistance are also required. Moreover, composite properties are often required for high-strength line pipes. This paper describes our progress in this field with regard to metallurgical design and development. Metallurgical design aimed at achieving a good balance between strength, low temperature toughness and deformability for strain-based design is also described from the perspectives of grain refinement, microstructure and chemical composition. Metallurgical design focused on a good balance between strength and sour resistance in limited low chemical composition is described from the perspectives of microstructure and control to chemical composition and center segregation. These efforts have led to the development of high-strength heavy wall line pipes of API X60 to X100 grades offering excellent low temperature toughness and high deformability for stain-based design, while API grades X65 to X70 with good sour resistance have also been developed.

Research and Development of Deep-Sea Pipeline Steel

2010 ◽  
Vol 152-153 ◽  
pp. 1492-1498
Author(s):  
Jin Qiao Xu ◽  
Bin Guo ◽  
Lin Zheng ◽  
Yin Hua Li ◽  
Le Yu
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Pipeline Steel ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Steel Company ◽  
Line Pipe ◽  
Iron And Steel ◽  
Company Group ◽  
Pipeline Project ◽  
Low Temperature Toughness

This paper provides a detailed description of deep-sea pipeline steel developed at Wuhan Iron and Steel Company(Group), WISCO for short. The thickness of the trial produced plates is 28mm. The chemical composition of low C-high Mn-Nb-Ti with proper content of other alloys and thermo-mechanical controlled process were applied. The results show that the deep-sea pipeline steel developed at Wuhan Iron and Steel Company has a good match of high strength, low temperature toughness and excellent deformability with fine uniform microstructure. The LSAW line pipe manufactured by JCOE method has high strength, good low temperature toughness and low yield ratio which comprehensively meet the requirements of the South China Sea Liwan pipeline project.

Development of Heavy Gauge X70 Helical Line Pipe

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. E. Collins ◽  
K. Dunnett ◽  
T. Hylton ◽  
A. Ray
Keyword(s):  
Low Temperature ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
High Strength ◽  
Helical Line ◽  
Slab Thickness ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Austenite Grain Size ◽  
Line Pipe ◽  
Nitrogen Levels ◽  
Low Temperature Toughness

A decade ago, the pipeline industry was actively exploring the use of high strength steels (X80 and greater) for long distance, large diameter pipelines operating at high pressures. However in recent years the industry has adopted a more conservative approach preferring to utilize well established X70 grade pipe in heavier wall thicknesses to accommodate the demand for increased operating pressures. In order to meet this demand, EVRAZ has undertaken a substantial upgrade of both its steelmaking and helical pipemaking facilities. The EVRAZ process is relatively unique employing electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking to melt scrap, coupled with Steckel mill rolling for the production of coil which is fed into helical DSAW pipe mills for the production of large diameter line pipe in lengths up to 80 feet. Prior to the upgrade production had been limited to a maximum finished wall thickness of ∼17 mm. The upgrades have included installation of vacuum de-gassing to reduce hydrogen and nitrogen levels, upgrading the caster to improve cast steel quality and allow production of thicker (250 mm) slabs, upgrades to the power trains on the mill stands to achieve greater rolling reductions, replacement of the laminar flow cooling system after rolling and installation of a downcoiler capable of coiling 25.4 mm X70 material. As well a new helical DSAW mill has been installed which is capable of producing large diameter pipe in thicknesses up to 25.4 mm. The installation of the equipment has provided both opportunities and challenges. Specific initiatives have sought to produce X70 line pipe in thicknesses up to 25.4 mm, improve low temperature toughness and expand the range of sour service grades available. This paper will focus on alloy design and rolling strategies to achieve high strength coupled with low temperature toughness. The role of improved centerline segregation control will be examined. The use of scrap as a feedstock to the EAF process results in relatively high nitrogen contents compared to blast furnace (BOF) operations. While nitrogen can be reduced to some extent by vacuum de-gassing, rolling practices must be designed to accommodate nitrogen levels of 60 ppm. Greater slab thickness allows greater total reduction, but heat removal considerations must be addressed in optimization of rolling schedules to achieve suitable microstructures to achieve both strength and toughness. This optimization requires definition of the reductions to be accomplished during roughing (recrystallization rolling to achieve a fine uniform austenite grain size) and finishing (pancaking to produce heavily deformed austenite) and specification of cooling rates and coiling temperatures subsequent to rolling to obtain suitable transformation microstructures. The successful process development will be discussed.

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